Thread: My Son

Rich,

If it's ok with you we'll add his name to our prayer chains. We'll definitely start praying for him ourselves immediately.

Glen F

Rich,

I feel for you and your son. I always stress out when the kids get sick and can understand your worry.

I think Nelson's advice is right on the money. Use the internet to do your research so that you are better informed of the possible options and tests that need to be done to narrow down his condition, then bring that up with the doctors. It tends to wake them up to see that a patient is not going to just roll over and accept everything that comes out of the doctor's mouth.

You are right to feel that some think they are the second coming and need a swift kick in the ass to actually start doing their job--diagnosis as opposed to prescribing pills.

I wish you and your wife strength in dealing with this situation and hope your son gets better soon.

I want to thank you all for your advice and prayers. It is just hard when your kid is sick and they can't seem to come up with good answers. This seems to varry in degree day by day. Thanks again.

Rich,
Just to let you know that we are Rootin' for Richie this side of the Pond too!

My kids are 27 and 30, married with kids of their own, but even now, when they hurt, I hurt.

Rich,

Let me start by offering you best wishes for your son & your family.

Second, as some of the other guys have mentioned, get on the Internet and research Richie's condition. Being an educated patient not only means having an understanding of the condition, but also being in the loop as far as treatment options. I researched ACL injuries, MRI's, and grafting options before I talked to my orthopedic surgeon. I made notes about which slides on the MRI films to ask about (which were exactly the ones he looked at). When I started asking about graft choices and fixation, he called their supplier and them bring over product slicks for me. We talked at length, and I ended up with his cell number when it was all over with.

I have friends in the medical field as well. Both agree that educated patients are easier to talk to, because they have an understanding of the issues and treatment options.

Rich - Best of Luck!

My family is very disappointed with US doctors. We were lucky because my boss's father is Nobel prize nominee in medicine and he found us a great specialist... but overall I feel that the healthcare system in US is not what it should / could be

Again - good luck!
Ivo

Rich,

I tried to post this earlier, but for some reason it didnt take. This is the link to the private practice I used to use when I had major problems about 12 years ago. http://www.mainlinegi.com/physician.html My doctor was Marc Zitin who is last on the list at the bottom, but they all have excellent reptutations and experience. I know they are in the philadelphia area, but they may have some info on good doctors up your way.

At any rate, my condition was never fully understood as the pain killers I was required to use should have upset my condition more, not helped it, but they treated me as an invidivual case and did not try to group me into a class of illness which really made the difference. They were not the first practice I went with, but they were the last because they were finally able to help me.

I hope this helps, if I can be of any help just PM me.

I hope your son will get better soon.

My mother and brother both have a very rare genetic disease that causes them problems with homones and sugar.
Their salvation has been the internet. They know more about their disease than most doctors. While they don't have a cure yet, at least they can control it and prevent themselves from feeling sick.

Before, they travelled from one doctor to another who were keen to shove them in predefined categories.

But I hope that your son's problem gets identified soon.
Warm regards from Belgium.

Rich, I'm wishing your son a speedy recovery. I used to have gastro issues as a kid. A lot of it had to do with stress. Don't forget to consider stress if the docs can't come up with anything more concrete.

Jordan

Me too, I hope your son will get better soon.. and don't let doctors spin you in circles, push their buttons until they give you a straight answer or go to a different one! Best of luck to your family.