My friend's son was strangled from behind in his 8th grade band class until he passed out. After determining that this appeared to be entirely random and without provocation, the strangler was suspended for a week, just in time to get back for the band's Disneyland trip. I don't think Brandon could go, because he's been getting bad headaches.
This happened about 3 weeks ago, and I only recently found out. His mom picked him up and took him to a doctor, who just sent him home. When he started getting the headaches, they gave him tylenol twice a day but the headaches worsened, so the doctor told them it was a rebound reaction to the tylenol.
Right.
Recently, he's gotten an MRI, where the technician said it wouldn't be able to tell them much, because it should have been ordered the first day. Meanwhile, they've been using their own HMO in this and the kid who did this random act of violence --- he may have even thought he'd killed Brandon when he went limp --- is back in class. My daughter has him in science. I have just emailed the school board that I find this unacceptable --- aside from calling in his parents and suspending him a week, no attempt at psychiatric evaluation and help for the kid or protecting the others who attend this school has been made. This is a very good public school, too, where violence does not break out.
The reason I am writing here tonight at dailykos, however, is because I am concerned about the headaches. They sometimes seem to be getting better, then come back. I can't seem to find the right keywords to tell me what the doctors should be doing to make sure that he's all right, or will be all right. On the websites I've looked at, when they talk about strangulation, they don't talk about headaches.
I know with HMOs that the first line of doctors are not as experienced and are told that they're not to spend money. Which is presumably why I spent about 8 months seeing my doctor for a variety of pains before getting diagnosed with stage 4 non-hodgkins last year. Luckily, once they know it's life or death, they hire the best, and so I am here today. Pain free and hopeful that the cancer won't return.
But right now I'm worried about Brandon --- my sister-in-law died of a brain tumor that hospitals refused to look for despite her dizzy spells, passing out, and ramblings --- she had no insurance. Brandon has insurance, but I think the best line of defense is a good offense -- going to the doctor and telling him what he needs to do. But I don't know what he needs to do.
Do you?