Doctor's visit

Josh had his four year doctor's visit several weeks ago and I am just getting around to write about.

I liked the receptionist's personality. She was nice and helpful. The nurse seemed nice when we walked back with her to get Josh's weight and height. He is not fond of being weighed and measured. Then while walking on to the exam room, another nurse waylaid us and started asking me questions about Josh. Right there in the hallway. It was not very private. I was not to fond of that. We reached the exam room and the nurse took his blood pressure and said she was going to check his iron. If you've given blood, you know they prick a finger to check iron. He wasn't too fond of that either. The nurse's kid-side manner degraded, as Josh became less

Then I undressed Josh, and he got to wear a cute paper robe. He wasn't impressed; his finger hurt. He also wanted to know what the doctor was going to do to him. The doctor came in and did his thing. He checked out Josh and asked me more questions. One of which was if josh was potty trained yet. I answered no. He asked why with (in my opinion) a disapproving tone. I said he has no interest in using the potty. [This is a sore issue with me. Josh just won't tell us when he has to go. He sometimes goes if we make him go, and he refuses to do his other business on the potty. We've scolded, bribed, taken things away, spanked, and reassured. We've tried putting him in underpants (messy) and pull-ups (expensive.) He still behaves as if he is wearing a diaper. So that's what he is going to wear.] Generally, the only time he uses the potty is first thing in the morning. And he'll do it all himself. But that's it. Then it's back to diaper duty for me.

Anyway, I wasn't impressed by the doctor and will try another in the practice for Ellie's well visit. After the doctor left, the nurses came back in for Josh's vaccines. Three of them. They pretty much ambushed my child, with me as an accomplice. They each took an arm, while Josh sat on my lap and held his arms down. He struggled mightily. The one nurse took hold of his chin and scolded him that he needed to let her stick a needle in his arm. She wasn't very gentle with a very upset boy. Needless to say Josh is not too fond of shots.

After we left, I asked myself why I let the nurses treat my son like that. Why didn't I step in and say stop. Or at least do something different. And it bothers me most because I have seen the way my friend has been treated by people who are suppose to be helping but don't and I had less than caring treatment when Josh was born. But knowing that, I still feel like I didn't stand up for my son. I know he wouldn't have listened to reason, but still I wish I had handled it differently.