House Call
One of the best benefits of having preemies is qualifying for a home health care program. This is also one of the worst benefits, one of the most useful benefits, one of the silliest benefits … there just aren’t a lot of benefits to having preemies. Not having to haul around 40-week-old twin fetuses is about the only other benefit.
The home health care program involves having a nurse visit our home once a week to check on the boys. This is great because it allows the boys to have frequent checkups while saving them the hazards of being exposed to generally unhealthy crowds in doctor’s office waiting rooms. It also saves me the trouble of hauling three children under the age of 2 out in public simultaneously, but insurance won’t pay convenience alone. The big downside is that we have to allow a stranger into our home to view the full spectacle of our newborn twin-induced housecleaning, or lack thereof.
Today was their checkup day. Checkup day was supposed to be five days ago, but the program was waiting for their Synagis to arrive. Synagis is a vaccine to prevent RSV, a serious respiratory virus that, according to my understanding from glossy ads found in parenting magazines, automatically sends its infant victims to the NICU with difficulty breathing, black and white vision, and generally pathetic appearance. Synagis is extremely time-sensitive, requiring shots spaced almost exactly 30 days apart to be effective. Since this dose, their second, was five days late, they’re still essentially unprotected until their next dose arrives in (hopefully) 30 days. For all the good it’s done, they might as well have given them sugar water instead of their first dose; it would have been almost as effective at preventing RSV and would have cost about $1000 less, per child.
The nurse came this afternoon, administered their vaccine, and checked their vitals. They’re both in good shape overall. Both have small heart murmurs, which are common in preemies and almost always go away quickly.
Most exciting was the weighing: Ian weighs 6 lbs; Tory tips the scales at 6 lbs, 8 ozs. Both boys added almost a pound since their checkup last week, meaning they’re growing well on breast milk without us having to spike it with a little formula powder. Almost as importantly, it means I can pack up their preemie clothes (good for up to 5 lbs) and free up a little space in their room. A few less things to pick up should help with the housekeeping.
The home health care program involves having a nurse visit our home once a week to check on the boys. This is great because it allows the boys to have frequent checkups while saving them the hazards of being exposed to generally unhealthy crowds in doctor’s office waiting rooms. It also saves me the trouble of hauling three children under the age of 2 out in public simultaneously, but insurance won’t pay convenience alone. The big downside is that we have to allow a stranger into our home to view the full spectacle of our newborn twin-induced housecleaning, or lack thereof.
Today was their checkup day. Checkup day was supposed to be five days ago, but the program was waiting for their Synagis to arrive. Synagis is a vaccine to prevent RSV, a serious respiratory virus that, according to my understanding from glossy ads found in parenting magazines, automatically sends its infant victims to the NICU with difficulty breathing, black and white vision, and generally pathetic appearance. Synagis is extremely time-sensitive, requiring shots spaced almost exactly 30 days apart to be effective. Since this dose, their second, was five days late, they’re still essentially unprotected until their next dose arrives in (hopefully) 30 days. For all the good it’s done, they might as well have given them sugar water instead of their first dose; it would have been almost as effective at preventing RSV and would have cost about $1000 less, per child.
The nurse came this afternoon, administered their vaccine, and checked their vitals. They’re both in good shape overall. Both have small heart murmurs, which are common in preemies and almost always go away quickly.
Most exciting was the weighing: Ian weighs 6 lbs; Tory tips the scales at 6 lbs, 8 ozs. Both boys added almost a pound since their checkup last week, meaning they’re growing well on breast milk without us having to spike it with a little formula powder. Almost as importantly, it means I can pack up their preemie clothes (good for up to 5 lbs) and free up a little space in their room. A few less things to pick up should help with the housekeeping.
posted by Matt at
9:52 PM
2 Comments:
I think that little chef ought to be old enough to clean the house by now, too, shouldn't she?
Actually, wouldn't it be nice if insurance paid for housecleaners to come? Right before the nurse comes?
By
Becky, at 11:14 PM
Wow--they are really growing!
Matt, we've had SUCH a problem getting the Synagis shots delivered to us on time. The first time, they called three different times saying they had been shipped when they hadn't, and the second time they called the day they were supposed to be shipped to say that they couldn't ship them until they had a current weight. The company is called Curascript. I hope your insurance company uses a different pharmacy. We are waiting on shipment #3 and holding our breath.
Becky--EXCELLENT idea!
By
Amy, at 7:28 AM
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