Pediatricians, Opticians, and Dentists, oh my!

Did you know, that starting Kindergarten requires your child to see every medical professional ever known, and that they get freaked out along the way?? This is what I have learned this summer as we get ready for T to start Kindergarten in 3 weeks.

A few weeks ago, just after Uncle Tim left, he had his 5 year appointment at the pediatrician. I expected this to be a basic well-child check-up with the added fun of shots. Since T has gotten all his vaccines on time, he hasn't had any shots since his 2-year visit. While this has been nice, it's VERY different for a 5-year-old to get shots..... VERY DIFFERENT!

So we went to his appointment, and they started with his height and weight. He's still a skinny mini in the 5th percentile for weight, and officially weights about a pound less than his younger brother. But he's still in the 50th percentile for height, so those things combined make him look like a toothpick! After the height and weight, the nurse handed him a cup, and asked him (nonchalantly, I might add) to pee in it. Okay, for you and me, we've heard that request before. The look on Trev's face.... PRICELESS!!! So I took him in the bathroom, and explained to him what he had to do and why. He was still stunned, and finally (very quietly) asked me, "Do I have to drink it?". Duh...it's a cup, he thinks they're gonna make him drink it! Yikes!!! So I quickly answered him and got him over that one! Then he was upset because I was going to stay in the bathroom with him (T is very private about going potty) and so I told him I wouldn't look while he peed, but that I would just hold the cup. Again, paranoia....he was worried about peeing on my hand! Eventually we got him over that, I didn't look, and he peed in the cup!

The rest of the visit was okay, after a LONG wait in the office for the doctor. After the doctor came in (no issues there) the nurse came back in for the shots. I only told him about the shots after we got to the doctors office. Seriously, why tell him sooner... he'll just freak out about it!!! So he got his shots, with much screaming and crying and yelling at the nurse that she better "never do that again!". 5 minutes later he was just fine!!!

A few weeks later, in fact just a few days ago, we had the 2nd visit required for kindergarten. The eye doctor. Again, I didn't warn him about this appointment, he'll just fixate on it until we go and WORRY! Yes, he's a worrier! So I told him in the car, and he was kinda quiet. But I told him they were just going to look at his eyes and check them out. He seemed fine. We went in and there were (of course) lots of glasses on the walls. We went into the office and the optician was great... checking him out and making it all seem like games. He did very well, passed all the tests, and even impressed her with his knowledge of numbers and words! At the end, she said (more to me than him), "His vision is perfect, he won't need glasses anytime soon". And Trevor let out a huge sigh and was visibly relieved. He said to me as we walked out, "I was worried I'd get glasses since you and Daddy have them". Duh.... of course you'd think that! I gotta start anticipating these things better!!!

Next week is our 2nd trip to the dentist. The kids were FANTASTIC last time they went, and went back together without me going back there at all!!! Holy cow! I'm hoping there won't be any surprises at this visit, but who knows! At this rate, I'm sure Trevor will expect or misunderstand something, but darned if I know what!!!

And the Dr said...

Today was Izzy's 2-month check-up. But before we get to that, let's briefly recap last nights events....

Last night, Izzy and I attended a baby shower for a friend who is due in a few weeks. This was a gathering of my online mom's group of friends, and many wanted to meet Izzy for the first time. She was dressed to kill (in one of her many fabulous outfits) and she ate just before we left, and therefore she was in a GREAT mood. She was wide-eyed, alert, and more than ready to play "pass the baby". She let everyone and anyone hold her! And only complained twice in 3.5 hours that she was hungry (she likes to cluster feed at night to get ready for bed).

So she ate at 6, 7:30 and 8:45. At 9:30 we headed home. I had changed her into a clean diaper and jammies, and had high hopes that a 20 minute car ride home would put her to sleep and then I could either a)transfer her to her crib, or b) but her car seat in her bedroom and just leave her there! We arrived home, and there was miss bright-eyes wide awake! So she said hi to Daddy, and then demanded another feeding. But still, as I fed her I thought, okay this is it for the night, she'll fall asleep and I'll put her in bed. Nope... not sleeping! At this point she was awake for about 4+ hours straight!!! Geez kid...

