If you haven't read about my drama with the insurance company, check out yesterday's post. Today, I have better news, though!
After being on the phone with the doctors and insurance company all morning yesterday, I decided I needed to take Kate to the doctor. She had been coughing for a couple days, but it was starting to sound like wheezing. They scheduled us for a 3:00 appointment. We made it into the office at 3:08, after I had to wake Kate from her afternoon nap. She was less than thrilled to be going to the doctor, but I'm so glad I took her. Her behavior doesn't really scream "sick kid," but when she starts coughing, as my husband put it, "you just want to hold her." The verdict? Pneumonia. I was expecting to maybe get an antibiotic, but not a pneumonia diagnosis. Instead of one antibiotic, we have two antibiotics, one steroid and breathing treatments. The good news is, her 36 hours of 102 degree fevers seem to be over. She slept soundly last night and seems to be coughing less this morning. Thankfully, she's not fighting the breathing treatments too hard. Convincing a three-year-old to rest, however, is not so easy!
While we were at the doctor's office, the office manager called me back to her office to talk about Jack's cardiologist appointment. After another phone call with the insurance company, she had a solution. Six weeks later, the insurance company did the smart thing and pointed out another practice we could go to that they would approve. Not sure why it had to take so long, but at least it's an answer. So we have an appointment next Tuesday. Not great timing, since Kraig will be at camp, but I'll be glad to have it over. Our doctor doesn't normally refer to this cardiologist, because he tends to want to run every test in the book--necessary or not. It will get the job done, though, so I'm thankful for a solution.
After the doctor's appointment, we had our highlight of the day. We headed to Target to drop off Kate's prescriptions. I had a coupon to receive a $5 Target gift card with the purchase of a prescription, so it seemed like the place to go--especially with three prescriptions to fill. We dropped them off and then headed to meet Kraig for dinner. When we went back to get the meds, my favorite pharmacy tech was there to help me. She got the meds and I handed her my coupon. When she handed me my receipt, she gave me THREE $5 gift cards and mumbled about it to me very quietly. I questioned her and she said, "You're a loyal customer. I feel like you deserve it." So I told her that had literally made my day and shared with her a few of the negative points of the day. She told me she'd be praying. It was very sweet and redeeming to feel like someone in the world does actually care about others. I was very grateful to end the chaos of the day on that note.
In other news, Jackson apparently likes to eat deodorant. Oh the joys of parenthood:)
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Therapeutic writing..
Can you tell the summer has been busy? Our teen summer conference trip has come and gone, and Kraig is gearing up for senior high church camp next week. The summer is cruisin' past at a speed that deserves a ticket. A few highlights, though:
The conference trip went well. Having my mom with me was a life-saver. It allowed me to be there and actually participate with the teens, rather than just be available when Jack's behavior allowed. For the most part, he did very well. He slept decently and ate well. He came home with bronchitis, for whatever reason, but all-in-all, it was great. As far as the conference went, it was an amazing week. Our students were definitely impacted (as were we). I enjoyed the trip much more than last year, when I travelled at 34 or 35 weeks pregnant, contracting the whole time. I'm very grateful that I was able to go. You never have a better opportunity to connect with your students than in weeks like that.
While we were gone, Kate stayed with Kraig's parents and did very well. She was a busy little bee while she was gone and barely had time to miss us. I'm very glad that she is an independent little girl who can tolerate a week away from Mom and Dad. We missed her terribly, but she had a great time!
In the mean time, we've been waiting on a pediatric cardiologist appointment for Jackson. The doctor discovered a new murmur at his most recent well-baby visit and sent us for a consult. There are no pediatric cardiologist that participate with our plan, however, so we're all tied up in insurance red tape. The paperwork has been submitted for over six weeks, yet they still have done nothing with it. Today was supposed to be his appointment, but they're not done reviewing yet. I've been on the phone with the insurance company and both doctor's offices numerous times, only to realize that they've been lying to me. They've told me and both doctor's offices different stories about why it's taking so long. In the past two days, they've had the request re-faxed three times. Sounds like they're realllllly on top of things over there. I tried to speak with someone who actually handles authorizations, but, of course, they don't communicate directly to customers. Finally, I was told that it was going to have to be transferred to another authorization department and it would be another 10-14 days. Today's appointment was rescheduled for next Wednesday, so we're praying they'll get it done before then. This Momma isn't ready to wait any longer. I broke down on the phone with the cardiologist's office. I've tried to be patient, but I'm ready for an answer. The insurance phone-answerer (that can be the only thing that they're semi-good for, since you can't speak directly to anyone who actually does any real work) asked if I wanted to file a complaint. I told her (not so nicely), "I'm sure I will, but let's see how the next 10-14 days go!" If it gets any worse, I'll be doing more than just filing a complaint with them. This is unacceptable when it comes to a patient's health--and that goes for any patient, not just my kid!
