HDYDI: Doctor Visits

With 5 kids, 6 pregnancies and the last 20 months of experience with Luke, I feel like we've got the doctor shtick down.  Here's my best tips and tricks when it comes to navigating (and preparing for) doctor visits.

HDYDI:  Doctor Visits

1.  If it's a well check, call about 6 weeks ahead and get the first appointment of the day.  I don't care how early it is, you'll totally thank me later when you're not scraping the bottom of your purse to find activities to entertain your kids while you're waiting.  The first appointment after lunch isn't bad, but steer clear of just before lunch or mid-afternoon.  Those are the worst.

2.  Take in your own hand sanitizer and bathe your kids in it before you leave the office.  Hello germ haven!  Doctor's offices and hospitals are THE worst.

3.  Write down your list of questions, or type them on your cell.  So many times I've thought, "Oh I'll remember to ask the doctor X, X and X"...only to forget and kick myself on the way home.

4.  At the end of the visit, repeat "the plan" back to your doctor.  If you need to get meds, schedule any follow-up tests or screens, schedule a visit with a specialist or do anything else, repeat it back to the doctor to get confirmation.  Quite honestly, I do this for myself more than anyone.  Saying it out loud helps me remember.  As much as I try to pay attention during the visit, little people can be extremely distracting.  I have enough mommy brain to go around.

5.  If you have a little one, you're still nursing and it's shot time, nurse while they do the shots.  I've had to quite nearly arm wrestle a few nurses into doing it my way.  Either way, I don't really care.  It's my baby and I call the shots.  HAHA.  Seriously, it has calmed many a fussy baby in nanoseconds and it makes the pain of giving them the shot a little easier.

6.  If you have a big one and are way past nursing, here's a couple of suggestions.  1)  Bring their favorite toy or lovie to comfort them, but only pull it out just before shot time.  Otherwise, you lose the impact.  2) If they're older, I've always been upfront with my kids about getting shots.  We say, "To keep you healthy the nurse is going to give you a quick shot.  It's just a quick owie and then it will be over."  Then, we focus on all the other things they get to do at the doctor like write their name, tell her the names of colors, draw a picture, whatever.  I don't lie to my kids, but I also don't focus on "the shots."  If you're cool with it, your kids are likely to be to.

(DISCLAIMER:  I have also been *that* mom during shots.  A couple of years ago, I took all four kids to get their flu shots.  What a disaster.  I had four screaming, I mean SCREAMING kids that I was wrestling down.  Another nurse even popped her head in the door to see if she could assist.  The most fun part was walking through the waiting room, sweating, holding one kid with three trailing behind and the ENTIRE place staring at us.  Yes, that was a mighty proud parenting moment.)

7.  When you arrive, ask if the doctor is running on schedule.  Sometimes, if it's a doctor we always wait, I call ahead about 30 minutes before the appointment to ask.  Even though it's not like Chili's and they don't have call ahead seating (darn), it does give me an idea of what to expect when we arrive.  It reduces the stress fo shizzle.

8.  If you have to fill out paperwork - usually at a specialist appointment - I ask if I can fill it out ahead of time so we don't have to arrive as early.  Most doctor's have online forms so it's a snap.

9.  Speaking of paperwork, if you have a special needs child, bring a copy of their pre-printed history to save like ten hours filling out that section.  There is a fantastic mom here in Austin that created such a time-saver.  If you need it, or know someone who does, give it a click HERE.

10.  For yearly visits, like dentists, I schedule all the kids at the same time and I also schedule them a year in advance.  Six months out doesn't give us the flexibility to choose our time but doing it a year out does.  I always do one in the summer during a week that we typically don't have anything and the other is in January, just after the new year.  It's a great system.  Oh, and check with your dental provider.  Most don't require that the visits are exactly six months apart, they just pay for two a year no matter when they're scheduled.  You're welcome :)

I'm sure I could keep writing, but I'll save some more specific tips for another Monday.  I hope y'all had a great weekend.  Ours.  Was.  Fab.  Pictures and stories coming later this week!

Going Old School

Remember the days when people actually wrote thank you notes?  You know, the kind with a real stamp (that you licked), hand addressed and delivered by the postman.  Don't get me wrong, love the email thank you.  I USE the email thank you.  Even do it via text.  But I do love me a good handwritten note.

