As I posted a few days ago, my son is beginning immunotherapy, aka allergy shots, for his numerous allergies to...well, the state of Georgia basically.
Our primary allergy doctor is located in a town about 20 miles away. On the interstate, on a good day, maybe a 30 minute car ride.
My son had his first injections at the primary doctor's office. It was a wonderful experience...despite having to have 3 injections in one day. But the nurse was super nice, and she did it all so quickly and efficiently that is was done before you could say "OWWW!" Two went in the tricep area of one arm , one in the tricep area of the other.
So, in order to make the bi-weekly injections more convenient and affordable, they suggested I use a local doctors office in my small home-town.
Sure, I thought. Sounds like a winner...close proximity and supporting local business! Less times at the gas pump!
So they sent me home with vials of allergy 'juice' and paperwork.
Fast forward to yesterday.
We all went to the local doctors office to get the next round of shots.
We waited in the waiting room for an hour. No magazines. No television. The kids didn't even have a book or game. So to pass the time, a read the entirety of the paper work from the primary doctor's office. I read how each injection is to be made specifically on the designated area of each arm. And that we were to wait 20 minutes after the injections to see if there is a reaction. I was surprised at the specificity of how and where the injections were to be given.
"Sorry you have to wait so long! We are having computer problems!" chirps the receptionist. I guess she could hear my kids whining through her little glass window. But wait...they called two other patients back. Hmmm....the computer problems don't affect those patients?
When we are finally called back, the nurse tells me "I had to do a ton of paper work on this, that's why you had to wait so long..." Hmmm....that's a different story...but...why am I getting two different stories here?
She procedes to give my son the injections. I noticed with each injection she is taking a l-o-o-o-n-g time. Not the quick, precise movement of the previous nurse.
The final injection she gives just below his elbow.
Wh...Wha? Hold on. I *know* what the last nurse did and I *know* what I just read. That wasn't right. My son winced in pain. That wasn't right.
After 5 minutes we were told we could leave. Without her checking the injection sites for a reaction.
Now my alarms are going off. She didn't know what she was doing.
I called the primary nurse. I asked her about proper injection procedure. When I told her what happened, she sounded alarmed. She called the other nurse (whom I shall refer to at this point, Nurse 2) and told her that she performed incorrectly and told her how these injections are to be administered. She called me back and asked me if I wanted to return to their office. I said YES.
So at this point I realize I have to go back to Nurse 2 and take custody of his vials of allergens. UGH.
I hate confrontation. But now the Mama Bear Mode was in full swing.
She stuck my baby with needles and didn't know what she was doing. She either lied to me or at the least wasn't honest with me. There was no way she would ever touch my kid again.
Let's just say, by the time I left the office, I had my son's allergens and the nurse looked like a whipped dog.
And despite the money, time and inconvenience, I will be driving to the primary doctor's office from now on, twice a week. Cause that's what Mama Bears do.
