Pet Peeve

One of my pet peeves is the cliche of "mom jeans." Why are they called mom jeans? They have absolutely nothing to do with being a mom. I actually don't even know any moms that wear them. They have more to do with having no style than they do with being a mom. Perhaps they are called mom jeans because the generation (my generation) that coined the term remembers its moms wearing them. Therefore they should be called 80s (or early 90s) jeans.

My other pet peeve is doctors who give antibiotics without checking the patients blood for elevated white cell count. My husband recently visited MedCenter North because he was coughing his head off and his chest was full of congestion. He was given Biaxin which is used to treat bacterial bronchitis. A week later, my son was hospitalized because he can't handle the sickness like we can. His bronchial tubes are small. I asked the doctor if they checked his white cell count to make sure it wasn't bacterial. He had and his white cell count was normal. It was a viral infection.

I then asked my husband if the "doctor" who saw him checked his blood. "No," he replied. I was livid! That RX of Biaxin costs us over $60! Besides that, I am constantly hearing how antibiotics are overused and how bacteria are evolving and becoming stronger and more difficult to treat. This is what the information on Biaxin says, " This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for viral infections. Unnecessary use or overuse of any antibiotic can lead to its decreased effectiveness.

Now how can a person get through medical school and not know that? Why do doctors pass out antibiotics like they are candy?

I called MedCenter and told them I would like my money back for the antibiotic. The office manager informed me that the nurser practitioner treated him for what she thought he had based on his symptoms. "He told her he had chest congestion and a sore throat." So that automatically means he needs an antibiotic? That's not being very responsible. A doctor should NEVER give an antibiotic without checking the patients white cell count, PERIOD.