Pulling out my inner-Suellen

My mom's name is Suellen. And she can get her way when she wants it. I have a corner of my personality that is part-Suellen, and it came out yesterday in the most explosive way.

So, Thomas came down with strep and an ear infection last weekend. We didn't know it was strep because he didn't have a sore throat, only a bad cough, rash, and high fever. So we waited a few days to take him to the doctor, which Shane did on Monday while I was working. Now, the medicine they gave him was related to penecillon, which he is allergic to, so they told us to let them know if he had a reaction.

Well, fast forward to New Years. Thomas' whole body was covered in angry red bumps that itched him like crazy. Now, I assumed that since the rash hadn't itched before he must be having a reaction to the medicine, so I got him through the night with benedryl and the hope of a new non-itchy antibiotic the next morning.

At 12:00 (the moment my doctor's office opened) I left a message. And hour later I called and talked to the triage nurse. They had given a message to the provider, but she hadn't responded yet. Another 1 1/2 hours passes and still nothing. Thomas by this time is completely miserable, still fevering, still itching, and looking like walking death. So I call to ask to speak to his pediatrician (not the person that was supposed to be calling in the new prescription.)

They told me no. I went ballistic!!

I started sobbing, telling her that if she would just tell the doctor who I was he would talk to me. I mean, I went there on the first day he opened his clinic doors, hugely pregnant, waiting to have Thomas within 3 weeks. She still told me no. I went a little more ballistic and started dropping choice words that would have made my mother blush (even though I was bringing a portion of her out in myself). I was hysterical, demanding to talk to the doctor, even going so far as to say, "He's a doctor, not God! Let me talk to him!" And, what did they do?

Put me into a voicemail. I lost it! Shane wrestled the phone away from me and called them back and made an appointment, working off the logic that maybe if we paid a co-pay, they would listen to us and give us new medication. He was ready to pay the copay and walk out, asking that the provider use the time we paid for to call the pharmacy.

Well, Shane went in and they treated him like a rockstar. The girl who I'd yelled at got us an appointment with the pediatrician who I had asked to speak with in the first place. I joined Shane in the waiting room, and in less than 5 minutes later we were meeting with the doctor. Come to find out, strep can cause an itchy, sand-paper like rash that has nothing to do with reactions to medication (as I was thinking). I kept wondering if they tape their phone calls and the doctor had gone back and listened at me shrieking at his office staff. I really don't care if he did.

Thomas ended up getting 2 antibiotic shots, which did not make him happy, but are helping him feel better. I felt a little sheepish. I knew I had let my anger out on someone who didn't deserve it. I knew I'd used words that I shouldn't use with anyone, let alone in front of my kids. But this situation just totally put me over the edge.

Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a tiny corner of yourself that brings out the mother bear in you? Please tell me I'm not the only one.