Early this year Jon introduced the idea of a Christmas Country. Anna or Isaac would pick a flag and we would learn about that country over the year. Come Christmas, we would incorporate some of their Christmas traditions, focus our charitable giving on that area, and I would make Christmas dinner based on the regional food. In February, Anna picked a flag that would appeal to any three year old: one with a moon and a star. The flag of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
Obviously, this presented some challenges in terms of incorporating Christmas traditions, but I was excited to try some of the food and learn a little about this north western African nation. It is also a country of some need, having one of the lowest GDP rates in Africa.
Selecting our Christmas gift to Mauritania was easy thanks to World Vision's gift catalog. I like the idea of doing something tangible, and I also think it was useful for Anna. I can't say for sure whether our gifts went to Mauritania itself, but we figured it was close enough.
Deciding on Christmas dinner was more difficult. There aren't many online recipes specific to Mauritania, but I eventually cobbled something together. We barbecued a leg of lamb, based on this recipe for lamb mechoui. We also made couscous, a modified spinach recipe inspired by hakko, and grilled root vegetables. We could not resist incorporating some of our own traditions, serving pita bread with tabouleh & hummous (graciously provided by Jon's mom), and pluma moos (a holiday soup made with dried fruit, common in Mennonite homes). For dessert, we made matrimonial squares (a date square), Americanized with Cool Whip. Yum!
To commemorate Mauritania I printed out a small picture of the flag and Anna colored her own rendition on the other side. I'll cover this in sticky tack and make it into an ornament for the tree. I'd also like to find a set of test tubes with corked tops, and every year fill one with something symbolizing our country. Sand for this year, since a large portion of the country is desert.
Other than that, we had a fairly typical Christmas. It is our first in Colorado, having spent the prior ones in Canada. We were blessed to have both of my parents and my brother stay with us (Mum is here until after the new year - sweet!), and Jon's parents came for dinner. My Dad was thrilled beyond measure to have a snow-free holiday. Temps were balmy, in the upper 40s and 50s. I missed the snow, but it certainly made travel easier. While family was here we went swimming, checked out the mall, had fun at our local indoor play ground, Jon & I went out for dinner a couple of times, and we all ogled the amazing light displays at some nearby houses. We also visited Zoolights, but that was a disaster. Isaac decided he wanted to attach himself to Jon instead of the stroller, and Anna was crushed that we didn't ride the carousel. On the upside, we ended up at the home of some dear friends who provided yummy snacks and hot chocolate. So it was well worth it in the end.
Christmas morning was typical for us - stockings attacked, a break for fresh baked cinnamon buns, and then gift mauling. Since many gifts were shipped here from Amazon, and there was no way of telling whose was whose, I simply wrapped them all the same and we played "guess whose present." I received exactly what I wanted, including a newly detailed car and a camera. I cannot begin to tell you how badly we needed a camera.
[I also gave myself a gift: highlighted hair. I've never highlighted before since I have very coarse frizzy hair. I also rather like its natural color. But the gray is coming fast and furiously, so I thought it would be a good time to experiment. I went with gray highlights, since it was something different. I like the color, but I wish the streaks were much wider and more dramatic. It looks a little too natural.]
Among other things, Anna received the one gift she'd consistently asked for: a unicorn pillow pet. I had gotten her a pink pig (it's pink, she likes pink, right?) but it became obvious that a unicorn was where things were at. So I tried to return the pig to the store I had purchased it. But they gave me $4 less than I paid! And there was nothing they could do about it! So I took the poor piggy back and donated it. Now I was a pillow pet short, and there were no unicorns to be found. So I did what any hysterical parent would do: ordered it online and paid $10 more than I would have in the store. A few days after that unicorn pets were everywhere. Oh well. I will consider that $10 my own personal stimulus packet for the economy.
Isaac's favorite gift appears to be a little bus my mom picked up at the dollar store. Although the hot wheels and books about vehicles are also hits. Anna is thrilled with her Ken doll, but the Razor was not as loved as I had hoped. And now it's snowing (finally!) so I think her scooter may reside in the garage for awhile.
I wish you much joy in the New Year.
