CareNow cares not...

I took Jimmy to see a doctor today at an urgent care place called CareNow in Denton. It is a misnomer.

When I checked in, I let the nurse know that Jimmy was autistic and could be difficult in addition to all his other symptoms - fever, throwing up, etc... When we saw the doctor, I asked if he had gotten the heads up. He said yes, but that "this is an urgent care facility and we don't have time..." and then trailed off. We don't have time for kids like yours. Patients with special needs. He didn't finish, but you can tell from the start that it was going nowhere good. Those words should never have been formed in his brain. I told him until developmental pediatricians open up their own urgent care facilities, that kids like my son would need medical care when they are sick and come.

I gutted it through because my kid was sick and needed a doctor, but there was so much more I wanted to say. I was angry, insulted, crushed. I felt like he didn't want to take care of my son because he wasn't normal. And my son was sick. Like he didn't deserve care. I know more than likely, what he was thinking was that I have to crank through these patients, I don't have time for checking this combative kid out. But that's not what I heard and it certainly doesn't excuse his rudeness and thoughtlessness.

A doctor doesn't get to pick his patients. Certainly not in an urgent center. Unless CareNow has a policy of not providing medical care for people with disabilities. I didn't see one posted on the door. I filled out and mailed a comment card after the appointment, but I will be writing and calling the home office this week as well (apparently this place is a chain.) I will see to it that no CareNow patient with a disability is treated so rudely again.

Jimmy has strep. They gave him a shot of antibiotics. I am hoping he will be fever free in the morning.