Today I spent most of the day in the garden. It was very nice here, not hot and it gave Brian a chance to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air (allergies and all) and me to get a little work done on my herbs.
The deer where here last night, I can tell because the little tips of some of my yarrow is missing. But all in all they mostly leave the herbs alone and I have other scraps I put out for them.
The blog has had some interesting visitors reading from Herhsey Medical center. I don't know how they found the blog, but I did see that a search for Dr. Ehmann and the medical center led one reader here...perhaps it just snowballed from there.
Somehow I doubt I am Ms. Popularity there right now, but I only wrote what transpired. (and truth be told a lot of my newspaper printed editorials frequently ruffled a few feathers as well).
I do admit to being a bit picky about those I want to treat Brian, and not without cause...We have experienced several life threatening incidents that had little to do with the treatment and more to do with carelessness and that special kind of thinking some "specialists" suffer from.
There was the blood sugar of 846 episode..(Thanks to the carelessness of Dr. Kamen because he was positive Brian's disorientation was ONLY a side effect of the methotrexate and pumping him full of Robitussin would solve the problem for sure....)...
also the etopicide precipitating in the IV line episode...(not sure where to place the "oopsie" there..failure to get the chemo from pharamacy fast enough...carelessness in the mixing....)
and a few less serious ones. But they tend to leave a lasting impression. Just as some attitudes tend to. But my style is an honest one...talk about the problem, not run to the nearest lawyer and try and make a quick buck. After all, problems aren't solved by malpractice insurance, they are solved with discussions.
But in all seriousness....I am not a difficult person, nor hard to please. I just expect complete honesty, which I will return in kind...and a willingness to work with the whole picture. Is that really so much to ask? If there isn't that kind of relationship then how can I possibly have the confidence needed to hand my son over to a life challenging procedure?
I have dealt with a lot...Brian not only has battled lymphoma twice now, but is a young adult with aspergers who has suffered in many ways either in a learning situation, or from the long term side effects of the chemo with the OCD, or the nerve damage. I can't simply pack up and go home after a long day, have a drink and relax....my job as a parent is 24/7. I see all of the bad, and if I am very lucky I can enjoy the good as well.
There is no better advocate for a patient then the patient him or herself. In lew of that...MOMMY...(mommy from hell if need be...) We don't live in a world where doctor's are gods..they are simply faliable humans just like the rest of us, and there is never going to be a situation where I am afraid to ask the hard questions, and walk away if I don't like the answers. And Nothing is non negotiable. Especially things that are at best a misrepresentation and at worst a flat out lie.
Accepting things without question is for sheeple.
In a way it is a shame, Can you think of a better way to spend a boring as hell month sitting at a hospital bed then in a town know for it's chocolate?....I am going to have to make do with cheese steaks and soft pretzels now....talk about a sacrifice...
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