Regardless, I tried putting her to bed, knowing she was tired. But that's not how Iz likes to fall asleep....she likes to move, either in swing or car or vibrating bouncy seat. So that didn't go well. Both Daddy and I tried rocking and swinging and dancing with her to get her to sleep but no dice. Heck, we tried moving the swing up to her room and letting her sleep there. Nope. No sleeping, and at that point she didn't want to be held either. So we left her there in her crib to cry... at midnight she passed out from exhaustion (I think)! And slept til 4:30.

Lessons learned:

• she can go 6.5 hours beteween feedings!
• she can scream for 2 hours before falling asleep!

Hopefuly we can get to a point where we sleep for 6.5 hours and skip the 2 hours of screaming. Then I would be a happy mommy!!

As for the Dr visit... Izzy is growing just fine. She's in the 25th percentile for everything. She weighs 9 lbs 13 oz, she's 22 inches long, and her head is 14 7/8 inches. Just fine.

I asked the Dr about the dairy issue, and much as I expected, he confirmed there is no real test for this issue, and that his advice at the time of the rash would have been to cut out dairy! (Yay me, $$$ saved on a dr visit I didn't make!). He also informed me that babies intestinal tracts are not fully developed until 6 months, so at that point she may be far more tolerant to dairy!

Not much else to report from the Dr visit. She got her first 2 vaccinations....and she took them like a pro. She seems to be sleeping most of the day away, but if I'd gotten a bunch of shots, and then Tylenol, I would too. It's fine with me, as long as she sleeps tonight!!

Baby Girl Update

Dr visits galore today. I started at the midwife's office at 9:15 this morning. The office seemed quiet but that didn't mean I was in and out fast.... just that it was quiet!! But eventually they saw me, and everything is going quite well.

I'm measuring about 1 week behind at this point (35 weeks not 36). I lost a pound in the last week, but I could gain that back in a day depending on my schedule and appetite! Both of these are totally normal for me, I've done this with both previous pregnancies. I'm as 'big' as I'm gonna get, even tho the baby is still growing. My iron is borderline low (hemoglobin 10.6) so now I'm taking iron supplements, but since I'm usually borderline anemic when I'm not pregnant I'm not too worried. And, I'm dilated 1 cm. Okay, it's not much, but it's something!!! They took lots of blood and I'm sure all those results will be totally boring and normal, so they won't even call me!

Based on the exam, and my history, she's not expecting me to go early necessarily. But based on my mental attitude (which is totally ready to have this baby), she wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor about 2 weeks early, just cause I WANT to. So we'll see...

The best part of the visit...we talked about my plans/hopes for delivery. First piece of good news, the labor tub is back to being available at my hospital. For a while it was "not available" as they had had a recent malpractice case or issue with a patient who used it and they weren't letting anyone use it for a while. At least that was the info I was given when I was pregnant with Trevor. (With Blake there was no time to use it if I'd wanted to, but I'm not sure if it was available or not). I'm not sure I want to use it, but I like having the option, especially if I end up in back labor like I was with Trevor. Second piece of good news, the midwife is more than happy to let me labor without having an IV as long as everything is going fine (and based on my history, that's highly possible). I'm so glad not to have to have an IV just because.... it really bothers me that they do it automatically! I mean with Blake I was in the hospital in labor for under 45 minutes, but STILL they managed to put that damn IV in my arm and I really never needed it!! So WOO HOO for the new midwife!! (Of course, if any of this was an April Fool's joke, I will NEVER forgive her!).

Following all that great news, I got to see the massage therapist. She is easily my VERY favorite person in the world right now. My back feels SO good. And then I saw the chiropractor, just to loosen me up even more and put everything back where it belongs. So I'm feeling REALLY good.... now if only I could sleep comfortably, that feeling might last beyond today!!

