Size Matters, but Not in a Good Way

Sorry for leaving you. I haven't blogged lately because, honestly, I haven't had many funny things to say. Things here are, well, what can I say, not so hot. Among working equal hours as I did in Madison for half the money, and unable to find a different, better-paying job, Dana working much longer hours and, thus, rarely seeing each other, Kyler's refusal to take a normal nap (I'm sorry, but an hour of screaming and 45 min. of sleeping does not count as napping, even if he is in his crib for almost 2 hours) for more than a week, Kyler's insistence to now awake at 5:15 am, Beckett's unwillingness to do anything I ask him without demands that things be done his way, his stock answer "It wasn't me!" whenever he pushes Kyler down or steals his toys, and the breaking of numerous Christmas ornaments (not to mention tree branches), I've taken to locking myself in the bathroom. Literally. It's the only break I get these days, if you can call having one child banging incessantly at each bathroom door chanting "Mama, Mama" a break. I take what I can get.



So, to top things off, we're looking for a new pediatrician. I thought our pediatrician in Dallas was fine the first time we saw her at Kyler's 1 yr. appt. Each subsequent visit, there have been things that have bothered me. We were in love with our pediatrician in Madison, so warming up to a new one is hard. But, I've felt this new doc isn't very nurturing or thorough, and she has an odd way of complimenting your parenting while simultaneously insulting "other parents" of kids in her practice. It leaves me wondering what things she criticizes about us to her other patients. 'You know, I have some moms who refuse to keep their toddler on Zyrtec even though it's working, and I keep telling them to give it to him regardless of symptoms, because you just never know when he'll need it.' (yeah, we're of the mind that if Kyler shows no environmental allergy symptoms, he doesn't need allergy meds. crazy, heh? but I keep getting reprimanded for it) At Kyler's 18 month appt. last week, the doctor actually scolded him for ripping a photo (a very tiny rip) that was part of a patient photo collage attached to a bulletin board. I'm sorry, but if your job requires you to have young children in a room where the only interesting thing to look at is a bunch of kids on the wall and you expect them not to touch it, then perhaps you need some education on child behavior. I'm just sayin'.



At this same appointment, Beckett had to get a Hepatitis A shot (his second this year, as WI doesn't require them). After the appointment, I was told we didn't owe anything because it was a well-visit. Then yesterday, I receive a bill for a $20 copay for Beckett's office visit. Yep, they filed a claim with our insurance company for a nurse walking into a room and sticking a needle in Beckett's thigh for a vaccine that's fully covered by the insurance company. It just didn't seem right to me. Just like I'd been miffed that I had to pay two copays last month when both boys were seen at one appointment that lasted less than 15 minutes. I decided I should call the dr.'s office to see if this was some crazy TX law established to get more money out of consumers, which wouldn't really be all that unlikely. Afterall, in Madison, we always doubled up the boys' appointments, on advice of the clinic, to save a copay. The billing department lady, after explaining to her my question three times, finally says it is a TX regulation. I mentioned that our last doctor didn't charge us this way (not mentioning this was in WI) just to see what she said, so I didn't understand the difference. She then asked, how then I could guarantee my sons' vaccination records were accurate if the office didn't file insurance claims on each one? Well, let's see, they recorded the vaccination information on their medical charts. You know, some people don't have insurance, and, yet, they still get vaccines. Amazing, yes! Plus, our last dr.'s office did file vaccination claims, because those were always covered in full. What they didn't do is file two office visit claims for a single appointment. After a lengthy discussion with much backtracking by the billing lady, I was finally told that's the way their office does things but to disregard the bill. TX law my arse!



So, I embarked on a search for a new pediatrician. There's a local magazine that has a yearly article on Dallas' top docs. I went down the list and started calling. So far, every doc on the list either doesn't accept our insurance or isn't accepting new patients. I have three more to call that are affiliated with the hospital we like. The other docs might be great docs, but they only have privileges with one of the worst hospitals in town. Too many people I know have almost died while being treated there. No, thank you! If those 3 docs turn up cold, I don't know what to do. I've been unable to get referrals. There are just too many doctors in the area to know which one to choose without some whittling down. Afterall, we blindly picked our current pediatrician out of the insurance provider book based on location, and look where that got us.


You would think in a metroplex the size of Dallas-Fort Worth, I'd be able to find a good pediatrician and a decent-paying job. Well, you would be wrong. As much as I love the endless possibilities of a large city, I'm starting to realize the advantages of a smaller one.