CJ had his 4 year checkup and Nicholas had his 4 month checkup.
CJ - 51 pounds (uff da!), 43 inches tall
Did all his tasks correctly, stand on one foot, count to 10, correctly identify shapes, colors, drew a circle and a plus sign. and most importantly...entertained the doctor!
CJ: "Mrs. Lady, why is your breath spicy?" (where Mrs. Lady came from I'm not sure)
MD: "Oh, that's my gum."
CJ: "Why do you have gum"
MD: "Because I drank coffee and I didn't want my breath to smell."
CJ: "Where is your gum?"
MD: "Oh, I tuck it into my cheek so people can't see I have gum"
CJ: "Let me see it"
I was sure he was going to ask for a piece of gum, but was impressed that he didn't.
He had a great time playing with her tools.
CJ: "Did you eat your Popsicle?"
MD" "No, I didn't have a Popsicle, that's for looking in peoples mouths."
And while she was on the phone talking to a parent he conspicuously tried peeking in all her pockets - I'm sure looking where she kept her sucker supply.
One thing I love about this pediatrician office is you can talk to your pediatrician anytime they are in the office. When you call, you press the corresponding key for your particular pediatrician and it transfers you right to their pocket phone. The trade off is when it's your appointment time, it can be interrupted with phone calls. But I think it's a fair trade knowing your pediatrician is available whenever you need him/her. No receptionist or triage nurse to go through, go right to the MD. Of course, being as nosey as I am, I always like to eavesdrop on what people call their pediatricians for. This appointment's callers, a blocked tear duct in a newborn and allergies. I can only imagine what the poor patient's parents thought when the doctor answered my various calls when CJ had rotovirus so horribly!
Nicholas - 15 lbs, 6 oz , 26 1/4 inches
(in comparison, CJ at 4 months was 19 lbs 1 oz, and 26 inches long
He also did well, stood on one foot, counted to 10, just kidding.
She said she didn't think he needed a helmet for his flat head, it does seem to be getting better. On the eczema, she didn't really have anything new to add. Just, yep he's got eczema (knew that already). And I'm already doing the things she suggested. She did say when it gets bad we could use a hydrocortisone cream on his face. I'm leery of putting steroids on his face though, so probably won't unless it gets real bad. She also said if it seems to be bothering him at night to give him 1/2 tsp of children's benadryl. Again, I probably won't unless it seems really bad, not too into giving him drugs he doesn't really need. He took his 3 shots like a champ, only cried a little bit.
Friday, May 30, 2008
two patients
Two patients made me think about life last night - unfair, frustrating, sad.
Unfair - she's 60, but looks about 80 with breast cancer metastasized to her lungs, liver and brain. Each time I went into the room she was fixated on telling me something. She'd been trying to tell this story for the 2 days she's been in the hospital. She could say clearly - "this isn't going to make any sense." Then she would struggle to tell me something but only could say partial thoughts. my dog, get her urine, do it by herself, freezing. I eventually thought she was trying to tell me her dog was at home and needed to go the bathroom, but she would only shake her head no. She was so frustrated, clearly had something to say but couldn't get her thoughts out of her cancerous brain.
Frustrating - she's 34 but looks in her 40s. In for a seizure, but only wants more and more pain meds. The doctors have said she has a history of drug seeking behaviors. Missing teeth, scars to her arms, so forgetful. I can't imagine what her life must be at home. She asked me multiple times if she was going home tomorrow. She also continually asked for more pain medication, the doctors had cut her off the IV drugs and gave her only pills. While I could only say, "you can have more Percocet in an hour", I really wanted to say, "come with me", and bring her to the dying cancer patient and say "life is unfair". And a quote from the movie Shawshank Redemption, 'either get busy living or get busy dying', because unlike this poor lady you have a choice."
Life can be so unfair.
Unfair - she's 60, but looks about 80 with breast cancer metastasized to her lungs, liver and brain. Each time I went into the room she was fixated on telling me something. She'd been trying to tell this story for the 2 days she's been in the hospital. She could say clearly - "this isn't going to make any sense." Then she would struggle to tell me something but only could say partial thoughts. my dog, get her urine, do it by herself, freezing. I eventually thought she was trying to tell me her dog was at home and needed to go the bathroom, but she would only shake her head no. She was so frustrated, clearly had something to say but couldn't get her thoughts out of her cancerous brain.
Frustrating - she's 34 but looks in her 40s. In for a seizure, but only wants more and more pain meds. The doctors have said she has a history of drug seeking behaviors. Missing teeth, scars to her arms, so forgetful. I can't imagine what her life must be at home. She asked me multiple times if she was going home tomorrow. She also continually asked for more pain medication, the doctors had cut her off the IV drugs and gave her only pills. While I could only say, "you can have more Percocet in an hour", I really wanted to say, "come with me", and bring her to the dying cancer patient and say "life is unfair". And a quote from the movie Shawshank Redemption, 'either get busy living or get busy dying', because unlike this poor lady you have a choice."
