I’m a crunchy mama. I make almost all of our meals from scratch, as much as possible from out own chemical-free garden, and I have lavender essential oil on hand at any given moment. I am a smoothie connoisseur, flax seed makes me happy, I take supplements, and prescriptions, side by side.
I’m an experienced Internet “researcher.” I have a child with a rare disease that I strongly suspected, and tried to get his doctors to order diagnostic tests for, months before they finally acquiesced and gave the diagnosis. Time after time with new diagnoses, therapies, medicines, and supplements I hit the Internet to gather information. It is not uncommon for me to explain some of his medical history to medical providers who are less informed than I am about the specifics. I am proud of my expertise.
On the flip side of that is the many practitioners who have taught me, corrected me, pointed me in the right direction, and have more knowledge and understanding in their area of expertise that I will ever obtain. I have sat in rooms, looking doctors in the eye while they condense their vast knowledge of the subject matter in which they specialize and simplify it to the point that I can begin to wrap my mind around it. I have asked question after question in visit after visit in order to glean enough of their vast knowledge that I can manage the care of my child and help family members and other doctors manage it as well.
And so it is with great caution that I engage with people who want to tell me that their Internet searches have as much validity as the advice of my child’s immunologist, infectious disease doctor, and oncologist.
While I am a proud “expert” on my child, it is the complexity of his care that demonstrates to me how very much we need the true expertise of people who have dedicated their entire education to understanding the human body. And while I will continue to use my good judgment in partaking of supplements and maintaining good health, it will be in deference to the advice of the doctors who have saved my child’s life, and with the use of prescription medicine, for which there really is no substitute.
All this to say, when you offer advice or even a suggestion, no matter how helpful or interesting it is, there is little chance of me doing a darn thing about it until I have consulted with a doctor or two, a pharmacist, and done a bit or reading on it myself. Don’t let it ruffle your feathers, then, if I don’t jump right on your idea. I appreciate and value your concern. I hope you understand it isn’t that simple for us.
Alethea Mshar is a Special Needs Mom and Blogger.
Read her blog, Ben’s Writing, Running Mom
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