Bob

the old classics are different, they've got bottles that have a angled bend in them at the base that have a membrane on the bottom to pass air through them to prevent gas. We were given a couple as free samples some how, but those are shite as they keep falling over and the milk kept leaking through the bottom of the membrane and because of the bend, they weren't easy to clean....did work on the gas front though.

Having a quick google, can't seem to find them anymore, so they probably stopped making them, which is a good thing as they were royally crap.

Bob

So we've had the pulmonary test done at the hospital, that's the over night test to see if we can stop the caffeine and breathing monitor.

Top tip, for anyone in MA that needs to do this, just suck it up and do it at Children's Hospital and eat the hassle of getting there and parking because it's a major pain in the arse other wise.

We did it at our regular hospital, told to be there at 4pm yesterday.

Room wasn't ready for a couple hours in the peds ward and the equipment was being brought over from Children's.

We were told we'd be out of the hospital by 9-10am today. Didn't get discharged till 3pm because the hospital didn't want us to leave till the results were read, but those were being read by the pulmonary doctor at Children's, but our paediatrician called and said there's no problem with us leaving and he'll chat with the doctor and he'll get back to us tomorrow. We found out the results aren't going to be read till 7pm at least.

On the plus side, the hospital wrote out a slip so we got free parking.

Also didn't have to pay up front a hospital co-pay, lead to believe it's because it is considered a follow up to baby discharge on birth. We might have insurance wrangling later, but if we had gone to Children's we would have had to paid up a co-pay up front and wrangle a refund from insurance apparently.

The peds ward was also really depressing, but they did have nice kids play rooms where you can get a bunch of toys, games, all sorts, then when done, they'll take everything away to be disinfected. Also had a GameCube, Wii, PS2 and a bunch of handhelds, DS, PSP and a massive library of games and movies.

The food was pretty rubbish though, but the kitchen had okay snacks, the bagels were rubbish but the bread nice and more choice of juices than the maternity ward and also loads of baby food and a good variety at that too.

Most amusing thing, the crib was certified to take 350 pounds...it was a huge massive metal beast though.

Nurses on discharge were awesome, yesterdays shift were all a bit snippy though and as our doctor mentioned to us, gave the impression they weren't to happy about having to do the test there. They usually don't, it's usually done in Children's, but they sometimes do do the test there and we got in because someone else cancelled last minute.

So that's our experience of the follow up. Not bad care, not bad hospital but nothing amazing either

Bob

So the missus only got fed for "free" at the above hospital visit because she was breast feeding, other wise she would have been charged $5 per meal...cheaper to go to the coffee shop at the hospital if that were the case

Anyway, weekend bills.

NICU admission was $37.5K and we're due $500 of that.

Another bill for a test at the OB which the insurance isn't covering for $150

And a bill for $5000 which we're due $655 for the OB doctors delivery charge from her practice.

That is dodgy because we got the same bill for doctors delivery from the hospital...which is dodgy because no doctor was present for delivery, it was the on call nurses at the ward....most expensive 13 minutes ever huh.

AmerLisa

Holey moley! What's your running total so far?

steve100100

Bob, hope all is going well. I hit 72k.

I think I posted before, I had crap insurance at the time. I am in the hole for about 42k.

I hope you don't beat this!

Bob

I'm to scared to add it all up

It's a lot though...we're due quite a bit, not as bad as your total, which is pretty scary...we do have "good" insurance though.

Oh and we also had another bill that was for a stomach check two weeks after birth, just to check for swelling, took two minutes of prodding under a shirt.

That was $155...but it was our best one yet as we only had to pay $10 of that...it's making no sense what so ever really on what we're supposed to pay as it seems every bill has a different ratio.

steve100100

If he had landed five months later......$1500 deductible and we would be done.

Cest la vie.

Bob

So we've just gotten a bill from the folks who sent the nurse over for the visit after our hospital discharge, which we were told would be fully covered by the insurance as it was recommended that we have that visit.

Insurance paid $125 and we're due $104.

So that's another bill in the pile to speak to the insurance about

But on the good news, the baby breathing monitor has been picked up by medical equipment company, they sent someone over a couple days ago.

Bob

Just an update....a month on from returning the breathing monitor and finishing the caffeine treatment.

