Our son goes to a lot of doctor appointments. As a result, he's learned that, when he sees a stethoscope, he's going to be violated in some way. It's made him less than enamored with the medical profession. In fact, instead of using Time Out, whenever Max misbehaves, we should just show him a lab coat and some tongue depressors. For him, that would be the equivalent of a spanking or, say, water-boarding.
In addition to the numerous other challenges our son, Max, faces, he also has a condition called Cataplexy. Cataplexy sounds like something you'd find in an airport, as in "You'll need to take the cataplexy over to Terminal 5" or "Someone accidentally lowered the cataplexy onto one of the baggage handlers."
Cataplexy causes sudden, temporary paralysis. All of your muscles go slack and you collapse. It's kind of like what most people experience after sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office for a long time. Half way through a People magazine and selections from Kenny G you wonder if you'll ever be able to walk again.
Unfortunately, it's not as gradual as when you're waiting to see the dermatologist. With cataplexy, it can happen with no warning. One minute Max is up and walking around and a second later he is in a heap on the floor. With some people, symptoms such as these might lead to a diagnosis of Alcoholism. However, as protective parents, we have tried to limit Max's time in bars to just three days a week.
