#Pediatric eye doctor Phoenix | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-cranck-hobbit · 2 years

Text

Baby On Board

Author's note : English is not my first langage. My first Top Gun OS ! Yay ! An it’s a Hannix ! Yay x2 !

Pairing : Hangman x Phoenix (Hannix)

Summary : Jake Hangman Seresin has begane to change, but he still has quite a way to go. However he’ll need to change his behavior faster than what he thought, all his life being upside down after a phone call.

Warning : BAD WRITING (but i’m getting better), mention of drugs, overdose and child neglect. And FLUFF !! A LOT OF FLUFF (you’re welcome). Dad!Hangman (yes it’s a warning, we all know it’s a warning.)

10 month old

Jake Seresin went to the hospital. He still didn’t know what it was about or who it was about. When he gave his name at the reception desk, the nice nurse indicated the… pediatrics service. What the hell was going on ? Up there, he met a doctor that brought him to the “family room”. Jake followed her even if didn’t understand why she thought of him as a family. He didn’t know any kids. She made him sit and he couldn’t handle more.

“Can you please explain to me what I am doing here? You called me and asked me to come here but no one told me why.” He did his best to stay calm. He can be an asshole sometimes. Well he can be an asshole most of the time but yelling at a doctor was not his type.

“Mr Seresin, I ask you to come talk about Elena Warren. She is hospitalized here, in intensive care units, due to an overdose.”

“An overdose ?” asked Jake, frowned. Elena and Jake met about one years and a half years ago. They met at the Hard Deck, she was absolutely gorgeous with this very tiny skirt. He pulled out his famous smirk, bought her some drinks. They finished the night in the Hard Deck bathroom, then in the backseat of his truck, then in her place. The following days, they met again in the Hard Deck, then the bathroom, then the truck, then her place. Always the same script.

It’s true that Elena was not against having fun, dancing, drinking, maybe he saw her smoke a joint once with her friend, but he never guessed that she could fall that bad in the drugs. One day, he flew away on a mission for some months and when he came back to San Diego, there were no more Elena. She was only a booty call, so he didn't really pay attention.

“Is she gonna be fine ?” He asked even if he still didn’t know his role in this story.

“Yes, her days are not endangered anymore and she will be sent to rehab. But during the cure, her son can’t stay with her.” Jake nodded. “Yes, of course.” Then it hits him. “A son ? Sorry but when we met she didn’t have a child.”

It was the turn of the nice doctor to frown. And then her eyes wide, as if she finally realized something. She moved on her seat and took a deep breath.

“Mr. Seresin, I called you because it’s your name that appears in the boy’s file.” Jake still didn’t understand, or he didn’t want to understand so the doctor continued. “You are designated as Jake Junior’s father by Mrs Warren.”

Jake Junior ? Father ? He ? There must be a mistake, of course there is a mistake. It can be, it could be. “It’s impossible, Elena and I knew each other just for a few days about one and half years ago.” The doctor stayed patient. “And you didn’t do anything that could lead to pregnancy ?”

Flashbacks of the time passing with Elena came back in Jake’s mind. Of course they got sex, a lot but they were carefull and she told him she took the pills. How the hell could this happen ? He's always careful. Even with the woman he knew more than one night. Even with the one he cares about, even with the dark-haired pilot that is haunting his dream.

The last thing he needed was a kid in his legs. He was a fighter pilot, his job required him to travel a lot, take risks. Nothing good for a kid. And more than that, Jake didn’t want to be a father. He knew he couldn’t be a good father. Not his thing. And with the alcoolic bastard that he got as a father, he didn’t want to take the risk to make the same bullshit to a little human that didn’t ask anything.

“There must be a mistake.” he mumbled. “Jake Junior…” said the doctor before being interrupted by Jake. “Stop calling him like that.” His tone was strict and his eyes were burning from a melt of anger and fear.

The doctor continued. “The boy is ten months old. It matches the moment you knew Mrs Warren. I know that it can be very scary for you to learn that you’ve got a child. But we are running out of time. If you don’t bring the child with you until the end of the week, he will be placed in Child Services. Maybe if you see the boy you…” Jake interrupted her again. “I won’t meet this kid. I didn’t want him, I don’t want this kind of responsibility. I’m sorry for Elena, I’m sorry for her son. But you asked the wrong guy.”

Before the doctors could say anything more, Jake stood up and barely ran out of the hospital.

As he drove back home, he couldn’t help but think about Phoenix, hearing her calling him again “Bagman”. Yes, it’s true, he acted as Bagman. Maybe for the first time since the uranium mission.

And maybe it was the idea of disappointing her that took him awake that night. Or the idea of this little ten-months-old boy that was waiting in a hospital crib. He didn’t ask to have a kid. But the boy didn’t ask to be born from a junkie mother and a dickhead father.

The boy. The Kid. Jake Junior. Jake sighted and looked at his alarm-clock. 3 a.m. His eyes were full open and his brain was sending him pictures of a blond-haired toddler, in a chaotic foster home, lost and terrified.

Even if he isn’t a model of generosity, Jake was a man. The kind of man that always takes responsibility for his act. So he needed another opinion on all this mess. The opinion of someone that was almost the opposite of him, but someone he can trust.

That’s how he found himself calling his wingman in the middle of the night. A rough sleep voice answered him. “It better be a serious Hangman.” Jake sighted. “It’s very serious, Rooster. I need to talk to you.”

On the other side of the line, Bradley Bradshaw sighted. Jake could hear the sound of a shift and Rooster walking in another room.”You’re not alone ?” Jake asked. “No, I’m not. What’s up, man ?” Good old Rooster. Never hang up on someone. Even if it’s 3 a.m. and he is sleeping in his bed with his new girl.

Jake took a deep breath. “I’ve got a son.” It was the first time he said it. And it’s like it makes it real. He has a son, with his blood, with his name. “Wait, can you repeat ?” Bradley heard him but he needed Jake to repeat to process the information. And what information. “I’ve got a son, Rooster. A ten-month-old son.” He said it with more assurance and…more fear. It was real. Bradley was now totally awake. Hangman having a son ? Jake fucking Seresin being a father ? “How… Who… What’s happening ?” Too many questions for the early hour. “Do you remember about one and half years ago, before being deployed in Hawaii. This blond woman in the Hard Deck ?” Jake asked. Bradley did his best to remember this time. “The one you fucked in the bathroom of the Hard Deck ? Oh God…”

Jake told him everything from the call he got in the afternoon to the way he left the Hospital without seeing the boy. He knew he could tell everything to Bradley, how much he had been a dickhead with the doctors. Because Rooster knew him when he was so much worse, because he did so much worse to Rooster.

Bradley tries to stay calm. Jake was terrified, he could hear it in his voice even if the cocky pilot did his best to keep a cool head. “Ok. Right now, we can’t do anything. You need to process the information and so do I. So try to get some sleep, I’m coming to your place in the morning.” Jake nodded and did as Rooster said. But even if he tried to get some sleep, sleep didn’t want to get him.

Because another thought came in his mind. Phoenix. Natasha. They have been turning around each other for years. But finally, just before her deployment they decided to stop playing. They finally decided to be honest with their feelings. And even if Jake was not usual with “regular relationship” he was ready to make an exception for her.

They planned to do the things right when she’ll come back, like dates and everything. But a kid wasn’t part of the plan. How is Nat gonna react ? Will she be okay with starting something (no matter what they’ve got) with a man with a child ?

_________________________

There is no need to say that when the blue Bronco parked in the driveaway, Jake didn't sleep at all. When he opened the door, his Wingman saluted him fast and asked him to come. Jake was about to ask him where he wanted to bring him but Bradley interrupted him. “I want to help you, but you have to listen to me. So just do as I say. Don’t think, just do.”

Rooster knew how much Hangman was lost by the way he just nodded and followed him. Bradley never saw him like that, the eyes lost in his thought, just following his order without any ego. Yeah, the hour was grave.

Jake got out of his mind when they parked in front of the hospital. He widened and looked at his friend as if he just betrayed him. “Don’t ask me that, Rooster. I’m not ready. I just can’t.” Jake was totally panicked and Rooster replied with a calm but strict voice. “You have to. This kid needs you. You have to see him. You have to give him a chance.”

They arrived at the pediatric service, a nurse showed them the room and when they came in, another nurse got the little blond-hair baby in her arm and tried to change the sheets of the crib with her only free hand.

She looked at them and as soon as she saw Jake, she smiled. “You should be Jake’s daddy ! Perfect timing, can you hold him since I made the bed ?” And without letting him time to answer, she put the baby in the pilot’s arms. Firstly, Jake kept him at arm’s length, and looked at Bradley, terrified. Bradley cought to hide his laugh. It was a thing to see Lieutenant Jake Hangman Seresin being terrified by a baby. He composed himself and whispered “This kid is not radioactive, you can… you know.” By saying that, Bradley mimed him to hold the baby against him.

Jake carefully took the baby closer and wrapped his arms around the little body. “He is so tiny.” He breathed more for himself than for the others. But the nurse answered. “He is a little underweight. But he is eating well, so we think he's gonna gain weight soon.”

Jake takes the time to look at his son for the first time. He has the same blond hair as his. But he got the blue eyes of his mother. Even if he wasn’t used to kids, Jake could say that this one was beautiful. Maybe he was thinking that because he was his.

The kid looked at him and put his tiny hand on Jake's cheek. And something happened. All this bullshit about the instinct of the parents wasn't bullshit after all. Because at this moment, Jake could swear that he wanted to do anything to protect this boy, his son. That the only thing he wanted was to give him a secured place, where he could grow up and be happy.

Jake looked at Bradley and the older man knew that his idea to bring Jake here worked. He came closer slowly and lent a hand to the boy. When the boy took the man’s finger in his little hand, Bradley leaned toward the baby and said with a sweet voice. “Hello little J. I’m Rooster. You’re daddy is a little lost for the moment, but don’t worry, he has a thing for being the best in everything.”

Hangman and Rooster, even if their friendship grew up since the uranium mission, weren’t used to supportive talk and compliment. But this was Rooster’s way to tell Hangman that he can make it work, that he didn’t doubt this.

Jake held his son against his chest and pecked a sweet kiss at the top of his head. Rooster was right. Hangman always did what it needed to be the best in everything. The best at school, the best in the bed, the best pilot. Now he is gonna be the best father.

The next step was to… know how to take care of a ten-month-old child. In this area, both of the two pilots were totally unaware. Good for them, they knew someone who knew.

That is how they find themself drinking at Maverick and Penny's house. The couple were already surprised to see the two younger men coming into their house, but they were absolutely shocked when Jake told them about his son. Penny quickly pulled herself together and offered to the pilot a gentle and reassuring glance. Maverick was still mouth open, Penny elbowed him and the older pilot whispered something that looked like “my worst nightmare”.

“So the thing is that our dear Hangman here, wants to take his responsibility.” said Rooster, glanced at Jake when he said the pet name. But the cocky pilot was too lost in his thoughts to care about. Seeing that his wingman was not about to talk, Rooster went on. “But he absolutely doesn’t know what to do with a kid. I thought you could help us Penny, because… you know… you’re a mother.”

Penny tried to hide her laugh. "Tell me more. How is he ? What's his name ?" Jake firstly frowned, as if it was asking him to concentrate to remember the little boy. "He is… little… and tiny. But the nurse told us he was gaining some weight. He is blond and his eyes are blue and when he is looking at you it's like he understands everything." More he talked about him, the more his face became soft and light.

Penny smiled. Ok, maybe Hangman isn’t a lost cause. She starts to tell Jake a list of stuff he will need. Crib, high chair, changing table, stroller (but beware it has to be age-appropriate), baby food jars (but if you can do homemade mashed legume it’s better), diaper (but without parfum or he may have an allergy)...

Jake interrupted her, overwhelmed by the information. “Stop, stop, stop. Don’t you have a manual ?” Penny wided. “A manual ? Hangman ! He is a baby, not a F-18 ! You know what ? We're gonna buy all this together.”

And that’s how Jake Hangman Seresin found himself in a baby shop, guided by Penny since Rooster and Maverick were walking somes steps behind, like fish out of the water. Jake has never been so focused since he finished the naval academy. He tried to memorise all the precious information the mother was giving to him.

Jake was so concerned about welcoming his son in good conditions, that he didn’t take the time to ask himself what he did to deserve their help. Even if they couldn’t give advice to him, Mav and Rooster helped Jake to build the furniture. This building session usually finished with laughter and beer.

Then it hit him. He just parked in the car park of the hospital. Today, he is going to bring his son back to his place. A baby seat was settled in the back of his truck and Penny was still sitting next to him, she offered to stay the first days at Jake’s place to let him make his mark in this new life. Jake was cocky but not at this point and it was too important to do the things right for JJ. This is the little nickname he found, because he was still not comfortable with the fact that the boy was named "Jake Junior".

“Thank you.” Jake mumbled. Penny looked at him, she wasn’t sure to have heard right so Jake repeated. “Thank you for helping me with… all this.” Jake firstly hesitates to go on. But there was something in the woman's soft smile that made him feel secure, as if he could open to her his heart without being judged. “I don’t really have someone to turn to. My parents… it’s complicated.”

Maybe Penny was kind and caring but it was too soon for Jake to talk about them, about the fucking nightmare that his childhood as been. It looked like Penny understood because she didn’t ask for more details. She just answered a soft “you’re welcome” and followed him when he got out of the truck and entered the hospital.

During the past week since the day Rooster dragged Jake to see his son, Jake came a few times, firstly to do all the paperwork necessary to get his son’s custody (and for Godsake there was a lot of paperwork), secondly to see the baby boy before the beginning of this new life together.

Jake was honest about the fact that he didn’t really plan this kind of life. And it was the first time in his adult life that he put his pride aside and admitted he was a little lost. Once, it made the young nurse smile when she heard him whisper to the kid “don’t worry buddy. I don’t really know what to do but I’m a fast learner. And you and I, we are a team now, right buddy ? We're gonna make it together.”

The social worker asked them to wait in the hospital cafeteria. He and Penny were drinking a coffee when the woman arrived with a bag on her shoulder and the little boy on her hip. Jake barely jumps from his chair as if it suddenly catches fire. He greeted the social worker then JJ and immediately took him in his arms. This act was weird for him the first time but after a week, it became as natural as breathing.

“Hey buddy, I want you to meet someone.” He turned to Penny, the older woman gently smiled at the boy. “This is Penny, you’ll see she is really cool. She helped me to buy everything you need and she will stay at home some days. You’re okay with that buddy ?”

Penny came closer and gave him a hand. JJ lends his little hand and catches her finger. He looked in her eyes with this too serious gaze for a 10 month kid, and finally he smiled at her and laughed. It was the first time that Jake heard his son’s laugh and he decided that it’s gonna be his favorite sound ever.

The social worker gave them a bag that contained a kind of “go back home kit” with diapers and other hygiene products. She said goodbye to JJ and wished him a happy new life.

_________________________

The first day was easy with Penny at home. But the first night she left them alone Jake was so stressed that he barely slept. He checked every ten minute if JJ was still sleeping comfortably in his crib.

When Rooster knocked at the door of Jake flat in the morning, he found a Hangman messy and looking drawn. He immediately proposed to his wingman to look after JJ so Jake could take a nap, which Hangman accepted immediately. Not without giving him an army of instructions finishing with a “if something happens to my son while I’m sleeping, I get in my F-18 and I shoot you down.”

When Jake awakened almost one hour later he could hear his son’s laugh in the living room. He found him sitting on the ground playing with a toy plane with Rooster immediating sound of a plane (or trying to).

It’s been almost two weeks that JJ and Jake lived together. They were still finding their feet together but they became bound together. Jake was enjoying having a little one more than he expected. Everyday JJ was doing something new, that looked so amazing in his father’s eyes. It's almost as if everything goes right. Almost.

Today was the day Phoenix was going back from deployment. Before she left, the two pilots finally confessed their feelings and decided to give them a try when she came back. But before Phoenix left, there wasn’t a 10 month old boy in the equation.

