Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Oh YES He DID!

I knew Maddies eye exam would lead me to total frustration and feelings of terrible guilt. Long exam cut short, Maddison's vision is fine according to all the charts. OH YES HE DID ask the questions that I knew would send my heart palpitating....


Doctor: "How is Maddison's Diabetes control?"

"Good" I said.

Doctor: "What was her last a1c?"

"6.9" I said.

Doctor: "Ahhhhhh.....wellllll......that's a little HIGH he said. They really don't want A1c's up over 7%"

OH YES, HE DID go there.

And.....my blood boils. This guy has NO idea. No idea. So, I sit quietly as he explains how Diabetes affects the eyes. All I could do was think about my Dad. Then of course my thoughts turned back to Maddison and the guilt for every single out of range number came rushing in. I KNOW we are doing a GREAT job managing Maddison's Diabetes. BUT, I didnt feel like we were as the doctor rambled on about needing to "tighten up blood sugars" to help Maddison's eyes avoid the rath of fluctuating blood sugars. I left that office feeling like a total failure, feeling like Maddison's "double vision" is all a result from high blood sugars afflicted by a mom who can't "tighten up" her daughters blood sugar control. -Sigh-

OH YES, he DID go there....and NO, I wasn't even going to explain to him about T1 and children. I just listened. Then silently cried all the way home while Maddison complained that her blurry vision is for real. Damn you Diabetes.

12 comments:

MomOfType1 said...

Sometimes, I wish we could be sarcastic and say, "Oh, I didn't know you were an endocrinologist AND an eye doctor! Wow--that must have been a lot of years in med school!" And sometimes I wish those of us who are T1 moms had permission to be rude and say, "Shut up--I'm doing the best that I can, OK?"

Unless they're living it, they DON'T understand, I don't care what kind of medical degree they have. You were polite for acting like you were listening to him. LOL! **besides--I think 6.9 is good! We're still trying to get out of the 8's!**

phonelady said...

Oh yes I have been like that crying all the way home from the docs I feel ya .

Donna said...

What a Moron! The Dr... NOT you, Kelly! YOU are doing just fine! Her A1C is GREAT for a T1D child. I dont have to tell you that - you KNOW that. Its the stupid eye Dr that is really poorly informed.
As for Maddie's vision... that can (and does) happen in perfectly healthy non-T1D kids. It MAY not have ANYthing at all to do with D. Or maybe it does. But even IF it does... you KNOW that you are doing the best you can with what you are given.
Suggestion: Write a letter. Sit down and calmly write a letter to the eye Dr. Educate him. Tell him everything that you didnt want to go into that day in the office. And then give him some resourses so he can do some more learning on his own. Tell him that you would like him to do that so that the next time you come and visit he can be a little better informed and so that he never makes another mom of a T1D child feel like he made you feel. Who knows if it will make a difference... but I'll bet you feel better afterward. =)

Lora said...

What an ASS!!
Flopping his jaw about something he has no idea how to deal with.

I WISH it were that easy to just "tighten up".

A 6.9 A1C awesome. Did I mention I think he's an ASS?

Meri said...

Oh Hell no!! Where do you find these doctors Kelly??? I can't believe you had it in you just to let him go on like he did. I'm pretty sure he would have had a black eye by the time I left.

You are doing an amazing job! Don't let stupid misinformed people get you down!

Hallie Addington said...

UGH!

You know, maybe we should all meet and demolish something together. Take all that anger and frustration out with a sledgehammer. Sounds good to me. What do you think?

(((hugs)))

Marc said...

I wonder where he took his math classes. I though 6.9 is less than 7.

It kills me that anyone with a medical degree thinks they know everything about everything. There are great doctors out there that really do know their stuff, but some are so ignorant.

Wendy said...

**GASP**

OH NO HE DIDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

connie said...

Unfortunately, it is all to easy for someone who has never had to "live" with type 1 diabetes to pass judgement and assume that it is sooooo easy. I wish that everyone out there knew and understood the struggle that we all face.

You are doing an amazing job and you are the best mom that you can be for Maddison, I understand those feelings of mommy guilt all too well, I have had them Many times.

Hugs to you Kelly!

Heidi / Jack's Pack said...

Ugh!!! My blood is now boiling! That really, really bothers me. I'm sorry you had to sit there and listen to him go off on a topic he obviously doesn't understand. You ARE doing a GREAT job with Maddison!!!!

Unknown said...

That is so hard to tolerate. Especially knowing how hard it is to pull off the great A1C's you are!

Crafty Like Lindy said...

Sometimes doctors suck! So Landon peed the bed twice on Saturday, ate dinner last night and then had a horrible stomach ache (tear inducing) with diarrhea. Man I wish I could do a finger poke myself!