I'm Peeved

I am still irritated and I left the doctor's office an hour ago. I don't even know where to begin! Let me start with some facts.

*At Edie's 4 month well child visit, she had the typical round of vaccinations. I can't find the report from that visit but I believe she got close to 9 different vaccines within 3 or 4 shots. Within a day she broke out into a horrible rash/hives that swelled up and was hot. She was really uncomfortable and we had 2 or 3 doctor visits for a team to figure out what to do. The worse part lasted 5 days and then was almost totally gone at 7 days but we gave her steroids to make this happen. We then went to an allergist twice to test various vaccines and additives in the vaccines only to determine she did not have an allergic reaction. The allergist believed it was an immune response.

*2 weeks ago, Edie was having a few rough nights and was extra cranky during the day

*10 days ago, we were up at 1:30am because she was spiking a fever that had been getting worse all day. After 3 hours of trying to soothe her and watching the tylenol and ibuprofen do very little, I put her in the car and drove her around for 2 hours trying to keep her asleep. Later that morning she was diagnosed with a double ear infection.

*3 days ago, she had her scheduled 12 month well child visit. I called to ask if it was ok to get her vaccines while still on antibiotics. I even asked again in the office and reminded the doctor of her previous reaction to too many vaccines at once. "shouldn't be a problem" was the response. I still insisted on avoiding a couple of the vaccines until the next visit.

*2 1/2 days ago, Edie started spiking a fever again after the vaccines. This is a common side affect. She dealt with the fever for at least 24 hours while seeming more agitated and cranky than normal and pulling at her ears a lot.

*Yesterday, she started breaking out into a rash. I noticed her hands and feet looked a little red and swollen in the morning and by mid day she was covered in a large red rash. A little different than the one we saw at 4 months but it spread the same way.

*So being a holiday weekend, I took her in today. I had to see a doctor we've never seen before. And I will never see him again.

So here's where I get irritated. I know this stems from the fact that my gut told me to hold off on the vaccines until she was done with the antibiotics and her immune system was a bit stronger. And I didn't follow through. I trusted the doctors because, well, that's what I'm supposed to do. And one of the main reasons I did so was because I didn't want to deal with dragging everyone in again for vaccines. Especially because I'm about to start a job where I will have much less flexibility to make it happen. So it kind of sucks to see my role in this.

But then there was a doctor who just sucks at his bedside manner. He walked in calling her Eddy. This is not the first time this has happened and I am sure I will grow more and more irritated that she will be called that. Then he proceeded to diagnose her after barely glancing at her and not hearing my details. I told him that I was wondering about whether it was a viral rash or related to the vaccines. You know when an egotistical person with power and privilege talks to you like you can't possibly have information that he or she doesn't have or that you can't possibly be able to intelligently collaborate with him or her on a problem? Yeah...this was that kind of doctor. I couldn't possible know enough to intelligently look at this situation. And yet, after he talked over my words several times, I interrupted and said I think I have information you need to hear. Once he heard me, he conceded, oh, that may be it. Of course, he tried very hard to explain how I might be wrong as well.

Then in an effort to completely put my concerns aside, he told me to stick with the scheduled vaccines and don't deviate from the recommended plan. I should just dose her up with benadryl and tylenol before and if she breaks out with the rash, she'll be fine. It will be gone in a few days.

Ok...here's the thing. I am not opposed to giving a preemptive dose of tylenol before vaccines, especially with Edie as I know she will spike a fever. I only do this after seeing how she reacts. I am also not opposed to vaccines. I believe we need to vaccinate our children. HOWEVER...there is not one way to make this happen and as the parent who is watching my child 24 hours a day EVERY DAY, I think I know a little about what is happening to her. AND...if you want to really piss me off, you can suggest that I just set aside my right to make choices for my child and just accept what some stranger, doctor or not, deems appropriate.

There, I feel better now. And, I will make it clear that she will not have more than 4 vaccines at a time. I don't care about the recommendation or the rash that supposedly nothing to worry about.

I really wanted to use this time to post about what Edie has been up to and all of her new discoveries since her one year old birthday. I probably should have as that would have been a much more positive post but sometimes, its necessary to vent first. I'll try to get to the fun stuff soon.