Hangman was waiting on the dock thinking about the way he could explain to her the situation. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t see all the khaki dress figures get down from the ship. He only saw Phoenix when she was in front of him. For a moment, his breath has been taken away. Even in the khaki of the Navy, Natasha Trace was gorgeous. She looked at him with a smirk. “Hi Bagman.” He smiled back at her. “Hi Nyx.”

There was this weird moment of the new-maybe-couple where neither of them didn’t know how to greet each other. A hug ? A kiss ? Finally Jake takes Nat’s hand in his and her bag in the other hand and leads her to his car.

During the drive, Nat talked to him about her mission, telling him what she could. But she could see that he barely listened to her, lost in his mind. But she needed to be sure that she didn’t over-interpret “... and at this moment Bob stripped in front of everybody and we could see his pink lace pants.” Hangman just nodded and Phoenix knew definitely that he didn’t listen to her. "Hey Bagman ! Are you with me ?” Jake shook his head, got out of his thoughts and looked at her. “Sorry Nyx, weeks have been long. What do you think if we stop to eat something ? You should be hungry.”

Phoenix nodded and they parked in front of the first Dinner. Since they sat down and ordered their food, Natasha begane to be more and more anxious. She was sure that he changed his mind. That he think about it when she was away, perhaps he fucked other woman and realized that he didn’t want to settle down with just a girl and he want to keep his life of cocky and free pilot.

She couldn’t handle more. “Okay Hangman, tell me the truth. You want to tell me if you changed your mind during my deployment. You can tell me that finally you think that it can’t work. I can hear that.”

Jake raised his head from his food and widened. “What ? No ! What do you talk about Nyx ? Did you… Did you change your mind ?” Nat looked at him and frowned. “No, but you act weird. As if you’ve got something to tell me. So I thought that you didn’t want to…” Jake interrupted her. “No, absolutely not Natasha. I want to make it work, really but… maybe you will change your mind.” Nat raised an eyebrow and let him continue. Jake sighs and sits at the back of his seat.

“Since you left, there has been… well there has been a new element that may want you to not be with me. And I’m good with it, I swear I’ll understand, I won’t blame you.” Phoenix rolled her eyes, she never has been a very patient person. “Hangman, please just drop the thing.”

Jake looked at her and literally… drop the thing. “I’ve got a son.” He waited. Phoenix wided. She was expecting a lot of things. But not this. “A son ? Like a child ? What the..? How..? Who..?” She didn’t even know what information she wanted first. So Jake explained everything to her. The phone call, JJ’s mother overdose, how he called Rooster in the middle of the night, when he met the kid, Penny helping him… He told her everything, he didn’t even hide from her that his first reaction was to run away. “Now, you know everything.”

Jake let her time to proceed with the information. He saw her, looked away and frowed, thinking about all this story, trying to put all the pieces together. His heart was beating hard in his chest.

It looked like she was thinking for days when she finally sigh, pinched the bridge of her nose and mumbled “Jake, Jake, Jake… what a mess you got yourself into.” She looked back at him and almost gasped when she saw the smile he had on his face. It was not his famous smirk but a soft and gentle smile. She never saw this kind of look on his face. And it makes him look more handsome as if it was possible.

“It’s true. It’s a big mess and a great responsibility. But this kid is just… He is just perfect, Nyx ! He is cute and he looks so smart for his age, and he is calm and always smiling. You should hear him laugh, it’s so contagious, you just want to laugh with him !”

He finally stopped him, scared of Phoenix’ reaction. She couldn’t help but smile at him. His eyes were sparkling and his face lit up when he talked about his son. Before this day, no one could imagine Jake Hangman Seresin being a father. But in this very specific moment, Phoenix could see it.

But Jake was right. Now it’s not anymore just about the two of them. Now there's a baby in this story. Being involved in a relationship with someone was a thing, being involved in a relationship with someone who got a kid was another thing. And to be honest, Natasha wasn’t sure she was ready for this.

“I understand now. I’m happy for you, Jake. Really. And I would like to give you an answer now but I need to think about it. It’s a big thing that you just revealed and I want to be sure of me if we… you know… try something.” Jake nodded. It wasn't a ‘no’, but it wasn't a ‘yes’ either. He was willing to give her time to think. To give her this luxury that he didn’t have.

“Do you mind if… I met him ? Your son, can I meet him ?” Jake looked up and nodded grinning. When Natash saw his eyes lit up she preferred to warn him. “I can promise you anything, ok ?”

Jake took her in her place so she could get a shower and wear civil clothes. When she got out of the bathroom and entered her living room she found him paces around, whistling while he was texting. She smiled. It was the second time of the day that she discovered a new aspect of Jake. And she really came to like what she saw.

He was far away from the unbearable, cocky man, always dressed to nines, with a smirk in his face. The Jake walking in her living room, was wearing a grey shirt with dark trousers and a leather jacket. His hair was messy and a shadow of a stubble colored his chin. His smile was genuine and his green eyes were soft.

He looked up at her and smiled at her. Natasha’s heart missed a beat.“Ready, Nyx ?”. She nodded and let him guide her out of her place to his car.

They’ve been welcomed by Penny who greets Phoenix and hugs Hangman. Even if she knew how much Penny has been present for Jake since the arrival of his kid, Phoenix was surprised by this new warm-bound. “He is in the garden with Pete.” she said with a smile. Hangman guided Phoenix through the house by a light touch in her lower back.

Just as Penny said, they found Maverick in the garden, a little blond-haired boy in his arms. He showed him a butterfly that immediately flew away. Mav cooed at the boy as he tried to watch the insect with his little hand.

Phoenix looked at Jake as he came closer and took the boy in his arms. There was something natural in his behaviour that surprised her. “Hey buddy. I’ve got someone to meet you. It’s Natasha. I already talked to you about her. So be gentle, ok ?” The kid listened carefully and nodded seriously, as if it was a very serious affair. Then he smiled and laughed which made his father laugh too. “Of course you’re gonna be gentle, you’re always gentle.”

Jake came closer to Natasha who stayed in the door, he was walking carefully as if he was afraid to make her run away. Natasha realised that maybe her attitude was showing that. Her body was tense, her arms crossed on her chest and she looked confused.

It’s not that she wasn’t comfortable with kids, she’s got three older brothers, all of them having kids and she used to spend a lot of time with her nephews and nieces. But Hangman having a kid was always a mystery for her and she’s got this unpleasant feeling of being pushed out into uncharted territory. Not to mention all the maelstrom of feelings she felt grew up in her about this new Jake she discovered.

She takes a deep breath, tries to relax and smile at the two Seresin. When she greets the boy, Jake comes closer and JJ lends his hand. Natasha gave him her hand but instead of taking the hand she was lending him, JJ leaned more towards her and took a lock of her dark hair in his hand.

Phoenix tensed, ready to feel her hair being pulled but JJ’s gesture was very soft for a ten month old kid. He looked totally mesmerized by her hair and Phoenix couldn’t help but smile “I know, I know, your father loves them too.” Jake bkushed and Natasha laughed at this vision, then JJ laughed too and it was as if all the previous tension was gone.

Jake (and JJ in the backseat) rided Natasha home. When they parked in front of her building, Natasha thanked Jake for coming to pick her in the dock, got out of the car, opened the back door of the car, and leaned towards JJ who smiled at her to tell him goodbye. Was there a moment where this kid wasn’t smiling or laughing ?

She looked at Jake who had turned himself to watch her interact with his son. “Do you think you could find a babysitter for Friday evening ?” He wided, unable to speak before stuttering a “yeah, of course”. She smiled at him “good, come to take me at 9. Don’t hang me out to dry.” She winked at him, straightened up, closed the door and entered the building after waving to Jake from the door.

Jake grinned. She was giving him a chance. She wanted him. Hangman came back home happier, singing all the way home, dancing in the kitchen while it was cooking under the gaze of his son who was clapping and laughing.

It tastes like a new start, a new life and a new family. Which was a little miracle for the Seresin's boy who both had a hard beginning in life.

_________________________

1 year old

All the Dagger squad was reunited in Penny and Maverick’s garden for JJ’s birthday.

When they first learned about the boy's existence, everyone was surprised and even shocked. But as soon as they met him, they all fell for him. In fact, it wasn’t hard to fall for Jake Seresin Jr. He had a cute face, he was always happy and gentle. He was talking in his baby langage to everybody.

They make him blow out the single candle in the cake (in fact, it was more Jake and Natasha that blew under the boy's applause) and some little group being formed waiting for the meal to be ready.

Amelia was baby-sitting Payback’s little girls playing with them. Maverick and Rooster argued next to the barbecue about the right way to grill the meat, soon joined by Veronica, Rooster’s girlfriend. Fanboy, Payback and Harvard were talking about the new pilots they were training. Hondo, Yale and Halo were talking in the other side of the garden. Penny, Fanboy’s girlfriend and Payback’s wife were sitting under a tree, talking. Jake was with Coyote who was cooing to JJ who was still in his father’s arm.

Bob was sitting separately, observing the crew, smiling. Phoenix joined his WSO. “What’s so funny ?” Bob took a sip of his beer, without releasing his gaze from Hangman, Coyote and JJ.

“Do you remember when Hangman wanted to find a maining for my call-sign the first time we flew together ?” Phoenix puffed at the memories, Jake was such an asshole at this time. “Yeah, I remember. ‘baby on board’”. Bob looked at his friend and pilot. “Well, I was thinking about how he changed since our mission and more since he’s got JJ. So maybe the only thing that Hangman needed to become a Man was a Bob. A Baby On Board.” Phoenix burst into laughter at her wizzo’s joke.

It was true. Who could guess less than two years ago that Bagman could disappear so fast, giving up his seat to this trustfull and amazing father, friend and lover that was now Jake Seresin. If someone had told her that, she would laugh and say that it would need a miracle. And it has been a miracle. A ten-month-old-miracle.

#fanfiction #top gun #top gun maverick #jake hangman seresin #natasha phoenix trace #hannix #hangman x phoenix #hangman #phoenix

22 notes · View notes

agavepediatrics · 22 days

Text

Common Pediatric Health Concerns and How to Address Them

Children’s health can be unpredictable, with various common conditions arising throughout their early years. From the sniffles of a common cold to the discomfort of ear infections and the persistent annoyance of allergies, these frequent pediatric health concerns require careful attention and management. Understanding these conditions and knowing when to seek professional help can make all the difference in ensuring a child’s overall well-being.

This article provides insights into some of the most common pediatric health issues and how pediatric care can help manage them effectively.

1. The Common Cold: Symptoms and Management

The common cold is perhaps the most frequent ailment affecting children. It is caused by various viruses, most notably rhinoviruses, and can result in symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, and sore throat. While colds are generally mild and self-limiting, they can be particularly bothersome for young children and may lead to complications like ear infections or sinusitis.

To manage a common cold, ensure your child gets plenty of rest and stays hydrated. Over-the-counter medications may alleviate symptoms, but it is always best to consult with a pediatric doctor before administering any medication. Frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with sick individuals can help prevent the spread of colds.

2. Ear Infections: Causes and Treatments

Ear infections, or otitis media, are another common health issue in children. They occur when fluid builds up behind the eardrum, often due to a bacterial or viral infection following a cold. Symptoms include ear pain, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and sometimes fever.

A visit to a pediatric center is often necessary to diagnose and treat an ear infection. Depending on the severity, treatment may involve pain relievers or antibiotics. For recurrent ear infections, a pediatric phoenix specialist might suggest ear tubes to help drain fluid and reduce the risk of future infections.

3. Allergies: Identification and Management

Allergies are prevalent in children and can manifest in various ways, from seasonal allergies (hay fever) to food allergies. Symptoms can range from sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes to more severe reactions like difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis.

Managing allergies involves identifying the allergen, which could be anything from pollen to peanuts, and taking steps to avoid it. A pediatrics near me clinic can perform allergy tests to pinpoint specific triggers. Once identified, treatment may include antihistamines, nasal sprays, or even immunotherapy, depending on the severity of the allergies.

4. Asthma: Recognizing and Controlling Symptoms

Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the airways, leading to symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. It is often triggered by allergens, respiratory infections, or environmental factors such as smoke or pollution.

Regular follow-ups with the best pediatrician in phoenix, az can help manage asthma effectively. Pediatricians will typically develop an asthma action plan that includes the use of inhalers, medications, and lifestyle adjustments to minimize exposure to triggers. Monitoring asthma closely and following the plan can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

5. Eczema: Understanding and Treating Skin Conditions

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition characterized by red, itchy, and inflamed skin. It commonly appears in children under the age of five and can be triggered by allergens, irritants, stress, or changes in weather.

Treatment for eczema focuses on reducing symptoms and preventing flare-ups. This includes using moisturizing lotions, avoiding known irritants, and using topical steroids or other medications as prescribed by the best pediatrician mesa, az. Pediatricians may also recommend dietary changes or other lifestyle adjustments to help manage the condition.

6. Childhood Obesity: Prevention and Intervention

Childhood obesity is a growing concern that can lead to serious health problems later in life, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Contributing factors include poor diet, lack of physical activity, and genetic predisposition.

Pediatricians play a crucial role in preventing and managing obesity by providing guidance on healthy eating, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

7. Oral Health: Dental Issues in Children

Dental problems, such as cavities and gum disease, are common in children. Poor oral hygiene, a high-sugar diet, and inadequate dental care practices contribute to these issues.

Regular visits to a pediatric doctor specializing in dentistry, along with good brushing and flossing habits, can prevent most dental problems. Pediatricians can also advise on fluoride treatments, sealants, and other preventive measures to maintain oral health.

8. Immunizations: Preventing Serious Illnesses

Immunizations are a fundamental aspect of pediatric care and are critical in preventing serious illnesses such as measles, mumps, whooping cough, and polio. Ensuring your child is up-to-date with vaccinations protects not only them but also the wider community.

Pediatricians provide vaccination schedules tailored to your child’s age and health status. Parents looking for a pediatric center should seek providers who emphasize the importance of vaccines and adhere to the recommended immunization guidelines.

Agave Pediatrics: Your Trusted Partner in Comprehensive Pediatric Care

At Agave Pediatrics we are dedicated to providing the highest quality care for your child’s health and well-being. Whether you’re looking for a lactation consultant phoenix, a skilled tongue-tie doctor, or experienced Tongue Tie Specialists, our team is here to support your family’s needs. We take a comprehensive approach to pediatric care, ensuring that every child receives the attention they deserve, from managing common health concerns to addressing specialized needs. Trust Agave Pediatrics to be your partner in nurturing a healthy future for your child.

#agave pediatrics #pediatric care #pediatric doctor #pediatrics near me #best pediatrician mesa #best pediatrician in phoenix

0 notes

tatumeyecare5 · 2 months

Text

Top rated eye care company in phoenix,arizona

Welcome to Tatum EyeCare

At Tatum EyeCare, we pride ourselves on being the top-rated eye care provider in Phoenix, Arizona. Our commitment to exceptional eye care services, advanced technology, and patient-centric approach sets us apart in the field of ophthalmology and optometry. Whether you’re seeking routine eye exams, LASIK consultations, or treatment for complex eye conditions, our team of dedicated professionals is here to serve you with expertise and compassion.

Our Commitment to Excellence

At Tatum EyeCare, we understand that your vision is precious. That’s why we have assembled a team of highly skilled eye doctors and surgeons who are leaders in their respective fields. Our ophthalmologists are board-certified and continually update their skills to provide you with the latest advancements in eye health. We combine state-of-the-art diagnostic tools with a personalized approach to ensure that each patient receives the highest standard of care.

Range of Services

Comprehensive Eye Exams

Regular eye exams are essential for maintaining good vision and detecting early signs of eye diseases. At Tatum EyeCare, our comprehensive eye exams include thorough evaluations of visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and retinal health. Our optometrists use advanced equipment to assess your eye health and tailor a treatment plan that meets your unique needs.

Advanced Treatments

We offer a wide range of treatment options to address various eye conditions, from cataracts and glaucoma to macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Our ophthalmologists specialize in advanced surgical techniques, including LASIK, cataract surgery, and corneal transplants, utilizing cutting-edge technology to achieve optimal visual outcomes for our patients.