Life can be so unfair.
Friday, May 23, 2008
So cute!
For those that don't read The Hanson Hat Trick (and I don't know why you wouldn't!), Tonja posted this picture of Nicholas from their house this past Sunday...I had to steal if for my blog because it was so cute!
Apparently obnoxious blue bunny ears don't fall into the same category as hats, because he tolerated them just fine!
4 year old observations
While driving by the cemetary yesterday...
CJ: What's the guy doing over there?
Me: He's watering the flowers.
CJ: Why's he watering the flowers?
Me: So they don't die.
CJ: Well if the die, they are already at the cemetary!
You can't make this stuff up!
CJ: What's the guy doing over there?
Me: He's watering the flowers.
CJ: Why's he watering the flowers?
Me: So they don't die.
CJ: Well if the die, they are already at the cemetary!
You can't make this stuff up!
Friday, May 16, 2008
One man's shit, another man's treasure
So, the most entertaining days of Farmington are upon us...Farmington Clean Up Days.
Each year, one Saturday in May you can get rid of all your shit for free by placing it by the curb and the garbage collectors will come pick it up...
...that is if the shit collectors don't get it first.
Each year Charlie and I have bet on how long it will take things to go...
This year our contributions were...
a broken screen door (snatched up before Charlie could even get the rest of the shit out to the curb)
a bike (gone)
a CD rack (gone)
a rusted old shower curtain rod (gone)
a broken freezer (still up for the taking if anyone wants to claim it)
People start putting their shit out days before the actual event... of course Friday evening is the most busiest for the shit collectors. All night trucks with trailers will cruise the streets looking for some more shit to take home. I've seen one particular white truck driving by on several occasions with shit piled up higher than the cab of the truck.
Of course now that nightfall has come upon us, you would think it would calm down...oh no, you'd think it was rush hour with all the traffic, and they now have flashlights to look through people's shit piles.
Crazy...pure nuttiness...but good entertainment!
Each year, one Saturday in May you can get rid of all your shit for free by placing it by the curb and the garbage collectors will come pick it up...
...that is if the shit collectors don't get it first.
Each year Charlie and I have bet on how long it will take things to go...
This year our contributions were...
a broken screen door (snatched up before Charlie could even get the rest of the shit out to the curb)
a bike (gone)
a CD rack (gone)
a rusted old shower curtain rod (gone)
a broken freezer (still up for the taking if anyone wants to claim it)
People start putting their shit out days before the actual event... of course Friday evening is the most busiest for the shit collectors. All night trucks with trailers will cruise the streets looking for some more shit to take home. I've seen one particular white truck driving by on several occasions with shit piled up higher than the cab of the truck.
Of course now that nightfall has come upon us, you would think it would calm down...oh no, you'd think it was rush hour with all the traffic, and they now have flashlights to look through people's shit piles.
Crazy...pure nuttiness...but good entertainment!
Pass the placenta please...
I keep forgetting to blog my funny work story...
I was talking to a patient's daughter who came up from Nashville to be with her dad after his hip surgery. She was talking about this restaurant she went to for lunch... Fogo de Chao.
She was explaining the meal and some of the side dishes that accompany it, she described these little crispy corn things, kinda like cornbread but not...she said "I think they call it placenta"
I just nodded my head, umm... I think that would be polenta!
Then in a later conversation she said she was really hoping to get into nursing, I sure hope labor and delivery isn't in her future...pass the placenta please!
I was talking to a patient's daughter who came up from Nashville to be with her dad after his hip surgery. She was talking about this restaurant she went to for lunch... Fogo de Chao.
She was explaining the meal and some of the side dishes that accompany it, she described these little crispy corn things, kinda like cornbread but not...she said "I think they call it placenta"
I just nodded my head, umm... I think that would be polenta!
Then in a later conversation she said she was really hoping to get into nursing, I sure hope labor and delivery isn't in her future...pass the placenta please!
3 months
It was time to get Nicholas's 3 month pictures taken, before he turns 4 months this weekend...
this is the one we got in a sepia tone (which my photo editing software doesn't do too well)
And some MN Twins pics for Dad, CJ wanted his picture taken too, but wasn't too smiley...
this is the one we got in a sepia tone (which my photo editing software doesn't do too well)
And some MN Twins pics for Dad, CJ wanted his picture taken too, but wasn't too smiley...