So now we're waiting again and praying for peace in the meantime. Taking Kate for a sick appointment today (she has a nasty cold) and hoping the doctor can give me some reassurance.
Two weeks til Jack's birthday!!! How is this possible?!
The conference trip went well. Having my mom with me was a life-saver. It allowed me to be there and actually participate with the teens, rather than just be available when Jack's behavior allowed. For the most part, he did very well. He slept decently and ate well. He came home with bronchitis, for whatever reason, but all-in-all, it was great. As far as the conference went, it was an amazing week. Our students were definitely impacted (as were we). I enjoyed the trip much more than last year, when I travelled at 34 or 35 weeks pregnant, contracting the whole time. I'm very grateful that I was able to go. You never have a better opportunity to connect with your students than in weeks like that.
While we were gone, Kate stayed with Kraig's parents and did very well. She was a busy little bee while she was gone and barely had time to miss us. I'm very glad that she is an independent little girl who can tolerate a week away from Mom and Dad. We missed her terribly, but she had a great time!
In the mean time, we've been waiting on a pediatric cardiologist appointment for Jackson. The doctor discovered a new murmur at his most recent well-baby visit and sent us for a consult. There are no pediatric cardiologist that participate with our plan, however, so we're all tied up in insurance red tape. The paperwork has been submitted for over six weeks, yet they still have done nothing with it. Today was supposed to be his appointment, but they're not done reviewing yet. I've been on the phone with the insurance company and both doctor's offices numerous times, only to realize that they've been lying to me. They've told me and both doctor's offices different stories about why it's taking so long. In the past two days, they've had the request re-faxed three times. Sounds like they're realllllly on top of things over there. I tried to speak with someone who actually handles authorizations, but, of course, they don't communicate directly to customers. Finally, I was told that it was going to have to be transferred to another authorization department and it would be another 10-14 days. Today's appointment was rescheduled for next Wednesday, so we're praying they'll get it done before then. This Momma isn't ready to wait any longer. I broke down on the phone with the cardiologist's office. I've tried to be patient, but I'm ready for an answer. The insurance phone-answerer (that can be the only thing that they're semi-good for, since you can't speak directly to anyone who actually does any real work) asked if I wanted to file a complaint. I told her (not so nicely), "I'm sure I will, but let's see how the next 10-14 days go!" If it gets any worse, I'll be doing more than just filing a complaint with them. This is unacceptable when it comes to a patient's health--and that goes for any patient, not just my kid!
So now we're waiting again and praying for peace in the meantime. Taking Kate for a sick appointment today (she has a nasty cold) and hoping the doctor can give me some reassurance.
Two weeks til Jack's birthday!!! How is this possible?!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Happy Birthday, Kate!
Happy Birthday, Kate! Today she turns 3. We had a fun morning opening presents, going to the Discovery Museum and eating Kate's favorite Chipotle for lunch. I told her we'd cut the cake after nap time, but here's a preview pic. Nothing fancy, but she wanted a rainbow cake. Hopefully, we'll be able to have a low key evening and get her all packed up to go to Grandma's tomorrow! I know she's excited to swim in the pool. I'd make a list of Kate's accomplishments to brag about how advanced she is for her age, but the list would be too long for this space. Haha. She really is a smart little girl who is very sweet most of the time. I won't lie, we've had MANY 'terrible two' moments, but the good always outweighs the bad. She's a sweet little girl who loves Jesus and her family. She sings better than half the pop stars today and knows just as many songs as they do. She talks like a big kid and has a rapidly expanding vocabulary ("not to mention a phenomenal grasp of grammar and a superlative command of syntax." Anyone??) We're very proud of her and can't imagine how different the past three years would have been without her. She is a blessing and it is an honor to be her parents.
Hope you're all staying cool today!!