Pediatric Eye Care

Children’s eye health is of utmost importance. Our pediatric specialists are trained to perform comprehensive eye exams for infants, toddlers, and adolescents. Early detection of vision problems can significantly impact a child’s development and academic performance. We strive to create a comfortable and child-friendly environment to ensure a positive experience for our youngest patients.

Optical Shop

Our optical shop features a curated selection of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses from leading brands. Our knowledgeable staff will assist you in finding the perfect eyewear that suits your style, prescription, and lifestyle needs. We also provide custom fittings and adjustments to ensure maximum comfort and visual clarity.

Patient-Centric Care

At Tatum EyeCare, we prioritize patient satisfaction and well-being. From the moment you schedule your appointment to post-treatment follow-up, our team is dedicated to providing excellent and compassionate care. We believe in building long-term relationships with our patients based on trust and mutual respect.

Convenient Locations and Hours

We understand the importance of convenience when it comes to eye care. With multiple locations throughout Phoenix, Arizona, and flexible office hours, including evenings and weekends, we strive to accommodate your busy schedule. Our online appointment scheduling system makes it easy to book your visit at your convenience.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

Experience the difference at Tatum EyeCare. Whether you need a routine eye exam, surgical consultation, or emergency eye care, our team is here to provide you with the highest quality eye care services in Phoenix, Arizona. Contact us today to schedule your appointment and take the first step toward optimal eye health.

Tatum Eyecare is North Phoenix’s premier family eye care center. We’ve spared no expense to create the most pleasant, comfortable patient experience… including the finest furnishings, the best selection of prescription eyeglass frames, the most cutting-edge technology, and the most outstanding team of industry professionals. Come see why the choice for family eye care in the Valley has never been clearer.

#eyewear #eyecare #phoenix #eyeexam #eyeglasses #arizona #eyehealth #phoenix arizona #eyetest #tatumeyecare

0 notes

briamichellewrites · 2 years

Text

The dogs were getting used to hearing the tiny human crying. She cried all the time. The older humans were attentive toward her and they gave her what she wanted or needed. Freddie was concerned every time she cried. Brad thought it was cute. He wondered what he was thinking when she cried. Did he think they were hurting her or was he just being sympathetic? Dogs were interesting animals. They had their prey instincts but could also be gentle.

He hoped Shiloh and Jacques would become best friends when she was older. After Phoenix and Mike left, he got the dogs ready for bed by taking them out one last time to use the bathroom. When they got back, Bruce yawned. He was getting tired, so he went into his crate. Jacques and Freddie followed suit. Freddie brought a stuffed squirrel with him. He got under the blanket with it.

Brad said good night to them. Good night, human. The house was quiet, as the dogs drifted off to sleep. Upstairs, Shiloh was getting a bath to calm her down before bed. She was a little fussy because she was tired. She kicked her feet in the water, making them splash. To keep her warm, she had a washcloth covering her body. She rubbed her eyes before feeling the warm water with her hands. Mommy always made her feel better.

Brad went into the closet and got his pajamas on. He had fun talking with Phoenix and Mike. Both he and Anna were happy they finally got to apologize for their affair. He got the feeling that Phoenix didn’t feel one way or another about it. Yeah, he was dating Mike but that didn’t mean he was in the middle. He appreciated that he was neutral.

While they were visiting, he got a call from the hospital. They had left a voicemail since he didn’t hear his phone going off. The hospital wanted to tell him that his daughter was going to be transferred to the cancer center. He called them back, hoping it wasn’t too late. The doctor had gone home for the day, so he told the receptionist he would just talk to him the following morning than when he came to visit. He thanked her for letting him know.

Elliot was excited about being transferred! Her lungs were clear after two weeks of oxygen therapy. The cancer center she was being transferred to would continue her chemotherapy treatments. While she was being sorted into her new room, the oncologist came to introduce herself to George and Brad. She asked them questions about her condition and her care.

When she became ill, they were going to meet with her oncologist to discuss whether they should go back to chemotherapy. She had a lumpectomy but they were told there were still cancer cells, so they were going to go in and figure that out. She had breast cancer? Yes, pediatric breast cancer. Was seventeen still pediatric? Yes, it was. It was the last year for pediatrics. He wasn’t sure. She understood because it could be confusing.

Elliot joined the conversation. The oncologist wanted to get her medical records from the oncologist she was seeing for her chemotherapy treatment. To do that, she needed to sign a consent form. She could do that. The oncologist filled out the form before explaining it to her. She understood and consented. Did one of them need to sign? She was emancipated. No, she was considered a legal adult. Okay.

After getting her records, the oncologist went over them. She had a question, so she came back to them.

“I’m sorry. I just have a quick question. What is your legal name?”

“My legal name is Jayde Lucy Johnson. My chosen name is Elliot Ryan Pitt.”

“Okay. Your oncologist called you Elliot but my paperwork says Jayde. I got it now.”

They laughed as she left the room. George asked how she was doing. She was a lot better than she was a week ago. Good! She couldn’t wait to get home to her dogs. They laughed. Brad told her Freddie was very curious about Shiloh. He and Anna were hoping that they would become best friends. Did she put his tail in her mouth? Not yet. The evening before, they had Mike and Phoenix over. Did Mike kick ass? No, he and Anna apologized to him and he accepted it.

Good for him. They thought Phoenix was perfect for him. She nodded and agreed that he was. They were best friends. It was because of Phoenix, he was doing so well. She wanted him to get the puppy he’s been wanting for two years. George asked what kind of puppy he wanted. He wanted a French bulldog. She thought Phoenix wanted a Rottweiler.

What was Freddie? He was a German shepherd. They were supposed to be good for people in wheelchairs because they could be trained to do stuff for them. The breed was also good for people who had medical conditions, like epilepsy or the elderly. Were they good with other dogs? Yeah.

“I think German Shepards are police dogs.”

“I think you’re right. I can’t think of any other breed. Maybe Labs but yeah, I think you’re right”, Brad said.

“Then we know who to count on. You should train him to call 911.”

“I’ll have Phoenix help me with that.”

Once she went through her medical records and researched the best options available, the oncologist came back. Her options were more chemotherapy or radiation. How much longer would she have to do chemotherapy? She was looking at another cycle of two to three weeks. That was not what she wanted to hear. She decided that doing more chemotherapy was better than dying. Brad told her not to be strong. She could get angry and cry if she needed to.

She wasn’t angry, just tired of having cancer. That was more than understandable. The oncologist told her she would order chemotherapy for her. Okay. She lay down on her bed. They both got up and went over to her. Was she cold? They had the blanket she brought with her. Yeah, thanks. Brad got it out of the bag and placed it over her body. Thanks.

Ellie is going to do another round of chemotherapy. Let’s hope this is the last time. – Brad

“How about making a bucket list”, he asked.

“I can cross off two things already: meet Bon Jovi and rock out with Linkin Park.”

“You want to produce a movie and build a farm in the middle of nowhere Montana.”

“At the base of the mountain. I want to adopt every animal that needs a home, spend the day at Disneyland, go to a movie premiere, and go to the Oscars. Maybe even the Grammys. Go to Japan and have an authentic Japanese meal, and learn how to walk again.”

That was a great list! Brad wrote everything down, so he could remember. They could bring her as their date to the Oscars. She would get dressed up and have a lot of fun at the show and then the after-party. They could even get a wig for her to match her dress. She thought that would be so cool! Thank you! She was welcome!

Oh no. Yeah, let’s keep our fingers crossed. We will visit her tomorrow. Where is she in the hospital? – Mike

Brad gave him directions on where to find them. Thanks! Maybe they could bring Freddie and Bruce but they would have to ask if that was okay first. During lunch, they sat and talked with her while she ate. Maybe they could go for a walk around the ward or the hospital in her wheelchair.

George excused himself to go ask. She hugged her blanket because she was so happy to have it back! I feel like a little kid with this blanket. It was that comfortable. It was a very nice blanket. He was happy she got it back. She was never letting it go again. He laughed. George came back and told them it was okay. He just had to let them know when they were ready, so they could help her into her wheelchair. Great! She was excited to do that!

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon

1 note · View note

midnightluck · 4 years

Text

home is where i grew my wings

this is old and messy but have another take on my favorite scenario~

~@~

There’s something familiar about the kid trailing after Luffy, Marco thinks, squinting at him. There’s something about the line of his jaw and the color of his eyes that Marco could swear he knows.

“Mister Pineapple!” Luffy calls, bouncing up to him. “Hello again!”

“Hello, Luffy,” Marco says, and smiles in the face of the rubber boy’s enthusiasm. “It’s good to see you again, yoi. Keeping busy?”

“Yeah!” Luffy says. “We’ve been lots of places! I made some new friends!”

“I see,” Marco says, and looks up to catch the other kid’s eyes. He’s grumpy, obviously, and stands with one hand on his sword hilt. To Marco’s Big Brother senses, it reads more like a security blanket than a threat, though. “Good to meet you,” he says. “Any friend of Luffy’s…”

“I’m not his friend,” Luffy’s new friend says, twitching. “We’re in an alliance.”

Marco can’t help but pity the poor guy. “They did tell you, right? That--”

“--it’s the same thing? I’ve been told,” the kid says, and Marco bites back on his smile and gives the kid full marks for both stubbornness and spite.

“Marco,” he says instead of any of that, and offers his hand.

“This is Traffy!” Luffy says, bouncing between them. “Traffy, meet Pineapple! He’s a mystery bird!”

“My name,” the kid says, glaring daggers at Luffy, “is Trafalgar, not--”

Marco loses the rest of the complaint in a rush of memory that deafens him, of a kid who’s sixfivethreeone, with endless curiosity and those same gold eyes, and the name, when it comes, tumbles from his lips like it’s been punched out of him. “Law?”

The kid jerks and looks up at him with narrow eyes and it’s so familiar; he does know that look, just not on that face. “Do I know you?”

“You--” Marco stops, swallows on that hurt, and makes a sound that’s almost a laugh. “You probably don’t remember me,” he says, dropping his hand and clenching it into a fist at his side. “You used to hide in my office, sometimes, at the hospital.”

And Law--little Lawsie, who’s tall now, all grown up--he goes entirely, utterly still. “The hospital,” he says. There’s discoloration on his skin, now that Marco’s looking closely, and fire in his eyes.

“I worked with the doctors Trafalgar,” he says, and what used to be a point of pride now cuts on the way out. “Pediatrics, two floors down. I kept textbooks on the bottom shelf for you and--”

“--and candy in your bottom drawer,” Law finishes blankly. “Lollipops.”

“Yeah,” Marco says, then swallows. “Yes, yoi. You only ate the blue ones.”

“You know him, Traffy?” Luffy says, grabbing onto one of Law’s arms.

“Yeah,” Law says, but his eyes are still narrow and his jaw is still set. “Yes, I do. We’re...from the same place.”

“I thought you were from Flevance?” the curly haired one says. Marco can’t remember his name, but he’s Yasopp’s boy, isn’t he?

“Yeah,” Marco agrees and shoots him a quelling look. “We were.”

“But--” the kid says.

Law talks right over him, saying, “But there were no survivors.”

“I--” Marco has to stop to take a breath because this is still his biggest regret--or, well, one of them, these days. “I wasn’t there.”

Law growls. It’s not an accusation but it hits like one anyway.

“I already had my fruit by then, yoi.” He lights up one hand with blue. “Phoenix, you know? Burnt all the Amber Lead right out of me. But they wouldn’t let me go back in.”

“The quarantine,” Law says.

Marco nods and echoes, “The quarantine. I did try.”

Law’s fingers clench convulsively on his sword and he frowns deeper. “You didn’t--”

The blond guy, the cook, makes a noise and then leans in, interrupting the brewing fight. “Does that mean you have embarrassing baby stories about tall dark and grumpy here?”

Law growls again but it startles a laugh out of Marco. “Of course,” he says. “The whole hospital knew them; the troublesome Trafalgars. Always getting in the way and falling asleep in odd places, yoi. One time, they stole all the extra scrubs and made a little nest in the janitor closet--”

“It wasn’t my idea,” Law growls, the exact same way he had back then, so many years ago.

“You never could say no to little Lami, could you?” Marco asks, and then looks around. “Where is she, by the way?”

Law looks down and Marco waits for a second, then another, and then realizes that is his answer. “Oh,” he says, and it’s instinct, probably; it’s years of pediatrics and letting Law and Lami climb on his desk and pull at his hair and being a big brother. It’s all of that and none of it when he opens his arms to offer a hug.

Law stares at him and doesn’t move.

Marco smiles, small and raw, and drops his arms. “I’m sorry, yoi,” he says instead.

“Who’s Lami?” Luffy asks, and Law’s hand tightens around his sword’s sheathe as he flinches. It’s small but noticeable

“We’ll handle this,” the blond guy says and hooks a hand in the back of Luffy’s shirt collar. “C’mon, Captain; Robin’s gonna tell you a story.”

“A story?” Luffy says, and Law sighs. His shoulders drop and he lets his sword fall to his side again.

Marco takes a tiny step forward. “You’re a doctor, aren’t you?” he asks. “You still practice, yoi.”

Law’s chin goes up and it’s the same gesture of defiance as his mother used to make. “I am,” he says. “A surgeon.”

“Of course,” Marco murmurs.

In the distance, a calm female voice says, “Once upon a time, there was a kingdom called Flevance…”

Marco has so many questions. How did Law get out? Where has he been all these years? How hasn’t he been chased down for surviving? How did he survive? Has he been okay? Is he happy?

“It was a beautiful kingdom,” Robin says from far away, “and a center for learning and medicine...”

He has so many questions, but that’s not what little Law needs right now, not with his chin up and his eyes blazing, and Marco makes himself smile and finds it doesn’t even hurt. “They’d be so proud of you,” he says.

“Everyone who lived there was happy,” Robin says, “for a time.”

Law closes his eyes, grabs tight to his sword, and sways in place. There’s no one left nearby but his voice is lower than a whisper when he says, “Thank you.”

“I miss them too, yoi.”

“Uwaa!” Luffy shouts, staggering them both out of it. “Sounds like a really cool place!”

And Marco can’t help the little bark of laughter because, “It was, yoi. It really, really was.”

“Did you go there too, Mister Pineapple?!”

Marco meets Luffy’s eyes over Law’s shoulder and shrugs. “It was home.”

#trafalgar D. Water Law #Marco the Phoenix #trafalgar lami #answer in the form of a story #even though literally no one asked for this

183 notes · View notes

thechaseaphrodite · 5 years

Text

Time Warp

Chapter 01

Hi guys! How are you?

First, I would like to thank you very, very, very much for all the reviews, kudos, favorites and followings that we got only with the prologue!

I would especially like to thanks: Anita, BrittneyJ2020, calzona4me, Calzonafan123, chuckechesnut, Felicity_Olicity, helenkidd1, Kels1769, koreee.95, LarisUSB, Mariz Vida, MauraIslesJr, Sisidandan, TheMikaelsonPrince, Tifenn and WitchArabella

And of course, a special thanks to my beta reader: @tiggermay

Answering Reviews: I planned to go back so far for many reasons that will be revealed throughout the story. And yes, this will impact many things, including Sofia, but calm down, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I got some comments saying that Callie was out of character because she was “sleeping around”. First thing, right now Callie is single, so if she wants to sleep with all of New York, it’s her right. However, Callie’s behavior was indicative of something intentional in the story. After all, you know Callie doesn't usually spleep around. Or maybe that was just Arizona's jealousy talking. You didn't EVER see Callie with anyone. So don't be so quick to judge, guys, and hold your fire.

And, take it all with a pinch of salt.

Finally, I just wanted to say that I plan to try to post a new chapter every Thursday.

I hope you enjoy this first chapter!

When Arizona opened her eyes again, she was in a bed. She sat up slowly, her hands going to her left leg, caressing her own skin, delightedly watching her own left foot move, like it hadn’t in years.

