baby | That La Kid

bloggin’ bloggin’ bloggin’

by Wendy J. La

Tom and I took Bruce and Jasmine for a very unsuccessful walk last night with the new, way cool jogging stroller. We usually do 5 laps around the big Bridle Trace circle. Bruce started wailing on lap 1. He was just really tired. We were able to pacify him for a while, but Tom ended up taking him home early while I went on lap 3. I walked up and down our street until I was able to get to 3 miles.

But the jogging stroller was cool. It has rubber tires. It’s very difficult to navigate. For those of you keeping count, it’s Bruce’s 4th stroller. This one isn’t like the others, though. It’s basically useless except for running. I told Tom that I feel bad about having bought 4 strollers, but this one doesn’t really count because it’s just like an exercise toy, or weights or something. It would be really, really miserable to take this stroller to Disney World. Or the mall. Or anywhere really. I cannot stress enough the inability to steer.

I started reading blogs yesterday of women with PCOS who are trying to conceive. It dawned on me that my struggles with that might be relevant to someone somewhere on the internets. So, I went back to my ol’ LiveJournal and collected everything that seemed relevant. I don’t know how I feel about it. I like this blog being about life with Bruce. But at the same time, it IS relevant. Part of the story is us trying, trying, trying.

So, if you’ve found me today and you’re into that sort of thing, you can search my tags for LJ to find the agonizing pre-baby ovarian cyst stuff.

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

good day

by Wendy J. La

Bruce is napping, Judge Judy is on, and it’s a good day.

Last night, we jogged and then when we got home Tom served me a hard-boiled farm fresh egg (after much research about how many eggs are okay) and kale-berry smoothie. This morning, I woke up back on track with my weight. I think we have to walk every day.

We also had a good heart to heart on the walk breaks during the jog. Tom said, “You know, I don’t care if I don’t lose one pound. My blood pressure is going down, and that’s priceless. The more we do this, the less chance of me having a heart attack.”

He’s right.

This morning, we found out a local consignment shop, Once Upon a Child (NEVER go there), are complete scoundrels. I should have heeded the reviews that I saw when I checked in on Foursquare. It’s not about, “oh, they don’t know what my stuff is worth.” We were going to take the junk to Goodwill, but I figured what the heck. Even if I come away with $5, that’s more than nothing. Well, they didn’t bother calling to let us know that the buyer appraised the items. So, I wrote a long letter to their corporate office, because that’s what I do.

Let me start off by saying that I really wanted to love your store. I’d never been to a children’s consignment shop before. My husband and I were hopeful and enthusiastic prior to entering our local One Upon a Child in Pineville, NC. Then, this happened:

It was our first time. We walked into the shop at about 4:45 on Sunday with a box of items. Excited but unsure, we are complete newbies with no idea about how this procedure works, except from what we read on the website, http://www.onceuponachild.com/how-it-works.

Bring in your gently used children’s clothing, toys and baby equipment.

While you check out the great kids stuff in the store, the buyer will review your items.

The buyer will select and make an offer on the items that meet current style, safety and condition standards, as well as store’s current stock levels.

Once you accept the offer, you’ll be on your way with some extra money, some great new stuff for your kids, or both!

As we walked in, my husband carried a large box of items. We were greeted with a shout, “Are you guys here to sell items?!” I thought it was obvious, but my husband and I looked at each other then back at the character from which the abrasive greeting had boomed. “Yes, if we can.” He said. She said that they stop accepting consignments an hour prior to close, but as a courtesy, since it’s our first time, she’d leave the items for the buyer to sort first thing the next morning. We left our number and all other pertinent information and were hopeful for a call the next day.

There was no call on Monday. There was no call on Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, either. No offer was made. Finally, we called them. They said we have a store credit and the unusable items had been donated. They said that we had to come back in, as they don’t do business over the phone.

NO ONE TOLD US THAT ON SUNDAY EVENING.

