Still Searching

I am still searching for a new pediatrician. I heard about a group who was hopeful. One of my friends told me about them and about an incident that made me look into things further. She recently had a baby and was surprised when the doctor told her that they did not give the baby ANY vaccines. He didn't recommend it until 2 months. THEN he said that he also never gave HIS children the flu vaccine and so he didn't recommend that either. I was shocked!!! This is MY kind of doc!

Well...I have some bad news. I called and he is not taking any new patients unless they are newborn. I was definitely disappointed. However, I am looking into another doctor in the same group... So... I am hoping that at least I can get my foot in the door. We shall see. I am not sure how it works, but I figure that if I make an appointment and the primary doctor is not available, I can probably make an appointment with any of the other doctors in the group? Right? Am I sneaky? You betcha!!!

Once I can get my baby into another group, then eventually I can try and add the other kids if I end up liking them. In reality, when you go to a group you don't usually end up seeing the same doctor at every visit. In my current group there are four doctors and you can end up with any of them, especially if it's an emergency situation. That is why it's critical to know ALL the doctors in a group and not just one. Out of the four doctors I only like one and he evidently doesn't like me very much. So... that's where we're at right now.

It's sad that in a city as large as ours I cannot find a decent doctor. I am not alone in my thinking. I am thankful for Children's Hospital for my daughter because otherwise we would be in serious trouble. NO ONE in the entire city knows anything about Wilson's Disease or how to treat it! Believe me, I called! I also looked into Doctor of Osteopathic medicine, but there are none of those around the area either. For those of you who don't know what that is here is some good information on it: http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ado_whatis
These are ways they are different from regular MD's:
D.O.s bring something extra to medicine:

* Osteopathic medical schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians.
* D.O.s practice a "whole person" approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as an integrated whole.
* Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care.
* D.O.s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system-your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of your body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an illness or injury in one part of your body can affect another.
* Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated into the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. With OMT, osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose illness and injury and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health. By combining all other available medical options with OMT, D.O.s offer their patients the most comprehensive care available in medicine today.

I love the "preventive" medicine approach. I also like the way they treat the WHOLE body and not just the symptoms. That is a big deal to me. For example, I went to my general practitioner and told her I was tired and was worried I had anemia or something was wrong with my thyroid. But a D.O. would ask me, "Have you been under a lot of stress?" or "Have you been getting enough sleep lately?" That is the big difference! I wish there was one in the area because they know all about how toxins and environment plays a role in many of illnesses and conditions in kids today.

For now, I will keep searching. I know that there is doctor out there who feels like I do. I am positive that he/she exists. I also have faith that we won't have to go through this alone. There are many options for me right now. I don't have to be bullied by my current pediatrician. I know that my #4 came at a time when I was at my peak of my enlightenment. In the old days, I would have buckled. However, I am armed and ready to face whatever may come. Even if it comes in the form of a white lab coat.
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"Resistance is futile" - Seven of Nine
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