This morning, Maddie woke up saying that it hurt when she peed and also had some blood in her diaper. It's fairly obvious to me that she has a bladder infection. And the dread sets in - taking three kids to the doctor's office by myself. I would probably rather poke myself in the eyes with large sharp objects. But, I want her to be evaluated and treated if needed.
So after swimming lessons this morning, I take all three of the kids to the walk-in clinic since our family doctor isn't in the office until noon today and also doesn't have any appointments today where she could be seen. Huge mistake. I take all three kids into the office and check in.
Has she been seen here before? Yes.
We're going to need you to fill out a new patient paperwork. She's been seen here before.
We don't have a record of her. Umm, okay.
Is she still at this address? I thought you said you didn't have a record of her!
Is this still her emergency contact? Same phone number? Blah blah blah? Yes!!
By this time, all three kids are screaming and crying. Please, just grab her chart and put it up for her to be seen by someone. I already had her urine sample collected to take with us, so all we needed was to get it to the lab and be seen. It shouldn't be that difficult.
And then it really started.
Maddie started her full-blown temper tantrum and screaming fit in the waiting room. Please, not now. Anytime but now. Please God, not now! Just let us make it through this appointment!! Please...
Apparently God isn't listening to me today, because it went from a 10/10 on the scream scale to a 20/10. I couldn't even hear when they called Maddie's name to go back and see the doctor. We got as far as the scale in the hallway, when I was trying to explain to the nurse (while holding 2 screaming toddlers and dragging along a resistant 6yo) that Maddie is having some behavioral and sensory issues right now that we are trying to sort out. Not that she could hear me over the screaming... Maddie refused to let her take her weight, and that's when the nurse told us that if Maddie didn't get on the scale, that she would not be able to be seen by the doctor.
Yes, let me get this straight. A toddler, which many are temperamental, refuses to get on the scale. And because of that, they don't get seen at ALL? Because of a weight??
And that's when mommy started bawling. And when the nurse asked us to leave, and to come back when/if she stopped crying.
This behavior is life changing, not just for Maddie, but for our entire family. It left us today, all four crying our eyes out, standing in the lobby of the doctors office without even being seen. It left Maddie with a painful bladder infection, and no doctor willing to evaluate or treat her. This screaming fit started at 11:00 am, and it is now 12:20 pm, with no signs of it letting up. I have tried everything, and I don't know what else to do. So we all just sit here crying together.
Luckily, her regular doctor made room for her at 4:15 today to be seen; however, I am already crying at the idea of repeating the same disaster that took place just a little bit ago.
God, please help me. Please.
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3 comments:
Jill, we have SOOOOO been there done that. I am so sorry you are there, especially with still settling in from # 3. I remember sitting in a wheelchair in the ED with Ben waiting to be seen and Alex both on my lap and Alex leaning forward then slamming back into me over and over and over again, the wheelchair was moving backward!!! It didn't take long for all 3 of us to be sobbing. We have made so much progress since then, so much. Praying for God to show you the way for Maddie.
Jill, I am so sorry! I would have been sobbing right along with you! Praying things start to get better for you guys soon.
Sending you big hugs!
One of our behavior people told me once to always remember that EVERY behavior has a cause/trigger, and you cant figure out how to change the behaviors until you figure out the cause. It took us a little while to figure out Maggie's trigger, but now that we know what they are, we work pre-emptively to elminate them (or help her learn to cope) and our lives are TOTALLY DIFFERENT!
You WILL get through this. You WILL figure out her triggers, and you WILL figure out how to combat them successfully! There is light at t he end of the tunnel, friend!
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