Today I was talking to my girlfriend about B's ear situation. I figured the following:
1-If my kids' surgeries had all been done separately, we would have endured 19 surgeries/operations at our house.
2-We have paid a MINIMUM of $9,600 for tubes/adenoids/tonsils for 4 kids.
a - if our deductible hasn't been met, we pay a MINIMUM of $1,100 per surgery.
b - if our deductible has been met, we pay a MINIMUM of $800 per surgery
c - I figured $9,600 by multiplying 12 surgeries x $800
d - this figure does not include Samantha's broken arm when she had to be sedated and her arm set
e - this figure is only the hospital amount, not the co-pays to the ENT, co-pays to the pediatrician, co-pays for prescriptions, or the anesthesia bill, or the surgery bill for the ENT
Yes, this thoroughly depressed me. Why? That's a TON of money. And, I figure we've got a few more surgeries to endure. Why? Brooke has her second one coming up and Caleb has only had 2 sets of tubes (Sam & Nash have had 4) and Brooke has only had tubes and adenoids - not tonsils (other 3 have had tonsils out too).
What's unfortunate is that this total doesn't include our dental bills. And yes, we have AT LEAST 1 set of braces and an implant in our future.
I think I will seriously recommend DNA testing for my children before they marry! That or suggest they all go to ENT school or marry a doctor!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cheaper by the dozen
Today I took Brookelyn back into the ENT to have her follow up again. Her right ear was clogged...again. Fortunately for her, we didn't hold her down and unclog it. Dr. Blotter has decided we need to remove the tube that's in her right ear now and replace it with not just one, but two, brand new tubes (a different kind of course). So, we had the pleasure of scheduling TUBE ROUND 12 today. Yep. An even dozen. Oy.
You know, I knew this was coming and I had been telling my family this was coming. Jinxed it, right? No, was trying to mentally prepare myself. You know what? It didn't help! I'm still bummed out for my poor baby girl that she has to have another round of tubes already.
Dr. Blotter suggests we leave the left ear alone because it has been working (and looking) beautifully. My fear is that as soon as she comes out from having a second one put into the right ear that the left ear is going to start acting up and giving us the run around. Guess all I can do is cross my fingers, right?
Now we play the waiting game. Because of my work schedule and the schedule the kids have right now, I had to wait to get her in until May 16th. We could have gone in on May 3rd, but then I'd have to miss work...again. Can't do that to my students right now because that is their last week of class to prepare their final presentations that they've been working so hard on since January! I'm just hoping that she doesn't end up with another ear infection in that ear between now and then!
I asked Dr. Blotter today if there is any other family that he knows of that has bought as many tubes as we have. His answer was a resounding No. He said that he has one guy who's nine and is getting his fifth set of tubes, but as far as a family goes, nope, we pretty much take the cake. I told him I should start a support group I guess! I can laugh about it now, but lets wait and see what Sam's allergy testing says on May 10th. We might not be laughing any more! Good thing we're done having kids, I can't afford any more medical bills!
You know, I knew this was coming and I had been telling my family this was coming. Jinxed it, right? No, was trying to mentally prepare myself. You know what? It didn't help! I'm still bummed out for my poor baby girl that she has to have another round of tubes already.
Dr. Blotter suggests we leave the left ear alone because it has been working (and looking) beautifully. My fear is that as soon as she comes out from having a second one put into the right ear that the left ear is going to start acting up and giving us the run around. Guess all I can do is cross my fingers, right?
Now we play the waiting game. Because of my work schedule and the schedule the kids have right now, I had to wait to get her in until May 16th. We could have gone in on May 3rd, but then I'd have to miss work...again. Can't do that to my students right now because that is their last week of class to prepare their final presentations that they've been working so hard on since January! I'm just hoping that she doesn't end up with another ear infection in that ear between now and then!