Chiro's, OBs, and Pediatricians... Oh My!

Okay, I've been in 3 doctors offices in a week! Seriously...3! I say this in shock, because I am one of those people who can go months, if not close to a year without visiting the doctor. I'm not phobic, or anti-doctor (that's my hubby) but I'm a (luckily) healthy person who doesn't see or have much need to visit the doc that often. Ah well, pregnancy and children seem to bring out the best....

Thursday was my favorite visit of the month.... my chiropractor's office. While I love Dr Bob (the chiro), my current appointments are not with him, but with his massage therapist, Annette! She rocks my world! My own little hour of the day when I can practially fall asleep on the table, while having all my pregnancy aches and pains rubbed away. It is easily the best hour of my day/week/month. Topped off by the fact that my insurance covers pregnancy massage, and it's right next door to a Panera Bread. So I follow my massage with a decaf mocha by the fireplace until it's time to pick up the boys from school! Wow.... how totally selfishly indulgent!! Go me!

Yesterday, was a visit to the OB. While no where near as high on my list as Annette, Dr S and his staff are pretty cool. And right now, the visits are all routine, non-invasive, and let me hear the little girl's heartbeat.... so really cool!

In fact, yesterday's visit was shockingly cool, based on past experiences. I got there 15 minutes early, figuring it can't hurt to be early, and there was NO ONE in the waiting room! At this appointment they were testing my glucose levels (in case of Gestational Diabetes) and so I had to drink the "yummy" sugar drink an hour before my appointment. So, even though I was early, they couldn't see me until the hour had passed. They checked my vitals (I've gained 20 pounds.... yay!), and checked my sugar (70) and all was well. They put me in the room, and viola, not 5 minutes later, the Dr was there. Yes..... 5 minutes of waiting.

This was the first time I've met the actual Dr (MD), previously my appointments have been with one of the two midwives on staff, one of whom will hopefully deliver this little girl. Dr S took a moment to learn to pronounce my name right (bonus points!) and then go thru my (boring) history with me. He apologized for this, and I pointed out that I appreciate that he wants to make sure he knows what/who he's dealing with. After chatting for a while, he measured me, found the heartbeat, and did the 'medical' part of the appointment. Then it was back to chatting... baseball, football, how I ended up here from growing up out east. All kinds of things....and it was chatting, both him and me, and he's funny! So it was a pretty darn good appointment.

He's not worried about me working (my job involves some lifting). He encouraged me to do it as long as I feel I can, pointing out that pregnancy is not a disease or an illness (Amen! that's how I feel). And told me to stay active - how can I not I have 2 preschoolers at home!! He does lose about 5 points off a totally perfect score, as he made me a tad bit nervous...

When searching for the little girl's heartbeat, he commented that it seemed somewhat slow. Not slow as in something to worry about, but slow as in, "sounds more like a boy", which were his exact words! Not what I want to hear, since last month the U/S tech pointed out that there is always a chance she could be wrong! Her heartbeat was 136 which I guess is more in the 'boy' range, but I recall both my boys having high heartbeats, so maybe I just grow little backwards babies!!! Dr S suggested I have another ultrasound later on to confirm it's a girl, so hopefully that will happen (and insurance will cover it!).

Otherwise.... fabulous appointment! I was in and out in 30 minutes, and 15 of that was me waiting until my scheduled appointment time!!

The trifecta of the Dr's appointments came this morning, when I took B for his 3 year well child exam and physical for pre-school. My children (bless them) are also children who don't visit the Dr often, as they are rarely sick. I thank them for this 99% of the year, but I learned last month when they were both sick, that sometimes there is a downside to this. Blake doesn't care for strangers, and his only memories of the Dr (I'm guessing) involve the flu-shots and vaccinations... i.e. PAIN. So B, tends to be a bit of a PITA when we go to the Dr.

