More on Doctors and others in the medical field

I wrote my previous blog about doctors at the doctor's office on my iphone waiting for Jacob to be seen. It was a short post because I was typing on a small keyboard on the iphone. I was that bored, but I did want to post about it.

After posting the blog, I really started thinking about how doctors have played such a part in our lives since Elijah was born. With Jacob we only had to go to the pediatrician for typical check ups and such. Elijah came along in April of 2000 and I learned all about neonatologsits, repiratory therapists, developmental pediatrician and NICU nurses. I am thankful for all of those people who pulled Eijah through those first five weeks in the NICU.

Elijah failed his hearing test at five weeks of age and we then had to find out where we would go for follow up with that as well as find a pediatric pulmanologist because he was coming home on oxygen. We also had to make an appointment to see the developmental pediatrician. I also had an HMO at this point and had to work closely with our pediatrician to get referrals for all of these doctors. I also had to work with my health insurance to get oxygen delivered to the house and all of that set up. It was an overwhelming task to bring him home.

Since then we added new doctors and new diagnosis: a newENT who implanted Elijah, a new audiologist, a neurologist--for Tourettes, a psychiatrist--for Tourettes, ADHD and OCD, a new pediatrician(who we LOVE) and an endochronologist--for growth issues. He also sees a dentist who says he will need braces earlier than most kids because his top pallet is behind his bottom pallet and pushing his bottom teeth out. There are so many -ists in our life! I have to say that I truly do like ALL of these specialists who see Elijah. They take a personal interest and all comment on how well he speaks. They are amazed that a deaf child can utilize his implants as well as he does. He is not a number, he is a child and when he needs to be seen they get him in. As I said in my previous post, I really don't mind waiting. Sometimes we are the ones needing to be worked in.

Jacob developed bronchitis when he was around nine years old. He got it three times so we went into the pulmanologist for him and found out he has silent asthma. He doesn't wheeze, but he does cough when it flares up. He is also ADHD and takes medication for that, but our pediatrician handles him.

I am also thankful to all of the nurses, respiratory therapists and receptionists who we have dealt with.

Many of these specialists we only see once or twice a year. Others we see more frequently or when the kids get sick. I hate that my children NEED all of these doctors, but I am thankful that they are available...and that I have good health insurance!