As we approach Luke's one year birthday (still in shock and disbelief about that), I decided to send a note of thanks to each of his doctors and floors of residence at Dell.  I originally thought that I'd just knock those out in about an hour and off to the post office I'd go.

Yeah right.  Whew.  Talk about a walk down memory lane.

How do you say thanks to the neonatologist that wrote the order to transport him to Dell which was the first time a doctor saved his life?  How do you convey your gratitude to the nurses that held your hand while you fell apart at his bedside, day after day, night after night?  How do you apologize to his surgeon for being "that" mom when he told you Luke needed emergency surgery?  How do you sum up a year on a 3x5 thank you note?

Write really tiny, I guess.

Somehow, some way, I am hopeful that the words we carefully chose to share our thankfulness are felt by each of those doctors, nurses and staffs.  I pray they know that they have a job that is really more than that.  Their "daily grind" has been burned into my memory.  I will never forget our NICU stays, Luke's surgeries, his close calls, his leaps of progress, his procedures, his setbacks...  More importantly, though, I will never forget the amazing people we met along the way.  Luke's life has opened so many doors, changed so many minds, softened so many hearts.

Praise God for the pen and paper.  It's allowed us to say 'thanks' one more time to those that walked the journey with us in a very intimate, touching, understanding way.

NICU, Day 27: October 14, 2009

According to Scott, I speak Luke.  Who knew I was bilingual?  I like it when he calls me the Luke Whisperer.  Either way you slice it, Luke and I are like peas and carrots.  I always seem to be around when something big happens...

I'm feeling good about the feeds resuming tomorrow and encouraged by what I saw today.  His incision looks amazing (I saw it for the first time today!) and I gave kudos to the surgeon.  He did get a blood transfusion this afternoon to help his heart out a bit and we think it will send some much-needed blood flow to his gut.  He's officially off the pain meds, too.  He was a little fussy today, but he was rooting around like one hungry kiddo.

That's what we need big guy.  A healthy appetite.

Will had a flag football game tonight - amazingly, it was NOT rained out - and it's the rescheduled game from the rescheduled game.  But, he decided to take a detour to the doctor's office.  While he doesn't "technically" have the flu, he's on meds anyway.  Actually, we're ALL on Tamiflu as a precaution.  Momma ain't taking chances.  Everyone is in quarantine.  I had four doctors and a dozen nurses (no lie) tell me to get on Tamiflu.  Shoot, I should buy stock in Purell as it is.

Fairly uneventful day today.  Just the way we like 'em.  One thing I neglected to post yesterday were two great phone calls I got - one from my previous OB and one from our pediatrician.  Dr. Orth, OB, and I chatted about the delivery and she was so thankful that we made it as far as we did...and that we switched hospitals so Luke could be closer to the NICU.  You gotta love a Catholic doctor that appreciates the St. Luke name choice, as well :-)  The pediatrician, Dr. Enders, and I had a heart-to-heart about NEC, heart stuff and where we go from here.  I can't say enough complimentary things about our kid doc.  She's intuitive, smart and very "pediatric".  Those that have a pediatrician they love, know what I'm talking about here.  I can't wait for her and Luke to meet.  Just as we said goodbye, she ends with, "Kathryn, just know that if there are any parents that weather NEC, it is you and Scott.  You two, as well as Luke, are in my constant prayers."  See?  I told you she was awesome.

During my nightly visit to Luke, I had the chance to visit with our favorite neo, Dr. Michael.  Well, to be perfectly frank, they're all pretty darn fantastic.  But, I suppose we have a special connection with Dr. M as he was with us on our worst day - and we've gone nowhere but up since then.  He has this charming British accent and as he left Luke's room tonight, he gave me the thumbs up and said, "Good job, carry on!"  Go ahead, say it out loud so you can really appreciate that moment :-)

With that, we'll call 'er a night.  You FB stalkers can receive up-to-the-minute updates on feeds tomorrow...and yes, I'll post the rest of the story here on the blog.  Thanks for offering up your best, biggest and brightest prayers for tomorrow.