This week I made an appointment at a new doctor to get checked to see how I am healing from the pregnancy and c-section. I want to have a family again- probably sooner rather then later so I need to get checked to see what that means. I have a lot of questions for this new doctor. The way I see it this first "family planning" appointment is an interview. I want to know everything this time. I am also going to do a lot more research about the hospital and the pediatricians they have on call. We choose this doctor from a recommendation from a friend of ours who had some complications of her own. I need someone who is willing to go the extra mile to make sure I am taken care of. That is so not my last doctor.
I can't say that I really disliked her until delivery day but even before that I was loosing confidence in her. She didn't really answer the questions I had well enough but I thought that everything would be okay. Maybe I should have asked more questions when Olivia was measuring so far behind and then ended up being 10 lb 10 oz? But really... I don't think that I could have asked enough questions. And then their was the labor and delivery. It just wasn't a good experience, it was pretty bad actually and after that I had no confidence in her at all. Finally, when Olivia died I called to ask her if there was anything I could do to stop my milk production... she couldn't have been more heartless during that conversation. I will be happy not to see her again.
Anyway... I want to be more then prepared next time around. I was fairly laid back during my first pregnancy but I don't think I will be that way next time. I know I am going to be that mom who takes her child to the doctor for everything. That's okay I guess. In my opinion, I am justified and I am sure that I will find a doctor that understands that. I used to have a general feeling that doctors were well educated and I should let them do their job. Loosing Olivia changed that. While I can't blame what happened on one person, I do think that in general modern medicine failed me. Next time around I will ask a 101 questions. Even if it does nothing more then make me feel better.
Dawn,
ReplyDeleteI work in health care (marketing) and want to tell you that you will find the right doctor/provider for yourself and a pediatrician that will let you be you/the kind of mom you need to be. Don't give up until your gut tells you've found the right one.
You aren't the first - and won't be the last - person to "fire" a doctor. It's hard to do, but clearly the right choice. I mean, if we had a bad haircut we wouldn't go back. I'm glad to hear you're being proactive about your care!
Hang in there. I hope the first meeting with the new OBGYN goes well. Good luck. I'm thinking about you.