Never, in any conversation, did anyone mention that we needed to return to the store. I would have taken my stuff back out the door as quickly as we had come in and returned again when it was convenient. My husband and I work, we couldn’t be there Monday morning.

We told them that we were first time customers, why didn’t they mention that we had to return the next day? WHY DIDN’T ANYONE MENTION THAT TO US?! What am I supposed to do with a store credit? The employees were so rude that I have no reason to return. Let me clarify, independent of the confusion over the store policies and consignment procedures, the employees with which we had contact were short with us, abrupt, and generally unpleasant. The others were just kind of milling around the store waiting for the clock to strike 5. The place wasn’t welcoming and did not feel family friendly.

I signed something, and regrettably it’s possible that it said, “You must return at 9 am tomorrow or else we own your stuff and your first born child,” and I don’t remember. Your store policies and my inexperience do not excuse the offensive behavior or the employees.

As I close, let me briefly mention another experience on the same day. After we left Once Upon a Child, we continued our consignment adventure at shop called Mommy and Me, also in the Charlotte area. Entering the shop, we were greeted with a friendly, “Hey, how are you?” We were free to peruse the store, which was a trendy, cute boutique style consignment shop. We made small talk with the lady at the register. Turns out we love the same television show, but I digress. She built a relationship with us in the 10 minutes that we shopped, and in the end, her consignment shop made $50 from us that day while Once Upon a Child made $0 (besides the items they purchased from us that will be sold to some other hapless victim). She was overwhelmingly pleasant. Did you catch that? We were overwhelmed by how nice she was. Blown away.

We were also blown away by Once Upon a Child, but sadly it was for completely different reasons. In this economy, and when it is so difficult to acquire and keep new customers, I can only hope that you’d be shocked and disappointed with the way the Pineville, NC store is being managed under the Once Upon a Child banner. We may or may not return to spend our store credit, and will certainly tell friends to avoid the place like the plague. I don’t really look forward to doing business with you, it’s just not worth it.

Just thought you should know. Thank you for your time.

So, that already had me feeling empowered. I’m like the queen of strongly-worded letters!

Then, I remembered that my Disney Photopass Photos expire today. It’s $150 to order a cd of all the images. But I found a Youtube video with instructions to download large (albeit low-res) files for free. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pYuhYDsikg)

I love this picture so much, I may have to buy the digital download of this one. It’s the kind of thing I’d have framed on my fireplace. We all look good, and I LOVE that Mickey outfit but don’t have many pictures of Bruce in it.

Weighed in again, and haven’t gained weight today. Woot!

We have a dinner date planned tonight with my Great Aunt Sara Beth, and probably my Dad’s cousin Will and his family as well. Pretty fired up.

Uncategorized

1 Comment »

kind of a good news bad news situation

by Wendy J. La

According to my scale, I’ve lost about 15 lbs. However… my scale isn’t really reading right. I could sway and adjust it. I could shift my feet and lose 10 lbs. We bought a new one, and according to the new scale I am 15 lbs. heavier than I thought I was.

All is not lost. I don’t feel like I’m back at square one. I just wish I knew exactly what my starting point was. I feel leaner. I feel more energetic. My clothes fit differently. The measurement is different, but it doesn’t negate the work. It just means I was starting higher than I thought. The only thing that bugs me is that the old scale was pretty accurate during my pregnancy.

Starting from right here, I’d like to lose 100 lbs. in a year or less.

Geez, exactly how fat was I before?!?!

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

sipping on kale

by Wendy J. La

I’m not saying anything, I’m just saying that I’m not busting out of my fat pants today. No significant loss, but I feel good. No weight or inches lost, but my fat pants are loose again.

And that’s with just 2 days of “wogging” with a walk in between them. I think I could do this. I think I could quietly sip on kale smoothies and work or play with Bruce or watch tv. I wonder what would happen to my body if I ate a solid foundation of fruits and veggies for the next 7 years. (I only say that because most of your cells regenerate every 7 years or something, so what if all my regenerating cells were made of spinach and strawberries instead of fries?)

