Saying goodbye to your pediatrician
On this Tween Tuesday, Liz Atwood writes about what her retiring pediatrician has meant in the life of her family:
Last week I took my older son for his annual physical and received the heartbreaking news that our beloved pediatrician is retiring. After 40 years of looking at tonsils, diagnosing rashes and consoling anxious parents, he surely deserves to take it easy and spend time with his grandchildren.
But his leaving is a tough loss to bear. While we’ve seen other doctors and nurses in the same office over the years, when it really mattered, I wanted my kids to be seen by the doctor who first visited them when they were just hours old. He knew their history—the older child’s bouts with croup and the younger one’s pneumonia. He was there for us through Lyme disease, broken bones, bronchitis and eczema. He was always a calming and reassuring presence.
When my younger son was born, he had to be placed in intensive care because of breathing difficulties. The next morning, I was alone in the hospital room, pumping milk because the nurses said I needed to and I couldn’t see the baby until after the nurses’ shift change. Our doctor came in and asked what I was doing. When I explained, he told me to go be with my baby...
That simple advice -- that human contact was more important than schedules and procedures -- meant the world to me.
I’ve always thought the American health care system is a wreck, and the recent news that we are lagging much of Europe in childhood mortality rates is upsetting. But in my family, we’ve been lucky that, despite repeated changes in our insurance coverage over the years, we did not have to change doctors.
Now the time has come to say good-bye to our pediatrician.
When he finished examining my son for the last time, our pediatrician took a picture of us all for a scrapbook he is compiling. While we are among thousands of patients he sees, I was touched that he wants to remember us. I hope my children don’t get sick this summer, but I would like the excuse to see their doctor one more time.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Comments
This is a sad time and I know it will be when our pediatrician retires, which will be before my youngest reaches adulthood for sure.
I did want to comment about your remark about childhood mortality. The stats that are given are not comparable between nations. Many European nations, for instance, do not count a preemie that dies in their stats. We do. I do wish the reporting organizations would compare apples to apples.
Good luck with your Dr. search.
Posted by: David L. | May 25, 2010 1:18 PM