"God..." she murmured, a smile breaking out in her face. Arizona jumped out of bed, laughing as she felt both her legs move together, wiggling her toes in absolute delight. She ran to the bathroom, smiling at her reflection, ten years younger. She giggled as she saw Kai's face over her shoulder.

“We're back,” she said to him, maintaining eye contact through the mirror. “We’re really back.”

Kai laughed softly and nodded. "We’re back".

Arizona turned squealing with joy and embraced the half-naked man. "How… How are we going to do this?" she murmured, keeping her face against her guide's chest, the scent of the meadow, not having yet left Kai's skin.

Kai shrugged. “Only you can see me Arizona. I will follow you and help you with the memories, but you’re free. This is your second chance.”

Arizona sighed turning to the mirror. "This is my chance to make things right with Calliope," she murmured lovingly. “Wait, wait. What day is it?” she muttered taking out her cell phone. She frowned, thinking it would take her a while to readjust to the technology. “January 2009... Dr. Kenley will have a heart attack...”

"Tomorrow. Your main case will be Jackson Prescott. And you will meet Miranda Bailey and Alex Karev.”

Arizona nodded. “I remember that case. It was a true miracle. I think I can do better this time. But before... Before, I need...” she looked around the apartment for her laptop. “I need to talk to Nick. He needs to get proper treatment. It's been three years since he was diagnosed, I think…”

Kai sat on Arizona’s couch, throwing a small ball against the wall while the pediatrician wrote to her best friend.

Hey Nick!

How are you? I haven't heard from you in a while... Alright, alright, I know I turned into a horror show during my residency, but now that I've finished my fellowship I should’ve a more normal life. Or as normal as a doctor's life can be.

Because I'm a doctor, remember that, Nick? Even though I'm a pediatric surgeon, I studied everything. That is, I can help you if something is wrong.

Arizona took a deep breath. Theoretically, she shouldn’t know about the tumor.

I have a feeling something is wrong. Let me help you, Nick; please contact me!

With love,

Arizona

She bit her bottom lip before clicking send. With that done, Arizona decided to explore her old apartment. The memories were coming back little by little, like little flashes through her mind. She was so focused that she didn’t even notice Kai fade into the background.

It didn't take long for her to hear the sound of a new email. She jumped back to her laptop. She took a moment to acclimate back to the old technology. She had gotten used to the smoothness and easy access to everything the technology of her time provided. This might take a minute, she thought and waited while everything was uploading while silently longing for the digitalized easiness she left behind.

Hey, Phoenix!

Your sixth sense is damn accurate, isn't it? I was trying a more unorthodox route of treatment for my little issue, but if you could feel something wrong all the way back to the States, maybe it isn’t working so well, after all. But don't worry M.D., I'm already buying my ticket to Seattle and I'll be a good lab rat for you.

Love,

Nick

Arizona laughed softly, her eyes welling up with tears that start streaming down her cheeks. Nick was alive and she was going to have enough time to save him. She sniffled a few times, trying to calm down. Nick was coming home. He would be fine. Now, she needed to focus on Jackson Prescott.

Arizona pulled out her files from Hopkins and began to study her case notes of children with short bowel syndrome, so that she could figure out how she could buy enough time for Jackson Prescott, until the transplant arrived.

Honestly, she wanted to strangle Kenley. Repeating the same procedure twelve times, what the hell was he thinking?! Three years spent torturing a poor boy instead of leaving his comfort zone!

She would arrive in the OR tomorrow with a real plan and she would show everyone why she was (or rather, would become) one of the greatest pediatric surgeons in the country.

***

Arizona arrived early at the hospital so she could organize Kenley's charts. She picked up Jackson Prescott's binder and took a deep breath, looking at Kenley's notes. She'd like to just put the boy on the transplant list, right away. But Bailey would fight her every step of the way, and this was an unnecessary fight. She could save as much bowel as possible, as well as remove the most damaged part of his liver, which would give her more reasons for the transplant request. She nodded to herself, thinking that it was a solid plan. Before leaving her new office, she smiled at Kai. Her angel was barefoot and wearing only black sweatpants, his huge white wings folded and dragging on the floor as he walked a few steps behind her.

They had talked and settled on Kai always being around (even if sometimes he disappeared from her sight completely) to guide her through the past.

Arizona skated to the General Surgery Nurse Station. She couldn't contain the huge smile on her face when she saw the young - still a resident - Miranda Bailey.

"Doctor Bailey!" she called, moving toward her and extending her hand. “Arizona Robbins” she introduced herself. The future chief of surgery looked at her hand for a moment before shaking it, with obvious hesitation on her face. "I'm taking over Doctor Kenley's patients."

“You are the peds surgeon.”

"Yeah," she confirmed nodding her head, the permanent smile on her face. "I see you’re assisting with Jackson Prescott." Arizona paused a moment to breathe. “With all due respect to Dr. Kenley, he was a wonderful physician, but I'm surprised he has insisted on this course of treatment for so long. When it wasn't - you know - working.” Arizona studied Bailey's face, watching her friend take a deep breath, clearly annoyed with her. Dammit, she had offended Bailey. Again! "Oh, no I'm not criticizing you!" She quickly amended. "You didn’t make the call."

"Yeah, but I supported the call," Bailey recited, pushing the chair away from the desk. Bailey took a deep breath and began trying to explain. “We hadn't turned the corner yet, but Kenley was sure that if we kept on doing what we were doing-”

"Jackson's case is quite severe," Arizona interrupted. They had no time for these debates.

The boy is dying Bailey. Every minute counts. I need you to trust me. Arizona thought worriedly. Bailey looked at her incredulously.

"If you're suggesting we were torturing him with useless procedures..."

Arizona smiled. Bailey was still Bailey. "A lot of senior peds surgeons believe stritoroplasty works, and sometimes they're right." That was enough for Bailey to nod in agreement with her. Arizona took a deep breath. She knew she couldn't go straight for the transplant, but that didn't mean she wasn't frustrated "So, we'll go with this, today, but with his liver disease, we need to start exploring other options." She paused a moment just to smile at Bailey. "I’ve got to run." She said pulling away. “Dr. Kenley had a big case load. I will see you at the OR!” She said before taking off and skating away.

A giggle she barely managed to hold back almost escaped her mouth. If she could, she would be skating all day. Arizona had cried a little, while putting on her heelies that morning. She was skating again. Arizona stopped before entering the locker room to prepare for Jackson's surgery… Unfortunately, she doubts the nurses would let her skate into the OR.

***

Arizona smiled as she saw Karev preparing to enter the OR. She quickly began cutting, with a precision far superior to someone who had just finished their fellowship. She took a deep breath, knowing the mess that would be inside the boy.

"Karev, can you pull the retractor more?" She asked.

Her future resident obeyed the order without hesitation, knowing exactly how much more pressure to apply. "Like this?"

She agreed. "Yeah, great."

Arizona shook her head. "Look at this. It is a mess. He'll have maybe ten centimeters of bowel when we're done here.”

“Wow, wow, wow… Can't we try Bianchi's procedure to try to save some more, then?” Bailey interrupted anxiety clear in her voice.

Arizona didn't even deign to look at the resident in front of her. “The bowels are dead, and the liver is cirrhotic. There is no way to save anything.”

"Yeah, but-"

“Dr. Bailey, this kid should have been on the transplant list a year ago. It is a miracle that he’s still alive.” Arizona took a deep breath. (“Teach them Arizona. They are your ducklings.” Norman McHale's voice, her former mentor echoing in her mind.) “This is what happens when you insist on the same procedure twelve times…. All right, what we’re going to do is try to keep as much of his bowel as possible. He’ll need to go on liver dialysis as soon as this is over. I know we have some machines here for a clinical study but keeping this child alive is a priority. And we'll need a transplant… Laura.” she called the intern who was watching the surgery. “This boy goes on the transplant list today. Go get the paperwork ready. Intestine and liver.”

“I think we should ask for another opinion.” Bailey interrupted her again.

Arizona looked at Bailey. "Laura, as an order from your attendant, go get the paperwork ready."

As soon as the OR door closed again, she moved her focus to the child in front of her. “Dr. Bailey, as soon as we get out of here, I'll give you the cell phone number of Norman McHale, the head of Pediatric Surgery at Hopkins. You'll say Arizona send you, and he'll say Jackson needs a transplant two minutes into the call.”

“There is no need to snap at me-”

"Actually, there is," Arizona replied. “You're good, Bailey. You could be a great pediatric surgeon, and you have what it takes to be chief of surgery one day. But you are still a resident. Which means you are still in training and still learning. And what you need to learn today is that repeating the same procedure twelve times won't bring different results, and Dr Kenley put this boy at risk. And in medicine, and especially in peds, your focus cannot be on you, or the attendant you're working with, but on the patient. You don't know me yet, I’m the stranger in a ponytail and you liked and trusted Kenley, but that doesn't change the facts.”

Karev looked at Bailey's astonished face. The rest of the surgery was done in silence.

***

Arizona collapsed on her couch that night, grunting. "God, I had forgotten how frustrating Bailey could be."

Kai laughed hoarsely. "I think you're the first doctor who acknowledged that she's still a resident."

Arizona sighed turning her cell phone in her hand. She missed the social networks and games on her old phone (well, future phone). And the tablets, which had greatly improved the efficiency in the hospital. She didn't like working with so much paper anymore. "Do you think she'll hate me? We’ve never really butt heads like that before…"

Kai shook his head, his black curls bobbing almost childishly. "I think she'll respect you. You're fighting for this child. She sure appreciates that."

Arizona nodded absently. It had been almost a week since Jackson's surgery had taken place. No compatible donors yet. And no excuses to talk to Calliope. Or Mark. God, she'd missed Mark. And Lexie was still there. She sighed. Kai had advised her to let things progress naturally. So, she would try to focus on Jackson for now. And soon, soon she could get closer to her friends. She fell asleep, still lying on her couch, being woken up a few hours later by the sound of her pager.

"Shit, 911."

Arizona jumped off the couch, still smiling at her left leg as she put on her sneakers and bolted out the door.

***

She spotted Bailey outside Jackson's room as she straightened her white coat.

"I'm up, I'm here." she announced trying to ward off her tiredness. "What happened?"

The resident walked fast to her, preventing her from entering the room. "Jackson's BP has gone down a little since yesterday. No big deal, but if we make a few calls and be a little pushy, we might be able to pass him a little further on the transplant list."

Arizona looked at her resident, shocked. "Dr. Bailey, you paged me 911 at 2:30 in the morning. To chat?"

Bailey looks embarrassed for a second. "You like to chat. You're chatty."

Arizona closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Not at 2:30 in the morning!" She looked at Bailey, worried for a moment. "Look, he's young, he's almost at the top of the list. UNOS will find a donor for him as soon as it’s possible" (or Webber will do it, just like last time) "And God knows that staying up all night chatting about it won’t help. I'll try to get some sleep, and I suggest you do the same. "

"He’s running out of time," Bailey complained in a chocked-up voice.

Arizona smiled sadly. She had almost forgotten about this insecure Bailey. "They always are. Welcome to peds" she repeated her words.

***

Arizona was preparing a coffee for herself. She had forgotten that there were twenty other children who needed her care besides Jackson. And she had just sent one of them home along with her parents, because there was simply no treatment. And she was frustrated. Because there was treatment. That hadn’t yet been finalized. Anyway, she had recommended the girl for clinical research, but her parents didn't want her to be a guinea pig. She had only been taking a few minutes to compose herself when Bailey found her.

"Okay, I made a list of the best pediatrics GAs in the country. I think between the two of us, we can get one of those guys to come here and do a TIPS procedure on him."

Arizona took a deep breath. She knew how to do a TIPS procedure. She was excellent at TIPs procedures. To hell with the technicality of… You know, not actually having learnt them yet here. She didn't need another surgeon intruding into her OR and trying to tell her what to do, ordering her and bossing her around and most importantly distracting her from her job. A job at which she excels, thank you very much. "Firstly, I am perfectly capable of performing a TIPS procedure," she began. "And secondly, doing a TIPS procedure on a boy who needs a new liver is putting a band aid in a bullet hole."

Bailey looked exasperated. "Well, do you have a better idea?"

Arizona smiled, rolling her eyes. "I have. Wait for UNOS. Trust the process. Why can't you?"

That was enough to piss Bailey off. "Because I'm tired of waiting while this child gets worse! Jackson is tired! His mother is tired! The only one who is content to sit on her ass and wiggle your fingers waiting is you!"

This ignited Arizona’s temper. "Look, I've been patient with you, I've been nice, but I am really over you constantly telling me how to do my job!”

"Well, clearly someone has to!”

"I have twenty other children-"

"And I am concerned over this one child!"

"SHUT UP"

Arizona stopped arguing with Bailey staring at the door where Karev was standing. She hadn't even noticed him there.

"Respectfully," he corrected himself, "respectfully shut up. Because we have organs," he announced with a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow.

Arizona swallowed hard. She was the attending physician. She would have to go, on a small plane, with Karev to fetch these organs.

She nodded quickly. "Dr. Bailey, you know the procedure. Go get Jackson ready. Doctor Karev we'll go get those organs."

***

Arizona was sweating cold as they boarded the plane. She sighed as she sat in the front row. Lexie had sat in the back, and she was dead, so Arizona couldn't get past the third row of any kind of aircraft.

But Lexie isn’t dead she thought, trying to breathe. Lexie is just fine. Lexie is going to be fine, if I have anything to do with it.

Since it was just the two of them, she expected Karev to choose a seat away from her, only to be surprised when he sat right beside her.

Arizona couldn't speak, fear (your leg is still here. you're safe) forming a lump in her throat.

Kai sat behind her, one hand on her shoulder. "It's fine, Arizona. You are safe." Her angel reassured her.

As the plane began to accelerate for take-off, she closed her eyes, only to be surprised when Karev gripped one of her hands, squeezing it gently. She squeezed back until the plane was high when she finally managed to breathe again. "I... Thank you."

Alex just shrugged. "Fear of flying?"

She nodded. "I ..." (I was in a plane crash. But she hasn’t. Not yet. Hopefully, not ever) "I always feel closer to death on planes than in the OR."

Karev nodded and went back to ignoring her.

"I saw Izzie the other day" (she doesn't deserve you Alex, she'll break your heart. Jo will arrive soon and she's perfect for you).

Alex nodded. "Yeah"

Arizona smiled. "It's nice. You're a beautiful couple" (you and Jo will be even better).

She let Karev spend the rest of the trip pretending to be asleep. But he took her hand again as soon as the commander warned that they would begin the descent. Arizona smiled. The golden heart was there.

***

The next time Karev spoke to her was when he saw the patient from whom they would take the organs.

"It's just a kid."

Arizona nodded, knowing what it was like to deal with the shock for the first time. "Yes. Let's get the organs."

***

Alex didn't look up during the entire procedure. Not even when she explained aloud what she was doing and the differences in anatomy between adults and children for him.

When they got back to the plane, he didn't sit next to her either.

She took a deep breath. "Spit it out Karev. Don't brood."

He glared at her. "We just got a little boy's intestine and liver out. A dead little boy! And you don't mind! You didn't even blink during the whole procedure, and now you stand there, shaking in fear of a plane, but you didn't care about that kid!"

Arizona stared at her hands in her lap shaking. "I know they unplugged that little boy. Do you think I don't get that? Do you think I don't know about the tiny coffin they're going to stick him in? I know all about the tiny coffins. I see them all the time. In my sleep.” She took a deep breath “But we move on Karev. You turn your back on the tiny coffins and move on. To the next child."

Karev turned forward still angry. But as the plane was about to descend, he reached out to her hand through the aisle.

Arizona gripped his hand tightly. Fear consumed her, but a part of her was proud. Here was her pediatric surgeon.

***

The transplant surgery was quiet and calm. Arizona took a deep breath. They had been faster this time. Jackson's treatment was more advanced.

Kai was watching over her shoulder. "Everything looks fine on my end."

Arizona smiled and nodded. "Finishing the vena cava."

Karev smiled at her. "Anastomosis looks good."

Bailey smiled. "Now all that’s left is to release the clamps."

