On the day before Thanksgiving, four years ago, I received a dreaded call from my son’s doctor. He had been very sick and a nurse phoned to give us the result of some blood tests.
My son had a strep pneumo infection. Not always a big deal, unless you’re a kid with heart defects like my boy. And, because my kid likes to be different, it wasn’t the strain for which you get immunized, it was an antibiotic-resistant version.
They gave us two options. A seven-day, no expenses paid trip to the hospital for IV antibiotics, or a $300.00 bottle of a new, oral medicine that had an 85% chance of working. Because hospital stays turn our lives upside down, and because it was the day before Thanksgiving, we decided to try the oral meds.
The only problem? No one warned us that the medicine tasted like wet steel. One drop of it on my son’s tongue made him gag and vomit, which really isn’t good when you’re trying to get life-saving medicine down his throat.
We tried diluting it in juice, we tried chasing one drop with an entire Reese’s Cup, but nothing worked. We knew a week in the hospital was imminent.
I called the pediatrician on Thanksgiving morning to let her know, and she agreed that we had no other choice.
But then she said, “Well, there is one other thing we could do…”
She went on to tell a very anxious me, that she would agree to put in a Heplock (the short hub that sticks out of an IV catheter and can be capped off). But alas, she didn’t have a nurse who could do something like that on Thanksgiving Day.
I nearly screamed, “I have a nurse!!”
My sister-in-law is a pediatric nurse at a local hospital and I knew she would do it.
So the pediatrician agreed to meet us at her office later that afternoon…after she fed 20 people dinner at her house.
Now tell me, how many doctors do you know who would make Thanksgiving dinner, then go and open their office for ONE patient, and let a strange nurse come in and do a procedure? Oh, that’s right. You don’t know ANY doctors who would do that.
And then, after my sister-in-law got the Heplock in, as if there was a shred of doubt that we’d keep that pediatrician forever…she went ahead and sealed the deal when she offered me a beer out of her office refrigerator.
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Kimmylyn
You are very very lucky to have such a wonderful doctor. knowing people (doctors) like that still exist is wonderful..
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Momo!!!
IrishGumbo
And they say the spirit of giving is dying out these days! How beautiful (doggone it, now I’m starting to cry) and amazing.
This could be a good Thanksgiving Bud Lite commercial: “I love you, man!”
Hey, could I have the name of the doc? Yeah, I know, I’d have to move and drag the Wee Lass along with me, but if Daddy explains that “Yes, dear, you get a great doc, I get Daddy Juice” I could make this work…
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Lynn
Holy crap, she IS the best doctor ever! Have a great holiday this year :).
Christina
That is a great doctor, and a great sis-in-law, too. Mind if I know the doctor’s name, and is she taking new patients? 😉
(And hey, I wonder who your sis-in-law is? I did my nursing peds clinical last quarter and worked with several peds nurses.)
AlisonH
Please tell her that there are many many people out here who are grateful that she is who she is and that she did what she did. Well done!
the planet of janet
that is incredible … and oh-so-fortunate.
happy thanksgiving.
meleah rebeccah
That is the BEST doctor story of all times. You are very lucky to have that for your son. WOW!
Melisa
Yay! Awesome story!
Misty
THAT right there is a Damn good doctor… If only they could all be like that.
Marinka
That’s awesome. I’m so glad that the doctor took care of you. Have a happy holiday.
Tom
Amazing. Totally freakin’ amazing. And, you are in our prayers.
Smart A$$ Mom
so, she pretty much rocks it is what your saying? That is awesome.
PS, just saw your tweet, sorry about your dad. Hope everything is okay.
Lisa@verybusymomwith4
Yay for having such an awesome doctor at such a hard time 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
OHmommy
THAT. Is one awesome doctor. Wow.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mama Dawg
What a wonderful doctor.
Tara R.
Wow… she is a keeper. Happy Thanksgiving!
Middle Aged Woman
Wow. Just, wow.
Immoral Matriarch
That’s an awesome doctor. I hope you guys have an awesome Thanksgiving.
Weaselmomma
Yeah, that doctor is gold. She obviously cares about your son, the whole family and finances. The beer is like a cherry on top. Hopefully your Dad will have a cherry on top too. Happy Thanksgiving and I will pray for your Dad.
Maureen
Wow, now THAT’S something to be thankful for!!!
Kori
That is so awesome! You ARE Lucky. But you know that, of course. 🙂
Ms Picket To You
you know, THAT just made ME grateful and he is not my son and nor is she my sister in law.
happy thanksgiving Momo and thanks to you!
Rachel
Holy crap woman.
What a blessing, you need to put that pedi in your pocket and keep her forever! I want a pedi with beer in her office fridge 😉 LOL.
Woman, you have stories! Loves ya.
Happy Thanksgiving honey. Prayers for you and your dad and all your family.
Rhea
That doctor is amazing. REally amazing and definitely a keeper. I’m glad you realize that. :o)
And I’m so sorry your son was so sick that Thanksgiving. :o(
kaila
At least you are all home this year. I hope it was a good beer – then again in that situation, any beer is a good beer.
Happy Turkey Day!
Jo Beaufoix
Catching up at last. That doctor sounds amazing. Definitely a keeper. Hope you’re all well now.
worldmomma
Sounds like a doctor to be grateful for!
Aunt Debbi/kurts mom
Mouth hanging open in awe of your rocking awesome doctor. How in the world did you find her?
Kathy
That could not have ended any better! I’m sure you needed the beer by then.
Wishing you an uneventful Thanksgiving with family all around.
Mrs4444
That’s awesome. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
meleah rebeccah
pssst: Happy Thanksgiving from Mexico!
Heather
That is so wonderful. It nearly brought me to tears. Happy Thanksgiving!
O My Blog!
Wowee WOW!! Miracles abound!!
Blithe Revival
Thank God!
ps. I'm thankful for you <3
LeeAnne
I came across your blog randomly and LOVE reading…I think we may be related. 🙂
My two year old son is anemic and has to take iron supplements on a daily basis. They’re basically liquid metal and after he threw up the first time we gave it to him, I thought to myself, “six months of this?…I don’t think so”. Eventually we just had to take a syringe, pry his mouth open and shoot it down his throat so that it didn’t touch his tongue. We’ve been doing this every day since May! Say a prayer for us that we’ll be all done in February when we go back to the pediatrician.
Missives From Suburbia
My pediatrician in Portland was like this. I miss her so much. Can I come live with you next time my kids are sick?
Dapoppins
Oh. I wish I knew a lady like this!
She is a saint!
jen
believe it or not …
we are lucky enough to have one of those too.
she gave me her home phone number and calls when my girls are sick at night to check on me. she has offered to meet me at the hospital that she is not affiliated with … because it is closer to my house.
she is a saint. and is the only reason that we stay with her clinic. the clinic sucks. but she is the most amazing lady.
Birdie
I guess that sealed the deal!
Jaina
How very lucky to have such a wonderful doctor. We love our doctors too, it’s a husband/wife team. She’s the pediatrician, he’s the adult doctor. They’re amazing.
sarah
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
Kathy
Momo — I know this is an old post, but just wanted you to know a friend and I were talking about good doctors. That jarred my memory about your experience, so I sent her a link to it. I read the story again and it gave me chills just like the first time I read it. Your doctor is simply amazing!