ok, i realize that in a "perfect world" this wouldn't be an issue in the first place, but...

ok, hypothetical situation (let's just say): you take your medically fragile child to the hospital and have "less than optimal communication" with the attending physician. (btw, is anyone else blown away by that phrase? less than optimal communication. not conflict, notice. isn't that just brilliantly diplomatic?! i'm telling you, it's now on my list of favourite phrases EVER, but i digress...)

right, so you have some serious issues with the attending physician. in fact, you've dealt with this particular doctor several times, and each time, you've had, well, "less than optimal communication." you take the advice of other doctors and write a letter of complaint. and you give it to the Chief/Chair of Paediatrics (who, serendipitously, is your child's doctor) and the Senior Medical Director of Women's and Children's Services (who, although not your child's doctor, knows him very well, having treated him in various capacities many times). so, they read your letter, and ask you what you're looking for. "whatever you want, you got it."

so, i ask you, gentle readers, what would you ask for? money? would that solve the issues? no. so then, what else? all you really want is never again to deal with that doctor. one of your child's doctors have told you to fight him in the past, and that he needs to be avoided. in fact, at one point, asher's cardiologist said that if he needed to be re-admitted later in the week, he would be admitted under cardio so as to avoid this particular doctor.


well, i talked to "top doc" today, and he asked again what kind of resolution i'm looking for. i said that all i really want is to never deal with that doctor again. well, says top doc, that's not really possible. well, no, if it's as an in-patient, it's do-able. but in emerg, it's impossible. well, unless you bring asher in between 3pm and midnight, because then there's always two doctors there, so that's do-able. but other than that, short of calling in ahead of time, it's impossible.

now, i ask, gentle reader, what does that mean,"short of calling in ahead of time"? what would they do if i called in ahead of time? this is my query this evening. top doc told me to page him on monday when we're in for cardiology and we can discuss this further then, but what will i ask for? what "do-able" resolution am i seeking? as far as i can tell at the moment, there are two solutions:

1. never, ever, for the rest of asher's life, deal with that particular doctor again. ever. ever. avoid him like the plague. forever. and ever. and ever.
2. get this doctor to take asher, and me, seriously. you know, pay attention to all of his "quirks" and so forth (eg, the correlating risks between asher's reflux and swallowing issues). and listen to me when i say there's something wrong, and no, it's not gas. (you laugh, but i'm serious. it happened.)

so, here's where i need your help. what other solutions are there? my judgment is too clouded, being in the situation. if there are other solutions, and i mean whatever, let's pretend it's a perfect world and they're going to give me whatever i ask for. what do i ask for? you can email me, facebook me, or leave a comment here. but i really am looking for some input here.

i'll be talking with "top doc" again on monday, so i'd like to have some ideas and possible resolutions. thanks! :)