Pumping Money into the Medical Field

Well, we felt like a good way to get the economy back on track was to pump some money into the medical field. We of course had all the birth related expenses. Then as you know, a week after Tobin was born Kurt and I both went to the ER with dehydration from the stomach bug. When it rains it pours.

Shortly before vacation to Virginia Joshua got a stomach bug. Previously when he has been sick he still has some life in him. This time he literally laid around for two days. He didn't seem dehydrated and after talking with the nurse we didn't take him in to the the Doctor. The whole time I was caring for him I had cold symptoms and a sore throat. He got better around Thursday evening/Friday morning. I finally got in to see the doctor for my sore throat at 4 PM Friday. About half and hour later my strep test was positive and I was rushing home to get Joshua to get him tested before they closed at 5. (We were leaving for Virginia the next day.) Sure enough he had strep as well. Off to the pharmacy we went. The following Monday the lovely feeling of pink eye in both eyes greeted me while waking up. Did you know that small little vials of eye antibiotics comes with a very big price tag? Then the next day Joshua fell and hit his mouth on a brick wall, knocking his tooth up into his gum. Wednesday it was off to the dentist to get it checked out. We actually managed to get mostly healthy for our remaining time in Abingdon. However, the following week my sore throat came back. Friday Joshua started complaining about his mouth hurting for the first time. I was worried it was getting infected so back to the dentist we went. Fortunately it all looked good, but the dentist wanted to but him on antibiotics just in case. The next morning I made it back into the doctors office to find out I had strep again (or still?) Round two of antibiotics for us both. At this point, the pharmacist knows us by name.
Here's a shot of our medicine cabinet. Just kidding, we're not that bad (yet)

Last summer I started having episodes of very bad vertigo. About once every two months I get his with very bad dizziness and have to lay down very still with my eyes closed to keep from loosing my latest meal. The last episode was worst than any of the previous, so I finally hauled myself in to see and Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. After a morning at his office, he recommended a bunch of tests to rule out big things like tumors, MS, aneurysm, etc. I'm 99% sure I don't have any of those things. But, it seems foolish not to get tested just in case. So today was six hours of testing. First an allergy test. 80 needles into my arms. And I get to do it again next week.
Then on for two and a half hours of audioneurological testing where they intentionally make you dizzy. Oh, and you're not allowed to eat for four hours before because they don't want your breakfast in the floor. Then onto a CT scan and an MRI. At first the idea of a "day off" was appealing to me, but laundry and screaming children would have been more pleasant.

So, President Bush, thank you for the economic stimulus check. We did our part for the medical community. Can we have some more money to buy a new TV?