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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 20 2005 at 4:47pm | IP Logged
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As I mentioned on another forum, my 2yo dd has developed a lazy eye. After talking to everyone I could think of for recommendations for a pediatric opthamologist and looking on my insurance website, it looks like I have about 3 options. That's really pitiful, considering that I live in the Washington, DC area. What do all of you who live in rural areas do?!? The highest recommendation is for a woman who is on sabbatical until January. The second is for a man who I have used before for limited visits for two of my other girls. I was not impressed at all. He doesn't seem like the type who should be working with young children. I would like to avoid going back there for this problem, since it would entail ongoing care.
That leaves one other choice. When I called today, the receptionist told me that the earliest we could be seen is January. I was so upset that I felt like crying! That is a really, really long time for my daughter's eye to get worse. After I reacted with disappointment, the woman said she'd check for cancellations, and she came up with an appointment the second week of December. That's better . . . but still not good enough for a worried mother. Would you all please say a prayer that there will be a cancellation that would allow us to see this doctor much sooner? I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much.
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 20 2005 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
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Gosh, Irene, I know the feeling well. When my son had what I considered urgent needs, it felt like every door closed. We had the miracles of cancellations in our favor. Prayers coming that you will have the same!
How about this avenue? Go to a good optometrist, opthmalogist and get them to make an appointment for you at one of these places? Usually doctors have more sway on getting patients that they view "urgent" for referrals. I've got a really good optometrist in Manassas...he listens and cares and knows his limitations.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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humanaevitae Forum Pro
Joined: May 31 2005 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Sept 20 2005 at 8:01pm | IP Logged
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I second Jenn's advice about finding an optometrist to call in for an appt. I would also keep calling the pediatric opthamologist's clinic and inquiring about a cancellation.
One of my sons has vision issues and it is so frustrating when current research says time is of essence but the appts are months away! I encourage you to surf the web and educate yourself about strabismus and what the current literature is saying about patching and surgury. I believe there is also a yahoogroup about "lazy eye" and by posting a question you can receive a lot of information and support.
Feel free to email me if you want to chat or vent!
Nicole
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cathhomeschool Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005 Location: Texas
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 10:16am | IP Logged
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We'll be praying, Irene. Our regular pediatrician her was willing to call the specialist for us. We don't have a local specialist, so we go to Houston or Austin for these type things.
__________________ Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Marybeth Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2005 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 12:42pm | IP Logged
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Irene,
I will be praying for you. Pray to St. Lucy for your daughter's eye health. Her feast day is Dec. 13th so maybe she can "help" get the appointment moved up for you!
St. Lucy, pray for us.
Marybeth
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ALmom Forum All-Star
Joined: May 18 2005
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 3:53pm | IP Logged
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Irene,
We'll be praying. One comfort - it is a good sign when the doctor has a waiting list, they are usually the better ones.
We live in a metro area in AL but drive to Chattanooga to an optometrist for our eye appt. We call with questions to the therapist and go periodically (about every 6 weeks during therapy) for evaluation and to have new home therapies explained and demonstrated to us.
An optometrist might be able to get you in sooner, but even if they cannot, try not to be too worried. A few months will not make a significant difference for a 2.5 year old like it would for an older child.
Still, we will pray that God will open and close all the right doors for you in his perfect timing for the greatest benefit for your prescious one and we will also say a prayer asking St. Lucy's intercession.
Janet
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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 9:38pm | IP Logged
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Marybeth wrote:
Irene,
I will be praying for you. Pray to St. Lucy for your daughter's eye health. Her feast day is Dec. 13th so maybe she can "help" get the appointment moved up for you! |
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Hi Marybeth,
I knew that was St. Lucy's feast day. (We celebrate like in the AG Kirsten book.) But I didn't make the connection until you pointed it out. Would you believe that the date for the appointment we WERE able to get is on December 13?!? Is that a coincidence or what?
St. Lucy, pray for us!
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Marybeth Forum All-Star
Joined: May 02 2005 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 10:15pm | IP Logged
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Irene,
I know everything will be just fine with your little one's eye. St. Lucy was already interceding!!!!!!!
As my 11 yr. old nephew would say, "Dude, that is so rocking what God can do!"
God bless,
Marybeth
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Karen E. Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 27 2005 Location: N/A
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Posted: Sept 21 2005 at 10:18pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
the date for the appointment we WERE able to get is on December 13?!? Is that a coincidence or what? |
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St. Lucy doesn't believe in coincidences.
__________________ God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 22 2005 at 12:20pm | IP Logged
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Karen E. wrote:
teachingmom wrote:
the date for the appointment we WERE able to get is on December 13?!? Is that a coincidence or what? |
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St. Lucy doesn't believe in coincidences. |
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You are right, Karen. I almost typed "God-incidence" instead!
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 26 2005 at 9:50pm | IP Logged
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Well, you all did it again with your prayers!
My toddler's eye crossing got much worse over the weekend, so I brought her in to see our pediatrician first thing this morning. He called the opthamologist's office to see if they could move up my appointment. Either doctors have a lot more pull (as some of you suggested), or there happened to be a cancellation . . . I don't know which . . . but he came up with an appointment for this afternoon! The appointment was right during the time that I was hosting a science class and the accompanying nursery at my house, but with some help (thanks Mary Chris! ) I was able to make the appointment on short notice.
I really liked the doctor and am glad that it worked out for us to see this particular one who was highly recommended. It turns out that dd is definitely far-sighted. He sent me home with a prescription for glasses, and we will work from there. It is possible that we will have success with just the glasses and will not need patching or surgery (please pray for that!), but we won't know until follow up appointments how things are going. The ironic thing is that he said that one of the reasons that patching may not be necessary is that we caught it so soon after onset of symptoms. He said that if he had seen her six months from now there might be more damage. I was so tempted to remind him that his not-so-helpful staff originally offered me an appointment for over four months from now and had seemed very unconcerned when I was worried about the effects of waiting that long!!! But I didn't want to make waves at the beginning of dd's treatment.
I feel much more at peace after the visit today. Thank you so much for your prayers and help through all this.
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Erica Sanchez Forum All-Star
Joined: March 05 2005 Location: California
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Posted: Sept 26 2005 at 10:04pm | IP Logged
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Wonderful news, Irene!!!
__________________ Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 27 2005 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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God is so good! I'm so happy that it all worked out. I just remembered that my m-i-l said the same thing happened to my dh. He is EXTREMELY farsighted and with astigmatism...so basically he was almost blind. He was running into many things (a few ER visits even ) but she didn't notice that it was his vision, until his eye starting turning in! He was 3. She felt so guilty that she didn't catch it sooner -- to this day that just makes her feel like she was such a bad mom.
The best part of your story is that you caught it early.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Mary Chris Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 27 2005 at 9:44am | IP Logged
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Irene,
I am glad I was able to help, though I did not do much. It is great that you are able to move on with her treatment and hopefully the glasses will be the fix!
__________________ Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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teachingmyown Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 27 2005 at 7:35pm | IP Logged
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Irene,
I am so happy for you. You must feel so relieved, I know what it is like to have worry over one of your children eating at you day after day.
I hope you have found the answer.
__________________ In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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