Special Snowflake Stories

[Moray]

Yes, I agree about the sterile room.  I wouldn't expect to be allowed into an operating room, but if the procedure only took 10 minutes, I doubt there was anesthesia and a sterile room involved.  It seems to me that the hospital could have solved this problem by allowing the child's mother to accompany her.  Sometimes exceptions just have to be made.  I'd like to know exactly why the hospital wouldn't allow the mom to go with her daughter.

Because it's the rule, and probably the rule exists for a reason.

Why should exceptions be made to a perfectly good rule just because someone doesn't like it? Isn't the purpose of having a rule so you don't have to judge each case?

Exactly. And part of the reason *this* rule exists is that even though you (general) might be totally reasonable, even though you might not interfere or cause a distraction, there is no guarantee whatsoever that you won't turn into a basket case, start touching things, or otherwise pose a distraction or hazard to the medical professionals.

The stories in this thread alone serve as ample evidence that people can be stupid, entitled, and panicky.

[Kaora]

Yes, I agree about the sterile room.  I wouldn't expect to be allowed into an operating room, but if the procedure only took 10 minutes, I doubt there was anesthesia and a sterile room involved.  It seems to me that the hospital could have solved this problem by allowing the child's mother to accompany her.  Sometimes exceptions just have to be made.  I'd like to know exactly why the hospital wouldn't allow the mom to go with her daughter.

Because it's the rule, and probably the rule exists for a reason.

Why should exceptions be made to a perfectly good rule just because someone doesn't like it? Isn't the purpose of having a rule so you don't have to judge each case?

Exactly. And part of the reason *this* rule exists is that even though you (general) might be totally reasonable, even though you might not interfere or cause a distraction, there is no guarantee whatsoever that you won't turn into a basket case, start touching things, or otherwise pose a distraction or hazard to the medical professionals.

The stories in this thread alone serve as ample evidence that people can be stupid, entitled, and panicky.

I'm thinking of Extra Super Special Snowflakes Parents who might actively interfere with the patient's comfort, or, worse, tell the operating doctors how to do their job!  Its not against good people, like Shoo, but again Extra Super Specials who have ruined it for everyone else.

[Midnight Kitty]

I must say, SS or not I don't think much of any major children's hospital that doesn't have a better procedure in place to deal with anxiety- whether it be from the children or the parents. It would have taken far less time to have offered the option of a pre-procedure sedative or mild-anti anxiety medication, either on site that day or with a rescheduled appointment- than to have simply stonewalled the patient and parent. <snip> Children's hospitals should be specialists in making children at ease, dealing with anxiety, and handling anxious, irate or upset parents. While I don't dispute that it wasn't the time or place for your mother to hold up the line, it should never have been allowed to get to that point by the staff, and I believe her concern to be legitimate and that from what has been posted, their policies aren't very child-friendly. This is of course, moot, if she was offered this as an option and refused it.

In this case, I think it was the mother who needed the anti-anxiety meds. I wonder if that was an option.

[mmswm]

I must say, SS or not I don't think much of any major children's hospital that doesn't have a better procedure in place to deal with anxiety- whether it be from the children or the parents. It would have taken far less time to have offered the option of a pre-procedure sedative or mild-anti anxiety medication, either on site that day or with a rescheduled appointment- than to have simply stonewalled the patient and parent. <snip> Children's hospitals should be specialists in making children at ease, dealing with anxiety, and handling anxious, irate or upset parents. While I don't dispute that it wasn't the time or place for your mother to hold up the line, it should never have been allowed to get to that point by the staff, and I believe her concern to be legitimate and that from what has been posted, their policies aren't very child-friendly. This is of course, moot, if she was offered this as an option and refused it.

In this case, I think it was the mother who needed the anti-anxiety meds. I wonder if that was an option.

*snort* Since it was my mother in question, in dealing with my little sister, I'm fairly confident that she probably could have used the sedatives herself.  Some of the reasons I am the way I am in dealing with my own children's medical issues is a result of trying to be the exact opposite of her.  Even then, though, she would have never allowed us to hold up the procedure room for that long when us older kids were young.  I think she's just more sensitive these days.

