There's No Place Like...

…the doctor’s office waiting room. J  Just when I think we’re nearing the end, another appointment creeps up on us.

For example, Autumn had to follow up with her neurologist this summer.  The neurologist wanted us to have Autumn’s hearing checked again (along with a number of other things).  The subsequent visit to the audiologist led to today’s visit with the ENT.  Today’s ENT visit now has us scheduled for surgery in September. L It reminds me of the book, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Autumn’s had ear tubes put in twice.  The second set of tubes has been in 3 ½ years now, and they are long overdue to be removed.  You see, they are supposed to eventually fall out on their own, but there are a select few (like Autumn) who have to have them surgically removed because the tubes decide not to come out on their own.  It’s not that I’m worried about the surgery.  (If I’m counting correctly, this will be the 9^th time she’s been put to sleep for a procedure.)  It’s just that I would like to be one of those “normal” people who doesn’t know all of the nurses in One Day Surgery on a first name basis. J

Here’s a review of all the places we’ve been just since May…

·         May 1.  Silas saw GI doctor.  Tried Entocort.  Think about NG tube.

·         May 3.  Autumn had to see Orthopedist.

·         May 10.  Autumn & Silas supposed to go to the dentist on the same day.  Autumn had a fever, so I had to reschedule her appointment.

·         May 21.  Autumn goes to Dentist.  Find out she has two cavities.  (Maybe because she likes to eat the toothpaste and not actually brush her teeth?  Just guessing.J)  Of course, they’re on two different sides of her mouth, so they can’t be done at the same time.

·         June 5.  Autumn goes back to Dentist for cavity #1.

·         June 18-19.  Silas sees GI doctor that morning then is admitted to hospital to get NG tube.  We stay overnight at hospital.

·         June 21.  Autumn goes to Dentist (yet again) for cavity #2.

·         June 27.  Autumn sees her Neurologist.  Had to go to Children’s for lab work afterward.  Doctor had us schedule follow-up appointments for the heart doctor, audiologist, and doctor in Atlanta who did Autumn’s testing for mito.

·         June 28.  Autumn follows up with GI doctor.

·         July 3.  Autumn sees Pediatrician about ADHD medication.  (The ones we tried last year made her CRAZY!  Have to find something different for the new school year.)

·         July 9. 

o   Autumn sees Audiologist in AM.  She finds some abnormalities.  Have to see ENT.

o   Have Silas’ arm x-rayed at doc-in-the-box.  Buckle fracture.  They don’t have anything waterproof or removable.  Have to see Orthopedist.

·         July 11.  Silas sees Orthopedist and gets brace for arm.

·         July 12.  Silas sees GI doctor.  Gained 5 pounds with NG tube.

·         July 23.  Autumn sees cardiologist.  Everything still looks good.

·         July 24.  Appointment about Autumn’s ADHD medication.

·         August 9 (today).  Autumn sees ENT.  Has to have surgery to remove ear tubes.

In case you lost count, that was 18 appointments.  And still to come…

·         In August

o   Silas’ G-tube surgery.  Will stay overnight in hospital.

o   Meetings with Silas’ school about starting school with a feeding tube.

o   Autumn has follow-up apt. about new ADHD medication.

·         In September

o   Autumn sees Mito doctor in Atlanta.

o   Autumn’s surgery to remove old ear tubes.

Makes me tired all over again just thinking about it.   But one day...

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,”  Revelation 21:4.  (In other words, no more doctor’s office waiting rooms.  Yeah!!!)

Janel