So, after dropping Trev off for his day at school, B and I drove to the ped's office. We talked on the way about where we were going (something I don't think I've done in the past.) We talked about the Dr having a little flashlight and wanting to look in his eyes, ears, mouth, nose etc. just to see. We talked about him standing on the big boy scale to be weighed (or the alternative, if he doesn't cooperate of being strapped to the baby table scale like last time!). We talked about the eye test and how he would get to pretend to be a pirate (putting the paddle over one eye) while naming picutres for the Dr. He was excited about all of it. He said (in the car) he would do all of it. He asked to bring his Elmo (Chicken Dance Elmo) in with us, and I said sure.

At the ped's office, we had no more than a 5 minute wait in the front room before being called back (unheard of!). We went back and it was scale time. Chicken Elmo got weighed and measured, then Blake stepped on the scale... piece of cake! We went back to the room and he let the nurse check his hearing and take his temp, no fussing. She asked to do the eye exam and with a little work, he played his role as a pirate, looked at the eye chart, and told Chicken Elmo (vs. the nurse!) what pictures he could see!! We waited and read a book (Thomas of course!), and then the Dr came in. B talked to him, answered his questions, let him look at him with the flashlight, and even did some physical 'tests' with him (walking, squatting, tiptoeing, jumping, etc.). He cooperated for the entire visit, was an angel, and was generally..... totally not my child!!! It was awesome, and weird all at once!!!

I don't know what I owe it to, but I guess when my next few Dr appointments are really slow/bad/late etc. I better try to remember this week, and realize that I've just cashed in ALL my good doctor karma for 2009!!

T + B = Sick

Well, it's officially winter, cause we're sick. 3 out of 4 of us, at least. I guess technically, 3 out of 5, since I'm fine (and therefore so is the Tater Tot!) - knock on wood!!

Blake has had a hacking cough for a while now, but that was all. I attributed it to the weather change coming home from Vegas on Turkey Day. Well, then Trev started hacking a few days later. Still....no other symptoms, and acting TOTALLY normal.

Thursday morning, Blake's hacking cough scared me.... I was waiting for a lung to come out of his mouth!! And Trev got up and said, "I don't think I should go to school." Now not wanting to go to school is not new for him, but his next statement was, "I think we should go to the doctor." Something he NEVER wants to do!!

So we went to the Dr.... both of them. And the surprising result, Trev was fine, and B has an ear infection. The Dr says something like, oh and T will probably get it by Monday since he's a few days behind on the other symptoms. Just call us when he gets it, don't rush to the ER over the weekend.

So, we get the antibiotics and try to rest/relax at home. They're still both acting totally normal, and B says his ear doesn't hurt. (The dr did say that the cough was related to the ear infection-I don't quite understand how but I don't have an M.D. after my name-just 30 years personal experience with ear infections!!).

Today, they still both have the cough, but otherwise seem fine. I go to work, and later get a message that Trev is complaining about his ear, and is "inconsolable".

So I call the Dr office. The receptionist, after listing to the fact that I was there yesterday, says oh well, too bad, we still have to see T to determine what's wrong before we can prescribe. Standard answer, no surprise. So I ask to talk to the Dr who calls me back. And I repeat to her, and remind her that she saw us yesterday and that she expected this. She says yes I did. But we still have to see him!!!! GRRRRRR!

From 3-4:30 pm, T bawled, wanting Mommy. I came home from work, and he was attached to me from then on, still bawling for about 2 more hours. At 7 pm they saw him, and what do you know??!?! T has an ear infection. Gee, surprise! I swear if I get billed for 2 dr office visits for him, I'm calling their billing gal and giving her a piece of my mind. Each visit was less than 10 minutes, but I'm sure each will cost me $150 or so! (Oh, and we had to go out in 15 degree weather-real temp-don't know what the wind chill is!).

And Steve is sick...which NEVER happens (even less often than me!). So, it's a happy house to be in. Given that I'm not sick, I'm tempted to run away and leave because being sick while pregnant...SUCKS! You can't take any good drugs, I'm already somewhat uncomfortable, and I'm still expected to take care of my 4 kids (I'm counting Steve and Tater Tot there!).

How are you doing???