A Very Scary Story (Not Even Halloween Related)

What to blog about, what to blog about....I am trying to blog to keep the illusion that life is back to normal around here. But, no, it is not normal. The Bean still has stomach issues. And, no it isn't school. It's the real deal. He was on a prescription, but it ran out on Friday and by Sunday he was hurting again. Monday I called the doctor, she saw him again and then we went for some other appointments to explore other avenues (that's how I know it isn't school bothering him). I mentioned that he gets stressed in the morning trying to get up, dressed, bathroom time,eating time and all the while having stomach pains. So, instead of prescribing the meds I knew he needed, we were referred to the Looney Bin. Not to make light of it - I know people have problems and need mental help. But, they sent me and my twelve year old boy to the certified nuthouse. They asked questions about his involvement with guns, alcohol and drugs. His eyes were as big as cue balls. I swear to you that his boy still thinks there is a Santa and a Tooth Fairy and they are asking him about guns and crack. I know some kids do get involved with that stuff at early ages, but not my boy. He's at school or at home. If he goes anywhere, I'm there too. Nowhere else, no bad kids, no pressure, etc. I get stressed about PTA meetings and doctors appointments but I'm not a gun totin' crack smokin' liquored up Mom. Can't you just get a little stressed out without being certifably cuckoo? I know the doctor was exploring all avenues and crossing her t's and doting her i's. But, sometimes, Mom knows best. No Psych Ward for us, please.

Yesterday he was really hurting, but I sent him to school. I made him go Hardest longest damn day of my life. I knew he was hurting, but the school is about to run out of patience with us both. Not the counselor, not the nurse and not the teachers, but the rule makers. Yadda Yadda. He ws sent to the nurse by his teachers. The nurse can't help him, it just gave him a fleeting hope that I would come get him. I talked to him and told him to go back to class. He did it. I cried all day. This morning it was bad again so I was on the phone with the doctor. She called him another prescription. The same one he had and was responding too, I think he just needed it longer. This time he is on a 30 day prescription. I think that will do it. But, meanwhile, after not getting any medical treatment for five weeks, we finally have a doctor that is aggressive and wants to get to the bottom of it. Well, praise the lord and hallelujah. But, she has all the tests planned. Tomorrow afternoon we go to the hospital for a CT Scan. I feel confident that it will come out okay because after he takes his pill he feels pretty good. But, then I get all freaked out that my kid is having a CT scan. Last Wednesday he had an ultrasound, blood work and urine work and that all came back good. So, I would think that even though this is more thorough, that it should come out okay too. The medicine really does make a difference. She also wants him to have a GI. And she wants a rush put on it so the Children's Hospital got him an appointment ASAP. February 12th, 2008. Four months away is ASAP?????? I think the meds will do it this time and we won't have to do that anyway. Crossing my fingers anyway. But, if we have to, we will.

Now here is where I get on my soapbox and use foul language and ramble on. I am going to discuss my health insurance. It is absolutely friggiin' worthless. We pay $325.00 a month. In the past six weeks we have made five office visits to the doctor, an emergecny room visit, ultrasound, bloodwork, urine test and now a CT scan. Oh yes, and a $95.00 prescription today. Let's all guess how much the insurance has paid.......Cue the Jeopardy theme.......Ready? What is $29.00. TWENTY NINE DOLLARS. Well, that certainly helps. Let's see, there's deductibles and they won't pay for non emergency emergency room visits (a kid doubled up in a ball holding his stomach crying isn't an emergency in case you were wondering...) and they consider any doctor's Office Visit a "Wellness visit" so they won't pay for that. So, the hospital calls today to set up the CT Scan and tells me to bring $1,250.00 to pay for it up front. Sure, let me pull that out of the old change purse. She finally worked out payments of $381.00 a month for four months. And, this is just for the CT Scan. Wait until the Emergency Room bill shows up. Holy crap. And, that ASAP GI in February? Well, that is a new year with new deductibles. Eye yi freaking yi yi.

Our insurance does pay for hospitalization. I may just check myself in when this is all over. I could use a break.

(Don't get me wrong. The Bean is my main concern and I would hand over the keys to the house as long as he's okay and he gets better. I'm not even mad about the money thing for us. I just feel terrible for people that can't pay for it. You just have to let your kid suffer and deal with it. It is just a mess!)

Rant over. (For now...)
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On to happier things and deals. After we got the prescription filled today, DH needed work shoes. He thinks Shoe Carnival is the funnest store ever. I think it is a big snore fest. I have summer shoes and winter shoes. Running shoes in the summer, suede rubber-soled lace-up shoes in the winter. I don't do shoes. So, he went to Shoe Carnival and The Bean and I ventured in TJ Maxx. I've never been to TJ Maxx, but I often pick up decorative things at sales and see TJ Maxx stickers on the, so I knew they had neat stuff. I can thrift and yard sale and day long, But, I am not a retail shopper. Unless it has a XX% off sign or CLEARANCE - I'm just not interested.

The very first thing inside TJ Maxx was a table with Halloween items on it - 75% off the already reduced price.

Oh no.

I didn't buy much, (because they didn't have much), but, I did buy this:

A set of four ceramic funny Halloween plates, a big glass apothecary jar full of fancy-schmancy sprinkles and three boxes of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. Original Retail: $26.95. Reduced Price: $12.50. 75% off price: $3.12. TJ Maxx is my new favorite store! Everything is pictured on a big old vintage metal tole tray I picked up at the thrift for $2.00. It had been there for over a month and every time I see it, I pick it up and think about buying it. But, it didn't have any tole painting on it, just gold paint splattered on it. Today it spoke to me and I bought it. Probably because I have been junk deprived and house bound. When I got it home, I realized that it is big. Huge in fact. I can use it for lots of things. I'm glad I grabbed it.
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Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. This Halloween got right passed me with all the craziness lately. I didn't decorate much and The Bean didn't even dress up. He did wear a cool glow in the dark shirt today. In the daylight. Duh.
(This is similar to the face I made when they announced who got voted off "Dancing With The Stars" last night. I am SICK. Not sure if I can even watch it again.)

And lastly, a photo of DH, The Breadman, or "The Creepy Guy". I post this picture only because as I took it he looked at The Bean and said, "Did you take my glasses? I can't find them anywhere."



Senility has struck. Guess I'll check him in too. Buy one hospital stay, get one free.