Two Steps Forward...One Step Back

Two steps forward...one step back!

This week we continued our mad dash of doctor appointments during the month of March. Andy had ear surgery on Monday, and I am happy to say he is doing extremely well. We ran into a few glitches along the way. Andy's ENT primarily does his practice through St. Mary's Hospital (which we did not know). After preregistering him, St. Mary's called and denied him surgery citing his SB & hydrocephalus. I was shocked! SB has nothing to do w/ his ears, and he is supposed to be treated the same as any other child with the exception of not being introduced to latex. It didn't help that they called and told me this during the day while I was teaching. Sometimes I think it pays off to be demanding though. After calling his neuro's office and placing numerous phone calls, a spot opened at DeVos w/ a partner surgeon. Two days later, Andy went into surgery flirting with the nurse, and he came out of it happier than one could possibly be. One step forward!

Robby had his appointment today with the Sleep Clinic. During the last week, Robby has become the new owner of his dad's old John Deere Grater (a piece of construction equipment). This was our latest bride to get him to sleep in his own room. It's amazing how much more room a bedroom has when four people are not sleeping in it! Robby has taken up camp on the floor of his room, but at least we are off to a start. He still wakes about 5 times throughout the night, but we are hoping that his tonsil surgery next week will decrease this. At this point we do not have to go back to the sleep clinic unless another issue comes up. Second step forward!

And then... we were told today that we need to send Robby to a pediatric heart specialist. Tomorrow, at this 3 year check-up, I have to have the pediatrician make a referral. Apparently Robby's heart murmur has grown louder and is now in a new location from where he previously heard it. I don't know what to think. Some heart murmurs go away as children grow older, but seriously, who wants to hear that their child needs to go to a heart surgeon? No one. One step back!

After reading other people's blogs, I started to think...you've got to be kidding me. How is it that every other family has such amazing children that never fight, that smile at the camera, that never grab Sharpie markers. But then I thought... our life would be dull if I just told you about all of that. After reading this, don't you just have to laugh, smile, or cry? I never thought my phone list would have this many doctor's names & phone numbers saved in it under frequently called numbers. I'm on a first name basis w/ many of them and their secretaries. Tomorrow, I figure I'll just add another one to the bunch.