Doctor "Lets start with the face..."

      Doctor appointment after Doctor appointment has began to take over my life. Walk in, Sign in,Wait...repeat. Doctor walks in, "How are you Mrs.Killion?" the small talk starts. She informed me that she was soon getting out of the military and she was no longer going to be able to take care of Mason. She asked if it was okay for the doctor who was going to take over her position to sit in on this appointment. Well of course its okay I said. She leaves the room, comes in with the soon replacement doctor. Again with the small talk. "How are you? Nice to meet you."
      I lay Mason on the table, who is in his diaper only...and his normal doctor says " okay lets start with his face, what do you notice that is different?" The other doctor replies saying " his eyes are further apart, his nose is flat, he has a small round face..."
I looked at the two doctors in complete utter frustration. I'm thinking to myself  "What the hell do they think they are doing?"
      They continue on... "Do you see how he has a very thick neck, and his ears are lower? Now lets look at his hands" She pointed out the Palmer's crease (which he has on one hand) and also pointed out the chubbiness of his fingers. I couldn't even speak I was so frustrated and angry. One doctor picked him up, having him in standing position, laying over her arm and she says " Down syndrome babies have poor muscle tone and they "drape" like a wet towel." Just then Mason proved her wrong and shot straight up not "draping" I had to giggle. ha ha
      "WET TOWEL???" My mind was racing at this point I could think of a thousand names to call her and it wasnt going to be a wet towel. The appointment seemed to take forever, they continued on talking about his shorter legs, his feet how there is a gap between his big toe and little toes, talked about how their mouths are small, tongues are big and so on... I asked his doctor what the point of pointing everything out was, and she told me the doctor who is replacing her hasn't worked with a baby with Down syndrome and she wanted to point some things out. I couldn't believe my ears. They couldn't do this in the office after the appointment? All they looked at was his looks.What does that have to do with his medical needs? I knew this was the first and last time this doctor was going to see my son. Where is the compassion?
      Compassionate reassignment was brought up to me at the hospital months prior after finding out Mason did have Downs. I loved my friends, loved Alaska, and wasn't ready to move. The papers were in process of getting approved or denied at this point. After this appointment I realized it would be best to move, for Mason so he can have doctors who work with kids with Down syndrome and have all the medical needs in our area also. I went home had a talk with Mike about our appointment and how disgusted I was. He agreed Mason would not be going back to that doctor.