Protocol

So every November I take part in the great Facebook thankful status' adventure. Last week at some point, I remember being thankful for our health care but I am far from thankful for it this week!!!

On Sunday, Princess started to run a fever after a weekend of the runny nose, coughing yuckies. Since we have been dealing with ear infections a lot over the last several months and she told me her ear was bothering her, I decided to make her an appt. for first thing Monday morning. It worked out well since I had to be there for Little Man's asthma follow-up. Once we get there and see the doctor, we discover alas no ear infection, so they decide to do a rapid strep culture on her. 20 minutes later, it turns out to be positive so antibiotics here we come!!

At Little Man's follow-up appt, I ask the doctor if they could do a culture on him to be on the safe side. I have a busy few weeks ahead and I don't need sickness dragging out forever. She hims and haws but does one (I think mainly because she knows if she didn't I would turn right around and make an appt for him for one). She tells me if I don't hear from her by close of business on Wednesday, then he is good to go. I then ask her if I should get one done too and she said no, that he more than likely doesn't have it since we are both asymptomatic so not to worry.

So Tuesday rolls around and Princess is home so she can get her 24 hours of antibiotics on board. My phone rings and low and behold, it is the doctor's office telling me that Little Man has strep also. So I get off the phone with her and proceed to call my own doctor to get a culture done on myself. I go in to the Naval Hospital (again), get it done and again get told that I more than likely won't have it since I am asymptomatic!! While I am there, I grab Little Man's antibiotics.

Which brings us to today. I feel fine, no cold symptoms what so ever but wouldn't you know it, I get a phone call around 1:15 from my doctor telling me my culture came back positive for strep!! So off the the Naval Hospital we go (for the third time) to pick up yet a third antibiotic!!! Can you even imagine how annoyed I am????

So here are my thoughts....if a child tests positive for strep, wouldn't it be smart to test the entire family considering the close proximity they have with each other? And if a child or adult can't go to school or work with strep because it is so contagious until antibiotics are on board for 24 hours, why do doctors think that a family who lives in a small 1500 square foot home couldn't possibly pass the germs on to each other??? And when are doctors going to start listening to patients or parents versus what they learned in textbooks? This makes 3 times this year that I was told that either myself or my child couldn't possibly have something because we are asymptomatic!!

Seriously, if they would have done all three on Monday, it wouldn't have wasted so much of my time!!! Next time (hopefully there won't be a next time but if there is), I am going to be insistent about it!!!