Caught Being Good
By Cathy Jameson
One of Ronan’s siblings and I were recently at the children’s hospital Ronan usually goes to. Grateful to be familiar with the location, the pre-screenings, the intake process, and that hospital system in general, I looked forward to the appointment. Since I had no idea yet what I was going to write about for this weekend’s post, I was happy about the chance to be there. I thought for sure I’d be able to catch someone doing something that might make for good content. Initially, I was expecting that content to be on the scandalous end; but all I found were good things.
Color me shocked and very apologetic for assuming the worst!
From start to finish, our visit there was a decent visit. The only cringy part was when the specialist’s office sent the pre-screening electronically. I could, of course, ask to have a printed copy, but I was curious which questions would be asked, so I opted to fill it out in the patient portal.
I saw the usual questions – basic demographics, current symptoms, history of past medical problems, and covid status. Keeping things as basic as I could, I clicked only the boxes that absolutely needed to be checked. For the covid questions, I was glad to see that they were incredibly vague – meaning, no need to divulge vaccination status.
In completing the form ahead of time, we were ‘checked in’ for the appointment and could walk straight to the specialty clinic when we arrived Friday afternoon. So, we did.
We walked in without masks.
We walked in without having to get our temperature checked.
We walked in without having to declare where we’d traveled or if we’d been in contact with anyone who was sick.
We walked in without having to check in at the hospitality desk. In bypassing that step, we could quickly hop on an elevator as if it was 2019.
Smiling as the elevator door closed, I couldn’t believe how relaxed everything was! It wasn’t like that two months ago when Ronan was the patient there. Everyone was still in masks that day. That is everyone was in masks except us and two couples.
That day, Ronan, my husband, and I had to go from one end of the hospital complex to the other. Weaving through two buildings, over several pedestrian causeways, in and out of several elevators, and down just as many patient hallways, we were maskless. Signs indicated that MASKS WERE REQUIRED, even though the CDC had shared that masks were no long mandatory in health care settings months earlier.
Not wanting to play their games anymore, and because we did not have covid nor were we worried about anyone else who might’ve been exposed to it, we walk into the hospital confidently. When we’d spied those other maskless people other across the lobby floor of the larger main hospital, I felt a wave of confidence.
They locked eyes with us.
We locked eyes with them.
As we passed each other, I could tell that other people were staring at us.
Never one to let anyone steal my joy, we smiled in their direction. They nodded an ever-so-slight nod and continued on. It was exhilarating to see kindred spirits in the midst of the madness.
I didn’t need that sort of confidence last week when I was at the hospital again. I was ready to say something had anyone tried to enforce something that was unnecessary. But I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with smiles and compassion. Another thing that blew me away this time around was witnessing how quickly my concerns were address – and resolved.
I am so used to talking to Ronan’s doctors where we must do testing, we must trial-and-error some treatments, we must take a ‘wait and see’ approach. With him being non-verbal, we have sometimes had to do more observing and researching before acting. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but using that approach takes weeks, if not months, to see progress. It was truly refreshing to experience a different kind of appointment, one where the patient chimed in and explained personally what was happening and when. With my input, with the constant stream of questions the doctor could ask and have answered by Ronan’s sibling, I told my family that we had a really good doctor appointment, one of the best ever!
I can’t remember the last time that happened.
I’ll hope that Ronan can experience that kind of appointment himself one day. He’s due for some bloodwork as we try to figure out a new symptom. I’ll need his patience, his trust, and his full cooperation to get those labs done. If any one of those elements is missing, that blood draw could be one of the worst appointments ever. Those kinds of appointments are never fun. They are never easy to manage either. But I’m going to remember to go into the clinic with some confidence when we get there. Just like no one can steal my joy, I won’t let anyone steal any of my confidence.
Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
A Letter to Liberals: Censorship and COVID: An Attack on Science and American Ideals
By Robert Kennedy Jr.
A leading Democrat challenges his party to return to liberal values and evidence-based science
Democrats were the party of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and faith in scientific and liberal empiricism. They once took pride in understanding how to read science critically, exercising healthy skepticism toward notoriously corrupt entities like the drug companies that brought us the opioid crisis, and were outraged by the phenomenon of “agency capture” and the pervasive control of private interests over Congress, the media, and the scientific journals.
A Letter to Liberals is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s, challenge to “lockdown liberalism’s” embrace of policies that are an affront to once cherished precepts.
Denial: How Refusing to Face the Facts about Our Autism Epidemic Hurts Children, Families, and Our Future
By Mark Blaxill and Dan Olmsted
Even as the autism rate soars and the cost to our nation climbs well into the billions, a dangerous new idea is taking hold: There simply is no autism epidemic.
The question is stark: Is autism ancient, a genetic variation that demands acceptance and celebration? Or is it new and disabling, triggered by something in the environment that is damaging more children every day?
Glad you had a good experience at the hospital. So awesome when that happens. The medical folks can be funny. The clinic I went to a few months ago stated only masks required if you were showing symptoms of being sick. Recently I went and sign said We still require masks to be worn by all patients. I guess WE is more powerful than the CDC? Go figure?
Doctor stated he wanted to put me on meds to lower cholesterol. Due to cholesterol being slightly high. It is recommended by the CDC he says. I politely declined. I was laughing on the inside. Diet and more excercise for me. Great post as always. Blessings to you and your family.
G. Martinez
Posted by: Gerardo Martinez | April 23, 2023 at 09:44 PM
we think that way off in Washington, or down in Atlanta, GA that what ever some wicked people decide will not influence or effect us much. I have to say it is amazing that only a few people putting policy i place effects so many people.
That is a lot of power.
So, what will they bring out next? AND WHEN will they bring it out next? When they are threatened politically?
Jake Sullivan is the one really running the country?
I never heard of him till this morning.
My hubby knew who he was, when he passed by and I was looking at his picture.
Fauci said way back that the next administration would be facing a pandemic (meaning Trump)
Kennedy Jr. was on Cavuto yesterday, on Fox news.
Interesting to watch Cavuto interview Kennedy Jr. about vaccines who has been vaccinated every time they told him to/had severe (on a ventilator) two times/ soft interviewed Fauci/ and as he interviewed Fauci had a deep frown on his face that he normally does not have.
Times are interesting.
I am glad Cathy that your experience yesterday was good.
But we all ain't forgetting. I am not.
Posted by: Benedetta | April 23, 2023 at 11:47 AM