I don’t know if people were meant to run. I know we can… I am just trying to think of a scenario besides running from a sabor tooth tiger in which my ancestors would have been running 26.2 miles. Even the tiger wouldn’t have chased them that long. Who came up with the idea for a marathon? What a compelling testament to endurance – holy smokes! Is it a Greek think? I feel like somebody was running somewhere to tell someone something about a war. Or something.

Yeah!

It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming “νενικηκαμεν’ (nenikekamen)”, (“We wοn”), before collapsing and dying.

COLLAPSING AND DYING.

So why do we do it?

Future Wendy, if you’re reading this: you feel good. Remember this moment. Try it again. I know you succumbed to the cheese fries at Outback and feel gross. That’s no reason to give up. Have a (can’t believe I’m buying into it) NutriBlast and keep moving forward.

We believe in you.

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

this is happening

by Wendy J. La

I wonder if I could make this my life.

I don’t know if i can do it or not. I just know that I don’t want to be big anymore. Don’t like being jolly or sassy and I want an average sized rowboat to be able to hold me without capsizing.

Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

idiot

by Wendy J. La

Hey, if you sell your 6 year old car seat, which is expired and does not conform to safety standards, to two innocent brand-spanking new parents who barely know which end the diaper goes on, YOU SUUUUUUUCK.

Likewise, if you decide you’re not going to pay retail anymore and you’re going to do this baby thing on the cheap and you think, “Wow, what a bargain! Those fools! How dumb of all the other noobs out there to be buying all new stuff!” YOU SUUUUUUUCK!

Yeah. Did you know car seats have expiration dates? Apparently, they do! So, special note to any moms to-be who may be reading this and wondering if they can save money by buying used: just buy a new stroller, for heaven’s sake.

We registered for this: http://www.target.com/p/chicco-cortina-keyfit-travel-system-vega/-/A-13206365#prodSlot=medium_1_24&term=chicco

I remember seeing it in a store display once when I thought I was pregnant but just had a huge cyst. Love at first sight. It was so pretty. So cool. But you know what, it’s not sold in stores. I didn’t see it in a store after that. It’s expensive. We didn’t get it. So, we got this:

It’s not bad, and it was $75 on craigslist. What a bargain! I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. It gets the job done. (I know what you’re thinking, and I couldn’t locate the expiration date on it, but it was manufactured in 2011. So worst case scenario, it shouldn’t expire until 2017. We actually bought it in 2012, so I still think we got a good deal.)

I continued the search for a used Chicco KeyFit in Vega because I love it. Found a Chicco KeyFit that was black and green. Not as cool as the Vega, but still pretty cool. AND it matches the diaper bag that Great Aunt Dee Dee gave us (which I LOVE). So, it looked like a win all around. They asked $100 for the stroller, car seat and two bases.

Everything was going fine. We even test-drove the new (OLD) Chicco stroller at Disney World. I loved it. Downside: it has one cup-holder. My old (newer!) Graco stroller had two. But it’s so pretty and in essence is the travel system that was on our registry. Then, for some reason this morning I woke up with a wild hair up my butt to check out what the dealio is with this whole expiration thing.

It makes me mad. The sellers told us that the people who looked at the car seat before us didn’t take it because the base was expired. If the previous people knew to check the base, surely they knew to also check the bottom of the seat. (Although, we didn’t. But, I mean, CLEARLY we are idiots because we knew the base was going to expire and bought it anyway. It expires in October, so I figured at that point he’d be a year old and we’d upgrade to a bigger seat.) So, the sellers had to be lying to our faces. Dangit. They seemed so nice. They said it was all a scam by the car seat companies to sell more car seats. And, “oh, back in my day we just rolled around in the back of the station wagon with no seat belts…”

Well, it’s not a scam by car seat manufacturers. It’s a plastic-becomes-dry-and-brittle-after-sitting-in-the-sun-in-you-car-for-6-years legit thing! I’m sure it’s a conservative estimate, but how can I put Bruce in it now that I’ve seen the label that says, “DO NOT USE AFTER 02 FEB 2013?”