I asked Dr. Blotter today if there is any other family that he knows of that has bought as many tubes as we have. His answer was a resounding No. He said that he has one guy who's nine and is getting his fifth set of tubes, but as far as a family goes, nope, we pretty much take the cake. I told him I should start a support group I guess! I can laugh about it now, but lets wait and see what Sam's allergy testing says on May 10th. We might not be laughing any more! Good thing we're done having kids, I can't afford any more medical bills!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Samantha
Samantha was told about a week and a half ago that she would need glasses so she could finally see the white board at school. I took her into the eye dr. back in Oct. and she was boarderline then. Since she's complained about sore eyes and headaches all year I broke down and took her back in again. The last time we went in the dr. told us that she was still boarderline. I told him I was going to get her the glasses anyway because of all the trouble she's had. He said he'd give me a slightly stronger prescription then because if he went with what she was now she wouldn't be able to tell a difference when she had her glasses on. Even though she was sick the day we went to the dr.'s office she was a trooper and picked out her new glasses. They finally came in on Thursday last week so we went and picked them up. I think they are super cute on her. They don't even hide her amazing baby blues too much. I did tell her the headaches would likely get worse before they get better since it would take some adjusting for her eyes to get use to the glasses. Sure enough, today she was complaining about a headache again. Lucky for me after I gave her some ibuprofen she was miraculously cured!
Today Samantha and her dance team completed in the Showtyme Classic Dance Competition down at Clearfield High School. She just did two of her dances - ballet and jazz. Both her dances took second place and she got a trophy. She's pretty excited about her newest trophy and loves showing it off. Next Friday she competes again so I'm sure we'll be adding at least one more trophy to the collection. I think her dad's going to have to build her a shelf just for dance trophies!
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
B stumps the ENT
Today Brooke had another appointment with the ENT to check and see if her right tube was staying unclogged YET or not. Travis had the pleasure of taking her this morning. I had told him that I never get out of there in under an hour and a half. The man was out of there and on his way in 45 minutes! That is so not even fair!
And what did the ENT find when he looked in B's ear? Well, it was clogged...again....worse than last week. The left ear however looks fabulous...again. So, he unclogged her right tube...again...and put ear drops directly into her ear drum...again....and told us to continue drops for a week....again....and then come back to have it checked....AGAIN!
The prognosis? Well, lets be honest. The poor man has been stumped by my darling baby girl. He used titanium silver oxide coated T tubes when he put tubes in. These tubes NEVER clog :) He says he pulled out all the stops this time because he knows our history. If her tube is clogged again next week (and let's be honest, I will die of a heart attack induced by shock if it isn't) we will likely have to go in and place a second tube in that right ear so she has two in the same ear. Sound familiar? Oh yea, I did that already! The question becomes do we leave the left ear alone and cross our fingers that it doesn't start to clog the second she comes out of the second surgery, OR do we just insert a second tube in the left ear as well in anticipation? Putting two tubes in each ear is a bit risky. We did it with Sam, but she was older than B is now when we did it. She was about five years old. The reason it's risky is because the area where the tube is placed is quite small. By placing two tubes in it, you are increasing the likelihood that the ear drum will rupture. You also run the risk of the ear drum not repairing itself completely when the tubes come out (or should I say IF the tubes come out). Sound familiar? Oh yea, Sam had a hole that wouldn't heal fixed just over a year ago!
So, what now? Wait...and do more ear drops. If I would have known when I got married what I would go through with my children, I would have bought shares and shares and shares of Floxin (the ear drops we use) stock! I could have paid for all the surgeries the kids have had!
Did I mention that Dr. Blotter said it looked like there was a bit of infection in the right ear as well? No? Well, I just did. We took B into the pediatrician yesterday because Sunday night she was up crying all night and running a high fever. The pediatrician said it looked to be a very bad sinus infection (thank you Sam for sharing your germs) so he put her on antibiotics. Appears the sinus infection had made an EARly appearance (aren't I hilarious? :) ) So much for hoping this child would pay me back with no ear infections since she put me through 10 weeks of preterm labor and weighed 10 lbs!
