Easter weekend was a lot of fun. The kids really enjoyed the beautiful weather for their egg hunt. After the hunt, we had a nice and very yummy Easter lunch.
Immediately after stuffing myself, I decided to run over to the long term care facility where my stepfather is recuperating from a knee surgery. Amazingly, I had no problems after consuming a big meal and two glasses of wine!
I had a nice visit with my stepfather and enjoyed the stunning view from the fourth floor there, and no I’m not joking. For those of you that have been to the fourth floor of Royal Megansett—you know what I mean.
If I ever have to go into long-term care, I would be much happier if the place had views like Royal Megansett. You can look out over the ocean for miles.
On a less fun note, yesterday I had to take my almost three-year old to a pediatric ophthalmology appointment at the Boston Children’s Hospital satellite facility in Weymouth, MA.
Collin has had pink eye about 7 or 8 times, and he’s only 3, so we knew something was up. After the last visit to the pediatrician for pink eye and a sinus infection, she suggested we head up to see the pediatric ophthalmologist.
After and eye exam and some drops to determine if his eyes were draining properly, she concluded that the nasolacrimal (tear) ducts on both eyes were blocked. 
So, with a trip to the ER last week for my older son and this surgery, we are headed towards maxing out our $5,000 deductible for the year. Yes, the only health insurance offered by my husband’s company is high deductible.
My gripe with high deductible health insurance is that it’s fine for people without children (who are relatively healthy). When you have kids, it’s inevitable that they are going to have numerous sick visits, and most likely ER trips (especially with boys!).
I am concerned that there are people out there who have to make the decision about whether or not to take their children to the doctor because of the huge out of pocket costs.
For example, if I take my kids to the doctor for a sick visit, I pay the ENTIRE contracted rate for the visit which is usually about $125. I’m not going to lie, there are times I have questioned whether or not my child is really sick before bringing him in—because of the associated cost.
I wonder, what if it’s just a cold? Will it go away in a few days? What if he has an infection? How long should I wait? I just don’t think you should have to ask those questions in regard to pediatric patients. A healthcare decision shouldn’t have to be delayed due to apprehension about the expense. Vent over!
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