Other than this, I’ve had such positive experiences on craigslist! I hate that my constant quest for the best quality at the best price has cost me more money. Our family has spent $315 on strollers and car seats! I could have bought a brand new travel system for $300! To top it off, a new one might have lasted through several kids without expiring! Dangit!

I forget that you are not in my head, so as I write and re-read and re-write this, I am wondering what backstory I need to add or clarify. I love the Liteway. Maybe I shouldn’t count it in my tally of money wasted on strollers because that one is a keeper either way.

I also have a new liteway stroller, so maybe I should just buy a convertible car seat, new, like, from a store, and be done with it. Contrary to what Tom thinks, Bruce is getting too big and too heavy to be toted around in the car seat as a carrier. He’s starting to sit up on his own. (Oh yeah, that happened! Brand new this week!) Maybe he can sit up in shopping carts and high chairs from now on, and if he needs pushing, we do it in the Liteway.

So. I’m new at this. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Love to. I’m feeling very overwhelmed. Can I get by with just using the Liteway, which is a very glorified umbrella stroller? I guess it all depends on my lifestyle? My only issue with the Liteway is that it doesn’t have a huge basket underneath for the diaper bag. It has a cup holder for mom, but no tray or cup holder for Bruce. I don’t want to buy a new travel system if we’re on the cusp of not using it as a system anymore. How long did you use your big stroller? Did you have both a regular stroller and an umbrella stroller? Bruce is almost 8 months old. How long to babies ride backwards in car seats? When do we need to get a bigger seat? The car seat, it seems, goes to 22 lbs. I forget what he was at the last check-up. I want to say it was around 17. Okay, yeah I just checked. He was 17 lbs. at his 6 month check-up. So, he’s 5 lbs. away from growing out of the car seat anyway, which I am guesstimating will happen at about the one year mark?

I am thinking we switch back to ol’ reliable, the old newer one. Well, I mean, definitely we do that first because this new OLD one isn’t safe. But, I mean as a long-term plan, do I just go back to what I have or should I just buy a new Chicco car seat and continue to use the prettier Chicco stroller? Or should I buy a convertible seat and use the big Chicco travel system’s stroller and the Liteway depending on the situation? Or do I just sell the new OLD stroller to recoup my loss because I’m mad at it? Or do I sell the used crap for what I paid for it, buy the Chicco KeyFit in Vega, because that’s what I wanted all along, use that car seat for a couple of months, hoping I’ll have another kid in the next 5 years that can use it for real?

Sad thing is I have $100 in giftcards. Plus the $175 I spent on craigslist… Yeah. Absolutely could’ve had exactly what I wanted from day one with about the amount I’ve spent so far. In my defense, though, I had every intention of selling the $75 Graco when we bought the new OLDER $100 Chicco.

I feel bad, because when I bought the shiny new OLDER one, Tom said, “I like the one he has, but if you like this better…” *facepalm*

We were good! Why did I have to — whatever. Doesn’t matter. It’s really just a $100 mistake. $100 Stupid Tax. I keep thinking that it was a $315 minstake, but it wasn’t. If we can get rid of the new OLD stroller for $100, then it’s a $0 mistake. Even if I unload the new OLD stroller for $50 and throw away the car seat, I’ve only paid a $50 stupid tax.

AND it smelled funny! I should have known. The new OLD car seat that we bought always smelled weird. I immediately missed the smell of my old newer one.

Wish Ikea sold car seats.

***UPDATE 6/29/13***
We sold the stroller a week or two ago. The guy said “what can you do to help out a Mexican guy?”
To which Tom replied, “Make me an offer.”
“$80?”
“Sounds good.”
“Aw, man. You see, I should’ve said $50.” It worked out, because before the dude showed up we talked about going as low as $75.

We also bought a convertible car seat, brand-spanking-new, for about $90 and I have fallen back in love with the original Graco travel system that we bought. I have a new respect for the thing. The sellers were wonderful people and we got a great deal.

