When the orthopedic consultant said that daughter 4 needed Botox, my immediate reaction was: that’s the sort of cruel comment her older sisters might throw at her. I just wasn’t convinced. Something deep inside my mummy brain said get a second opinion.
I am a great believer in gut feelings. Gut feelings have changed many paths in my life and I have never looked back with regret. I once told someone that I don’t do regrets and they told me this was an arrogant thing to say. Everybody has regrets, they told me (arrogantly). They probably do, but I certainly don’t regret not being able to think of a regret when asked. I think it’s a trait of someone who doesn’t spend too much time wallowing in the past, but rather looks ahead to all those exciting opportunities that the future holds.
I’ve needed that mummy instinct before with daughter 2. One day, when she was almost 1, she stopped using her wrist. We were dismissed by the GP with his reassurance that she’d probably banged it on her cot. I wasn’t reassured. I took her to Minor Injuries and an X Ray showed nothing. I knew something was wrong. The following day we were sent to hospital and we didn’t leave for two weeks. She had Osteomyelitis, a bone condition that if left untreated can result in loss of that bone and let’s face it, everyone needs a wrist.
So gut instinct found me sitting next to daughter 4’s hospital bed for an outpatient operation of a steroid injection in her foot – definitely not Botox. The teenagers on the ward looked extremely uncomfortable, surrounded by children’s paintings and hand prints – all designed to make the under 8’s feel at home. After an unfortunate start when she knocked over the sample pot containing her wee, the operation seemed to go well. When she came around there was a certificate stating how brave she had been, lying on her blanket, complete with 3 minions pouting and rolling their eyeballs on the page. Obviously a 12 year old girl can quite easily relate to this, but I wondered how the strapping 6 foot, 15 year old boy who was next on the list, was going to cope with waking up to that. The best bit about the operation, as well as the fact that it will hopefully make her better, was that in her sleepy state she didn’t answer me back – she didn’t even want her phone! (I know, right?)
While she was in theatre, I went to grab a coffee and I decided that I had picked the best week ever for three separate hospital visits: Macmillan cake sales at every one. Two days ago daughter 4 and I entered the consultant’s room laden with cream gateaux. Today, my gut instinct had told me there may be cake, so I had brought along plenty of change.
Follow your gut, I tell you. No regrets.
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Good for you. I had a gut feeling that our youngest had broken her arm when she was 13 months old despite my physiotherapist husband assuring me that it was a sprain and only agreeing to take us to the hospital to humour me. I agree – trust your instincts. Thousands of years of evolution must have given us some intuition or we wouldn’t be here!! #MarvMondays
Absolutely! Thank you for your comments x
I’m a firm believer in following your gut too, thanks for sharing 🙂 #BigPinkLink
Thank you for commenting 🙂
Oh so true- we had some health issues wiyth my oldest and all sorts of specialists wrote them off as nervousness and behavioral- but I knew something was amiss- yep. Sure enough xrays of the sinus cavity showed Chronic Sinusitis
#anythinggoes.
It’s so hard when the professionals are saying one thing and you are thinking another, isn’t it? I’m so glad I stuck to my guns as I’m sure you are. Thank you for commenting.
Voted! And a mega high-five to you for going by your gut. It always, always works. Intuition is a great thing – reliable GPS for the soul. I’ve never once regretted following my gut, and I have a rather healthy gut. Hugs, Alison. I know how tough it is to decide not to follow doctors’ advice. We once avoided major spinal surgery thanks to my gut feeling. Hope your daughter is feeling much better now. #mg
Thank you so much for your lovely comments and hugs – and for voting …feeling spoilt! X
Couldn’t agree more. I (arrogantly) admit I’m extremely intuitive and never doubt my gut instinct. I’m not normally wrong. I hope your daughter is doing okay now. #AnythingGoes
Thank you and thank you for commenting and sharing X
My daughter aged 12 asked me the other day about regret, I told her that yes there are mistakes I made and different decisions I maybe should have made, but each mistake I learned from was what made me me, and each choice led me to my current life including our family, so no I couldn’t regret anything. I also believe in gut feelings as a parent we need to be in tune with our gut instinct. It is probably primal. Glad your daughter is doing well and anything involving CAKE sounds great! #mg
Thank you so much for your comments. Wise words 🙂
Good for you, when it comes to your babies gut is absolutely the best! x #bigpinklink
Absolutely! Thank you for commenting x
That “mom instinct” really works. Must be something biological there…
I totally agree about second opinions and searching farther afield. I’m glad to hear you stuck with it and investigated your gut feelings. It’s easy to accept what the “authority” figures tell you – good for you for investigating until YOU were satisfied. I like to think I would have done the same in your shoes.
#Anythinggoes
Thank you so much for your comments. I’m the sort of person when faced with authority, my mind goes blank! I’m so glad that I stuck to my guns.
I hope your daughter is feeling better. That certificate was a sweet idea – not of course for the older ones. I’m with you on following your instinct, specially when it comes to the kids. We do know them best – even more than their GP. And it’s good to get second opinions always. #mg
Absolutely. Thank you so much for your comments.
I think it’s in no way arrogant to confidently say you have no regrets, I find it totally admirable!! I sometimes feel like I’m full of so many, they’ll eat me alive, but I’m working on trying to find positives in all of them, and dwell on them a lot less! I’ve also learnt that my gut instinct/ intuition is always right. Now I’m older, and more confident, I always go with it. You must be so relieved that you pushed for different options for your daughters, especially having osteomyelitis! Oh my goodness! Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
#bigpinklink
What lovely comments – thank you. They are very much appreciated 🙂
Oh my goodness. I think you are right to follow your gut. #mg
Absolutely! Thank you for commenting.
I whole heartedly believe in following your gut – you’re so much more likely to regret ignoring that feeling than following it. I really think more medical staff should listen to the child’s parents – that parental instinct is usually right!
Thanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes 🙂
Debbie
Absolutely and thank you so much for commenting.
I seriously couldnt agree with you more. I am always harping on to fellow mums, friends and family about trusting their gut when it comes to the little ones, or life in general. Ive always followed mine and its never let me down before. I always say never have regrets and live my life like that which means that just like you when people ask, I never have any 🙂 I love that this time it also helped you track down some cake sales in the process 😉 Thanks for sharing this on #MarvMondays. Emily
Thanks so much for your comments and for hosting x