Say What?

Happy Valentines Day tomorrow!

We had a roller coaster week here in the Bagwell home.  Millie is doing super, don't worry.

This past week we had a visit from a feeding specialist and speech therapist, together.  I learned a lot, and got overwhelmed pretty quickly.

Millie is a great eater, and has taken to pediasure like a fish to water.  That's great for gaining weight right now, but we don't want her to only drink that and not eat solid foods.  The feeding specialist gave us some great suggestions to help with that, and is planning another visit to see how she is doing.

The speech therapist was so nice, and mainly observed during the visit.  Towards the very end, she mentioned that from observing Millie briefly she thinks it is quite possible Millie still has a partially paralyzed vocal cord.  If you've been around this girl, you know she isn't quiet.  We could barely hear her cry when we first brought her home from the hospital, so I just assumed since we hear her so well now that her vocal cord had healed.  Millie breathes very loudly, and that is why the therapist thinks her cord might not be moving properly.  That and she prefers pediasure to milk.  Pediasure is thick like a milk shake.  We had to thicken her bottles when she first came home.

Not a big deal, right?  Then the two of them mention because of this she is still at risk for apnea bradycardia.  Or is it apnea & bradycardia?  Oh well, look it up.  It is something we worried a lot about at the hospital, but has been far from my mind ever since we left.  They said since she is at risk that I really should only give her thick things to drink or water.  I've been giving her juice for the calories.

Ok.  So none of this is huge.  It was nothing I wanted to hear though.  After they left I started feeling so overwhelmed.  Its exhausting being the filter for all medical advice.  Millie needs a medical manager, seriously.  I began really missing our previous pediatrician, Dr. Later.  I trust everything he says, I just don't know our current one as well (nor does she know Millie as well).

Then a miracle happened.  To make a long story a little shorter, in order to get Millie the synagis shot on BYU health insurance we had to apply for medicaid.  We were sure we wouldn't get it because we have been so good at saving our money and had BYU insurance.  The asset limit is usually $3,000 for medicaid, which we had just in our car.  I heard back from medicaid and with children under 3 there is no asset limit, so Millie is on medicaid!  So amazing.  Do you know what that means?  We get to go back to Dr. Later!  I am calling first thing tomorrow to get an appointment so I can fill him in on everything and get his advice.  I've got to straighten myself out before we head to South Carolina in 9 days.

Did I mention all of this happened in one day?  The therapists and getting completely on medicaid.  It was quite a day.  I don't think I will ever complain about the medicaid people.  I applied online and sorted everything else out on the phone.  I never stepped foot in the office.  The WIC people on the other hand...

It's a happy day (month, season, year) in the Bagwell home.  The world is right again.

Did I mention we're going back to Dr. Later?

I nearly forgot one other thing.  The Speech Therapist mentioned Millie makes a very strange noise, like a Donald Duck type noise, and still won't repeat after anyone.  I'm not sure if it is that is why, or if it is her vocal cord, but this week we have a team of Speech Therapists coming to observe this darling.  Millie loves to entertain, so this should be fun.