Bruce Uncategorized you suuuck

1 Comment »

some things

by Wendy J. La

I keep meaning to update, and in the midst of it all I also keep writing posts about myself and not having the courage to post them – AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FO’ DAT!

Some things that I don’t want to forget:

Bruce has been shuffling across the floor, but he’s really gaining momentum this week especially. I think I can can count a little maneuver he did last night as legit crawling.
Just after we got back from Virginia for Sunny’s graduation, Bruce would open his mouth on my cheek and say, “muh.” They were sweet but short-lived kisses. I’m not losing hope, though. The dancing thing started out the same way. He did it once, then forgot. But now he does it all the time. Particularly when Momma wants a kiss.
On April 20, about a week before Gran & Grandpa’s wedding, Gran found two little bottom front teeth. I’m an idiot – didn’t know that was, like, a thing. Apparently, your first tooth, or two together in Luong Jye’s (sp?) case, is a big deal. No sign of the upper level dudes.
We went to Walt Disney World after the wedding. It rained, and it rained, and it rained. But we wrapped our precious infant in a plastic bag and carried on through the cold, damp night. And the parent of the year award goes to….

Seriously, how stinkin’ cute is he?!

We started with one adult poncho to cover the stroller. Then, I decided that I was tired of being damp. Then finally Tom got one when the rain just wouldn’t let up. And eventually, we were like, “well, Bruce likes fireworks… we should take him out of the stroller for that… and keep him dry… and also keep the stroller dry…”

So, this family of 3 has 4 ponchos.

Show ’em how it’s done!

We did all the normal stuff. Just wetter. And wrapped in plastic. Oh, and we crashed Gran & Grandpa’s honeymoon.

But look how happy Gran was to see Bruce!

Playing with Gran & Grandpa’s cake toppers.

Grandpa didn’t even mind it all that much.

It was nice. It was just a nice dynamic popping in to visit, and then going back to our ratty off-property “resort.” Gran and Grandpa were so happy to see us. We kind of felt like guests. “You guys want some soda?” “No, thank you. We don’t want to drink all your Dr. Pepper.” “No big deal, help yourself.” I washed my glass when I was done instead of just dropping it in the sink because, you know, I was a guest in their “home.” We went to dinner Tuesday night, then left them alone until Sunday when they disembarked the Disney Dream. (At least, I think it was the Dream this time.)

I told Bruce that he’s so fortunate to be on his third trip to Walt Disney World when so many other little boys haven’t been once. Lucky boy! He didn’t seem to care either way.

He was happy though. I’m constantly surprised at how happy he is all the time. I like it. As soon as I got knocked up, I said we were replacing Mr. Nasty with Lil’ Happy. (Thought it was going to be Miss Happy, but anyway…) I don’t know where the name came from, why I thought Happy and not Healthy, Adorable, Cutie, Sweetie… but he is SO happy.

This last trip, I decided that Bruce’s first birthday party is going to be New Fantasyland, Storybook Circus. We had an “it’s a small world” shower, Storybook Circus first… we’ll just work out way through the parks until he’s 21 and we drink around Epcot.

We got to visit Lindsay at her house, too. It was our first time there. (Although I’ve become very familiar with the living room since skype-guarding it.) I didn’t want to make Lindsay about-face as soon as she got home and take us to Shutters, so we went to Jack somebody’s something Shack at Royal Palm Pointe, right on the water. It was nice, I couldn’t stop geeking out over eating on the water, but the food was meh. We all would’ve preferred Shutters, but at least now we know. I assumed Riverside would’ve been crowded, but we didn’t even check. Should have checked. Well, I mean, I guess we didn’t know any better.

Sarah let Tom, Bruce and me sleep in her bed. That was awesome. Awesome!

I almost forgot! Bruce started riding around in his stroller like a big boy at Walt Disney World. I don’t know what I will do not looking at his wittle face anymore. Tom still likes to keep him in the seat, and it is taxing buckling and unbuckling him all the time, but I think his car-seat-stroller days are numbered. Now that he’s getting used to the sitting thing, he’s also more inclined to let us push him in the red stroller, which is nice because it’s like a fancy umbrella stroller, so it’s lightweight and folds up much smaller than the travel system.