2011 will be wonderful, I think.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Christmas goodies
Apple crisp season melded into pumpkin goody time, and it is now the era of gingerbread. So far, all these baking opportunities have passed me by. I prefer baking to cooking, but man (and woman, and child) does not live by dessert alone. As with many things, it is hard to find the time for what I enjoy amongst the pressures of what must get done. However, some yummy desserts made their way to our home this season. Nanaimo bars (a decadent Canadian confection), biscochitos (a New Mexican specialty), and caramels are among them. The latter two came from the quarterly get-together that I enjoy with my local female in-laws. We convene at regular intervals to cook or bake and generally hang out. The caramels are from a recipe originating with Jon's great-grandmother. My MIL hadn't made it since she was a girl, so this was a great adventure. We learned, for example, that the caramel should only boil to 230 F (soft ball stage), not 245 F (medium ball). When it came time to cut up the slabs of caramel it was so hard we resorted to throwing it on the granite counters to break it into shards. Jon preferred using a hammer and knife, but I think that took too long. He also likes these caramels rock hard - no accounting for taste, is there?
Anna and I decorated a gingerbread house (no pics - camera is a bust and I'm still not sure how to get photos off my phone), and I hope to make gingerbread men. I want Anna to help with the cookies, but her enthusiasm is inconsistent. Since I'm not all that interested in eating them (I prefer actual gingerbread) cookies may not happen. Perhaps better to focus on the inevitable: cinnamon buns (a must have for Christmas morning, according to all the males in my family), and matrimonial cake. You may not have heard of the last one. It's a common dessert at potlucks where Mennonites are found: a yummy oatmeal cake with a layer of cooked dates in the middle. Dates are important this year, since they seem common in Mauritanian cooking. Mauritania is our "Christmas country," but I'll explain this further in a separate post. It is a big country, after all.
In other, non-baking, news... I guess there isn't much news. Jon was away for a couple of days this week, and I'm finding these trips to be less bothersome than when the kids were younger. The usual sicknesses have been around: runny noses, vomit, coughing, etc. And the snow levels have reached pathetic lows. Maybe that's why I haven't been baking as much. It's hard to get into a gingerbread mood when the temps are in the 60s.
We did manage to go swimming today, and I was pretty proud of myself for pulling this off. We had a great time, and Anna is getting closer to sticking her head under water. Alas, things ended on a sad note when Isaac split his lip on the stairs of the baby slide. Lots of blood, and he keeps sucking on the wound. Yuck! He got over it, of course, and now is having an extra long nap. So, I still count our trip a victory.
Only eight sleeps until Christmas!
Anna and I decorated a gingerbread house (no pics - camera is a bust and I'm still not sure how to get photos off my phone), and I hope to make gingerbread men. I want Anna to help with the cookies, but her enthusiasm is inconsistent. Since I'm not all that interested in eating them (I prefer actual gingerbread) cookies may not happen. Perhaps better to focus on the inevitable: cinnamon buns (a must have for Christmas morning, according to all the males in my family), and matrimonial cake. You may not have heard of the last one. It's a common dessert at potlucks where Mennonites are found: a yummy oatmeal cake with a layer of cooked dates in the middle. Dates are important this year, since they seem common in Mauritanian cooking. Mauritania is our "Christmas country," but I'll explain this further in a separate post. It is a big country, after all.
In other, non-baking, news... I guess there isn't much news. Jon was away for a couple of days this week, and I'm finding these trips to be less bothersome than when the kids were younger. The usual sicknesses have been around: runny noses, vomit, coughing, etc. And the snow levels have reached pathetic lows. Maybe that's why I haven't been baking as much. It's hard to get into a gingerbread mood when the temps are in the 60s.
We did manage to go swimming today, and I was pretty proud of myself for pulling this off. We had a great time, and Anna is getting closer to sticking her head under water. Alas, things ended on a sad note when Isaac split his lip on the stairs of the baby slide. Lots of blood, and he keeps sucking on the wound. Yuck! He got over it, of course, and now is having an extra long nap. So, I still count our trip a victory.
Only eight sleeps until Christmas!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hurry Hurry Hurry
Whew! The floors are finally clean, after laying fallow for longer than I'd care to admit, and I have about 20 minutes to write an over-due post before picking up Anna from preschool. So this will be "out there" without editing - apologies for run-on sentences, non sequitars/sequiters/nonsequiters... and spelling mistakes.
