Finding the Right Doctor

As a mother, I have countless panic attacks whenever any of my children is sick. Even a slightest fever or occurrence of an allergy can cause a parent to worry. Because of this, I had several experiences of going to the doctor. I have lost count already of how many pediatricians and dermatologists I met for my daughter who has skin asthma. However, I am proud to say that I have found a good rheumatologist and endocrinologist for my illnesses. 

No one is spared from being sick. That is why it is very important to seek a very good doctor. Note that the suggestions below are just from my personal experience.

1. Researching

Because of not-so-good experiences from other doctors, searching for a doctor via internet has become my habit. I had the mistake of going to a doctor whose aim is to just sell her medicines. What I do is to read on forums about a particular illness and referrals of doctor. I also look if there is any negative article about a particular doctor. These way, I minimize the chances of going to the wrong one. I also read about the hospitals where their clinics are located. I do this to check if the staff or the services of the hospital are good. So far, this has produced good results because I found my Ob-gyne and pedia-allergologist online.

2. Contacting 

One good sign of a good doctor is when he/she gives you his/her contact details. That way, you can easily contact him/her in cases of emergency or when you have some doubt about a medicine. A doctor who can be easily reached is a helpful one. It means that he/she goes beyond his/her call of duty. I appreciates doctors who replies to texts and calls immediately.

3. Accomodating Staff

A good doctor has a friendly staff. As an assistant, his responsibility is not confined to helping only the doctor, but also being ready in answering queries from patients. Some patients may have too many questions. But a good and accommodating staff knows how and when to assist patients as well. 

4. Being inquisitive and ready to answer

One of the most important traits of a good doctor is asking many questions about a patient. I appreciate that more than the quiet one. That means he wants to understand what may seem wrong about you. This way, he can make a proper diagnosis of your illness. I once had the experience of going to a pediatrician who was very quiet and just handed me the prescription after. I swore never to go back to her again. Patients pay consultation fees to know what sickness they may have. It would be better to ask as many questions as you can because that is the best chance for you to understand what you're going through.

Picture's source: http://info.whatisbluesky.com/blog/bid/267441/Will-your-new-doctor-be-a-nurse

Lessons I learned from my kids

The lessons we learn everyday shape us. Ever since my daughter started schooling a couple of months ago, I see a lot of improvements on her behavior. She's not the grumpy little kid anymore. She started caring about her siblings, and have become helpful. She may have become more talkative also. But what I am happy about are the things that she shares with me. Let me share two of those things:

1. Prayer before eating

I grew up not praying before eating. My family has never done that. My parents never taught us. So when we were having lunch one day, my daughter told me that they pray in school. And somehow, I felt ashamed. I also felt guilty for not setting a good example to my children. From then on, we would pray before eating. We would wait for everyone to be complete at the table before starting. With the food set and the family complete, my daughter starts the prayer. I am teary-eyed every now and then. I am just so happy how my little kid started one simple, yet very great change to our family. The best thing about it is how my other kids are imitating their sister. 

2. Being careful with my heart

With three kids and tons of never-ending household chores, my patience is usually short. Disciplining my children have become a great challenge because I once felt guilty of being hard on my kids. I am guilty of showing my anger when frustration hits me. One day, while being angry and almost crying because of my kids, my daughter tells me, "Ma, ang puso mo" (Mom, your heart)--she said it to me while forming a heart using her fingers. She then said that the heart gets broken when I get mad. Right there and then, it hit me. And again, I felt ashamed. I realized how my feelings tend to affect a lot of things, and my children, most specially. It's never easy to contain anger. But these days, I'm trying my best not to be that hard anymore.