I think he enjoys the view.

I’d like to know what this little boy has done with my little baby.

Bruce Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

love stinks.

by Wendy J. La

Guess what I got for Valentine’s Day?!

So, Bruce and I were laying in bed watching e-cards from Gran when I noticed his jammies were wet. Oh no, so is the blanket. Dammit, so is the mattress. So, I scoop him up and change his diaper and plop him in the car seat. I put the comforter in the wash, take off the sheets… I guess I could have spot cleaned, but I told you guys a long time ago that I hate dirty, nasty, pee pee, poo poo stuff. On that note…

I did what I could to blot out the pee from the mattress without rubbing it in a whole lot. I sprayed it with Resolve and just tried to work it out without working it in. I’m content with my efforts, but will probably have Tom give it a go later anyway.

I grab Bruce. Because the poor baby is just in a diaper, I head towards his room for clothes– is that poop?! Did you poop in the diaper that I JUST put on you 5 seconds ago?! You suck.

I don’t really stand at the changing table and wipe incessantly when he poops. They’re squishy and slimy, so I dunk him in the sink. Usually Bruce sits under the running water of the faucet. Tom thinks it’s weird. But a little soap and water, BOOM, we’re done.

So, we’re in the sink, loving our mini-bath/bidet. Thank goodness it wasn’t a whole heck of a lot of poop– AHHH! What is that?! Pooping. In the sink. Great. Okay. Swell.

I’ve got no problem with it until I realize that unlike it’s Bruce-butt-smashed counterpart, diaper poop, sink poop does not go down the sink. No. It clogs that sucker right up.

So, now the water is running, Bruce is sitting in a bath of his own yellow poop, and I’m up to my elbows in it, frantically trying to wipe the poop out of the drain with a wipe — because EW, poop! — and geez, I guess it would help if I turn the water off.

FINALLY, I get the drain cleared, and wipe the sink clean and resume soaping Bruce up under the faucet. What a nightmare that was! Wait until everyone hears! Wait until I tell Tom! Tom is going to think this is so funny!

Man… I don’t think I have ever had this much residue on me. It’s still all over his butt despite all that rinsing– oh. That would be because HE IS POOPING AGAIN.

Filled the sink. Twice.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody! Enjoy your chocolates!

Bruce Uncategorized you suuuck

1 Comment »

a day that sucked

by Wendy J. La

We walked away from that whole thing looking like the idiots… but I’m getting ahead of myself. Maybe this should be a “you suuuck” post.

I didn’t sleep at all last night. Thirty minutes, maybe. Bruce literally kept me up all night.

Bruce had a follow-up appointment scheduled today about his butt. You know, that whole thing at Levine? They made an appointment to make sure everything healed up alright. We didn’t schedule the appointment, they made it for us at the hospital. We just did what we were told. (And in hindsight, this whole Obamacare thing scares me even more.) We already had an appointment scheduled for his 2 month check-up, happens to be tomorrow, at Providence Pediatrics, Bruce’s regular doctors. They made this appointment in addition. Okay, we thought, the doctor wants to follow-up. Makes sense. Dr. Wolanski was the same way with my c-section. Bruce’s very first pediatrician in Virginia wanted to see him a couple of days after we left the hospital to check his weight and jaundice. ANYWAY… we did what we were told, and what we assumed was the right thing, the best thing, for Bruce.

So, we get there and parking is ri-goll-darned-diculous. There’s a garage, but not a lot of spaces and it’s just complicated. Our appointment note said to arrive 20 minutes early, but we got there right on time. As soon as we walked in I felt weird. Why do so many people in here speak spanish? ::Shrug:: Didn’t think much of it. Tom went to registration, I took Bruce in his car seat and sat down with my back to the majority of the huge waiting room. They asked for his parking pass and insurance card.