Arizona smiled at Bailey. God, she loved how she used a stool to get taller, so she had a better view of the patient. "Do the honors, Miranda. He’s your patient."

Bailey smiled at her. "Thank you, Dr. Robbins"

She watched carefully as Bailey removed the clamps, paying attention to the dark marks, but she didn’t need to.

"Call on me!" intern Sadie Harris interrupted. "There is a spot on the duodenum."

Arizona looked at that angrily. Damn it, not again! She shook her head.

"What the hell is that ?!" Bailey snapped.

Arizona took over immediately. "Necrosis… Dammit! Get the organs out now! We'll need a new transplant, looks like we're going to do a TIPS procedure, Bailey."

"This can't be happening..." Bailey started tearfully. "Not to this little boy."

Arizona was already putting new clamps. "Dr. Harris help Dr. Bailey step away, Dr. Karev you're taking over."

Sadie immediately moved behind Bailey. "No, I can go on!" Bailey protested her eyes full of tears.

Arizona did not raise her eyes as she removed the increasingly dark organs. "That's an order, Miranda. Karev!"

Karev forcibly removed Bailey, quickly picking up the instruments. "How long to find new organs?"

"Twenty-four hours. Maybe more, since he was already on liver dialysis." Arizona warned. "Harris, Bailey, find all interns and residents. Someone in Seattle must be compatible with this boy and I want all hands-on deck, working on finding new organs. Now!”

Arizona didn't even have time to look up to see the mighty Dr. Bailey, running out of an OR to follow an order.

***

Arizona collapsed when she got home. "I did everything right!" she said tearfully to Kai. "Everything! And yet, Jackson is dying and its days earlier, which means the original donor for Jackson isn’t there!"

Kai sighed and sat beside her. "Arizona. Take a deep breath. Whatever is meant to happen will happen.”

Arizona shook her head. "He's already on the liver dialysis machine. That gives us an advantage. Still..."

And in that moment, it was as if a light bulb appeared above Arizona's head. She ran back out her door, and rushed back to the hospital, just in time to see Bailey, crying outside.

“Dr. Bailey?” she called softly.

“I want off this case.” She whispered. “Oh God, I want off this case. I want off... This little boy is going to die, and I just don’t want to be here to see it. I just don’t want… I just want off. I want off this case. I want off!”

Arizona shook her head. "Jackson is already on liver dialysis, but we can put him on peritoneal dialysis. This will delay any swelling in the brain and not require further surgery."

Bailey looked at her in surprise. "It doesn't solve the problem of..."

Arizona nodded. "No. But it will buy us time. I'll do the procedure, and don't let anyone rest until we get those organs."

***

When Arizona had set up everything to begin the dialysis procedure, Alex Karev and Izzie Stevens hurried through the door. She smiled at the two, watching as they quickly took over their positions.

"Arizona, don't let this woman work with needles. Something's not right with her." Kai murmured in her ear.

She nodded. "Doctor Stevens, switch places with Doctor Karev. He's been working with this boy for a while."

Izzie nodded in confusion, going to hold the ultrasound while Alex took over the catheter.

Arizona refocused on the boy, but she noticed Izzie looking anguished while staring at something behind her.

She began to instruct Karev in detail, on what they were doing and for what purpose.

"Shut up," she heard Izzie mutter.

"What was that?" she asked to the blonde doctor incredulously. This resident had not just told her to shut up during such a delicate procedure. She wouldn’t dare... Karev looked equally concerned.

"Nothing. Sorry Doctor Robbins" Izzie said louder this time.

Melinda Prescott entered the room. "Has UNOS said anything?"

Arizona looked at the doctor holding the ultrasound. "Dr. Stevens will call them again. And contact Dr. Bailey and see if any of our doctors were lucky." she said to the woman, who was clearly and understandably worried. Izzie was looking around anxiously and didn’t move to carry out the order. "Doctor Stevens, are you paying attention?!"

Kai shook his head. "Arizona, no. There’s something wrong with her, this doctor isn’t all here."

"Dr. Stevens, ask at the nurses' station to make the calls. And then go get some rest."

Izzie nodded, almost in a daze, propping the ultrasound on the patient's bed and leaving the room. Arizona and Karev finished the procedure in silence.

"Dr. Robbins, Izzie... She was tired. We’ve all been up all night trying to find the organs and-"

Arizona silenced Karev with a gesture. "It's okay. Just talk to her. This is a serious case, Karev."

Arizona took a deep breath, appreciating her work. "Good job here Alex." she complimented. "I'll make the rounds, try to talk to Izzie, okay?"

***

Arizona was returning from her rounds to check Jackson's PIC when George O'Malley came running toward her, Richard Webber right behind him.

"I got it Dr. Robbins!" George announced "We have the organs! OR number 3!"

Arizona looked into the room, Jackson's PIC still below the limit. She nodded. "Great job O'Malley" she said with a smile on her face.

***

The surgery went well, and Jackson's heart didn't stop. Not even once. After they sent the boy to Recovery, Arizona leaned against the wall taking a deep breath.

Miranda Bailey stopped next to Arizona. "I... I didn't think you could handle this case. After today I think you were the only person who could have ever handled it." she said softly. "I almost crossed a line today. Before O'Malley arrived... I was going to ask Derek Shepherd to let a man die so I could save this boy. But I didn't break my oath. Thanks to you."

Arizona laughed softly and took Bailey's hand. "You are an excellent doctor, Miranda. I know you, and when it comes down to it, you will always do the right thing… And thank you. For trusting me."

Arizona gave Bailey one last soft smile and turned back to staring at the walls quietly, cherishing these few moments of peace and letting the immense feelings of gratefulness flow through her, still in awe of this new chance at life she was given. She sighed softly and let her head fall back against the wall, content in the feelings of achievement and camaraderie shared between her and the woman who would one day be one of her closest friends.

#greys anatomy #arizona robbins #callie torres #fanfic: callie/arizona #timewarp

8 notes · View notes

beardcore-blog · 5 years

Text

A Princess Diary

"What’s Wrong With Cinderella?"

I finally came unhinged in the dentist’s office — one of those ritzy pediatric practices tricked out with comic books, DVDs and arcade games — where I’d taken my 3-year-old daughter for her first exam. Until then, I’d held my tongue. I’d smiled politely every time the supermarket-checkout clerk greeted her with ”Hi, Princess”; ignored the waitress at our local breakfast joint who called the funny-face pancakes she ordered her ”princess meal”; made no comment when the lady at Longs Drugs said, ”I bet I know your favorite color” and handed her a pink balloon rather than letting her choose for herself. Maybe it was the dentist’s Betty Boop inflection that got to me, but when she pointed to the exam chair and said, ”Would you like to sit in my special princess throne so I can sparkle your teeth?” I lost it.

”Oh, for God’s sake,” I snapped. ”Do you have a princess drill, too?”

She stared at me as if I were an evil stepmother.

”Come on!” I continued, my voice rising. ”It’s 2006, not 1950. This is Berkeley, Calif. Does every little girl really have to be a princess?”

My daughter, who was reaching for a Cinderella sticker, looked back and forth between us. ”Why are you so mad, Mama?” she asked. ”What’s wrong with princesses?”

Diana may be dead and Masako disgraced, but here in America, we are in the midst of a royal moment. To call princesses a ”trend” among girls is like calling Harry Potter a book. Sales at Disney Consumer Products, which started the craze six years ago by packaging nine of its female characters under one royal rubric, have shot up to $3 billion, globally, this year, from $300 million in 2001. There are now more than 25,000 Disney Princess items. ”Princess,” as some Disney execs call it, is not only the fastest-growing brand the company has ever created; they say it is on its way to becoming the largest girls’ franchise on the planet.

Meanwhile in 2001, Mattel brought out its own ”world of girl” line of princess Barbie dolls, DVDs, toys, clothing, home décor and myriad other products. At a time when Barbie sales were declining domestically, they became instant best sellers. Shortly before that, Mary Drolet, a Chicago-area mother and former Claire’s and Montgomery Ward executive, opened Club Libby Lu, now a chain of mall stores based largely in the suburbs in which girls ages 4 to 12 can shop for ”Princess Phones” covered in faux fur and attend ”Princess-Makeover Birthday Parties.” Saks bought Club Libby Lu in 2003 for $12 million and has since expanded it to 87 outlets; by 2005, with only scant local advertising, revenues hovered around the $46 million mark, a 53 percent jump from the previous year. Pink, it seems, is the new gold.

Even Dora the Explorer, the intrepid, dirty-kneed adventurer, has ascended to the throne: in 2004, after a two-part episode in which she turns into a ”true princess,” the Nickelodeon and Viacom consumer-products division released a satin-gowned ”Magic Hair Fairytale Dora,” with hair that grows or shortens when her crown is touched. Among other phrases the bilingual doll utters: ”Vámonos! Let’s go to fairy-tale land!” and ”Will you brush my hair?”

As a feminist mother — not to mention a nostalgic product of the Grranimals era — I have been taken by surprise by the princess craze and the girlie-girl culture that has risen around it. What happened to William wanting a doll and not dressing your cat in an apron? Whither Marlo Thomas? I watch my fellow mothers, women who once swore they’d never be dependent on a man, smile indulgently at daughters who warble ”So This Is Love” or insist on being called Snow White. I wonder if they’d concede so readily to sons who begged for combat fatigues and mock AK-47s.

More to the point, when my own girl makes her daily beeline for the dress-up corner of her preschool classroom — something I’m convinced she does largely to torture me — I worry about what playing Little Mermaid is teaching her. I’ve spent much of my career writing about experiences that undermine girls’ well-being, warning parents that a preoccupation with body and beauty (encouraged by films, TV, magazines and, yes, toys) is perilous to their daughters’ mental and physical health. Am I now supposed to shrug and forget all that? If trafficking in stereotypes doesn’t matter at 3, when does it matter? At 6? Eight? Thirteen?

On the other hand, maybe I’m still surfing a washed-out second wave of feminism in a third-wave world. Maybe princesses are in fact a sign of progress, an indication that girls can embrace their predilection for pink without compromising strength or ambition; that, at long last, they can ”have it all.” Or maybe it is even less complex than that: to mangle Freud, maybe a princess is sometimes just a princess. And, as my daughter wants to know, what’s wrong with that?

The rise of the Disney princesses reads like a fairy tale itself, with Andy Mooney, a former Nike executive, playing the part of prince, riding into the company on a metaphoric white horse in January 2000 to save a consumer-products division whose sales were dropping by as much as 30 percent a year. Both overstretched and underfocused, the division had triggered price wars by granting multiple licenses for core products (say, Winnie-the-Pooh undies) while ignoring the potential of new media. What’s more, Disney films like ”A Bug’s Life” in 1998 had yielded few merchandising opportunities — what child wants to snuggle up with an ant?

It was about a month after Mooney’s arrival that the magic struck. That’s when he flew to Phoenix to check out his first ”Disney on Ice” show. ”Standing in line in the arena, I was surrounded by little girls dressed head to toe as princesses,” he told me last summer in his palatial office, then located in Burbank, and speaking in a rolling Scottish burr. ”They weren’t even Disney products. They were generic princess products they’d appended to a Halloween costume. And the light bulb went off. Clearly there was latent demand here. So the next morning I said to my team, ‘O.K., let’s establish standards and a color palette and talk to licensees and get as much product out there as we possibly can that allows these girls to do what they’re doing anyway: projecting themselves into the characters from the classic movies.’ ”

Mooney picked a mix of old and new heroines to wear the Pantone pink No. 241 corona: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan and Pocahontas. It was the first time Disney marketed characters separately from a film’s release, let alone lumped together those from different stories. To ensure the sanctity of what Mooney called their individual ”mythologies,” the princesses never make eye contact when they’re grouped: each stares off in a slightly different direction as if unaware of the others’ presence.

It is also worth noting that not all of the ladies are of royal extraction. Part of the genius of ”Princess” is that its meaning is so broadly constructed that it actually has no meaning. Even Tinker Bell was originally a Princess, though her reign didn’t last. ”We’d always debate over whether she was really a part of the Princess mythology,” Mooney recalled. ”She really wasn’t.” Likewise, Mulan and Pocahontas, arguably the most resourceful of the bunch, are rarely depicted on Princess merchandise, though for a different reason. Their rustic garb has less bling potential than that of old-school heroines like Sleeping Beauty. (When Mulan does appear, she is typically in the kimonolike hanfu, which makes her miserable in the movie, rather than her liberated warrior’s gear.)

The first Princess items, released with no marketing plan, no focus groups, no advertising, sold as if blessed by a fairy godmother. To this day, Disney conducts little market research on the Princess line, relying instead on the power of its legacy among mothers as well as the instant-read sales barometer of the theme parks and Disney Stores. ”We simply gave girls what they wanted,” Mooney said of the line’s success, ”although I don’t think any of us grasped how much they wanted this. I wish I could sit here and take credit for having some grand scheme to develop this, but all we did was envision a little girl’s room and think about how she could live out the princess fantasy. The counsel we gave to licensees was: What type of bedding would a princess want to sleep in? What kind of alarm clock would a princess want to wake up to? What type of television would a princess like to see? It’s a rare case where you find a girl who has every aspect of her room bedecked in Princess, but if she ends up with three or four of these items, well, then you have a very healthy business.”

Every reporter Mooney talks to asks some version of my next question: Aren’t the Princesses, who are interested only in clothes, jewelry and cadging the handsome prince, somewhat retrograde role models?

”Look,” he said, ”I have friends whose son went through the Power Rangers phase who castigated themselves over what they must’ve done wrong. Then they talked to other parents whose kids had gone through it. The boy passes through. The girl passes through. I see girls expanding their imagination through visualizing themselves as princesses, and then they pass through that phase and end up becoming lawyers, doctors, mothers or princesses, whatever the case may be.”

Mooney has a point: There are no studies proving that playing princess directly damages girls’ self-esteem or dampens other aspirations. On the other hand, there is evidence that young women who hold the most conventionally feminine beliefs — who avoid conflict and think they should be perpetually nice and pretty — are more likely to be depressed than others and less likely to use contraception. What’s more, the 23 percent decline in girls’ participation in sports and other vigorous activity between middle and high school has been linked to their sense that athletics is unfeminine. And in a survey released last October by Girls Inc., school-age girls overwhelmingly reported a paralyzing pressure to be ”perfect”: not only to get straight A’s and be the student-body president, editor of the newspaper and captain of the swim team but also to be ”kind and caring,” ”please everyone, be very thin and dress right.” Give those girls a pumpkin and a glass slipper and they’d be in business.

At the grocery store one day, my daughter noticed a little girl sporting a Cinderella backpack. ”There’s that princess you don’t like, Mama!” she shouted.

”Um, yeah,” I said, trying not to meet the other mother’s hostile gaze.

”Don’t you like her blue dress, Mama?”

I had to admit, I did.

She thought about this. ”Then don’t you like her face?”

”Her face is all right,” I said, noncommittally, though I’m not thrilled to have my Japanese-Jewish child in thrall to those Aryan features. (And what the heck are those blue things covering her ears?) ”It’s just, honey, Cinderella doesn’t really do anything.”

Over the next 45 minutes, we ran through that conversation, verbatim, approximately 37 million times, as my daughter pointed out Disney Princess Band-Aids, Disney Princess paper cups, Disney Princess lip balm, Disney Princess pens, Disney Princess crayons and Disney Princess notebooks — all cleverly displayed at the eye level of a 3-year-old trapped in a shopping cart — as well as a bouquet of Disney Princess balloons bobbing over the checkout line. The repetition was excessive, even for a preschooler. What was it about my answers that confounded her? What if, instead of realizing: Aha! Cinderella is a symbol of the patriarchal oppression of all women, another example of corporate mind control and power-to-the-people! my 3-year-old was thinking, Mommy doesn’t want me to be a girl?

