Never Trust Authority! Ever! Under Any Circumstances!

“If that was my daughter, that’s what I would do.”

I sat across from a new pediatrician. My 14-year-old had been having some trouble with her knee that I casually asked about. I had a pretty good idea that she just needed to strengthen some of the muscles and tendons supporting her joints. I had asked mostly for reassurance, hoping the response was, “It’s just part of growing up,” or “That’s very common in growing bodies.” “She’ll grow out of it.” I had received this response from doctors before.

But not this time.

Instead, I was referred to orthopedic specialists at the Children’s Hospital. That felt like overkill. This didn’t seem like a complicated issue. I had other practitioners tell me the very things I thought this doctor would repeat. But I had also thought my daughter would outgrow the issue by now, and that’s what had me worried. It left me reaching for more reassurance.

I left the office and my initial thought was, I’m not doing that. Sometimes, we should trust our initial thoughts. But, I let fear, one of the most destructive decision-makers, guide my path. And, the doctor had more or less implied, with her statement, that I would be a poor mother if I didn’t take this course of action.

So I did.

After avoiding it for some time, I set up an appointment and we headed over an hour away to the state-of-the-art Children’s Hospital. I knew from several friends who had used them, they were good. Not just good, excellent. Truthfully, I would have canceled the appointment, but received an estimate for $210 for our visit, that would be entirely covered by our insurance. That didn’t sound quite right, but I assumed this hospital would know what they were doing. They did this all the time, while I, on the other hand, had only been here out of necessity when another daughter had appendicitis.

The care was indeed excellent. When we arrived the medical assistant immediately referred us to radiology, which again seemed unnecessary as I was 99% certain the issue had nothing to do with my daughter’s bones. I said as much but was quickly dismissed, with the understanding that this was the procedure or essential or something.

The practitioner who came to show us the results of the x-ray, examine my daughter, and discuss the situation was incredibly knowledgeable, but not at all surprising in her diagnosis.

My daughter had Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.

Yikes, sounds terrible right?

Good thing we got a diagnosis, yes?

But what exactly is this Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?

Knee pain.

Mind-blowing right?

I already knew she had knee pain. The practitioner went on to explain that it was a very common issue, often called runner’s knee. This had basically been what previous practitioners had told us, but for some reason, this new doctor felt the need to refer us to the highest, most state-of-the-art, treatment. And I, going against my better judgment had complied.

We were ultimately referred to physical therapy. A recommendation we had already received.

The $210 of covered treatment turned out to be over $1,100 for a diagnosis I had more or less, already been given.

Why did I do this?

Because if I am a good mother, (spoken by someone in a position of extreme authority), I would seek the best medical care, no matter how unnecessary, and with no concern for the repercussions.

To say I was infuriated as not one, but two bills came my way, each both much more than the hospital had indicated the entire visit would cost, is a bit of an understatement.

And it seems this Instagram post by Russell Brand says it best.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtBderkqs_L/

“Never trust authority, ever, under any circumstance! Always disobey! Always! …never automatically trust authority.”

He presented this message when asked to speak at his children’s school. I’m sure the teachers were thrilled, and it was just the message they were hoping he would share.

Hilarious really, if you have ever worked with children, because you, quite frankly, want the exact opposite. In fact, that’s how we’ve also been trained and reinforced. Follow authority, unquestioning!

If the current state of the world shows anything, it is that we can no longer move forward not questioning authority. And let’s be honest, this is a lesson that history has taught well.

We must question authority.

We must take ownership of the people and things over which we carry responsibility. A large and powerful government does not govern well.

My bowing down to authority and worrying about the perceptions of others cost me $1,100, but thank goodness it did not cost me more.

Thank goodness I did not sacrifice my child’s body parts to authority or my child’s mental health. It is a $1,100 lesson that I hope not to forget, but one which I will need a regular reminder to avoid.

Authority bias, the mere belief in the presence of authority, has a powerful influence on the human mind promoting unquestioning obedience, as psychology has repeatedly shown in experiments.

(Hello Stanley Milgram.)

You hear these sad and terrifying stories of practitioners now amputating children’s body parts because of how they feel. “What kind of parent could do that?” you wonder.

It seems safe to say it is a parent who does not question enough and who has been manipulated by authority figures.

“Would you rather have a dead child?”

Of course, no parent wants that so the answer is castration and mutilation, because surely that is better than death which has been purported to be the only other option.

We can no longer trust authority. You must start to trust yourself and find professionals and authority figures who align with that. Do not trust therapists who tell you that you or your children are forever wounded and it is someone else’s fault.

Don’t trust doctors who tell you that your child cannot live a good life the way they were created.

We’d like to believe that money is not a motivation when doctors have been sworn to “Do no harm,” but can we ever be sure?

The cost of medical care may say otherwise.

Never unquestioningly trust authority. Ever!