When you are caring for a couple of sick kids it means you have to be in front of a lot of health care professionals. Doctors, nurses, assistants, insurance staff/accounting, technicians, clerks. You come into contact with a lot of people and a lot of personalities.

On any given week we’ll see 15-20 people in the regular care of Gage and Quinn. When the situation calls for more care (um, like, you know, a KIDNEY TRANSPLANT) there are just more people (and paper work and tests and results) to navigate and manage. As in life, you don’t click with everyone you interact with on a daily basis. People rub you the wrong way (you rub people the wrong way) and they are dismissive and insensitive. Some are dismissive in a way that is condescending. Which can be both infuriating and eye-opening. Because that probably isn’t going to change on the 2nd, 3rd or 20th visit so it’s best just to find a way to deal.

What I want for one of my kids doesn’t always line up with what their health care providers believe is best for them. And that’s okay. But it’s not the last word.

That’s why they invented The Second Opinion.

It doesn’t matter what the issue is; it is your business, your right and your responsibility to get your questions answered. That is why there is a 2nd opinion.

Getting along with everyone, everyday just isn’t possible, you know? Sometimes you can’t change providers; the options are limited in your area, your hospital or specialty and you have to work with who you’ve got. It goes back to intuition. Follow your intuition. Always.

For my kids, it’s my responsibility to make sure I follow my intuition no matter who is providing care – from front office to doctor. Sometimes I have to be creative in managing all the situations. Sometimes it is okay and right to push back. And you know what happens? People get pissed off. And you know what else? I’m okay with that. Because when I’m tucking my kiddos in bed, never, anywhere in my thinking about the day behind us is one thought about who I might have pissed off while being their advocate.