According to theories of gender constancy, until they’re about 6 or 7, children don’t realize that the sex they were born with is immutable. They believe that they have a choice: they can grow up to be either a mommy or a daddy. Some psychologists say that until permanency sets in kids embrace whatever stereotypes our culture presents, whether it’s piling on the most spangles or attacking one another with light sabers. What better way to assure that they’ll always remain themselves? If that’s the case, score one for Mooney. By not buying the Princess Pull-Ups, I may be inadvertently communicating that being female (to the extent that my daughter is able to understand it) is a bad thing.

Anyway, you have to give girls some credit. It’s true that, according to Mattel, one of the most popular games young girls play is ”bride,” but Disney found that a groom or prince is incidental to that fantasy, a regrettable necessity at best. Although they keep him around for the climactic kiss, he is otherwise relegated to the bottom of the toy box, which is why you don’t see him prominently displayed in stores.

What’s more, just because they wear the tulle doesn’t mean they’ve drunk the Kool-Aid. Plenty of girls stray from the script, say, by playing basketball in their finery, or casting themselves as the powerful evil stepsister bossing around the sniveling Cinderella. I recall a headline-grabbing 2005 British study that revealed that girls enjoy torturing, decapitating and microwaving their Barbies nearly as much as they like to dress them up for dates. There is spice along with that sugar after all, though why this was news is beyond me: anyone who ever played with the doll knows there’s nothing more satisfying than hacking off all her hair and holding her underwater in the bathtub. Princesses can even be a boon to exasperated parents: in our house, for instance, royalty never whines and uses the potty every single time.

”Playing princess is not the issue,” argues Lyn Mikel Brown, an author, with Sharon Lamb, of ”Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters From Marketers’ Schemes.” ”The issue is 25,000 Princess products,” says Brown, a professor of education and human development at Colby College. ”When one thing is so dominant, then it’s no longer a choice: it’s a mandate, cannibalizing all other forms of play. There’s the illusion of more choices out there for girls, but if you look around, you’ll see their choices are steadily narrowing.”

It’s hard to imagine that girls’ options could truly be shrinking when they dominate the honor roll and outnumber boys in college. Then again, have you taken a stroll through a children’s store lately? A year ago, when we shopped for ”big girl” bedding at Pottery Barn Kids, we found the ”girls” side awash in flowers, hearts and hula dancers; not a soccer player or sailboat in sight. Across the no-fly zone, the ”boys” territory was all about sports, trains, planes and automobiles. Meanwhile, Baby GAP’s boys’ onesies were emblazoned with ”Big Man on Campus” and the girls’ with ”Social Butterfly”; guess whose matching shoes were decorated on the soles with hearts and whose sported a ”No. 1” logo? And at Toys ”R” Us, aisles of pink baby dolls, kitchens, shopping carts and princesses unfurl a safe distance from the ”Star Wars” figures, GeoTrax and tool chests. The relentless resegregation of childhood appears to have sneaked up without any further discussion about sex roles, about what it now means to be a boy or to be a girl. Or maybe it has happened in lieu of such discussion because it’s easier this way.

Easier, that is, unless you want to buy your daughter something that isn’t pink. Girls’ obsession with that color may seem like something they’re born with, like the ability to breathe or talk on the phone for hours on end. But according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American studies at the University of Maryland, it ain’t so. When colors were first introduced to the nursery in the early part of the 20th century, pink was considered the more masculine hue, a pastel version of red. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, was thought to be dainty. Why or when that switched is not clear, but as late as the 1930s a significant percentage of adults in one national survey held to that split. Perhaps that’s why so many early Disney heroines — Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Wendy, Alice-in-Wonderland — are swathed in varying shades of azure. (Purple, incidentally, may be the next color to swap teams: once the realm of kings and N.F.L. players, it is fast becoming the bolder girl’s version of pink.)

It wasn’t until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a key strategy of children’s marketing (recall the emergence of ” ‘tween”), that pink became seemingly innate to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few years. That was also the time that the first of the generation raised during the unisex phase of feminism — ah, hither Marlo! — became parents. ”The kids who grew up in the 1970s wanted sharp definitions for their own kids,” Paoletti told me. ”I can understand that, because the unisex thing denied everything — you couldn’t be this, you couldn’t be that, you had to be a neutral nothing.”

The infatuation with the girlie girl certainly could, at least in part, be a reaction against the so-called second wave of the women’s movement of the 1960s and ’70s (the first wave was the fight for suffrage), which fought for reproductive rights and economic, social and legal equality. If nothing else, pink and Princess have resuscitated the fantasy of romance that that era of feminism threatened, the privileges that traditional femininity conferred on women despite its costs — doors magically opened, dinner checks picked up, Manolo Blahniks. Frippery. Fun. Why should we give up the perks of our sex until we’re sure of what we’ll get in exchange? Why should we give them up at all? Or maybe it’s deeper than that: the freedoms feminism bestowed came with an undercurrent of fear among women themselves — flowing through ”Ally McBeal,” ”Bridget Jones’s Diary,” ”Sex and the City” — of losing male love, of never marrying, of not having children, of being deprived of something that felt essentially and exclusively female.

I mulled that over while flipping through ”The Paper Bag Princess,” a 1980 picture book hailed as an antidote to Disney. The heroine outwits a dragon who has kidnapped her prince, but not before the beast’s fiery breath frizzles her hair and destroys her dress, forcing her to don a paper bag. The ungrateful prince rejects her, telling her to come back when she is ”dressed like a real princess.” She dumps him and skips off into the sunset, happily ever after, alone.

There you have it, ”Thelma and Louise” all over again. Step out of line, and you end up solo or, worse, sailing crazily over a cliff to your doom. Alternatives like those might send you skittering right back to the castle. And I get that: the fact is, though I want my daughter to do and be whatever she wants as an adult, I still hope she’ll find her Prince Charming and have babies, just as I have. I don’t want her to be a fish without a bicycle; I want her to be a fish with another fish. Preferably, one who loves and respects her and also does the dishes and half the child care.

There had to be a middle ground between compliant and defiant, between petticoats and paper bags. I remembered a video on YouTube, an ad for a Nintendo game called Super Princess Peach. It showed a pack of girls in tiaras, gowns and elbow-length white gloves sliding down a zip line on parasols, navigating an obstacle course of tires in their stilettos, slithering on their bellies under barbed wire, then using their telekinetic powers to make a climbing wall burst into flames. ”If you can stand up to really mean people,” an announcer intoned, ”maybe you have what it takes to be a princess.”

Now here were some girls who had grit as well as grace. I loved Princess Peach even as I recognized that there was no way she could run in those heels, that her peachiness did nothing to upset the apple cart of expectation: she may have been athletic, smart and strong, but she was also adorable. Maybe she’s what those once-unisex, postfeminist parents are shooting for: the melding of old and new standards. And perhaps that’s a good thing, the ideal solution. But what to make, then, of the young women in the Girls Inc. survey? It doesn’t seem to be ”having it all” that’s getting to them; it’s the pressure to be it all. In telling our girls they can be anything, we have inadvertently demanded that they be everything. To everyone. All the time. No wonder the report was titled ”The Supergirl Dilemma.”

The princess as superhero is not irrelevant. Some scholars I spoke with say that given its post-9/11 timing, princess mania is a response to a newly dangerous world. ”Historically, princess worship has emerged during periods of uncertainty and profound social change,” observes Miriam Forman-Brunell, a historian at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Francis Hodgson Burnett’s original”Little Princess” was published at a time of rapid urbanization, immigration and poverty; Shirley Temple’s film version was a hit during the Great Depression. ”The original folk tales themselves,” Forman-Brunell says, ”spring from medieval and early modern European culture that faced all kinds of economic and demographic and social upheaval — famine, war, disease, terror of wolves. Girls play savior during times of economic crisis and instability.” That’s a heavy burden for little shoulders. Perhaps that’s why the magic wand has become an essential part of the princess get-up. In the original stories — even the Disney versions of them — it’s not the girl herself who’s magic; it’s the fairy godmother. Now if Forman-Brunell is right, we adults have become the cursed creatures whom girls have the thaumaturgic power to transform.

In the 1990s, third-wave feminists rebelled against their dour big sisters, ”reclaiming” sexual objectification as a woman’s right — provided, of course, that it was on her own terms, that she was the one choosing to strip or wear a shirt that said ”Porn Star” or make out with her best friend at a frat-house bash. They embraced words like ”bitch” and ”slut” as terms of affection and empowerment. That is, when used by the right people, with the right dash of playful irony. But how can you assure that? As Madonna gave way to Britney, whatever self-determination that message contained was watered down and commodified until all that was left was a gaggle of 6-year-old girls in belly-baring T-shirts (which I’m guessing they don’t wear as cultural critique). It is no wonder that parents, faced with thongs for 8-year-olds and Bratz dolls’ ”passion for fashion,” fill their daughters’ closets with pink sateen; the innocence of Princess feels like a reprieve.

”But what does that mean?” asks Sharon Lamb, a psychology professor at Saint Michael’s College. ”There are other ways to express ‘innocence’ — girls could play ladybug or caterpillar. What you’re really talking about is sexual purity. And there’s a trap at the end of that rainbow, because the natural progression from pale, innocent pink is not to other colors. It’s to hot, sexy pink — exactly the kind of sexualization parents are trying to avoid.”

Lamb suggested that to see for myself how ”Someday My Prince Will Come” morphs into ”Oops! I Did It Again,” I visit Club Libby Lu, the mall shop dedicated to the ”Very Important Princess.”

Walking into one of the newest links in the store’s chain, in Natick, Mass., last summer, I had to tip my tiara to the founder, Mary Drolet: Libby Lu’s design was flawless. Unlike Disney, Drolet depended on focus groups to choose the logo (a crown-topped heart) and the colors (pink, pink, purple and more pink). The displays were scaled to the size of a 10-year-old, though most of the shoppers I saw were several years younger than that. The decals on the walls and dressing rooms — ”I Love Your Hair,” ”Hip Chick,” ”Spoiled” — were written in ”girlfriend language.” The young sales clerks at this ”special secret club for superfabulous girls” are called ”club counselors” and come off like your coolest baby sitter, the one who used to let you brush her hair. The malls themselves are chosen based on a company formula called the G.P.I., or ”Girl Power Index,” which predicts potential sales revenues. Talk about newspeak: ”Girl Power” has gone from a riot grrrrl anthem to ”I Am Woman, Watch Me Shop.”

Inside, the store was divided into several glittery ”shopping zones” called ”experiences”: Libby’s Laboratory, now called Sparkle Spa, where girls concoct their own cosmetics and bath products; Libby’s Room; Ear Piercing; Pooch Parlor (where divas in training can pamper stuffed poodles, pugs and Chihuahuas); and the Style Studio, offering ”Libby Du” makeover choices, including ‘Tween Idol, Rock Star, Pop Star and, of course, Priceless Princess. Each look includes hairstyle, makeup, nail polish and sparkly tattoos.

As I browsed, I noticed a mother standing in the center of the store holding a price list for makeover birthday parties — $22.50 to $35 per child. Her name was Anne McAuliffe; her daughters — Stephanie, 4, and 7-year-old twins Rory and Sarah — were dashing giddily up and down the aisles.

”They’ve been begging to come to this store for three weeks,” McAuliffe said. ”I’d never heard of it. So I said they could, but they’d have to spend their own money if they bought anything.” She looked around. ”Some of this stuff is innocuous,” she observed, then leaned toward me, eyes wide and stage-whispered: ”But … a lot of it is horrible. It makes them look like little prostitutes. It’s crazy. They’re babies!”

As we debated the line between frivolous fun and JonBenét, McAuliffe’s daughter Rory came dashing up, pigtails haphazard, glasses askew. ”They have the best pocketbooks here,” she said breathlessly, brandishing a clutch with the words ”Girlie Girl” stamped on it. ”Please, can I have one? It has sequins!”

”You see that?” McAuliffe asked, gesturing at the bag. ”What am I supposed to say?”

On my way out of the mall, I popped into the ” ‘tween” mecca Hot Topic, where a display of Tinker Bell items caught my eye. Tinker Bell, whose image racks up an annual $400 million in retail sales with no particular effort on Disney’s part, is poised to wreak vengeance on the Princess line that once expelled her. Last winter, the first chapter book designed to introduce girls to Tink and her Pixie Hollow pals spent 18 weeks on The New York Times children’s best-seller list. In a direct-to-DVD now under production, she will speak for the first time, voiced by the actress Brittany Murphy. Next year, Disney Fairies will be rolled out in earnest. Aimed at 6- to 9-year-old girls, the line will catch them just as they outgrow Princess. Their colors will be lavender, green, turquoise — anything but the Princess’s soon-to-be-babyish pink.

To appeal to that older child, Disney executives said, the Fairies will have more ”attitude” and ”sass” than the Princesses. What, I wondered, did that entail? I’d seen some of the Tinker Bell merchandise that Disney sells at its theme parks: T-shirts reading, ”Spoiled to Perfection,” ”Mood Subject to Change Without Notice” and ”Tinker Bell: Prettier Than a Princess.” At Hot Topic, that edge was even sharper: magnets, clocks, light-switch plates and panties featured ”Dark Tink,” described as ”the bad girl side of Miss Bell that Walt never saw.”

Girl power, indeed.

A few days later, I picked my daughter up from preschool. She came tearing over in a full-skirted frock with a gold bodice, a beaded crown perched sideways on her head. ”Look, Mommy, I’m Ariel!” she crowed. referring to Disney’s Little Mermaid. Then she stopped and furrowed her brow. ”Mommy, do you like Ariel?”

I considered her for a moment. Maybe Princess is the first salvo in what will become a lifelong struggle over her body image, a Hundred Years’ War of dieting, plucking, painting and perpetual dissatisfaction with the results. Or maybe it isn’t. I’ll never really know. In the end, it’s not the Princesses that really bother me anyway. They’re just a trigger for the bigger question of how, over the years, I can help my daughter with the contradictions she will inevitably face as a girl, the dissonance that is as endemic as ever to growing up female. Maybe the best I can hope for is that her generation will get a little further with the solutions than we did.

For now, I kneeled down on the floor and gave my daughter a hug.

She smiled happily. ”But, Mommy?” she added. ”When I grow up, I’m still going to be a fireman.”

– by Peggy Orenstein, for the New York Times Magazine (December 2006)

Posted by lukewho on 2007-01-01 19:50:52

Tagged: , fremont , christmas , 2006 , jacinto , princess , disney

The post A Princess Diary appeared first on Good Info.

0 notes

enzaime-blog · 7 years

Text

Victoria’s Kidney Cancer Story

New Story has been published on https://enzaime.com/victorias-kidney-cancer-story/

Victoria’s Kidney Cancer Story

After a birthday party, three-year-old Victoria had such a terrible stomach ache that her pediatrician thought it might be appendicitis. X-rays taken before surgery revealed something far worse: stage IV Wilms’ tumor – a type of kidney cancer – that had ruptured and had already spread to other organs. Her parents flew with Victoria from Phoenix to New York City, where at Memorial Sloan Kettering she received surgery and radiation therapy.

Victoria, who was three-and-a-half years old, had been complaining of a stomach ache. Because she appeared fine, Victoria’s mother, Pamela, let Victoria go to school. The following weekend, Victoria went to a friend’s birthday party at a children’s play center, where she joined the other kids playing on the slides and in the jumping pits. Later that night, she woke crying, complaining of another stomach ache. When the pain was still present on Monday morning, Pamela assumed it was probably a stomach virus. “Because you never in your wildest dreams imagine it’s going to be cancer,” she says.

With Victoria’s father, Larry, out of town on business, Pamela took Victoria to the pediatrician that afternoon. By the time they reached the doctor’s office, Victoria was bent over in pain. Instead of stomach flu, Victoria’s pediatrician suspected that she might be suffering from appendicitis. The doctor sent Victoria and her mom to their local Phoenix hospital.

At the hospital, the emergency room doctor recommended that they remove Victoria’s appendix immediately, noting that when it came to appendicitis, he preferred to be aggressive in treatment. Knowing that acute appendicitis is usually accompanied by fever and vomiting — and Victoria had neither of these symptoms — Pamela wasn’t quite so sure. After some quick telephone conversations with physician friends, Pamela asked if the hospital staff could do some scans before operating. The doctor agreed.

