Checkups

I finally found a Pediatrician for the kids!! Yes, we've been down here a year and a half and yes, it's been two years since their last checkups (at least the older three). A friend recommended a Ped. and so I thought I would go with him, but she didn't like the lady Ped in the group and there was one other fellow that she said was "ok". We were down here like a month or two and Timothy came down with an obvious ear infection, that kept me and him up the entire night, so I decided he had to go to the Dr. I called to schedule an appt. and the only doctor there was the other fellow. This fellow diagnosed and him and gave me a prescription and we went on our merry way. They did not say to come back for a follow-up in two weeks, like I had been told by our previous doctor, so I didn't bother since we just had temporary insurance. So, about six weeks later we had to go see him again because Timothy had another ear infection! He was put on a stronger antibiotic and he told me if he had another ear infection within a month or two, they would want to put tubes in his ears! I was not very happy especially seeing as how this was T's first ear infection and he was almost a year old! Anyways, somewhere in there I took him for his 18 month checkup. Every appointment I was pestered with getting them all the flu shot and T the hepatitis A shot (which none of the other kids had, and I didn't realize they had added that one) And I waited FOREVER in the room they put you in to see the doctor. For Timothy's18 month checkup (for one child) I was there for over two hours, AND I had made the appointment in the morning, thinking it would be faster. The sick visits I can understand taking a little longer because they fit us in, but a scheduled checkup to take that long seemed ridiculous. So I never took the other kids for their checkups.

The beginning of the year we were at the dentist and they were updating L and E's info. in their system and one of the questions was when their last checkup was. I realized it had been two years and the lady was really nice, so I asked her if she recommended a Ped. She didn't have kids, but she knew a lady that was a Ped that brought her kids to the dentist She went on and on about how nice she was, so she gave me her name and number of the Pediatric group.  I scheduled an appointment for the beginning of March, just to give our insurance time to adjust everything and send us our new cards for the new year etc.
So far I really like her and the receptionist and the nurses! They were so patient with us. I knew it would be a long appointment just due to the fact that there were four being seen and we were new patients and all. I made sure to get there early to fill out paperwork, etc. I ended having to talk to our insurance company and change the kids pediatrician to this new dr., which I had already done in Jan or beginning of Feb because the Dr. office wouldn't let me make an appointment until I had done that. So that was annoying of the ins. company.
They took the kids and weighed and measured them while I finished filling out paperwork, and then they put us in a room and the doctor came in before too long and did checkups on all of them.

Luke is in the 3rd percentile for weight and between the 25-30th for height. He's always been "too skinny" but he made it on the chart! :) He had to get two shots and they did a blood draw, he was not happy about either one of these and almost flat out refused, but we got it done. He passed his hearing screening, and his highlight was that he didn't pass his eye screening and will have to have glasses!

Emily is in the 20th percentile for weight and the 50th percentile for height. She's just a tad lighter and shorter than Luke! She also got a blood draw and got one shot. She was trooper and didn't say a word about any of it. She also failed her eye screening, so they're both scheduled to see an eye doctor in the next few months. She doesn't seem too thrilled with the idea of glasses, but she hasn't said a whole lot about it.

Josiah is in the 10th percentile for weight and 5th percentile for height. He's a shorty I guess. :) I knew he must be on the shorter side because he's 4 1/2 and still wearing size 3 pants. He got a finger stick to check his iron and five shots! Poor baby! He did really well and didn't cry until the last two, which were the ones that burn. :( I figured he was due a lot because he needed his "school" shots. He passed both his eye and hearing screening, so that was good. I wasn't sure they would do a eye screening for him, so I'm glad they did.

Timothy is in the 25th percentile for weight and the 40th for height. He got a finger stick and one shot. He did a good job and only cried a little.

I was glad they did the hearing and eye screening. I wasn't sure that they would because lots of times those are done at school. The dr. was very kind and patient and asked about any concerns or questions with each child. She was also very thorough. The three older kids also had to leave a urine sample, which was a first for us, so they got lectured (from mommy) about how we DO NOT EVER do this at home. :)

Our whole appointment took us three hours, which I thought was pretty good seeing as how we had so much to do! We didn't sit for very long between activities so that was nice! Overall it was a very positivie experience. I don't think I made the checkout lady very happy. She wanted to schedule a 2 1/2 year checkup for Timothy. I declined seeing as how he turns 2 1/2 in three months, I didn't think it was necessary. Oh, well! So, YAY, they have been declared healthy and caught up on everything for another year. And the doctor told me I am blessed to have four seemingly happy and healthy children with which I wholeheartedly agree!!!!