I am rushed in general, and can see that fall and early winter will be this way for many years. October will see me gathering outfits for Halloween, November will be all about Anna's birthday and Thanksgiving, and then *surprise!* suddenly it's December! In December we have our anniversary, Jon's birthday, various other b-days, and of course the coming of our Lord which we will celebrate via mass consumption. I will ponder the latter more fully when I have time.
The little people in our house had their check-ups today, and Anna has reached a special point at which her height and weight are the same: 42. Which is, of course, the answer to everything. Perhaps this means that she knows everything and we can stop paying for preschool. But probably not.
Some good news about Anna is that the Zyrtec (an antihistamine) that she's taking appears to be working, although it does make her tired (mental note: only give at bedtime). The bad news is that there's not much we can do about her constant illnesses. We're going to try Flo-Vent (a steroid) to see if that helps some of her symptoms, or at least reduce the amount of times that she's wheezing without us knowing it.
Isaac is also growing well, and is healthy other than his runny nose. Again, the theme of illness. We are on week 8 of constant illness over here, so it is on my mind quite a bit. Of course, I suppose I could stop taking them places (like indoor play areas, and child care at the gym), but that also seems counter-productive. And a good way to lose my mind.
In terms of overall development, Anna seems quite her age. She is very social and still loves to dance and make believe. A budding theater major, if this dramatic arc continues. For example, while watching her during dance class I realized she was the only child who had trouble listening to the teacher simply because she couldn't get her eyes off of herself (the kids face a mirror). She was making faces and just enjoying her own movement. It was pretty cute, actually.
Anna is also is becoming increasingly helpful around the house, and can be given a few chores to do. At the same time I cannot believe how poky she can be about some things - getting dressed or getting out the door seems to take forever! And it is so frustrating. Even washing her hands can be interminable - again, the pull of the mirror is irresistable to her.
Isaac is also quite his age and appears to be a force to be reckoned with. He doesn't take any guff from anyone, and has no qualms about hitting or "taking down" his sister. Given the inability of this age group to inhibit much in the way of behavior, time outs seem more punitive than instructive at this point. But we do it if only to remove him from the situation. Other than a penchant for violence, his demenour is very sweet and loving. He is so very cuddly, and loves loves loves soft fleecy blankets and stuffed animals. He's always snuggling into something. Has only about 10-15 words, but gross motor skills are a bit advanced. He's great at throwing, climbing, running, and things like that.
Okay - time is up. Until next time....
I am rushed in general, and can see that fall and early winter will be this way for many years. October will see me gathering outfits for Halloween, November will be all about Anna's birthday and Thanksgiving, and then *surprise!* suddenly it's December! In December we have our anniversary, Jon's birthday, various other b-days, and of course the coming of our Lord which we will celebrate via mass consumption. I will ponder the latter more fully when I have time.
The little people in our house had their check-ups today, and Anna has reached a special point at which her height and weight are the same: 42. Which is, of course, the answer to everything. Perhaps this means that she knows everything and we can stop paying for preschool. But probably not.
Some good news about Anna is that the Zyrtec (an antihistamine) that she's taking appears to be working, although it does make her tired (mental note: only give at bedtime). The bad news is that there's not much we can do about her constant illnesses. We're going to try Flo-Vent (a steroid) to see if that helps some of her symptoms, or at least reduce the amount of times that she's wheezing without us knowing it.
Isaac is also growing well, and is healthy other than his runny nose. Again, the theme of illness. We are on week 8 of constant illness over here, so it is on my mind quite a bit. Of course, I suppose I could stop taking them places (like indoor play areas, and child care at the gym), but that also seems counter-productive. And a good way to lose my mind.
In terms of overall development, Anna seems quite her age. She is very social and still loves to dance and make believe. A budding theater major, if this dramatic arc continues. For example, while watching her during dance class I realized she was the only child who had trouble listening to the teacher simply because she couldn't get her eyes off of herself (the kids face a mirror). She was making faces and just enjoying her own movement. It was pretty cute, actually.
Anna is also is becoming increasingly helpful around the house, and can be given a few chores to do. At the same time I cannot believe how poky she can be about some things - getting dressed or getting out the door seems to take forever! And it is so frustrating. Even washing her hands can be interminable - again, the pull of the mirror is irresistable to her.