“Your Daughter Has a Tumor”

Pamela, who was standing with Victoria during the scans, could see the technician through a small window separating the control room from the scanning bed. “The look on his face was something that is difficult for me to think about even now, more than a year later,” Pamela recalls with evident emotion. When Pamela went to talk to the technician after the scans were completed, he seemed shaken and said that she needed to speak with their doctor.

Knowing this was not a good sign, she immediately called Larry, who was in Connecticut for a job interview. She had him on her cell phone when the emergency room doctor broke the bad news. Pamela will never forget his words: “Your daughter has a tumor.” She was so stunned that Larry, still on the phone, had to ask if the tumor was cancer. The doctor confirmed that it was.

Pamela could not meet with an oncologist until the following morning, so that very afternoon she convened a meeting with a number of their physician friends, the ER doctor, and the pediatric surgeon on-call at the time. With the help of their friends, Pamela and Larry began to ask more specific questions about Victoria’s condition.

“They suggested questions that we didn’t know to ask,” Pamela says. “And that’s when we learned it was stage IV Wilms’ tumor and that the tumor had ruptured.”

(Named for Max Wilms, the surgeon who first identified the disease in 1899, Wilms’ tumor is a disease in which cancerous cells grow in one or both of the kidneys. Stage IV tumors are those that have spread beyond the kidney’s vicinity into other organs.)

The information Pamela supplied led the doctors to believe that the tumor had ruptured at the birthday party, and the pain was caused by the ruptured tumor bleeding into Victoria’s abdomen. To make matters even more complicated, Pamela and Larry also had Victoria’s 18-month-old sister Phoebe to care for.

The Longest Night

“I was obviously in shock,” Pamela says. “You wake up in the morning figuring your child has a stomach virus and 12 hours later you find out she has a rare disease in an advanced stage.”

Larry went immediately to the airport in New York, where he had to wait overnight for the next available flight. “It was the longest night of my life,” he says. “The only thing I know is that my daughter has this cancerous tumor and that it has supposedly metastasized to her lungs. All I could think about was that I was 2,500 miles away and I needed to get home.”

The advice of all our physician friends combined with everything we read made it clear that for this type of advanced, rare cancer, it was critical to find a surgeon who had removed more of these types of tumors than anyone else.

LarryVictoria’s Father

Victoria was admitted to the local children’s hospital, still in a great deal of pain, which was kept in check with morphine. Wondering how much they should tell Victoria about her condition, Pamela met with a child psychologist, who counseled honesty and to use language that a three-year-old would understand. “I explained to Victoria that she was sick, but that we were going to take care of her and she would get better,” Pamela notes.

More Bad News Softened by a Ray of Hope

The tumor was growing around the vena cava, the two large veins that collect blood from the rest of the body and return it to the heart. The danger was that the tumor would invade the vena cava, at which point it could travel to the heart; from there it might spread to the rest of the body.

Within 48 hours, a surgeon from the pediatric hospital performed exploratory surgery. Unfortunately, due to the rupture, the tumor was dispersed throughout the abdomen in a thin, tissue-paper consistency and could not be easily removed. A tissue sample was taken during the surgery and the Whites had to wait two days for the results, which would determine whether Victoria’s tumor was of favorable or unfavorable histology — meaning if it would or would not respond to treatment.

Finally, they received one piece of good news: Victoria’s tumor had a favorable histology. As a result, the Phoenix doctors wanted to treat her initially with six to 12 weeks of chemotherapy, in order to shrink the tumor before surgically removing it.

Second Opinion and Change of Mind

Victoria began chemotherapy in Phoenix. During this time, Larry — wanting to explore all options, and on the advice of a number of physicians and Pamela’s immediate family — traveled to New York to meet with the Wilms’ tumor team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

“The advice of all our physician friends combined with everything we read made it clear that for this type of advanced, rare cancer, it was critical to find a surgeon who had removed more of these types of tumors than anyone else,” Larry explains.

And the names that kept coming up were Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Michael La Quaglia, a pediatric surgeon specializing in the treatment of Wilms’ tumor, and Peter Steinherz, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who also specializes in the disease.

When Larry met with them, Dr. Steinherz recommended that the tumor, which was aggressive and fast-growing, should be removed immediately. “Dr. Steinherz opened my eyes,” Larry says. “He questioned leaving the tumor in Victoria for another 12 weeks.” Dr. La Quaglia agreed, reassuring Larry that it could be surgically removed.

The eventual decision to come to Memorial Sloan Kettering was not difficult. As Larry puts it, “We never wanted to be in the position where we second-guessed the care we got for our child. How could we not choose Memorial, when everyone was saying they were the best?”

“When She’s on the Operating Table, She’s My Daughter”

The following Saturday, the whole family flew to New York City for a five-week stay. A CT scan found that the initial chemotherapy Victoria had undergone had shrunk her tumor by two-thirds.

Surgery was performed without delay on December 21. Larry, wearing scrubs, was allowed to carry Victoria into the operating room. Before he left, Dr. La Quaglia reassured him, saying, “When she’s on the operating table, she’s my daughter.”

During the procedure, Dr. La Quaglia had to remove part of Victoria’s liver, diaphragm, and kidney. One week after surgery, under the guidance of Kathryn Beal, a Memorial Sloan Kettering radiation oncologist, Victoria began radiation therapy to kill any remaining tumor cells, especially those that had spread to her lungs.

On January 25, a little more than a month after her surgery, Victoria was able to go home. Pamela was initially hesitant but Dr. Steinherz encouraged the move, saying that half the battle would be Victoria’s attitude, which would greatly improve once she was back in her normal routine. However, she would have to continue chemotherapy in Phoenix as part of the treatment protocol.

Thank You Note

Having weighed 36 pounds at the time of the Wilms’ tumor diagnosis three months earlier, she now weighed 27 pounds. “When we celebrated Victoria’s birthday on February 19, she had lost most of her hair and just looked sick,” remembers Pamela. Still, to show their thanks, Pamela took a number of pictures at Victoria’s party and sent them to Dr. La Quaglia, Dr. Steinherz, and Dr. Mark Kayton, another pediatric surgeon involved in Victoria’s care. “I wrote and told them — and I truly meant it — that we wouldn’t have this day of celebration if it weren’t for their efforts,” Pamela adds.

By the beginning of March, Victoria was beginning to recover her pretreatment energy and spirit, slowly returning to the gregarious, energetic little girl she had been before. And only seven weeks after surgery, as a testament to her indomitable spirit, she returned to school and to her dance classes. “It was important for her to put her leotard on and dance again,” Larry explains.

Victoria has a very devoted, caring, and thoughtful family, who fully supported her throughout this ordeal. She is also very resilient. It is a privilege to be involved in the care of these gallant children.

On March 22, they went in for another CT scan, requested by Dr. Steinherz to check on Victoria’s progress. The Whites held their breath. “This was a tough one for us because we wanted to make sure that Victoria was still responding,” Larry says. “We then received the greatest news possible: the scans showed no trace of cancer.” Larry recalls the sense of physical relief that the news brought: “I remember writing in my journal that this was the first time in four or five months that we actually could exhale.”

Dr. “Steinhearts,” Dr. LaQuaglia, and Dr. Kayton — the Rock

Victoria received her last chemotherapy treatment on May 3 and her last radiation treatment — intended to remove any remaining tumor cells in her lungs — at Memorial Sloan Kettering at the end of May. By this time, she had no side effects from the radiation treatment and little change to her reenergized personality. “She loves New York City now,” Pamela says, laughing. “She loves going to Sloan Kettering because, as she says, ’that’s where they made me better.’” In fact, in honor of the effect that he and his care had on her well-being, Victoria now refers to Dr. Steinherz as “Dr. Steinhearts.”

In Pamela’s opinion, Dr. Steinherz, Dr. LaQuaglia, and Dr. Kayton are like rock stars. “They are some of the most important people in our lives because they saved our daughter,” she says with matter-of-fact conviction.

On February 19, 2007, Victoria celebrated both her fifth birthday and her fourth consecutive cancer-free CT scan. Displaying her usual infectious spirit at the birthday bash, surrounded by school friends and parents, she was truly the queen of the show, wearing a crown and a never-ending smile. Everyone agreed that this was not just another birthday but one to be specially savored.

Advice for Other Families

When asked for any advice they might have for other families going through the initial stages of a cancer diagnosis with their children, Pamela and Larry quickly respond with a number of suggestions: “Get multiple opinions. Go to a comprehensive cancer center. And don’t be afraid to ask your doctor any question that you have.”

“And never be in a position where you second-guess yourself after deciding where to seek treatment for your child,” Larry adds. “For us, the choice was simple: Memorial Sloan Kettering. It was the best decision we have ever made.”

#a pediatric hematologist and oncologist #CT scan #Peter Steinherz #stage IV Wilms’ tumor #surgery and radiation therapy #Cancer

0 notes

tatumeyecare · 1 year

Text

Family Eye Care in Phoenix: A Comprehensive Guide

In the sunny and vibrant city of Phoenix, ensuring your family's eye health is paramount. From routine check-ups to specialized treatments, family eye care in Phoenix offers a range of services to keep your loved ones' vision crystal clear. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve deep into the world of eye care in the Valley of the Sun, covering everything you need to know to make informed decisions for your family's eye health.

What is Family Eye Care?

Family eye care, often referred to as pediatric or general optometry, is a specialized branch of healthcare dedicated to the visual well-being of individuals of all ages, from infants to seniors. It encompasses a wide array of services, including:

Pediatric Eye Exams

Ensuring your child's eyes are healthy and developing correctly is crucial. Regular pediatric eye exams can detect issues early and prevent vision problems in the future.

Adult Vision Care

For adults, eye care includes routine eye exams, prescription updates, and treatment for various eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts.

Senior Eye Health

As we age, our eyes become more susceptible to certain conditions like macular degeneration. Senior eye health services are designed to monitor and manage these age-related issues.

Eyewear and Contact Lenses

Family eye care providers also help in selecting the right eyeglasses or contact lenses for optimal vision correction.

Emergency Eye Care

In cases of eye injuries or sudden vision problems, seeking immediate care is crucial. Family eye care facilities in Phoenix are equipped to handle emergencies.

Why Choose Family Eye Care in Phoenix?

Phoenix boasts a thriving healthcare sector, including exceptional family eye care services. Here's why you should consider Phoenix for your family's eye health needs:

State-of-the-Art Facilities: Phoenix is home to modern and well-equipped eye care facilities that utilize cutting-edge technology for accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.

Experienced Specialists: The city boasts a pool of highly experienced and skilled eye care specialists who are well-versed in the unique needs of patients of all ages.

Comprehensive Services: Family eye care in Phoenix covers everything from routine check-ups to complex surgeries, ensuring that all your eye care needs are met under one roof.

Community-Centric Approach: Many Phoenix eye care centers prioritize community engagement, offering educational programs and resources to promote eye health awareness.

Convenience: The city's convenient locations and flexible scheduling make it easy for families to access eye care services when they need them.

The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

Regular eye exams are the cornerstone of family eye care in Phoenix. They serve various crucial purposes:

Early Detection: Eye exams can detect issues like refractive errors, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy in their early stages, often before symptoms appear.

Prescription Updates: As your family grows, so do their vision needs. Routine exams ensure that everyone has the right prescription for clear vision.

Children's Development: Pediatric eye exams are essential for monitoring a child's visual development and addressing any concerns promptly.

Prevention and Education: Eye care professionals also offer guidance on eye protection, nutrition, and lifestyle choices to prevent future eye problems.

FAQs about Family Eye Care in Phoenix

Q: How often should my family and I have our eyes checked?

Routine eye exams are recommended once a year for adults and more frequently for children, especially during their developmental years.

Q: What are the signs that my child might need glasses?

Signs include squinting, sitting too close to screens, frequent headaches, and difficulty reading or seeing distant objects clearly.

Q: Are there any natural ways to improve eye health?

Yes, maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrients like vitamin A, wearing UV-protective sunglasses, and practicing the 20-20-20 rule (taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes of screen time) can help.

Q: How can I find the best family eye care center in Phoenix?

Look for centers with experienced staff, positive patient reviews, and a comprehensive range of services. Ask for recommendations from friends or family as well.

Q: Can eye exams detect health issues beyond vision problems?

Yes, eye exams can uncover systemic health issues like diabetes and hypertension, making them a crucial part of preventive healthcare.

Q: Is family eye care covered by insurance?

Many insurance plans cover routine eye exams and vision correction needs. Check with your insurance provider to understand your coverage.

Family eye care in Phoenix is not just about maintaining good vision; it's about preserving the overall health and well-being of your loved ones. With a thriving healthcare ecosystem, experienced specialists, and a commitment to community health, Phoenix stands as an ideal destination for all your family's eye care needs. Prioritize regular eye exams, stay informed, and choose the best for your family's precious eyesight.

#Phoenix Family Optometry, #Pediatric Eye Care Phoenix,#Phoenix Eye Clinic, #Family Vision Care Center Phoenix, #Optometrist for Kids in Phoenix, #Phoenix Eye Checkup Services, #Affordable Family Eye Care Phoenix, #Children's Eye Exams Phoenix, #Phoenix Vision Health Services, #Best Family Eye Doctor Phoenix, #Comprehensive Eye Exams Phoenix,# Phoenix Eyeglasses for Families, #Pediatric Ophthalmologist Phoenix, #Family Eye Health Specialists Phoenix, #Phoenix Eye Care Solutions,# Kids' Eye Health Phoenix, #Top Family Optometrists Phoenix, #Family Eye Testing Phoenix,# Phoenix Eyewear for Children, #Family Eye Health Consultation Phoenix,# Pediatric Eye Specialists Phoenix,# Phoenix Eye Health Check, #Family-Friendly Eye Care Phoenix, #Children's Glasses Phoenix,# Phoenix Eye Screenings for Families

#Phoenix Family Optometry #Pediatric Eye Care Phoenix #Phoenix Eye Clinic #Phoenix Eye Checkup Services #Affordable Family Eye Care Phoenix #Children's Eye Exams Phoenix #Best Family Eye Doctor Phoenix #Comprehensive Eye Exams Phoenix #Phoenix Eyeglasses for Families #Family Eye Health Specialists Phoenix

0 notes

qqikelvin984-blog · 7 years

Text

Vitreoretinal Surgical treatment Fellowship.

