Wednesday June 28th, 2012

Ok, so this post is from a few weeks ago, but I find it pertinent to the ones to follow because it kind of sets up the last few weeks.

I started the day calling my doctor's office trying to get answers to where things were at to try and get his tongue-tie taken care of. (If you are totally lost, it is ok some days I am too). To back track a little, and try and help clear up things a little, we have questioned Nicholas being tongue-tied since he was born but have been told by numerous people that he wasn't. However, as we start more foods with Nicholas, we are discovering he is having more difficulty and is starting to gag more frequently. Part of this is do to his high arched palette (sp?) and the fact that his tongue can't reach the roof of his mouth to move the food to the side of his mouth where his gums/jaw can mash it.
He has always struggled with a weak latch, but there were so many other "issues" that made this seem rather small. Looking back of course is always 20/20, but now I wish that we had pushed the issue sooner. Anyway, if this doesn't help a little, message me and I can explain more.

So I called the Doc to find out what the plan of attack was. However, I call and have to leave a message for the Doctor (nurse) and then will get a return phone call when they get a free minute. Of course, I have my phone on me all day, until I take 10 minutes to hop in the shower, wouldn't ya know that is when they call me back and leave me a message. The message however, had absolutely nothing to do with what I asked.! (We are also "fighting" with medicaid to go out of state to see neurology, but that is another post, maybe) There message was,
"We have here that Nicholas has been denied to go to Gillette Children's and if you haven't already received a notice in the mail, you should soon. If you have any more questions feel free to give us a call back."
Ooooh, I was steaming, I actually called my mom and my best friend before I called them back or I would have literally bitten their heads off, why you might ask? I will tell you, I had called a week and a half earlier for the same question I asked today, about his tongue tie and received the same message back about the denial, and of course they called when I was away from my phone momentarily.
I calmed down and I did call them back and I explained a little of the situation and stated that I had already called and the nurse called me back and didn't even answer the question that I asked, would it be possible to speak directly to her. Now of course the nurse that called me, was not our normal nurse but one that was covering for Tammy, so that didn't help either. I will say they did do some redeeming of themselves. They got the nurse (I can't even remember her name, but we will call her Sara) on the phone for me, and I explained my situation, as calmly as possible. I told Sara that I was a little frustrated and explained why, her response, "I can totally understand, if I were in your shoes, I would be fuming!!" Score points for Sara, made me feel very validated and that I had a right to be pissed. She was a great help and actually grabbed the Doc before he jutted into visit another patient, he obviously was a very busy man and didn't have time to talk then, but would call me back between 2-3. I should be elated right, because my Doc is calling me directly on the same day?? Well, I wasn't because I was in a meeting from 1-5 that day to help with the accreditation of the Company that Nicholas receives services through. Now, they were wonderful and totally didn't mind that I might have to step out and take calls, because most of them knew our "case" and were just so grateful I could be there at all, but again, that is another story for another day, maybe! :)
Now, is where the Doc has redeemed himself, because we have been contiplating switching Docs to do what is best for our little peanut! I however was of course watching my phone and monitoring the time, because by golly if he hadn't called me back, WATCH OUT, but he did.
The very first thing he did was apologize that things had not moved forward. He thought he had already put the referrall through for Nicholas to go see an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat), but he must have said it to himself or just thought it. He was awesome, and we also talked about the denial for neurology and he said, "if there is anything I can do, just let me know and I will take care of it. I think it is ridiculous that they are denying you anyway." Again score points for the Doc. So as we are on the phone, he is putting through orders for an appt. to be schedule with an ENT, AWESOME!!! He also tells me to get signed up for MyHealth, because then I can e-mail him directly because he can respond right away whether he is at home, out of town, or in the office. Awesome, that is what we are looking for is more access to our Doc, so for now, we are staying put, but that can always change!! :) So we get off the phone and I head back into my meeting not 20 minutes later my phone is "buzzing" again. I go into the hall to answer it is the clinic confirming Nicholas' appt with ENT. WOW, the only bad part, it was scheduled a month away and on a day I wasn't even going to be home (going to Dallas for Seminar!!!!) I asked if there was anything she could do, she tells me she can't, but gave me the direct number to the ENT office and they can see what might be available. I call and the gal I talked with was a gem!! I told her the situation and she looked everywhere to try and fit us in, nothing was open, so she asked if we had to see that particular one, I said no, it is just that our Dr. specifically said him, because he has been doing it a long time and is really good. She gave me another doc as an option and said he had been practicing just as long and would Monday work, as in less then a week? I didn't hesitate for a second. I took it and so ensued our crazy crazy last 2 weeks.

Keep checking and I will post the happenings of that appointment as well as the appointment with the orthopedist, again another story for another day! My child is not going to know what normalcy is, ever!!!