As a Mom Listen to Your Instincts...NOT the Doctor

Hi

Just had a super compelling reason to write you guys today.

As I write this I'm still frustrated what happened with the Doctors at the ER and what eventually led to my daughter to be admitted to the hospital for 3 days.

Happily everything and everyone is fine and ok.

But we wanted to share so that you can trust your gut and instinct.

A SWOLLEN EYE THAT GREW

One morning we noticed my daughter's eye was a little bit swollen. It wasn't bad but it was puffing up. It was a stye. It wasn't a big deal. We've had styes before so we did the usual home remedy treatments of a warm compress.

However, throughout the day the swelling didn't stop and it was actually getting worse. We decided to call her Dr and show her some pictures. The Dr was worried. The swelling was growing fast and the Dr was concerned about my daughter's eye swelling shut and bacteria spreading from her eyelid to her actual eye. She said to go to the ER to get oral antibiotics immediately, as in now.

THE ER

After a couple hours of waiting, we finally saw the Doctor at the ER. 

"There's no need for oral antibiotics", he said. 

We were confused. Her eye was looking seriously worse. Her primary Doctor said we needed to get the oral antibiotics.

"Are you sure? Her Doctor said specifically to get them."

"Yes" he assured me. Then he began to tell me reason that our primary Doctor was was wrong and how she was basing her conclusion from a picture and that he's looking at it now and my daughter doesn't need it.

We're not Doctors and what he said made sense. But deep inside we felt he was wrong. It just didn't feel right. Our gut was telling us something else. But what could we do?

We followed his instructions and used a weaker topical antibiotic. 

BIG MISTAKE 

My daughter's eye got worse and we went back to her primary doctor who was shocked that the ER Dr didn't give the oral antibiotics. She was scratching her head. She couldn't believe it. She prescribed the oral antibiotics but it was too late. The next day my daughter's eye had swollen so much it was almost shut and she was admitted to the hospital.

Everything worked out and my daughter is fine. At the hospital, she got a strong dose of antibiotics through IV, which was an ordeal, but after 3 scary days at the hospital the swelling went away.

But we learned our lesson. Trust yourself and your gut, like a Mama Bear protecting her cubs we push back a bit harder when we feel our gut is telling us something different than what the experts are saying.

BACK TO URGENT CAR

We recently had to go to Urgent Care. My son who had a stuffy nose started to complain about his ears. He was rubbing them and saying "owiee". He never does that. Ear infection was what we're thinking. 

We took him to urgent care, after a complete clinical review of my son, including checking his ears, the Urgent Care Doctor concluded everything is fine. "He might just have a bad cold but he doesn't have an ear infection."

We know our son. He doesn't just rub his ears... ever. And he wouldn't say "owiee" for no reason.

We explained to the Dr that we know our son and that we can tell something is off and asked her to please check his ears again....she reluctantly checked his ears...and said "oh i don't know why I didn't see this before, but it looks like an ear infection"

Protect your cubs Mama Bears.

The isn't about Doctors being wrong, they're great and know their stuff. But this is more about you being right and knowing your "stuff" which is your kids.

If you feel something isn't right let them know.

Your Mama Instincts are one of your greatest super powers.

Believe in it. :)