Time for More Tubes

After multiple frustrations to get in to see Kate's new ENT, we finally saw him today. Of course, not before I had to discuss Kate's case with the Commission...again.

Me: Hi, I'm just calling to make sure you sent my daughter's paperwork to her new ENT. We see him today at 2:10.

Commission: Ummm, ma'am, you can't do this to me. You have to give me more than a few hours warning. The doctors get really mad when I don't send the files....

Me: (Interrupting) I understand you have to know ahead of time. That's why I asked you to send them a month ago. I am just calling to make sure you actually did it. This is a check on YOU.

Commission: Oh, yes, ma'am. I'll send them right away.

Me: Thank you. (Much growling and complaining to follow...)

Anyway, as I drove over there, I thought to myself, if she didn't actually send the files, then we can't actually see the doctor. If that happens, I swear we are just not meant to see this doctor. I will just take it as divine intervention. Perhaps we should choose Dr. P..... (More muttering and growling...)

Thankfully the file and pre-authorization had been sent, and the clinic staff was much nicer than any others I have dealt with at the university hospital/clinic. But of course there are pros and cons to the university clinic. For example, it's so old and beat up and ... gray that you feel like you are in a Soviet block country. It's also one of the least child-friendly places I have ever been. On the other hand, we saw three different doctors. Dr. S. is an assistant to the ENT we were there to see. She cleaned out all the wax out of Kate's ears. We had been trying to get doctors to do this for about a year now, but no one would do it until today. Everyone has been terrified of scaring poor Kate, but they couldn't see what in the world was in her ears for all the gunk. So we held her down while she cried, and Dr. S. got it all out. She also diagnosed Kate with retracted ear drums. This is a fancy was of saying her ear drum is bending in ways it should not be bending due to the pressure in her ears.

Then a second doctor came in. She was obviously there to learn. It is a teaching hospital after all, and anytime we are in that situation, doctors send their students in to learn about cleft issues first hand. As long as they don't perform any procedures, they can look all they want.

Then, finally, Dr. M. came in. He was very nice, looked in her ears, and then took quite a bit of time to explain what a retracted ear drum was. (I needed the extra help.) We discussed long-term possible prognosis and treatments until I felt really confident with the whole thing. I have always liked Kate's old ENT and his comfy, child-friendly office, but there have always been two things that drive me nuts. First, he would never fish that wax out. Second, he was always in a hurry, and I never felt like I understood why we were doing what we were doing. So, Dr. M. is OK in my book. And Kate should have her new tubes next week.

Pray for her. Pray for me. And pray for whatever clinic/hospital employee gets in my way in the next week. Mama Bear is looking to take care of her babies.