Isaac is also quite his age and appears to be a force to be reckoned with. He doesn't take any guff from anyone, and has no qualms about hitting or "taking down" his sister. Given the inability of this age group to inhibit much in the way of behavior, time outs seem more punitive than instructive at this point. But we do it if only to remove him from the situation. Other than a penchant for violence, his demenour is very sweet and loving. He is so very cuddly, and loves loves loves soft fleecy blankets and stuffed animals. He's always snuggling into something. Has only about 10-15 words, but gross motor skills are a bit advanced. He's great at throwing, climbing, running, and things like that.
Okay - time is up. Until next time....
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Two Weeks & A Tea Party
This is the end of two intense weeks. Jon was away on work-related business Sunday - Friday and then Sunday - Thursday. This was the longest I've been alone with the kids, and although it didn't exactly go well, it wasn't exactly horrible either. Which is to say, God was gracious and kept our attitudes positive. The dark evenings didn't drag as much as expected, and I was able to function despite being exhausted. I was even able to exercise at near-normal levels.
I could give a detailed rant of what went wrong, but perhaps it's best to quickly list the highlights and let you draw your own conclusions: daylight savings time ended, toddler diarrhea (everywhere), Anna coughing up a lung, microwave broke (my Dad says the megatron busted which made me vaguely autobot-ish, and hence briefly empowered), cancellation of various social events.
On the plus side, Isaac held off on the late-night vomiting until Daddy got home. Granted, this may not be a plus for Daddy, but it worked for me.
Originally, my plan for Jon's two week absence was to do nothing. No cooking, no cleaning, no nothing. And then I looked at the calendar and realized that Anna's b-day party was happening right after Jon's final return. Tactical error, that one.
So instead of nothing, my free time was spent scouring the web for preschool party ideas and taping streamers to the wall. What I discovered was that planning a party for little kiddos is fun! Lots of fun! Our theme was "A Tea Party for Little Fairies." I tried to keep the pace fast and the activities simple. I think everyone had a good time. (Anna was overwhelmed for the first half, maintaining a blank look on her face. She spent some time on the floor, but as long as she wasn't crying I marked it a success.)
Here's what we did:
Guests were invited to enter the Fairy Web and retrieve their wings. Once they did so, they chose their wand & tiara (for the fairies) or sword and crown (for the boys).
The kids then decorated their wings until all the guests had arrived. We played Stepping Stones (a non-competitive form of musical chairs), Fairy Freeze (a dancing game), and Pin the Flower on the Fairy (yup, everyone gets a prize - I'm not into competitive games for this age group).
Then it was time for the Tea Party. I brought out my second-best china, and we ate in the Fairy Bower. There were toadstools and wands made out of fruit, butterflies (yogurt-covered pretzels), and fairy bread (raisin bread with cream cheese and sprinkles). We had cheese cut into small shapes and sparkling juice.
Fairy Food
The most popular food, of course, was what I didn't make: an ice cream cake from DQ. A couple of years ago I laboured over Anna's Dora cake, and then watched kids eat only icing. Since then I decided it's better to spend more money for something the kids will actually eat, than lots of time on something they won't. I'll save my cake-decorating mojo for other things.
After the cake we opened gifts. I was on the fence about doing a gift opening, until we attended a party without one. Anna was so crushed that she wasn't able to "give" her gift. And anyway gracious giving is a good skill to practice.
If there was any gift-envy it was lessened by the treasure hunt that immediately followed. Finally, there was a free-for-all until the parents came. (This was a parents-optional event, and we had about 2/3 attendance. Next year I may go kids-only. Or not. The parents were all very helpful.)
Anna's actual b-day is next week, and I am glad we can spread things out a bit. We'll do family gifts on her big day, and maybe take her to see Disney's Tangled. It will be a mellow day, after some hectic weeks.
I could give a detailed rant of what went wrong, but perhaps it's best to quickly list the highlights and let you draw your own conclusions: daylight savings time ended, toddler diarrhea (everywhere), Anna coughing up a lung, microwave broke (my Dad says the megatron busted which made me vaguely autobot-ish, and hence briefly empowered), cancellation of various social events.
On the plus side, Isaac held off on the late-night vomiting until Daddy got home. Granted, this may not be a plus for Daddy, but it worked for me.
Originally, my plan for Jon's two week absence was to do nothing. No cooking, no cleaning, no nothing. And then I looked at the calendar and realized that Anna's b-day party was happening right after Jon's final return. Tactical error, that one.
So instead of nothing, my free time was spent scouring the web for preschool party ideas and taping streamers to the wall. What I discovered was that planning a party for little kiddos is fun! Lots of fun! Our theme was "A Tea Party for Little Fairies." I tried to keep the pace fast and the activities simple. I think everyone had a good time. (Anna was overwhelmed for the first half, maintaining a blank look on her face. She spent some time on the floor, but as long as she wasn't crying I marked it a success.)
Pixie Hollow, waiting for fairies and elves to arrive.
Here's what we did:
Guests were invited to enter the Fairy Web and retrieve their wings. Once they did so, they chose their wand & tiara (for the fairies) or sword and crown (for the boys).
Fairy Web
The kids then decorated their wings until all the guests had arrived. We played Stepping Stones (a non-competitive form of musical chairs), Fairy Freeze (a dancing game), and Pin the Flower on the Fairy (yup, everyone gets a prize - I'm not into competitive games for this age group).
Preparing for Pin the Flower
(kudos to my mom for quilting the wall hanging, and inspiring our party theme).
Then it was time for the Tea Party. I brought out my second-best china, and we ate in the Fairy Bower. There were toadstools and wands made out of fruit, butterflies (yogurt-covered pretzels), and fairy bread (raisin bread with cream cheese and sprinkles). We had cheese cut into small shapes and sparkling juice.
The most popular food, of course, was what I didn't make: an ice cream cake from DQ. A couple of years ago I laboured over Anna's Dora cake, and then watched kids eat only icing. Since then I decided it's better to spend more money for something the kids will actually eat, than lots of time on something they won't. I'll save my cake-decorating mojo for other things.
After the cake we opened gifts. I was on the fence about doing a gift opening, until we attended a party without one. Anna was so crushed that she wasn't able to "give" her gift. And anyway gracious giving is a good skill to practice.
If there was any gift-envy it was lessened by the treasure hunt that immediately followed. Finally, there was a free-for-all until the parents came. (This was a parents-optional event, and we had about 2/3 attendance. Next year I may go kids-only. Or not. The parents were all very helpful.)
Anna's actual b-day is next week, and I am glad we can spread things out a bit. We'll do family gifts on her big day, and maybe take her to see Disney's Tangled. It will be a mellow day, after some hectic weeks.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sugar High
Halloween has come and gone, and we had a fine time despite both children being ill (three cheers for Motrin). This was Isaac's second illness in two weeks, and so I resigned myself to the fact that the season of poor health has begun early this year. Already, Anna's coughing has resulted in two missed events (preschool and a sleepover at her grandparents' house) and it ain't over yet.
But anyway, back to Halloween. Isaac wore the same tiger outfit that Anna donned for two years, and boy was he cute. We loved watching him toddle up and down the driveways carrying an oversize bucket, and offering the occasional tiger growl. By the third house he figured out what was what, and often had his hand in the candy bowl even as our neighbors were handing dropping goodies into his bucket. Obviously, more than a few chocolate morsels were consumed en route.
After much debate and discussion, Anna elected to wear her firefighter's outfit instead of her Tinker Bell costume. I felt it was too cold for fairies to trick-or-treat without long pants or a sweater, but Anna begged to differ. We had this same discussion days earlier, mere minutes before leaving for her preschool's Halloween parade (i.e., children in costume walking in a circle - it was precious). I didn't want to push the issue, since I only spent $15 on the outfit back in September.
Luckily she was able to go pure Tinker Bell the day before, at a Halloween party that her grandmother and great-aunt put on for the cousins. They did such a great job, with themed cookies and snacks and everyone in costume. I'd say that was one of the highlights of our autumn.
After the parties and hoopla we were left with a bucket of candy and a preschooler whose "tummy is [always] rumbling for candy." So we did what my mother did with us kids, way back when, and it has worked wonderfully. Anna and I divided up her spoils into groups of three (sometimes four!) candies and put each group into a paper bag. Every day she chooses a bag, and that's the sum total of her treats and desserts for 24 hours. She can choose to eat them whenever she wants (provided it's not right before or during an actual meal), and she's demonstrated excellent self-control. Most days, that is.
But anyway, back to Halloween. Isaac wore the same tiger outfit that Anna donned for two years, and boy was he cute. We loved watching him toddle up and down the driveways carrying an oversize bucket, and offering the occasional tiger growl. By the third house he figured out what was what, and often had his hand in the candy bowl even as our neighbors were handing dropping goodies into his bucket. Obviously, more than a few chocolate morsels were consumed en route.
Spooky Ghost Tiger!
After much debate and discussion, Anna elected to wear her firefighter's outfit instead of her Tinker Bell costume. I felt it was too cold for fairies to trick-or-treat without long pants or a sweater, but Anna begged to differ. We had this same discussion days earlier, mere minutes before leaving for her preschool's Halloween parade (i.e., children in costume walking in a circle - it was precious). I didn't want to push the issue, since I only spent $15 on the outfit back in September.
Luckily she was able to go pure Tinker Bell the day before, at a Halloween party that her grandmother and great-aunt put on for the cousins. They did such a great job, with themed cookies and snacks and everyone in costume. I'd say that was one of the highlights of our autumn.
After the parties and hoopla we were left with a bucket of candy and a preschooler whose "tummy is [always] rumbling for candy." So we did what my mother did with us kids, way back when, and it has worked wonderfully. Anna and I divided up her spoils into groups of three (sometimes four!) candies and put each group into a paper bag. Every day she chooses a bag, and that's the sum total of her treats and desserts for 24 hours. She can choose to eat them whenever she wants (provided it's not right before or during an actual meal), and she's demonstrated excellent self-control. Most days, that is.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
News & Notes from the Week
- A rare bald eagle sighting during my run. I took a picture with my new phone, but have no idea how to upload it here.
- Yes, I finally replaced my mobile, thereby joining the 21st century. Alas, its been very buggy and needs to be returned. Fail.
- Autumnal colors are great! Autumn is great! This is my favorite time of year.
- Realize I spent most of the week simply preventing kiddos from hurting each other, often with mixed success. Isaac now sports a fat lip.
- Cantaloupe plants accidentally sprouted from our compost pile in the spring, and actual cantaloupes resulted. We finally brought the fruit into the house. Only one was fully ripe, and its flavor was fantastic. The others looked great but tasted like nothing. Literally, they had no taste. This visual-flavour discrepancy was tough for my poor brain. It tried very hard to taste some sort of melon, but with no success.
- Found myself completely unable to memorize Psalm 100. Perhaps too many brain cells trying to solve the melon problem.
- Fervently wish we hadn't put away the bike trailer, as now I am limited to biking without kids. Which is to say, I am not biking.
- Accidentally watered the raspberry bushes for 24 hours. Woops.
- Reason for Isaac's mysteriously truncated nap has been revealed: fever and diarrhea!
- Attended a fantastic bible study on the Psalms, which followed a great series on Philipians. I am part of a bible study for the women at our church, and I have to say I am loving the group. There is so much wisdom there.
- Mental note (suggested by an aforementioned wise woman): begin to pray for kiddos' future spouses. Gives me a broader perspective.
- Date night last night. Checked out a new wine bar which was fantastic. Ordered a flight, which is my preferred way of enjoying wine - little tastes of many varietals. Unfortunately, I forgot about the high alcohol content of port. Had to wait a long time before driving home.
- Must have more date nights.
- Cool enough for apple crisp, not quite cool enough for pumpkin pie. Hot chocolate in the forecast.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Musings (okay, a rant) on health care.
Everyone knows that the health care system in this country leaves much to be desired. Lately, I've been dealing with some of the reasons why.
Here is the picture:
A while back I had an admitted Mommy meltdown and took Isaac to the ER because there was a slight chance that he had ingested some Tylenol. I asked to have his blood tested for acetaminophen. One test. Just for the Tylenol.
