Man of science
That’s me, a man of science. Combine that with the fact that my dad was involved in the drug industry from bottom to top most of my life (he was the first to ever sell Mylanta!) and I say “yes” to science, doctors, and drugs. The way to go.
So this morning I see this post by my good blog friend Claire. I must disagree with you wholeheartedly! No, not about the Alka Pro drops nor the Naka Greens, no, no, who am I to question those? It is this line …
I personally would not bother telling the doctor anything about this. S/he will not agree, not understand, not care, give you trouble, call you a quack …
Yeah, I believe letting your doctor know everything just in case, but that’s not my point here, either.
You see, a while ago Pearlsky and I had this horrible incident, which involved some lesions she had. I did not post what happened to said lesions. They were looked at by two doctors in the female adolescent clinic (and one resident who deserves a slow painful death, but I digress) who just shrugged and had no idea. We then saw the chief of dermatology, a great guy, who did not have a clue. He did offer to do a biopsy, we passed for the time being.
A few days later our nanny asks if she can try something. As most of our nannies are, she is a Russian immigrant and grew up with home remedies and such medicine of the earth. I told her she had to tell me specifically what she wanted to do, and I would decide.
The next day she showed up with chamomile leaves. Cool, I like tea! Umm, no. She wanted to place the wet leaves on the lesions. I figured it could not hurt.
Four days later, gone. Healed.
About three months later we went to the dermatologist. I looked at him and said:
You are NOT allowed to ask about the lesions.
He smiled and shrugged, we were there for something else. Then, he looked. Then he looked at me.
You won’t believe me.
“Try me,” he said.
Russian folk medicine. Four days of chamomile leaves.
He smiled, shrugged, and said
Shows what I know. Great.
So, Claire, some doctors may work with you on these things, don’t assume all will think you’re nuts. They are the ones we need!
Now, will someone please pass the tea?
I agree with both of you and have actually done both. I tend to be a bit more cynical, though, as the responses I’ve usually gotten are dismissive and that makes me feel hopeless. Despite the fact that homeopathy has really helped Sophie when over eighteen drug trials have not, I’m always amazed that the neurologist doesn’t call a conference about it or something. This never ceases to amaze me, actually. Your doctor sounds very interesting and open-minded, although I bet he’ll never prescribe that remedy…
Single Dad, I looked at that at first and thought, you have have to be fucking kidding me. And then I saw the rest. You got me.
Hee, hee, This is great! Yes of course you are right…one should never assume! Like Elizabeth, however,my experiences and the experiences of people around me have been negative most of the time. One person told me her doctor refused to treat her as long as she was going to the chiropractor, for heaven’s sake! So, I say, lie, or just don’t say anything…if you are not the type to be able to handle confrontation or disapproval. In my life, so many wonderful things have come via alternatives that it makes me frustrated in the extreme when people feel they have to have their doctor’s “permission” to step out of the box. In any case, right now, our new dentist thinks my daughter is only drinking pure water all the time…god bless his little heart…ignorance is bliss!
Elizabeth: I had fun making that at this website. Note, being the wuss I am, I changed the default name of the doctor thinking that “Hankenbush” was not fully appropriate in this context!
Claire: There is a discussion that would encompass an entire blog itself. Not only do I get the prejudice I do surrounding the whole father / disabled teenage daughter thing, but I am treated very differently than women are by doctors. In this aspect, I get more respect. Even Pearlsky’s mom, a Ph.D. and very strong woman, was too often dismissed by doctors. A post and discussion for another day … but I wonder if this is part of it.