Thursday, May 8, 2008
CJ's Birthday
For CJ's birthday on Tuesday I let him pick what he wanted to do. His selection...go to the "duck park" to feed the ducks and play on the playground and have a picnic. I was pretty impressed, I thought we'd be stuck at Chucky Cheese or something! Unfortunately it started to rain, so our picnic got moved to McDonalds where we spent AN HOUR in the play area, good times! Thank God for iced coffee and a book.
At what age do they stop giving you the "cheesy" smile when you tell them to smile for the camera...
Not too many ducks yet at the duck pond, just a bunch of annoying geese. But it's fun to try to pelt them with the bread pieces, dumb birds. I managed to get a piece on the middle of one's back, it was entertaining to watch him try to reach around to get it, didn't get the camera in time. Of course CJ has no clue I'm actually TRYING to hit the bird with the bread, he thinks I just have bad aim...well that isn't too far of a stretch either!
If there is a stick in a 2 mile radius, CJ is bound to find it. He fought with me to take it home, he said it could be his birthday present.
And Nicholas was so happy!
At what age do they stop giving you the "cheesy" smile when you tell them to smile for the camera...
Not too many ducks yet at the duck pond, just a bunch of annoying geese. But it's fun to try to pelt them with the bread pieces, dumb birds. I managed to get a piece on the middle of one's back, it was entertaining to watch him try to reach around to get it, didn't get the camera in time. Of course CJ has no clue I'm actually TRYING to hit the bird with the bread, he thinks I just have bad aim...well that isn't too far of a stretch either!
If there is a stick in a 2 mile radius, CJ is bound to find it. He fought with me to take it home, he said it could be his birthday present.
And Nicholas was so happy!
The Bumbo seat
I got Nicholas his Bumbo seat from a friend, he does really well in it, and looks so cute!
And here's Miss Adeline sitting in it, Nicholas's little girlfriend, she was born on Christmas day. I absolutely love those cheeks!
CJ's 4th birthday party
Finally some pics of the event, of course if you've visited The Hanson Hat Trick you've seen some already, she is WAY more organized than I am! 
Riding in the car with Reagan and Rylee...
Trying out my new rollerskates...
Playing my new baseball game...
My cake...aren't I creative with my birthday greeting...
Thank God for health insurance Part 2
I was looking at my insurance statements for having Nicholas... NOT including any prenatal care the total was...$30,715.09
Broken down as follows...
Room & Board
$6800.00
Pharmacy Charge
$3440.20
Supplies
$898.09
Laboratory
$684.90
Oper Room
$5230.60
Anesthesia
$1416.10
Recovery Rm
$969.90
Dr. Ditmanson (OB/GYN)
$4,816
Dr. Corbett (Endo)
$412
Anesthesiologist
$877.80
Nurse Anesthetist
$718.20
And for Nicholas...
Nursery Charge
$2850.00
Pharmacy Charge
$123.55
Laboratory
$585.60
Of course, that is what was BILLED to the insurance, for example of the $19,439.79 billed by United Hospital only $7632.37 was paid to Medica.
Broken down as follows...
Room & Board
$6800.00
Pharmacy Charge
$3440.20
Supplies
$898.09
Laboratory
$684.90
Oper Room
$5230.60
Anesthesia
$1416.10
Recovery Rm
$969.90
Dr. Ditmanson (OB/GYN)
$4,816
Dr. Corbett (Endo)
$412
Anesthesiologist
$877.80
Nurse Anesthetist
$718.20
And for Nicholas...
Nursery Charge
$2850.00
Pharmacy Charge
$123.55
Laboratory
$585.60
Of course, that is what was BILLED to the insurance, for example of the $19,439.79 billed by United Hospital only $7632.37 was paid to Medica.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Thank God for health insurance
Got the itemized statement from Children's Hospital today for CJ's ER visit last week...
$1,926.00!
It was just over $1,000 for the head CT alone...that is one expensive sinus infection...add in the two trips to the dentist...ufda!
I know I've been negecting the blog lately, it was a busy weekend and then I've worked the past couple of evenings...hopefully tomorrow I can download the latest pictures and blog again.
I'll leave you with this gross work story...I dumped about a cup of pee on my shoe/sock this evening...it was so lovely to walk across the room hearing urine sloshing in my shoe...nope - not my urine either! Wanna smell my sock?
$1,926.00!
It was just over $1,000 for the head CT alone...that is one expensive sinus infection...add in the two trips to the dentist...ufda!
I know I've been negecting the blog lately, it was a busy weekend and then I've worked the past couple of evenings...hopefully tomorrow I can download the latest pictures and blog again.
I'll leave you with this gross work story...I dumped about a cup of pee on my shoe/sock this evening...it was so lovely to walk across the room hearing urine sloshing in my shoe...nope - not my urine either! Wanna smell my sock?
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