New Pediatrician and New Shoes for James

I took James for a second opinion on his legs yesterday. His legs appear to be bowed out when he walks. I wasn't too concerned about it, but we got an opinion anyway. AND GOOD THING! James is fine (more about that later) but we got a NEW pediatrician out of the experience!

James has had the same pediatrician since day one. We will call her JFP (for James' Former Pediatrician). She is pretty nice, but I always feel like she is rushing me. I have also asked the JFP some questions before where I am pretty sure she has just about rolled her eyes at me for asking. Now, shouldn't every pediatrician keep in mind that they might field some crazy questions from new mothers? Should we moms be judged by that?


Anyhow, at JFP's office, I am always waiting in line to sign in at the one admission window that they have, struggling to find a seat because they are so busy, waiting inevitably for at least 45 minutes in the waiting room and another 25 in the actual patient room, I have to pay the co-pay BEFORE being seen, the JFP has a different assistant every time, and they are constantly pushing shots on me.

In addition, the office is a good 40 minutes away from our house and you can never EVER find a parking space, so we have to leave at least 20 minutes early so that we can circle the parking lot a few hundred times, stalking people who are leaving like its the middle of the Christmas shopping rush at the mall.
I guess I didn't know that it could be different! Yesterday we went to see JNP (James' New Pediatrician). The office is 20 minutes closer to our home. There is PLENTY of parking, (even VALET, if you can believe it). When you get to the office, they have three different windows to check in to, so that you aren't standing in line trying to check in while other moms are trying to pay for their visit.

PLUS, the waiting rooms are filled with cute chairs in red, blue, green and yellow. There are tons of toys and fun posters, and a TV playing PBS cartoons (our favorite!)

They did not, I repeat DID NOT collect our co-payment before we saw the JNP. We only waiting about 5 minutes before he assistant came out to the waiting room to get us, kneeled down to say hello to James, and then took us back to the waiting room. She hadn't even finished telling me a little about what to expect when the JNP came in! YAY!!!

She asked me why I was there and I said I wanted a second opinion on James' legs. I said they appeared to be bowed out when he walked, and that it just did not look right. She shook James' hand, introduced herself, and then asked me to put him down so that she could see him walk. She went to the corner of the room and took a Dum-Dum lollipop out of her coat pocket. NEAT!!! he ran right over to her! I told her that the JFP had said not to worry about it, but that she hadn't even watched James WALK before she gave me her diagnosis!

Long story longer, she was AWESOME. She has been a pediatrician for 26 years and has three of her own children. She said that James just needs to wear shoes with ankle support and a high arch, and that he will be fine. She also said (patting self on the back and preparing to receive the Mother of the Year Award) that she could tell that I stayed at home with him because he was very well-adjusted, happy and social. LOVE HER!

She also won me over when I asked about vaccinations and the MMR shot. I am sure that you have heard about the whole Jenny McCarthy-possible link to Autism-MMR shot controversy. Well, when I had asked JFP about it, she said that it was up to me but that she had vaccinated her kids with no problem. When I asked JNP about it, she said, "Well, this is not what the American Academy of Pediatrics would want me to tell you, but I would delay it as long as possible, just to be safe."

WOW.

I was sold. I told her that I wanted to change to her and her office permanently.

On the way out, they had three windows with chairs so that you can sit and pay your co-pay (nice not to have to stand and shuffle thru your bag while comforting a cranky toddler at the same time.)

Kudos to Fremont Children's Clinic and Dr. Nancy Boebel!

We went out later and got James a proper shoe-fitting (I had him in size 5 regular, they put him in size 6 wide). We also bought him an appropriate pair of shoes. (Uncle/Coach Bill, they have soccer balls on the side!) Here is my happy boy: