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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Can you hear me now? Uh-oh.



A couple of weeks ago, Caleb had his 3 year wellness visit at the pediatrician.  You know...the ones where they go in healthy, the doctor tells you they're fine, and two days later they come down with the plague that the child who was in the exam room before them had.  I strongly dislike these visits for said reason.  Well, you'll be happy to hear that my 3 year old is normal.  Above average actually.  But when they tested his hearing, the doctor said that she was going to send us to an audiologist.  I seriously thought the nurse had just gotten the test wrong.  After all, my kid pronounces every enormous words that hears.

So we went to the audiologist on Monday.  By God's grace, we didn't wait long, Caleb was obedient, and two of my favorite college students were at home with Ben so I could focus on Caleb.  After 15 minutes of testing, the audiologist let Caleb play with some toys while we talked.  Apparently, he has fluid in his middle ear which means he is not hearing very clearly through the liquid.  All I can think is that he must have some seriously amazing hearing behind that fluid because he can hear me whisper about ice cream three rooms away.

The answer to his issue: an appointment with an ENT and probably another set of tubes in his ears to drain the fluid.  My heart stopped.  Our insurance is changing, and if we can't schedule the surgery until after the first of the year, we'll be paying for it entirely out of pocket.  Now our insurance this year is ridiculously amazing, AND our younger son's hospital stay in March has more than met the limits.  I drove home praying, "Lord, don't let me panic; but please, please be working to allow us to take care of this before December 31st."

As I thought about the audiologist sending reports to the pediatrician, the pediatrician finally taking time to make a referral, the referral finally getting to the ENT's scheduling, and us finally getting to his office an hour and a half away; I just kept praying.  Then, come to find out from my sister who just happened to be coming over that evening, I can just call the ENT myself to set up the appointment since we have private insurance.  What??  You mean, I can bypass all the middle men who don't understand how important this is to me?  WOOHOO!!

So that's what I did yesterday.  Now our ENT has offices in a city an hour and a half away and in our city, but normally you have to wait two months for an appointment in our city.  Are you ready for this?  The scheduler gave me an appointment with the doctor I wanted IN OUR CITY tomorrow afternoon!  AMAZING!  I know I have no guarantees that we'll get in for surgery by the 31st, but I'm so encouraged.  Plus, the audiologist said she would make up her report within a week, but when I called her to explain what we were trying to do, she FAXed the report over yesterday morning!  Grace.  Pure grace.

Is everything else in my life working out quite so smoothly?  No.  I've made plenty of ridiculous choices in the last 24 hours.  Deciding to go to the grocery store in the middle of a snowstorm.  Silly.  Deciding to wear Crocs to the grocery store in the middle of a snowstorm.  Just plain ridiculous.  Deciding to push an incredibly heavy cart through 4 inches of slush in the parking lot of the grocery store while wearing Crocs.  (Okay, that last one was just funny for everyone else to watch.)  Deciding to let Ben sleep with us when he was crying last night. (Oh my word, I'm so I tired.)

So I hope as you're reading, you pick up that I'm a horrible perfectionist who is so so far from perfect. (type A+, right Misty?)  I also have children who are 100% children.  Right now Ben is going into the living room just to bother his older brother.  Then when Caleb gets upset, Ben will cry like it's Caleb's fault.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

And if you think of it, I'd appreciate your prayers.  Doing this surgery this month would mean so much!  We know the Lord is in control and will provide for us no matter what, but I'd love to see Him work this seemingly impossible situation out.  Amen.  Now if you'll excuse me, my baby is eating Kleenex; and I should probably do something about that.

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