Next week's post: Kate turns 10. Stay tuned, it will happen that fast! :-(
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Blog-worthy news!
I've been a little silent in the blog world lately. Not necessarily intentional, but life has just been crazy. We've dealt with several home issues, our central air is broken, we've had big youth things to do, we've done a 25 hour trip to Ohio for a funeral, we've vacationed with my family, dealt with nasty thunderstorms. It's been crazy. Tomorrow Kate will turn three, so I'll save a post for her for later, but today Jackson is begging for an update!
Jack will be 11 months old on Sunday. He's a little chatterbox. His vocabulary is growing little by little. He says mama, dada, bye-bye, bite, up and he's always trying to sing along with whatever music is on. He shakes his head yes or no. He's waving hi/bye. He's eating three meals a day, along with us, and still nursing 2-3 times a day. Some days I think he's ready to wean and other days I'm not sure how long he'll want to continue. My goal was to make it to 11 months and we've basically done that. Very cool. For the past couple weeks he's been taking a few steps here or there, only to realize what he's doing and then take a seat. Saturday, however, he decided it wasn't so scary anymore. It's official: we have a walker. More than a week shy of 11 months, Jack took the plunge. Anyone remember how old Kate was? He has her beat by nearly 8 months. Haha!
He had a checkup a few weeks ago and weighed something like 21 lbs 2 oz. He's 50 percentile for weight, 75-90 for height and his head, much like his sisters, is off the charts. He's obviously going through a developmental stage (throwing fits, being extra clingy, learning to walk, etc). He's recently decided he doesn't want to feed himself anymore, and he wants to be fed while sitting on your lap. He loves playing with cars and trucks, especially all the new tractor toys he got for an early birthday present from my parents. He's sleeping pretty well at night. Bedtime is at 8:30 and he usually wakes around 6, when I bring him to bed with us and he nurses back to sleep until 7 or 8. Still not as good of a sleeper as Kate was, but I'm very grateful that he sleeps through the night.
Sunday, we're taking the teens to the CIY: Move conference. This year we're going to Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Kate will be spending the week with Kraig's parents and Jackson will be coming along with us. My mom will be going with us to help out with Jackson, so that I can focus on why we're there but still be around to nurse him. I'm a little nervous about it, but it was the only option that allowed me to go too. I'm praying it will be a great week and that he will sleep well. We shall see!
Kate update to follow soon!! Hope you're all doing well:-)
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| Jackson "riding" one of his new toys (and apparently going through my wallet!) |
Jack will be 11 months old on Sunday. He's a little chatterbox. His vocabulary is growing little by little. He says mama, dada, bye-bye, bite, up and he's always trying to sing along with whatever music is on. He shakes his head yes or no. He's waving hi/bye. He's eating three meals a day, along with us, and still nursing 2-3 times a day. Some days I think he's ready to wean and other days I'm not sure how long he'll want to continue. My goal was to make it to 11 months and we've basically done that. Very cool. For the past couple weeks he's been taking a few steps here or there, only to realize what he's doing and then take a seat. Saturday, however, he decided it wasn't so scary anymore. It's official: we have a walker. More than a week shy of 11 months, Jack took the plunge. Anyone remember how old Kate was? He has her beat by nearly 8 months. Haha!
He had a checkup a few weeks ago and weighed something like 21 lbs 2 oz. He's 50 percentile for weight, 75-90 for height and his head, much like his sisters, is off the charts. He's obviously going through a developmental stage (throwing fits, being extra clingy, learning to walk, etc). He's recently decided he doesn't want to feed himself anymore, and he wants to be fed while sitting on your lap. He loves playing with cars and trucks, especially all the new tractor toys he got for an early birthday present from my parents. He's sleeping pretty well at night. Bedtime is at 8:30 and he usually wakes around 6, when I bring him to bed with us and he nurses back to sleep until 7 or 8. Still not as good of a sleeper as Kate was, but I'm very grateful that he sleeps through the night.
Sunday, we're taking the teens to the CIY: Move conference. This year we're going to Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Kate will be spending the week with Kraig's parents and Jackson will be coming along with us. My mom will be going with us to help out with Jackson, so that I can focus on why we're there but still be around to nurse him. I'm a little nervous about it, but it was the only option that allowed me to go too. I'm praying it will be a great week and that he will sleep well. We shall see!
Kate update to follow soon!! Hope you're all doing well:-)
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