Get in touch with the Ophthalmology Visit Office at 507-284-2744 off 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday with Friday. Moreover, your medical professional could suggest that you use a specifically created skin treatment line of product or even prescribe a skin care program specifically formulated for your skin type. Mark a New Jacket dental practitioner right now and also timetable your dental consultation. For quite kids (ages 4 and younger), a loved ones dental practitioner might recommend a pediatric dental expert, which has expertise and also training related to young children and also early tooth health and wellness. Your dental professional is going to have a particular therapy strategy designed for you accordinged to your age as well as the cause of the contamination. This is outstanding due to the fact that the other people" were actually virtually within a block of my workplace as well as capable to follow face to face to deal with" traits. My residency was defined through my coaches, Drs Caroline Betbeze, Sheryl Krohne as well as Jean Stiles, who patiently instilled their know-how as well as technological capabilities right into me, and also helped me increase immeasurably to end up being an eye doctor. Your task is actually multi-faceted: among other things it is actually to put the patient confident, equip the operatory for the dental professional, assist the dental practitioner in every technique, chart the therapy plan as the medical professional dictates, compose total explanation from the work carried out, bring in exceptional temporaries, sustain the tools and products and also agree to come in whenever someone requires support. If you liked this write-up and you would like to obtain far more information relating to http://balancexplore.info/no-ver-video-porno-son-las-responsables-de-tu-potencia-debil kindly visit the web-site. Gifts made in respect of a Scheie physician will visit reinforce his or her research, if applicable. A lot of pediatricians encourage our pediatric dental care solutions to their individuals, while other dental experts have recommended their people to our exceptional orthodontists. An office browse through to determine you for your custom-made dental appliance is actually the 1st step, adhered to through extra sees to make sure correct fit as well as effectiveness of the gadget. All 1-800-DENTIST drivers offer concern and understanding surrounded by your Chicago dental expert research study. The use of dermoscopy to strengthen diagnosis has actually been dealt with in a previous post in American Family doctor. She will certainly be actually working with orthodontic treatment with all overall dentists and is alleviating clients at pair of Dental care from the Carolinas workplaces: Gastonia, 2641 Court Disk; as well as Monroe, 2258 W. Roosevelt Blvd For instance, in the case of dental veneers, record the details material the dental expert used. Nonetheless, your pediatric dental expert can inform you when as well as just how typically your kid need to check out based upon their individual oral health and wellness. He sees clients along with eye inflammatory ailment eventually each week, and separates his continuing to be opportunity in between his research, teaching, as well as managerial roles. If a trouble is sensed, the physician must set up actions to avoid falls, like decreasing medications (when possible), enhancing ecological protection as well as promoting physical exercise that improves balance. Our team showcase a full-scale dental care network and also a staff of specialized dentists and associates who have your oral health and wellness requires dealt with. David Aizuss, MD, a Los Angeles-based eye doctor and LACMA board member, informed PNN he has received several call from individuals that are distressed that they might not find him as their ophthalmologist. Lacerations higher 1 centimeters need to be referred to an ophthalmologist for achievable stitch positioning. A poll administered due to the AGD discovered that Forty Five% from males which reacted experienced there was actually no demand for all of them to see the dental practitioner. Flouride could or even could certainly not remain in the water your kids consume or even the tooth paste they use, therefore at Western Oral in Phoenix az we offer a fast and also easy procedure along with fluoride varnish to defend your children's teeth. As your dental expert in Hillsboro for thorough oral treatment, our experts possess the warning signs you should know that indicate you might require an origin canal in Hillsboro. While the No. 1 objective of dental care to become protect and maintain your all-natural pearly whites, some teeth need to be actually eliminated or even drawn out due to severe decay, progressed periodontal health condition, or even because they have ended up being defective beyond repair. Among the best popular threat aspects for children that have dental problems is moms and dads that have dental problems.

0 notes

franchescahilton-blog · 7 years

Text

Sleep or sedation Dental care Hillsboro.

There countless reasons why individuals travel long distances for oral procedures. Convenience checklists might include totally free transport coming from the oral workplace to an accommodation or even rebates to holiday attractions. If you cherished this short article and you would like to acquire far more info with regards to click through the following article kindly visit our web page. While those with a much higher risk for dental condition might desire to view their dental practitioner every 3 to 4 months. Going mad out is totally needless if your do not recollect the final Fredericksburg dental practitioner session you possessed. The surgical operation is done under standard anaesthesia as well as depending upon the specifics from the cataracts, grow older, and also lead to the eye doctor could perform either a small laceration technique (phacoemulsification) or a huge incision approach (extracapsular cataract extraction). Your medical professional at Ophthalmology Representatives are going to help make a small, stitch-less, incision in the front of the eye. The aesthetic industry examination determines the potential reduction of field of vision and also maps the loss to assist the physician along with figuring out the trigger. Experienced support - DOCTOR Nazil Keri and also PHYSICIAN Kami Hoss together boast significant pediatric dentistry and also orthodontics experience, guaranteeing your youngster remains in good palms. Rural lawmakers are likewise considering expansions of doctor settlement incentives that end by the end of the year. Flouride might or even could not reside in the water your little ones consume or the tooth paste they make use of, therefore at Western side Oral in Phoenix we provide a quick and easy as well as simple procedure along with fluoride varnish to shield your kids's teeth. As your dental practitioner in Hillsboro for thorough oral care, we have the sign you should recognize that indicate you could require an origin canal in Hillsboro. Keep accuracy by complying with the office booking style, updating as needed to have, as well as validating client insurance protection. One or more examinations may must be actually carried out in order to help your addressing medical doctor analyze the retina and also macula (the central section of the retina). Therefore, a dental expert will definitely help moms and dads determine and examine OMDs and work with all of them to build a procedure planning. Among our experienced cosmetic dental experts are going to hear your concerns and after that examine the certain dental care work you might need through an oral assessment Off that aspect, you as well as your dental professional will certainly customize a smile remodeling to satisfy your personal unique necessities. Dr. Stivason strives for each and every client to bow out the workplace sensation fantastic about on their own, their teeth, as well as this office. Detecting a Missouri cosmetic dentistry professional really isn't as tough as you may believe. With the E4D Dental professional Chairside CAD/CAM System, you could obtain an oral crown, inlay, onlay or perhaps veneers maded in just one browse through! The dental professionals at Western Oral in Phoenix can help always keep youngsters cavity-free with preventative dental care companies consisting of regimen oral examinations and also cleansings, procedure with fluoride varnish, as well as making use of sealants. The mentor doctor have to record that he/she individually engaged as well as viewed the client in the monitoring of the individual. She preferred to come to be a loved ones medication medical professional as this offers her the ability to address individuals of all ages as well as be actually included at every stage of their life. AMY DAVIS, MD, is actually a personnel medical professional at the David Give Medical Center Family Medicine Post degree residency Plan. Consistently get here 5 to 10 minutes before your set up appointment time to allow on your own and our team enough opportunity to assess your information and also prepare for your visit. Happening upon a Kentucky cosmetic dental care specialist is certainly not as troublesome as you could think. A Chicago cosmetic dental professional could make use of dental implants to correct a single pearly white, rebuild a smile or everything between. While undertaking your oral treatment see, your pleasant Iowa dentist could search for tooth decay as well as discuss which oral procedure plans will assist improve your smile as well as get your dental wellness back on track. My tips to any sort of dental practitioner that is actually trying to find a great THAT company is actually making sure the IT provider you decide on is really acquainted with all program you have and the communication between all of them. A Detroit cosmetic dental practitioner accuseded of taking care of a missing pearly white could encourage selecting oral implants. Throughout that health examination, the physician will certainly discover the facial attributes where inflamationing and erythema (soreness of the skin) over the cheekbone exists. I was actually in the beginning worried about not possessing a THIS provider in close physical closeness to my workplace.

0 notes

briamichellewrites · 2 years

Text

Elliot had gone to the doctor for her annual checkup. She didn’t have a woman to take her, so she had to ask Phoenix since Mike was in rehab. Was it okay if he came in with her? Yeah, that was fine. They went back to the examination room where the female pediatrician checked her eyes, ears, height, weight, and blood pressure. She requested a female when she made the appointment because she felt more comfortable with her checking her body.

Was she drinking or smoking? No, she had quit smoking. Good for her. How much was she smoking? A pack every once in a while. She wasn’t a heavy smoker. What about drinking? No. Was she using drugs? No. Was she sexually active? No. Phoenix was relieved to hear that! They laughed. The pediatrician noted that she was emancipated. Yes. She had the money to pay for the appointment.

While checking her chest, the pediatrician noticed a lump in her right breast. She mentioned it to them. Did she have a family history of cancer? She thought she did on her father’s side. What about her mother’s side? She didn’t know because her mother was in prison and she couldn’t remember meeting any family members. The lump could be cancerous or it could be benign. The pediatrician asked if she could examine the breast. Okay.

After finding abnormalities, the pediatrician recommended making an appointment with a pediatric oncologist for an examination. She was given a name and phone number to call for the appointment on a business card. Thank you.

Phoenix asked more questions and they were answered as best as possible given the limited information they had. He understood. Once the examination was over, she was given privacy to get dressed. She then got her purse and walked out to the waiting room. A million things were going through her mind. In the parking garage, Phoenix asked if he could hug her. She nodded. They wrapped their arms around each other. She was so scared that she had cancer that she started crying. He asked her what was wrong.

“What if I have it?”

“Then we will do everything we can to help you. Let’s take this one step at a time. Do you want to tell your dad?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know where he is right now. I’ll call him.”

Brad was at home. Was Anna there? No, she was at a doctor’s appointment. Then, she and Phoenix were coming over. Before they did, he had to know what he was getting himself into. Was she pregnant? Fuck no! Okay. By the tears in her voice, that was the first thing he assumed. She got frustrated and told him they were coming over and she was thinking of kicking his ass! He told her that he would see them when they got there.

When they arrived, they were greeted by his English bulldog, Jacques barking. He held him back as they walked through the door. When did they get a dog? They got him a month ago. He was twelve months old and friendly. They went to the living room with Jacques following behind and sat down.

Brad asked her what was wrong. He was not worried about her kicking his ass because he had confidence Phoenix wouldn’t let her. I might have cancer. He took a deep breath. What did that mean? They had just come from her once-a-year wellness check with her pediatrician. She found a lump and abnormalities in her right breast. He put his face in his hands as he took that news in.

“Ellie, I am so sorry for asking if you were pregnant. This is far worse. You have every right to kick my ass. I should not have said that.”

“I’m too upset to do that. You’re a dick. How about that?”

“I will take that because I deserve it. What did the pediatrician say?”

“She wants me to see a pediatric oncologist for an evaluation and more tests. I’m going to make an appointment when I get home.”

Phoenix had been there the entire time. The pediatrician couldn’t say if it was cancer or if it was benign. He went over what they had been told. Jacques rubbed his face against her leg because she was upset. She leaned forward and pet him. Thank you. Could she pick him up? Oh, yeah. He could sit on the furniture. She picked him up and placed him on her lap then continued petting him.

Brad asked if take her to the appointment. Yeah, thanks. Okay. They noticed how Jacques had calmed her down. She was still upset but was focusing her energy on the dog for the moment. It was a very scary situation to have a possible cancer diagnosis. If she was diagnosed with cancer, he would spare no expense for her to have the best medical care possible. He would get the best doctors and the best treatments for his little girl.

Phoenix echoed what he had said earlier. They were going to do everything they could to help her. Whether it was taking her to chemotherapy appointments, taking care of Bruce, helping her with chores around the house, or running errands for her. For now, though. They should take it one step at a time. She nodded while wiping her tears.

While they were there, she decided to call and make the earliest available appointment. That was for a couple of days out at ten o’clock. Brad would take her. She wrote down the information on the business card. What was her name? Jayde Johnson. J-a-y-d-e. Her last name was s-o-n. Did she have health insurance? Yes. After confirming the appointment, she thanked the receptionist before hanging up. Brad asked for the card, so she handed it to him.

He got up and walked over to the kitchen to look for scratch paper. It took him a couple of minutes before he could write down the information from the card. He then handed it back to her. She put it back in her purse. Jacques was hungry, so he looked for a way to get to the kitchen without making the human upset.

She got the hint because she could hear his stomach growling, so she put him back on the floor. Thank you, human! He went over to his food dish and started eating. Phoenix asked her if she wanted to tell Mike. No, not until after the appointment. He could tell the other guys, but not Mike. Not yet. Okay, he would respect that. Brad asked permission to tell George and Matt. Yeah, she trusted them. They were also uncles to her.

Phoenix didn’t look well when he showed up the next morning at the studio. What’s wrong? They had to promise not to tell Mike. Elliot wanted to wait until after he was finished with rehab. They agreed. She may have breast cancer. They took a minute to take that in. How? She was so young?

He had gone to her doctor’s appointment with her the previous afternoon and during the exam, the pediatrician found a lump. She was going to see a pediatric oncologist the following day with her father. They would keep her in their thoughts. Thank you. She was going to need it. Rob understood why he didn’t want them to tell Mike. It might interfere with his recovery. They agreed. He needed to focus on himself first.

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon

1 note · View note

tatumeyecare · 1 year

Text

Phoenix Eye Exam: Your Comprehensive Guide to Eye Care in Phoenix

In the vibrant city of Phoenix, taking care of your vision is of utmost importance. Whether you're seeking a routine eye exam or specialized care, this article is your ultimate guide to everything related to eye health in Phoenix. From finding the best eye doctors to understanding the various types of eye exams available, we've got you covered. Let's delve into the world of Phoenix eye care.

The Importance of Regular Eye Exams

Your eyes are the windows to your soul, and they also provide a window into your overall health. Regular eye exams are essential for several reasons:

1. Vision Correction

Phoenix eye exam services include thorough vision tests to identify and correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. These exams help you see the world clearly again.

2. Early Disease Detection

Many eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts, develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages. Regular eye exams can detect these conditions early, allowing for timely treatment and preserving your vision.

3. Health Insights

Your eyes can reveal underlying health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and even certain cancers. Eye doctors in Phoenix are skilled at recognizing these signs during routine exams.

Finding the Best Eye Doctor in Phoenix

When it comes to your eye health, choosing the right eye doctor is crucial. Here are some factors to consider when searching for the best eye doctor in Phoenix:

1. Qualifications and Experience

Look for an experienced Phoenix optometrist or ophthalmologist with the necessary qualifications and a strong track record of providing quality eye care.

2. Services Offered

Ensure that the eye doctor offers the services you require, whether it's a comprehensive eye exam, pediatric eye exam, contact lens exam, or specialized care.

3. Reviews and Recommendations

Check online reviews and ask for recommendations from friends and family to gauge the reputation of the eye doctor you're considering.

4. Accessibility and Convenience

Consider the location and office hours of the eye clinic. A conveniently located clinic with flexible hours can make scheduling appointments easier.

Types of Eye Exams Available in Phoenix

Phoenix offers a wide range of eye exams to cater to different needs:

Comprehensive Eye Exam

A comprehensive eye exam in Phoenix includes a series of tests to evaluate your vision and eye health. It is recommended for individuals of all ages as it provides a thorough assessment of your eyes.

Pediatric Eye Exam

Pediatric eye exams are designed for children and focus on detecting and treating vision issues early in life. These exams are essential for ensuring your child's visual development.

Contact Lens Exam

If you wear or are considering contact lenses, a contact lens exam is necessary. This exam measures your eye's curvature and determines the right type of lenses for you.

Glaucoma Test

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Regular glaucoma tests are essential, especially if you have a family history of the disease.

Cataract Screening

Cataracts are common among seniors. Regular cataract screenings help in the early detection of this condition, allowing for timely surgical intervention.

Retina Specialist

A retina specialist in Phoenix is an expert in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the retina. If you have retina-related issues, consult a specialist for the best care.

Laser Eye Surgery

For those seeking to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery offers a permanent solution. Consult with a trusted Phoenix eye surgeon for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How often should I get an eye exam?

You should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once every two years. However, if you have certain risk factors or eye conditions, your eye doctor may recommend more frequent visits.

Are pediatric eye exams different from regular eye exams?

Yes, pediatric eye exams are specially designed to evaluate the unique visual needs of children. They often involve child-friendly tests and techniques to ensure accurate results.

What should I expect during a glaucoma test?

A glaucoma test typically involves measuring your intraocular pressure and assessing the health of your optic nerve. It's a painless procedure that helps in early glaucoma detection.

Is laser eye surgery painful?

Laser eye surgery is generally not painful, as numbing drops are used to ensure your comfort during the procedure. Some discomfort or dryness may be experienced in the days following surgery.

Can I drive after a comprehensive eye exam?

In most cases, you can drive after a comprehensive eye exam, as your eyes may only be dilated temporarily. However, it's a good idea to bring sunglasses to reduce glare and light sensitivity.

What is the cost of a comprehensive eye exam in Phoenix?

The cost of a comprehensive eye exam in Phoenix can vary depending on the provider and the services included. On average, it may range from $75 to $150.

Taking care of your vision is a lifelong commitment, and Phoenix offers a plethora of options for eye care. Whether you're in need of a routine eye exam or specialized treatment, the city boasts experienced eye doctors and state-of-the-art clinics to cater to your needs. Remember, regular eye exams are the key to maintaining clear vision and detecting eye conditions early. So, schedule your Phoenix eye exam today and prioritize your eye health.

#Phoenix eye exam #Eye test in Phoenix #Best eye doctor Phoenix #Phoenix optometrist #Affordable eye exam Phoenix #Vision test Phoenix #Comprehensive eye exam #Phoenix eye check-up #Cheap eye exam Phoenix #Eye examination Phoenix #Same-day eye exam Phoenix

0 notes