Therapist Peeves

Happily the therapist did NOT tell us to take a hike last week.

I know now that it makes a ~huge~ difference having a therapist who really ~wants~ to work with us and work with a small child. The fact that "Ms. Gretchen" has a child of her own a little younger than J doesn't hurt, either.

My biggest issue/pet peeve with the therapists we saw in San Antonio in 2002 (at a facility that no longer sees pediatric lymphedema patients, so I won't even bother to name them) was that they saw J at the ripe old age of...10mos and treated her like an adult patient and me like an irresponsible caretaker. From 10mos - 13mos I drove her down there once or twice a week because we were still unable, then, to find someone who would see her regularly in Austin.

After 6 weeks of therapy they give me a note to pass on to the pediatrician at J's 1-year check-up. Being a mom, I, of course, read it as soon as I got home, long before the pedi saw it. Good thing I waited 'til I was home. If I'd read it in their offices, well, they probably would have refused to see us any more afterwards... It detailed the treatment they'd been giving J and how it would probably be going much better if we were more compliant at home, more consistent in our wrapping, etc.

These therapists had never, neither of the two at that location, seen a child or infant/toddler. Okay, I'm used to that. HOWEVER--they both considered their obligation to be completed with the MLD and wanted nothing to do with wrapping her, I was literally left alone in the corner of some big rehab room to do that BY MYSELF while they moved on to their next patient. It never dawned on them that they had the easy job. You try bandaging a wiggly crawling tot some time, alone, and see how you like it!

We are NOT as compliant as we should be. But we're as compliant as I am capable of making us at this time in our lives. I do all her CDT-related care myself, from ordering/washing/rolling bandages to locating therapists to learning each new therapists' method of massage and wrapping (yes, they're ALL different). Plus trying to run a home-based business and be a regular ole stay-at-home mom (is there such a thing?). Yea, I know I'm not doing all I can do (my apologies to the Army) but I'm doing all I can manage right now. I appreciate the hell out of the fact that this therapist appreciates that, too, and doesn't castigate me for when I'm not perfect. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't applaud when I do extra-good either, but I figure it all balances out. So there ya have it. The new therapist gets a hearty two thumbs-up for being the exception to my usual therapist peeve!