Our Family Medical Care

Since I have had children, I have started thinking a lot more critically about the doctors that we see and the kind of treatment we get from our doctors. The changes have been gradual and moderate but changes nonetheless. For example, I thought little about the vaccination schedule for Norah, but for Harvey, I had spoken to enough doctors and mothers to consider options to the traditional care of toddlers. I am still a believer in vaccinating and I think I always will be, but I know now why I am vaccinating my child.

I decided before we moved to this end of the country that I would choose our health care providers carefully once we got here. Doctors that I feel comfortable around mean so much to me as a patient and as a parent. Also, I do not want to have to research all of our medical options. I want to find a doctor whose philosophies are in line with mine and then I want to trust him or her with the decisions afterwards.

Today I met Norah and Harvey's new pediatrician, one who was recommended to me by some mothers in cyber-space. I like him, I really like him. His office is located in a health care coop. I really don't know what this is, but it sounds pretty cool. I like the way it sounds coming out of my mouth, "My pediatrician is part of a health care coop." After I say it, I just have to run away so that no one asks me what that means!

I checked out Heathy Child, Whole Child from the library here so that I could finish reading it. I really like the book because neither doctor seems to have an agenda. They do not strongly push alternative medicine or traditional treatment (although neither will accept patients who are not vaccinating) but encourage something that they call "integrative medicine" which melds traditional and alternative treatments--a very thoughtful approach.

We'll see how our new doctors work out...