Tom came and sat down and the lady at the desk called him back after a minute or so. Tom came back and had me lean in so he could whisper. I forget his exact words, but he said that the lady said Bruce was kind of a special case, and most of the people there didn’t have healthcare.

GEE. YA’ DON’T SAY.

Tom was like, “how did you know?” I said, “well, look around.” I’m not saying anything about anybody – just that it was just a rough crowd. We sat in the waiting room for about an hour and a half, then in a patient room for another 30 minutes or so. They asked if we had a recent height and weight. Uh… you’re the nurse. Aren’t you supposed to get that?

We saw the doctors and they were asking lots of leading questions. Kind of coming at us with a, “so, what are you doing here?” attitude. To which we responded with a kind of, “you asked us to come,” attitude. It was kind of awkward. At some point Tom said that we were just following up after the surgery, and they said that everything looks great. Something like 10-30% of these things reoccur. It was 30 seconds, “Hi, how are you? Let’s get a look. Looks fine. Any questions? You’re free to go.” The doctor didn’t even shut the door behind him when he left. Typically they let us know when we should come back and tell us to take our time if we need to feed or change Bruce. There was none of that. Just, “we’re done. Get out.” Really awkward, really weird.

It’s stupid. We were already scheduled to see his regular doctor the next day. We thought we were seeing the surgeon, not just some random guy. Bruce’s regular M.D. could have looked at his butt crack and said, “Everything looks fine.” And we wouldn’t have had to wait 2 hours – on top of having to visit another doctor the very next day.

It’s all coming together. We had to twist some arms to get them to send a hospital billing rep to our room when we were trying to check out of the hospital. I guess they just assumed we had no insurance when they made the appointment because we hadn’t filed it yet.

We just looked so dumb. And it was dumb. We were taking valuable time away from poor people when we have a perfectly good doctor that we are scheduled to see in our fancy-schmancy Ballantyne area tomorrow anyway. We trekked all the way to Uptown, struggled with parking, waited 2 hours, and then got WTF looks from everyone JUST for a lesson on sociology and economics.

Stupid.

They called Tom this afternoon, reiterated that CSC was a clinic, and didn’t know how to process his insurance. LISTEN. YOU GUYS told US to come there. WORK IT OUT.

What was the point in asking us to get there early? We really should have gotten there at 7:15 for our 8:45 appointment. Who makes that big of a mistake? How do you book someone an appointment at a free clinic without even asking them? Why the heck wouldn’t we do a post-surgery follow-up with THE SURGEON? I guess that’s a tough question to ask. I guess they don’t want to call it the clinic because of the associated stigma. Guess what, we didn’t have time to spend TWO HOURS in a free-clinic waiting room because Tom’s insurance-paying-self had A JOB to get to! Got to get to work so he can pay those premiums, so we can sit in our South Charlotte waiting room for 15 minutes instead.

Ridiculous.

They had nothing to do with the surgery. It’s just a regular pediatrics office. What we did there we could have done anywhere! We could have done that TOMORROW at our nice, cushy, local, regular pediatric office! We are going there anyway!

http://www.snogglenews.com/shows/sunny/s01e02 Go to 05:10 and watch until about 06:30.

Bruce you suuuck

Leave a comment »

levine children’s hospital

by Wendy J. La

I wrote Tom a note recounting our brief stay at Levine Children’s Hospital earlier this month. I wrote it almost as soon as we got home because I didn’t want to risk forgetting things like I did when Bruce was born. I’ve recounted his birth story with all the details more or less in tact, it just would have been nice to have the sheer emotion that we experienced in writing.

So, here are tidbits from a letter that I wrote Tom dated Friday, November 16.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bruce Uncategorized

Leave a comment »

That La Kid

wishin' an' hopin'!

bloggin’ bloggin’ bloggin’

good day

kind of a good news bad news situation

sipping on kale

this is happening

idiot

some things

love stinks.

a day that sucked

levine children’s hospital

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories

Meta