All for the Love of a Daughter with a Rash

A trip to the doctor's office. Raegan has had a stubborn rash (for a month). It needed to be looked at. And the office said (when I called them Friday) that she could get her shots during her walk-in appointment, if I came on Monday.

The last time we tried to get a walk-in appointment, we waited for well over an hour. We were never seen. Though Raegan had fallen asleep, I couldn't continue to wait. They said four people were in front of me on the list. That meant the possibility of another hour. It was lunch time. nearing nap time. and the time when even good little girl's ability to remain calm and collected runs out.

This morning I had planned to get there earlier, to avoid the long wait. I woke the girls up. Gave them clothes to put on. Got everybody out the door and in the car in record time. I didn't get a chance to eat. There was no time. I was on a mission.

8:00 --Doctor's Office Waiting room. I walk in the door exactly a half-hour after the Walk-ins have started. The room is filled to capacity.

8:03 Selah (3) pulls up her dress and loudly announces "Uh-oh. I don't have any underwear on!" The woman sitting next to Selah looks at me and smiles. I smile and shrug, trying to console Selah, telling her it was an honest mistake. But please keep your dress down.

This adds extra burden to The Mom, who now has to:
1. Entertain two very active girls
2. Try to keep a 5 month old content in a waiting room jam packed with grouchy, sick people
3. Monitor very active 3 year old, making sure she does not maneuver her body in any way that will reveal the fact that she's not wearing any underwear, hence mooning every one in the room.

8:15 I pull out the activity book that I brought along. The girls work together to do the pages.

8:17 I warn them that if they fight, I take it.

8:20 I take it. Re-explain to them the rules of sharing. Give them one more chance to prove to me that they can use it without arguing.

8:45 All the girls are doing amazingly. Other people are even commenting on their being well behaved. I am very proud.

8:46 Raegan starts to fuss. I pick her up and start to rock. I know she's hungry. I know she's tired. I scan the room for a private place to nurse.

9:00 One hour has passed. They finally call my number. But it's a trick. The receptionist only takes down my daughter's name and tells me to sit back down. I ask where I can nurse. She tells me "We have a bathroom. Or go down the hall and there are some seats out of the way."

Obviously, I'm not going to use the BATHROOM to nurse my child. The only seat in there is the toilet. Do you eat in the bathroom? Um. No. Seriously, the thoughtlessness of some people shocks me to silence at times.

I go to the furthest corner to nurse. I am a very discreet nursing mom. Collectively, I've nursed babies for a total of 30 months and still counting. I've had to learn how to nurse in public places without being immodest. In fact, I doubt most people can even tell I'm nursing.

But in this situation, it's obvious that I'm going to nurse. Because I just moved down to the "hall" away from our normal seats. My child is now screaming a piercing scream. And I am placing her blanket on top of me and her. It's obvious that some thing's getting ready to happen. Just by power of deduction alone.

A man across the room will not look away. I stare back. He doesn't seem to get the hint.

An older woman looks up at me in disgust. Even though I smile, she just looks away, back to her novel. With her frown still in place, she turns another page. I look to her ring finger. Yup. Nothing there. So maybe this crotchety old woman is alone in life. Has no children. Never had to nurse them. And just doesn't understand.

I try to feel compassion.

9:10 Selah announces for the FOURTH time that she has to go potty. Lovely. I abruptly stop nursing Raegan...now that she's settled in and not fighting the blanket covering her head anymore.

9:11 We leave the bathroom. Selah, as it turned out, was mistaken. Again. She didn't have to go potty. I opt to not start nursing Raegan again, in hopes that she'll think that she's done.

9:30 Raegan remembers that she's not finished nursing. I start to rock her profusely. Crotchety Old Woman has now changed seats in order to avoid close proximity with Fussy Baby. ...To the rocking chair beside the one she was in. Apparently she didn't see the other empty seats across the room. Far Far Away.
Charis whispers "Mommy, I really really love you."

I want to loudly announce to woman in rocking chair that my children, aged 4 and under, have been sitting very still for AN HOUR AND A HALF. That I am extremely proud of the way they've behaved. But I continue rocking and saying nothing. Except for the ever present: "Selah, keep your dress down!"

9:35 Charis says, "Mommy, I really like you." I take note that her feelings for me are taking a downward spiral at a rapid rate. I wink at her. She's trying so hard.

9:40 I debate leaving. But I know I can't. I did that last time... I needed to wait it out.

9:45 One hour and 45 minutes since the time I entered the doctor's office, the nurse finally calls our name. In the time that it takes to stand up and ask my girls to follow me, the nurse is gone. I stand in the middle of the waiting room, circling around, looking at all the different doors she could have ducked into. Did I imagine hearing Raegan's name? A woman who had been there with us, from the beginning, stands up and holds Door #3 open for me. "Do you want to come through?" I want to hug her.

9:47 Nurses takes Raegan's vital signs. Raegan laughs loudly at everything they do. They declare her a wonderful child. I fight the urge to ask if I can get that in writing...you know, to take as proof to Crotchety Old Woman.

10:00 Doctor comes in. Looks at Raegan's fiery red rash that covers her belly button. diaper area. and mouth corner. Declares Raegan just "keeps yeast". Tells me that we'll have to try something other than the medicine she prescribed 2 months ago.

10:01 Doctor leaves. I stand there wondering what just happened. I pack up to go.

10:10 Nurse comes in with the prescription, smiles, and says that they can't give Raegan her shots, like I was told. "Go to the front desk and schedule another appointment."

I smile back. Because I sincerely am happy. To finally be going home.