[WolfWay]

As I was driving to work this morning, I witnessed some amazingly special driving.

I first encountered Mr WrongWay when I came around a wide bend to see Mr WrongWay driving across the three lane half of the main road I was on. When I say driving across, I don't mean changing lanes while driving along the highway, I mean driving perpendicularly ACROSS the three lanes in front of my car.

Fortunately I was driving at a slower speed than normal and he was quite a way away so I wasn't in any danger and traffic was fortunately sparse, BUT THEN....

I watched him reach the side of the road and come to park in a yellow painted section of road next to the offramp of a major highway.  He snuck the nose of his car into the entrance of the offramp (presumable to see if any traffic was coming up the offramp) and then drove down the offramp, THE WRONG WAY!

The last I saw of Mr WrongWay in my rearview mirror as I continued around the corner was his car dissapearing down the offramp, driving directly into what would be the flow of any oncoming traffic that would be unlucky enough to be trying to get off the highway at that point.

<shudder>

I really really hope he didn't cause any accidents.

[suzieQ]

I have always been allowed to accompany my child whenever she's had something done in a hospital, doctor's office, dentist's office .... anywhere.  I would not be happy to be told I couldn't go with her into the procedure room.

That is why we left a kid's dentist after one visit. J is special needs and he was young and scared. I went back to settle him down and all was well, so I went to the waiting room. On the door to the room was a sign (obviously for the workers at the office) **Keep This Door Locked At All Times**

Ah, no. I am not going to be **locked out** of the area that my children are in while they are receiving medical procedures, even if it is just a cleaning. If I hear my special needs child scream, you can bet I want to get back there, see what is going on, and do damage control so he won't refuse to go to the dentist for the rest of his life.

I don't mind being told I can't go into the procedure room, but I strongly object to being locked out of it.

ETA: This part of the thread is reminding me of this blog post: http://type1anautoimmunething.blogspot.com/2011/03/shot-of-versed-with-chaser-of-crazy.html
It took about 5 of us to hold J down after he was given versed!

[Mediancat]

Yes, I agree about the sterile room.  I wouldn't expect to be allowed into an operating room, but if the procedure only took 10 minutes, I doubt there was anesthesia and a sterile room involved.  It seems to me that the hospital could have solved this problem by allowing the child's mother to accompany her.  Sometimes exceptions just have to be made.  I'd like to know exactly why the hospital wouldn't allow the mom to go with her daughter.

Because it's the rule, and probably the rule exists for a reason.

Why should exceptions be made to a perfectly good rule just because someone doesn't like it? Isn't the purpose of having a rule so you don't have to judge each case?

Exactly. And part of the reason *this* rule exists is that even though you (general) might be totally reasonable, even though you might not interfere or cause a distraction, there is no guarantee whatsoever that you won't turn into a basket case, start touching things, or otherwise pose a distraction or hazard to the medical professionals.

The stories in this thread alone serve as ample evidence that people can be stupid, entitled, and panicky.

I'm thinking of Extra Super Special Snowflakes Parents who might actively interfere with the patient's comfort, or, worse, tell the operating doctors how to do their job!  Its not against good people, like Shoo, but again Extra Super Specials who have ruined it for everyone else.

And things like this are why I would let in the nonhysterical parents and tell the hysterical ones (if known) to sit outside. This may not be fair, but it's best for everyone but the hysterical parents.

Rob

[CharlieBraun]

It's flurrying here on the Acela NY-DC 6:00 am train.

SS
1.  repeatedly-coughing-up-a-phlegmy-lung, refusing to cover her mouth even after asked by the conductor and passengers;
2.  picking up "just one call" in the Quiet Car, and loudly and PA-ively snarling in a stage-whisper "I have to talk softly, it's the Quiet Car and SOME PEOPLE don't understand MY needs."
3. Slathering on make-up and strewing her cosmetic supplies all over the four-top conversation table, then glaring at the one man who dared to ask if he could sit "I'M WORKING!" (round sponge in mid-motion from her pancake makeup to her face as she spouts this.)

