Have you ever had a long list of things to do and wondered how you were going to get it all done? I’ve spent days and nights wishing there was an extra hour or two to a day—24 hours just never seems to be enough! I’ve definitely resorted to simplifying things as the years pass and am all for convenience, especially when it comes to my children. Sign me up for anything that keeps my to-do list shortened!
I remember my childhood when days and nights seemed endless.. I can almost guarantee it didn’t feel the same way for my mom. There were only two children in my family, my brother and I, and my dad was constantly working at his full-time job or busy doing a side job. My mom managed to get it all done, every single day! Even when one of us was sick, she would drag us both to the doctor for an appointment, take care of us 24/7, and still have everything in order at our home. With five children of my own and my own husband always working, I truly don’t know how she did it without the added conveniences we have today. Some days I feel like I’m sinking—even when everything is going right!
I heavily rely on services like Instacart for grocery deliveries right to my home, Target Drive Up for anything I immediately need without having to drag the kids into the store, and Amazon Prime for items that I can wait a day or two to get. Instead of lying in bed at night, worrying about all that I need to do in the coming days, I’m able to simply click on a website to add items right into my cart. After checking out and receiving the message: “Your personal shopper has begun checking things off your list.” It’s like a weight has instantly lifted, and a great way to start the day!
Just like those delivery and pick up shopping services, Anytime Pediatrics offers me the same conveniences for my children. It is like a personal shopper for all things health related.
Unfortunately, we’ve run the gamut with illnesses this fall. Call after call came in from the school nurse during what seemed like a never-ending week. A week has turned into a long month because each elementary child in my house shared the germs from school with the next sibling in our house—one right after the other. While it is notated in their school files that seasonal allergies are usually to blame for their runny nose, stuffy heads, congestion, sneezing and coughing, these are concerns that need to be addressed, especially, because of COVID. The school and nurses are extra cautious, as are we. However, we also don’t want to run to the pediatrician office regularly. With five kids, we could be on a regular rotation!
A telemedicine visit on the Anytime App quickly alleviates any of our worries. Instead of adding another timely event, such as a doctor appointment, to our daily routine, we are easily connected with our pediatrician in our home or even in the car to get the info we need to keep our children in school. Once the symptoms are discussed, and our child is “seen,” we come up with a plan for treatment with the doctor. They have even been able to upload a signed letter to our online portal within minutes to send to the school nurse, validating the okay to return to school.
I recently made a purchase that seems to be another lifesaver for us at the Ryan household: a digital otoscope that we can connect to our computer or iPhone to show the doctor the inside of our kids’ ears! During allergy season, there can be some pain in their ears, and this helps confirm if there is or isn’t an infection. These new technologies are amazing! As a parent, in these crazy times, we are SO GRATEFUL for these inventions and conveniences. Especially something as simple as a digital photo uploaded to the doctor in advance of our appointment has helped make our Anytime App visit quick and convenient!
While we are lucky to have the Anytime App, we are even luckier that our pediatrician has adopted these technologies to keep up with their day-to-day (and night-to-night) operations. It not only makes it easier for us but is an added convenience for them to have a happy, smiling patient on the other end! My children are so excited to see their doctor on their iPad and actually look forward to their telemedicine appointments! They know there is nothing to be afraid of and are so used to this new way of visiting their doctor…when our children are happy, we as parents are happy, too!