The little one weighed in at 10 lbs 5 oz...and the privilege of the doctor saying hi was $25

NatashaB

Glad your little one is doing well Bob. I don't post on the thread much as I don't have any useful input yet but it has been interesting reading so far

Sally Redux

Sounds great Bob (apart from the $25).

nsdale

Hope all is well and you don't get lumbered with too much insurance. Makes me feel glad that my wife's insurance is really good. We had a child 6 months ago and my wife had a fever so she had a lot more treatment than she should have had and the baby went in to intensive care as a precaution. Our hospital bills came to just shy of 20k of which we had to pay $600. We are also fortunate because the insurance has no copays for kids.

Good luck and fingers crossed you don't get hit too hard

Bob

Good going on that one!

We've got the 4 month wellness check up at the end of the month, this wasn't a wellness visit, just a weight check, no idea what the insurance will say about that as they don't do a 3 month check up, but the doctor said he sorted something out

Bob

So at the six month mark, I figured I'd have a little up date.

On the bill front. It seems most of the doctors, departments and what not ended up billing the hospital who compiled and billed us, apart from the OBgyn...and one of the radiographers, who apparently billed us directly. It must have looked like junk mail and been chucked because I dont' remember seeing it, but we missed it and they immediately sent it to a collections agency, so getting that sorted out. Hassle.

At the 6 month check up, the little one was looking good for head and height, but weight, which was always a low percentile had dropped off the charts so the doctor wanted us to see a nutritionist at the hospital. This should have been a $35 co-pay, but we haven't had to pay it yet, so perhaps it came out as a continuation of the wellness check up which has the $25 co-pay. Not sure.

Anyway, the nutritionist was lovely, had about a 40 odd min consult. Told which fruits and veg have higher calories, and to add a teaspoon of oil into each solids and we have to go back to the high calorie premie formula till she is 9 months old, which sucks as it costs a fortune ($16 for 4 days v $20 for 3-4 week supply of regular). She did give us 3 tubs to start us off with and arranged for us to get a "sample" crate sent for free, which is a nice help.

Have to go back for another check up in a months time from that, so in a couple weeks now and also the doctor wanted a 6 week visit, so that would be another co-pay, but so far they haven't been able to arrange an appointment, as there isn't any time available...so we're winging that for now...as a point, the next years worth of wellness visits and scheduled winter jabs for the kids have already been booked.

We also had a Early Intervention evaluation this morning. Our doctor said it was likely at birth as a premie, but as she, when at the wellness visit wasn't rolling over and wasn't sitting up, he thought that might be a concern, so we arranged that.

Took a couple weeks and 3 people came for almost a 2 hour evaluation, a nurse, a therapist and something or other. Very lovely folks. Lots of paper work dealing with privacy, sending info to the doctors etc, and household income and insurance details.

Apparently they will bill the insurance for the evaluation, who should pay it and if there's anything not paid, they will send us a bill, which because of our household size and income, they will then pass that on to the State as EI is a Federal program and we shouldn't have to pay for that.

Also, if qualifying for the program, it should cost up to $1500 a year max, paid in 2 six month instalments. But again, we fall short of the sliding scale and won't have to pay anything. If I got a well paying part time job, we'd hit the low end of the scale and have to pay anything up to $500 and if I got a proper paying job and doubled the house hold income, it would be in the $500-750 region.

The evaluation covers all kinds of development, mobility and motor skills, verbal skills and all sorts.

Its all based on a full term baby rather than birth date, so apparently our little one did great and only qualified under the communications setting, because she isn't making vowel type sounds yet. She passed everything else, but as the concern was her sitting and mobility, they are going to use the time to work on that for the most part.

So we'll get a case worker, nurse type person who will work with us and set up a schedule and work on things, a couple times a week I gather.

There will be another mini evaluation at the 6 month mark to see if we need to continue or if we need help in other areas, but if we want, the initial evaluation is good for 12 months of care so we can continue to get it for at least 12 months before having another full evaluation take place.

This was all done as a home visit, as will the help, which is great. We have friends who had a daughter have speech therapy help who had to take her to the hospital, which didn't cost them, except the massive parking costs. The wife has a cousin who also has a lot of help with their kid and it has made massive difference to their little one in motor control and other areas of development.

We've also been told that the EI have a kids drop in type group where parents can get together with the kids, which sound nice, but unfortunately no siblings, so not something that'll work for us.

So that's where we're at and will see how it all goes

Sally Redux

Great update, Bob, hope all goes well.