[CrochetFanatic]

I just got a mental picture of someone drawing a mustache on her with her eyebrow pencil...

No, bad CrochetFanatic.  Go have your coffee.

[Twik]

As I was driving to work this morning, I witnessed some amazingly special driving.

I first encountered Mr WrongWay when I came around a wide bend to see Mr WrongWay driving across the three lane half of the main road I was on. When I say driving across, I don't mean changing lanes while driving along the highway, I mean driving perpendicularly ACROSS the three lanes in front of my car.

Fortunately I was driving at a slower speed than normal and he was quite a way away so I wasn't in any danger and traffic was fortunately sparse, BUT THEN....

I watched him reach the side of the road and come to park in a yellow painted section of road next to the offramp of a major highway.  He snuck the nose of his car into the entrance of the offramp (presumable to see if any traffic was coming up the offramp) and then drove down the offramp, THE WRONG WAY!

The last I saw of Mr WrongWay in my rearview mirror as I continued around the corner was his car dissapearing down the offramp, driving directly into what would be the flow of any oncoming traffic that would be unlucky enough to be trying to get off the highway at that point.

<shudder>

I really really hope he didn't cause any accidents.

Wrong-way driving on highways has caused a lot of fatal accidents. I hope he was stopped quickly.

It clearly sounds like something was wrong with him - surely no one in their right mind would deliberately go up the off-ramp, would they?

[Cami]

As I was driving to work this morning, I witnessed some amazingly special driving.

I first encountered Mr WrongWay when I came around a wide bend to see Mr WrongWay driving across the three lane half of the main road I was on. When I say driving across, I don't mean changing lanes while driving along the highway, I mean driving perpendicularly ACROSS the three lanes in front of my car.

Fortunately I was driving at a slower speed than normal and he was quite a way away so I wasn't in any danger and traffic was fortunately sparse, BUT THEN....

I watched him reach the side of the road and come to park in a yellow painted section of road next to the offramp of a major highway.  He snuck the nose of his car into the entrance of the offramp (presumable to see if any traffic was coming up the offramp) and then drove down the offramp, THE WRONG WAY!

The last I saw of Mr WrongWay in my rearview mirror as I continued around the corner was his car dissapearing down the offramp, driving directly into what would be the flow of any oncoming traffic that would be unlucky enough to be trying to get off the highway at that point.

<shudder>

I really really hope he didn't cause any accidents.

Wrong-way driving on highways has caused a lot of fatal accidents. I hope he was stopped quickly.

It clearly sounds like something was wrong with him - surely no one in their right mind would deliberately go up the off-ramp, would they?

My father was in his "right" mind, but he was totally narcissistic. The most special of special snowflakes. Therefore if he wanted to do something, he did it, regardless of the law or any potential consequence to others. He pulled crap like that all the time and sadly, never got a ticket in his life.

He greatest shock of his life, however, was the day the sheriff's office came to haul him to court. He had been subpeoned on a property settlement in re his divorce from my  mother. The judge was already side-eying his financial statements and he refused to provide more documentation or show up in court. He was summoned and sent a letter to the judge saying (I am not making this up), "You can't make me!"  Well, actually, dearest Daddy, a judge CAN make you show up in court. It was great, actually.

[Giggity]

As I was driving to work this morning, I witnessed some amazingly special driving.

I first encountered Mr WrongWay when I came around a wide bend to see Mr WrongWay driving across the three lane half of the main road I was on. When I say driving across, I don't mean changing lanes while driving along the highway, I mean driving perpendicularly ACROSS the three lanes in front of my car.

Fortunately I was driving at a slower speed than normal and he was quite a way away so I wasn't in any danger and traffic was fortunately sparse, BUT THEN....

