Doctors

Anyone who knows my kids well, knows that we tend to spend a lot of time at the doctor's office. I've been throughly schooled in "Mom Medicine" and can tell the difference between an Asthma cough and a sinus infection cough, I can spot pneumonia easily, and have learned to use an otoscope to diagnose ear infections.

Even through all of that, sometimes I am still amazed at how going to see the right doctor can make such a difference. I LOVE our pediatrician--like I said, we spend a lot of time there, but there are times that you need a specialist.

Caroline had asthma for 2 years before I took her to see a pulmonologist. Afterwards I wondered why I had ever waited for so long. She had been having severe stomach aches for over a year when I took her (not why I took her--just happened to mention it during the visit)--the doctor immediately diagnosed it as reflux irritated by her asthma and after 6 months of medication she was over it!

I took Carter to see the pulmonologist before he had even been diagnosed with Asthma by the pediatrician--sure enough he had it (just less obvious symptoms). Again I couldn't believe what having the right information and the right medications could do--it was an amazing difference.

Today was Alex's turn--his first visit as a patient to the pulmonologist. I almost canceled several times because I doubted my instinct and didn't want to put him on medication before he really needed it. As it turned out he was having problems--even though I thought he was healthy (his chest x-ray showed mucus in his lungs). Once again, I left amazed by the information I got and the hope I got that he could stay healthy this year--that chronic sinus infections and breathing issues didn't have to be the norm.

It reminds me of the problems I had with my heart--I lived with it for 21 years before I finally broke down and found out about getting it fixed--and found out it was no big deal A short surgery and a couple weeks recovery later, my life is so much better than it was before!

I guess my point in this post is you shouldn't just accept that things are the way they are with your health--it never hurts to talk to a specialist, even if they can't cure the problem--knowing exactly how to handle the problem and what to expect can make such a difference in your life.