Thank You to the Doctor Who Heard My Cry for Help
I am writing this letter to thank the doctor who gave my daughter a fighting chance. You were the first person to listen to our cry for help.
I was a new mom. My daughter was not meeting her milestones on time.
There were so many nights that she just cried for hours. There was something wrong. Her helpless little body could not tell me the real reason things were not going well.
It was heartbreaking. This was not what I imagined when deciding to become a mother. I felt inadequate and helpless.
If I did not fight to get answers for my daughter, who would? No one would at the time. The memories still haunt me from time to time.
It was her two-year checkup at our current doctor’s office. The doctor’s office who had been following her since birth. I sat nervously waiting in the office for the doctor to come in. I was ready to put up a fight.
Once again, I made a point to make known that my daughter was two years old and not walking. We had been doing Early Intervention and every service that was available. The services that I found on my own because no one offered to help me.
Like every time before, the doctor brushed it off as nothing could possibly be wrong. The words still ring in my head today…” Kids develop at their own pace. There is nothing to worry about. Let’s give it time.”
It was then that I made up the choice in my heart to refuse that response as an answer. I would no longer be pushed around or made to look ridiculous. I was getting a second opinion as soon as possible. That was my last time in that doctor’s office.
Thank you for taking on a new patient who was already two years into her life. Your office was quick to get us into an appointment on the fly of the moment.
Thank you for accepting us, when other doctors were tired of hearing our desperate pleas for help. They were done with answering my questions.
You were a breath of fresh air.
You observed our daughter like a specimen under a microscope. Within those first few minutes, it was confirmed that there was something going on with our precious little girl. You did not hesitate to order every kind of test available to get us answers as soon as possible.
The way you empathized with us….it was like a God send. For once, we felt as though we were not crazy. Now, we had a plan, and nothing was stopping us.
A year later after many tests and scans, a genetic test came back to confirm that our little girl had some obstacles to overcome. She was diagnosed with a very rare genetic syndrome called Pitt Hopkins Like 1 syndrome. It is characterized by global developmental delays, low muscle tone, epilepsy, and falls within the Autism spectrum.
Doc, if it was not for you, we would still be searching for answers and be much further behind in this journey. Because of your research and attention to detail, we found out about this rare genetic syndrome that our second daughter would be diagnosed with a year down the road as well.
You have been a crucial part of our daughters’ quality of life and future.
We need more doctors like you in the world.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Written by, Mandi Geiman
My name is Mandi Geiman. I am a mom to 3 beautiful girls. Two of them have a rare genetic syndrome. As a mom, teacher, and blogger….my goal is to advocate for the special needs community and educate others to help create a more inclusive world. You can follow us on Facebook Pitt-fully Strong: A Sister Journey or on Instagram pittfullystrong.
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