Student-led parent/teacher conferences

Add comment December 29th, 2008

Student-led parent/teacher conferences at more convenient times in Illinois work well, according to this New York Times story.

Has anyone had any experiences with this in the Rockford area or elsewhere?

When your doctor fails you

2 comments December 29th, 2008

This story in today’s Chicago Tribune — about how doctors don’t always know what’s wrong with you, and the sage advice of one woman who says “If your doctor won’t listen, fire him and find one who will” — reminded me of a few similar issues I’ve had with doctors.

One was when I was having to shoot adrenaline while having acute asthma attacks, the advice of my longtime general physician. I finally wised up and went to an endocrinologist, who prescribed some preventive pills, and I’ve never had to inject adrenaline again.

The other was when my now late mom broke her hip about 25 years ago. She was having cold/hot sweats in the hospital and the attending physician said she was having symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol. We told him she was no alcohol abuser. She might drink a six pack of beer in a year, and she made bourbon balls at Christmas, but that was about it. I don’t think the doctor believed us. She came out of that hot-cold sweat whatever-it-was thing in a very short time, maybe even that day or the next. Fortunately, we didn’t entrust her further care to him, because he was merely the doctor on call at the hospital.

Tell your tales about when doctors have failed you, and you’ve switched to another doctors.