I watched him reach the side of the road and come to park in a yellow painted section of road next to the offramp of a major highway.  He snuck the nose of his car into the entrance of the offramp (presumable to see if any traffic was coming up the offramp) and then drove down the offramp, THE WRONG WAY!

The last I saw of Mr WrongWay in my rearview mirror as I continued around the corner was his car dissapearing down the offramp, driving directly into what would be the flow of any oncoming traffic that would be unlucky enough to be trying to get off the highway at that point.

<shudder>

I really really hope he didn't cause any accidents.

Did you call the cops on him? What happened?

[Mental Magpie]

I have always been allowed to accompany my child whenever she's had something done in a hospital, doctor's office, dentist's office .... anywhere.  I would not be happy to be told I couldn't go with her into the procedure room.

That is why we left a kid's dentist after one visit. J is special needs and he was young and scared. I went back to settle him down and all was well, so I went to the waiting room. On the door to the room was a sign (obviously for the workers at the office) **Keep This Door Locked At All Times**

Ah, no. I am not going to be **locked out** of the area that my children are in while they are receiving medical procedures, even if it is just a cleaning. If I hear my special needs child scream, you can bet I want to get back there, see what is going on, and do damage control so he won't refuse to go to the dentist for the rest of his life.

I don't mind being told I can't go into the procedure room, but I strongly object to being locked out of it.

ETA: This part of the thread is reminding me of this blog post: http://type1anautoimmunething.blogspot.com/2011/03/shot-of-versed-with-chaser-of-crazy.html
It took about 5 of us to hold J down after he was given versed!

The door needs to be locked so that any nefarious people cannot just wander back there willy nilly and violate all sorts of HIPA laws.  It's for privacy, not lock parents away from their children.

[hobish]

once you think about it, their meaning is crystal clear.

Uh-oh.  I must be dumb, because I still can't figure out what "choke grinds" means.     "Broke da mouth" makes a lot of sense, though. 

(Reminds me of when a Southern contestant on Survivor used the expression "So good, makes you wanna slap your mama."  I was all "Um, what?  What did your poor mother do to you?"   )

I apologize.  Goes to show me that not everyone sees things the way I do.  You are not dumb; I'm dense.

"Choke" means an overabundance.  As in, enough to choke an elephant.
"Grinding" is eating and "grinds" are what you eat.  If you are really hungry, the motion of your arm continuously moving food from the plate to your mouth resembles a grinding action.

So "choke grinds" is enough food to choke an elephant, which is what we ordered.

I love your reference to that Southern expression because, while I understand the phrase through the context in which it was used, I thought the same thing as you - Why would I want to slap my mother?

My own mother thinks that phrase is hilarious, especially if she is in a giggly mood. We're not Southern, though.

[CuriousParty]

I have always been allowed to accompany my child whenever she's had something done in a hospital, doctor's office, dentist's office .... anywhere.  I would not be happy to be told I couldn't go with her into the procedure room.

That is why we left a kid's dentist after one visit. J is special needs and he was young and scared. I went back to settle him down and all was well, so I went to the waiting room. On the door to the room was a sign (obviously for the workers at the office) **Keep This Door Locked At All Times**

Ah, no. I am not going to be **locked out** of the area that my children are in while they are receiving medical procedures, even if it is just a cleaning. If I hear my special needs child scream, you can bet I want to get back there, see what is going on, and do damage control so he won't refuse to go to the dentist for the rest of his life.

I don't mind being told I can't go into the procedure room, but I strongly object to being locked out of it.

ETA: This part of the thread is reminding me of this blog post: http://type1anautoimmunething.blogspot.com/2011/03/shot-of-versed-with-chaser-of-crazy.html
It took about 5 of us to hold J down after he was given versed!

The door needs to be locked so that any nefarious people cannot just wander back there willy nilly and violate all sorts of HIPA laws.  It's for privacy, not lock parents away from their children.

Well, that, and/or to limit the distance the "runners" can go.  Usually there needs to be at least one locked door between treatment locations and an outside door that could let a panicked (or oppositional) child into a dangerous situation (e.g., parking lot).