A Blessing and a Curse

I'm so sick of Dr.'s appointments I could scream. Lately it's been like twice a week. Kids have been tested for strep, (two negatives), bladder infections, (no again) and ear infections. (bingo! we have a winner!)

Yesterday Madison was supposed to go in for her 8 year well child check-up - they informed me she needed a few boosters, so I made an appointment for her, but at the last minute sent her to school and took Nick to the doctor to get his ears checked out. (ear infection) I had to reschedule her well child, schedule Nick (he needs shots as well) that will be this Thursday. I know Christopher is like 6 months behind as well.

Last Friday afternoon I spent more than an hour in the waiting room at the pediatric urologist so that he could tell me that Zach has a pretty large cyst on the end of his penis that needs to be removed. What I thought was a blister actually isn't. (I made some comment in a post a couple weeks ago) I thought the worst that was going to happen was that they'd drain it or something. No. Next Wednesday they will be cutting it out. It's supposed to be "a simple procedure." I promised to buy him a present. He wants a Build a Bear. I feel so terrible the kid could ask for a PSP or a Nintendo DS (that's the current hand-held system, right?) at this point and I'd give it to him with a smile.

My poor kid. Unfortunately he has the best memory. I'd like to say that I think he's young enough to forget, he's only 5, but for instance just the other day he asked me "Remember last March when we went to Legoland?" And I'd have to think, "was that March? or was it April? I think it was during spring break, so it was probably in March. How does he remember what month it was??? " I'm going to be a wreck come Wednesday. Other than actually having babies, or having my preemies in the hospital, this is the first major thing ever for any of my kids. Well Zach was dehydrated really bad once when he was two and he had the flu, so he had to be admitted then, but this is the first time for our family when the word "anesthesiologist" isn't accompanied by the word "epidural".

So the point of my title? I hate doctor's office waiting rooms. I hate making appointments, pulling my kids out of school, racing to get there on time, finding babysitters when necessary, etc. I hate immunizations in general. I get this knot in my stomach when they mention the possible side effects. It started when we worried Zach was autistic and a friend of mine with an autistic son filled my head with worry that immunizations might have caused it. (She totally believes it in her case, or at least she did 3 years ago.) My Doctor is adamant they are safe, but there is this little voice in the back of my head telling me I am pumping poison into my children.

On the other hand I am grateful for the medical care available to my family. I am grateful that the immunizations do protect my kids from diseases that children have died from only a couple generations ago. I am grateful for insurance. Ours isn't the best, but it is infinitely better than the alternative. I am grateful to have easy access to the medicines my family needs and the "simple procedures" I'd rather not think about. I guess this makes this my Thankful thing #3.