When we got the invoice, I was surprised to see five items for "Laboratory" and charges totaling almost $1000. Intriguing. Numerous phone calls later, it was revealed that Isaac had been tested for Tylenol and aspirin and alcohol and to make sure various internal organs were still functioning. And anyway, what kind of mother would NOT want her child to get tested for all of these substances if given the chance? The last person I spoke to summed up the situation nicely: "We would NEVER make a medical decision based on monetary considerations." Me: "So this is about liability, then?" Administrator, with some shock: "No, this is about the health of a child." Me: "Grrrr....."
I can spot about five things wrong with this picture. How about you?
1) I asked for one test and ended up with many more. The given reason for this was "standard practice." Apparently, if a child is exposed to one medication he is likely to have been exposed to others. Really? In every circumstance? Even in our particular circumstance, where even the ER doc agreed that it was unlikely he had consumed any Tylenol let alone another substance? I don't think so.
So let's do a thought experiment: If patients were allowed to pay less for every test that came back negative, do you think all of these tests would still be "standard practice?"
I'm not saying that anyone is consciously trying to milk money from patients. But surely when income is dependent on the number and complexity of medical tests given, it must influence, to some extent, decision-making at many levels of the administrative tree.
2) I asked for one test and ended up with many more. Repeating myself on purpose, here. I do have a vague memory that the doctor mentioned something about testing Isaac's blood for other things. At 11:00 p.m. When I was trying to keep Isaac happy, and feeling guilty about being there in the first place. I'm not sure that counts as full disclosure. Regardless, subsequent conversations made clear that any protests about extraneous testing would have been met with a decent amount of resistance.
3) Five charges for "Laboratory." I should point out that these five charges were listed on the initial invoice we got from our insurance company. The actual bill just lumped everything together. Of course, even if it had divided the amount into five Laboratory charges, so what? It took at at least three phone calls to figure out what each charge meant. I want to know exactly what I'm paying for - in plain written English.
4) Shock and awe. Medical bills are always scary because you never know what to expect. Why not? Why don't I know what's coming? In other words, not only do I want my medical bills to be itemized, I want to have a sense of how much the total is going to be before I open up that mean white envelope. If Isaac's ER doc had ascribed a dollar amount to each one - even an approximated amount - it would have solved many problems. First, it would have saved me some time later on as I tried to figure out for what I was being billed. Second, it might have clarified the procedures being done. Third, it may have motivated me enough to speak up and at least engage the doctor as to why certain tests were administered. Obviously, upfront cost disclosure isn't practical in all situations. Often, medical decisions need to be fast and furious and sometimes there are no options. But such preventable things have happened to us before. For example, mere minutes before getting a third trimester (i.e., too late to do anything about it now) ultrasound I had to sign a form saying that I would pay for it if the insurance company didn't. No mention of how much it was going to cost (turns out my insurance didn't cover most of it). And I never did find out what they were looking for, or why it was important.
5) We would NEVER make a medical decision based on monetary considerations. Well how terribly convenient, since you are not paying for that medical decision. I am. And as lovely as it would be to think that all of our decisions occur in a monetary black hole, they just don't. Permit me another example: I had a CAT scan administered via the ER since the main medical offices had closed for the day. It was my choice whether to have the scan then, or wait until Monday. If I had known the cost, I would have waited until Monday. Risky? Maybe. But at least a more informed decision.
*End Rant*
I am worried about coming across as feeling negative about doctors and the job they do. This is not so. Some of the people I admire most are in the health care business and they're just concerned with making their patients better. But I do think there is a detrimental disconnect among the money and the medical decisions and the information imparted to the patient. And the whole thing just looks like a black box to the patient - a box shut so tight it seems useless to try and open it. I'm a trusting sort, and I generally go with whatever a medical doctor recommends. I know I should take more control of my health care - ask more questions, and so forth - and I think knowing about cost might provide a bit more motivation to do so. Perhaps it would also motivate other people.
Finally, I'm enough of a navel-gazer to realize that some of my annoyance comes from being in this situation in the first place. No doubt, I'm projecting some of my guilt about taking Isaac to the ER (for nothing!) onto the health care system. But it's such a behemoth, surely it won't even notice. I guess that's part of the problem, too.
Here is the picture:
A while back I had an admitted Mommy meltdown and took Isaac to the ER because there was a slight chance that he had ingested some Tylenol. I asked to have his blood tested for acetaminophen. One test. Just for the Tylenol.
