The tale of the $155 bulb syringe & the $30 cold

And by $155 and $30 I mean insurance co-pays.

So remember when we took LC to the ER for what was later diagnosed as a viral infection aka: a cold. Well we finally got a bulb syringe. There were 2 that were lingering around / somehow disappeared when he was born and we had a hospital stay of the better part of a week - Mon - Thurs exactly. So who knows where they got to but they were never in his little rolling crib & we even have pictures when he was in the nursery & the bulb syringe is right next to him. However, it somehow never made it back to our room with him. Alas, they used one in the ER and hey, we got to keep it! Because really, they are single user only. So for a copay of $155 we got to talk to some awesome nurses and doctors as well as finally collect our bulb syringe - which by the way, I've been using it on him daily and I'm a)becoming a master (and LC is much more tolerant of it, maybe because I'm more of a master at it, ad b)it works like a charm - a charm people! We purchased a Red Cross one that is SO not good. This hospital grade is TOP NOTCH! I can't tell you more how awesome it is! Now if only I could get my grubby hands on about 2 more to have in the diaper bag / spare in the changing table we'd be in business :) What's the shelf life on these things anyways?

Moving on ... the $30 cold.

Yes, I"m one of those people who goes to the doctor when she is sick. In my own defense, I knew going into it that it was most likely a cold, but given that it had been a week and was showing no signs of improvement, in fact, getting less tolerable, and me in turn, more irritable and exhausted, I made myself an appointment. Plus I had an incident back in NY where I let something go too long and ended up at an ENT doctor with 3 prescriptions and a threaten of surgery if my concoction of rx didn't work in 7 to 10 days. So yeah, no more of waiting it out too long. Plus, I know my body and what it can take and it is on its last legs.

So I go to the doctor explain my symptoms, and with a small chuckle she says 'sounds like a cold' take some claritin (safe for BFing) & do the nasal saline spray 5+ times a day and you should be good to go in 2 to 3 days. Thank goodness!

So being neurotic about BFing & my milk drying up, I quickly contacted the hospital Lactation department (oh how I love these ladies, if I didn't already have a masters degree, I think it would be awesome to be an lactation consultant - but I researched the education required and um yeah, I'm so not up for all that). Anyway, Betty over there, gave me the a-okay for claritin & nasal spray & even suggested a nasal wash - aka netti-pot or bottle wash. aka omg those things freak me out, i'll stick w/ my spray thankyouverymuch :)

So I'm home, resting for the afternoon since I have to work tomorrow.

Story of my life and insurance copays right :) Getcha every time :)