And what did the ENT find when he looked in B's ear? Well, it was clogged...again....worse than last week. The left ear however looks fabulous...again. So, he unclogged her right tube...again...and put ear drops directly into her ear drum...again....and told us to continue drops for a week....again....and then come back to have it checked....AGAIN!
The prognosis? Well, lets be honest. The poor man has been stumped by my darling baby girl. He used titanium silver oxide coated T tubes when he put tubes in. These tubes NEVER clog :) He says he pulled out all the stops this time because he knows our history. If her tube is clogged again next week (and let's be honest, I will die of a heart attack induced by shock if it isn't) we will likely have to go in and place a second tube in that right ear so she has two in the same ear. Sound familiar? Oh yea, I did that already! The question becomes do we leave the left ear alone and cross our fingers that it doesn't start to clog the second she comes out of the second surgery, OR do we just insert a second tube in the left ear as well in anticipation? Putting two tubes in each ear is a bit risky. We did it with Sam, but she was older than B is now when we did it. She was about five years old. The reason it's risky is because the area where the tube is placed is quite small. By placing two tubes in it, you are increasing the likelihood that the ear drum will rupture. You also run the risk of the ear drum not repairing itself completely when the tubes come out (or should I say IF the tubes come out). Sound familiar? Oh yea, Sam had a hole that wouldn't heal fixed just over a year ago!
So, what now? Wait...and do more ear drops. If I would have known when I got married what I would go through with my children, I would have bought shares and shares and shares of Floxin (the ear drops we use) stock! I could have paid for all the surgeries the kids have had!
Did I mention that Dr. Blotter said it looked like there was a bit of infection in the right ear as well? No? Well, I just did. We took B into the pediatrician yesterday because Sunday night she was up crying all night and running a high fever. The pediatrician said it looked to be a very bad sinus infection (thank you Sam for sharing your germs) so he put her on antibiotics. Appears the sinus infection had made an EARly appearance (aren't I hilarious? :) ) So much for hoping this child would pay me back with no ear infections since she put me through 10 weeks of preterm labor and weighed 10 lbs!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Phone dump
Some of these I may have posted before, but, oh well! My kids are cute enough to post the same photo twice, right? I think so!
This was B's first pony tail/top knot.
In the tub tonight. She's recently discovered the joy of 1-standing up in the tub & thinking it's hilarious when mom freaks out 2-yelling at the baby in the faucet 3-tasting the bar of soap 4-drinking bath water like her hilarious 3 yr old brother and 5-making the biggest splashes possible.
I took this one awhile ago. I think it's funny that B sleeps with her mouth wide open like Sam does.
I took this one quite awhile ago too I think. Amazing they are getting along here. That wasn't happening today at all! Nice to have a visual reminder that it does occasionally happen!
St. Patrick's Day (well, really the day before but they were dressed so cute for school)
Caleb has discovered the joy of dress ups within the last few months. He has worn his poor pumpkin Halloween costume to DEATH. Seriously. The velcro up the back has seen much better days & needs repaired if he is to continue wearing it. He sure loves it though!
Cracks me up when she pulls out her pony tail/top knot and she's left with this awesome mohawk!
This was at California Adventures. This is the shirt she got for dancing there.
I don't even remember taking this picture! It had to have been me though because it was on my phone! She's wearing the outfit we brought her back from California too.
She is looking more like her older sister every day. However, she maintains that mischeivous sparkle in her eye that Caleb also has. I'll admit it...I'm afraid, I'm very, very afraid! I took this picture when I gave her some strawberries last week. It was so funny. I gave her just a slice or two and she snarfed them right up. When hers were gone & she realized Caleb had a whole bowl full she started smacking him and reaching for his bowl while yelling at him until he finally caved and gave her some of his! It was so funny!
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