When we got the invoice, I was surprised to see five items for "Laboratory" and charges totaling almost $1000. Intriguing. Numerous phone calls later, it was revealed that Isaac had been tested for Tylenol and aspirin and alcohol and to make sure various internal organs were still functioning. And anyway, what kind of mother would NOT want her child to get tested for all of these substances if given the chance? The last person I spoke to summed up the situation nicely: "We would NEVER make a medical decision based on monetary considerations." Me: "So this is about liability, then?" Administrator, with some shock: "No, this is about the health of a child." Me: "Grrrr....."
I can spot about five things wrong with this picture. How about you?
1) I asked for one test and ended up with many more. The given reason for this was "standard practice." Apparently, if a child is exposed to one medication he is likely to have been exposed to others. Really? In every circumstance? Even in our particular circumstance, where even the ER doc agreed that it was unlikely he had consumed any Tylenol let alone another substance? I don't think so.
So let's do a thought experiment: If patients were allowed to pay less for every test that came back negative, do you think all of these tests would still be "standard practice?"
I'm not saying that anyone is consciously trying to milk money from patients. But surely when income is dependent on the number and complexity of medical tests given, it must influence, to some extent, decision-making at many levels of the administrative tree.
2) I asked for one test and ended up with many more. Repeating myself on purpose, here. I do have a vague memory that the doctor mentioned something about testing Isaac's blood for other things. At 11:00 p.m. When I was trying to keep Isaac happy, and feeling guilty about being there in the first place. I'm not sure that counts as full disclosure. Regardless, subsequent conversations made clear that any protests about extraneous testing would have been met with a decent amount of resistance.
3) Five charges for "Laboratory." I should point out that these five charges were listed on the initial invoice we got from our insurance company. The actual bill just lumped everything together. Of course, even if it had divided the amount into five Laboratory charges, so what? It took at at least three phone calls to figure out what each charge meant. I want to know exactly what I'm paying for - in plain written English.
4) Shock and awe. Medical bills are always scary because you never know what to expect. Why not? Why don't I know what's coming? In other words, not only do I want my medical bills to be itemized, I want to have a sense of how much the total is going to be before I open up that mean white envelope. If Isaac's ER doc had ascribed a dollar amount to each one - even an approximated amount - it would have solved many problems. First, it would have saved me some time later on as I tried to figure out for what I was being billed. Second, it might have clarified the procedures being done. Third, it may have motivated me enough to speak up and at least engage the doctor as to why certain tests were administered. Obviously, upfront cost disclosure isn't practical in all situations. Often, medical decisions need to be fast and furious and sometimes there are no options. But such preventable things have happened to us before. For example, mere minutes before getting a third trimester (i.e., too late to do anything about it now) ultrasound I had to sign a form saying that I would pay for it if the insurance company didn't. No mention of how much it was going to cost (turns out my insurance didn't cover most of it). And I never did find out what they were looking for, or why it was important.
5) We would NEVER make a medical decision based on monetary considerations. Well how terribly convenient, since you are not paying for that medical decision. I am. And as lovely as it would be to think that all of our decisions occur in a monetary black hole, they just don't. Permit me another example: I had a CAT scan administered via the ER since the main medical offices had closed for the day. It was my choice whether to have the scan then, or wait until Monday. If I had known the cost, I would have waited until Monday. Risky? Maybe. But at least a more informed decision.
*End Rant*
I am worried about coming across as feeling negative about doctors and the job they do. This is not so. Some of the people I admire most are in the health care business and they're just concerned with making their patients better. But I do think there is a detrimental disconnect among the money and the medical decisions and the information imparted to the patient. And the whole thing just looks like a black box to the patient - a box shut so tight it seems useless to try and open it. I'm a trusting sort, and I generally go with whatever a medical doctor recommends. I know I should take more control of my health care - ask more questions, and so forth - and I think knowing about cost might provide a bit more motivation to do so. Perhaps it would also motivate other people.
Finally, I'm enough of a navel-gazer to realize that some of my annoyance comes from being in this situation in the first place. No doubt, I'm projecting some of my guilt about taking Isaac to the ER (for nothing!) onto the health care system. But it's such a behemoth, surely it won't even notice. I guess that's part of the problem, too.
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