Saturday, August 10, 2013

Eye Doctor Follow Up #1

It has been 4 weeks since Jack was prescribed his glasses and the doctor wanted to see him so she could determine if glasses were helping his right eye. The first few days of wearing glasses were a bit tough and we had some moments of seeing who had the most willpower. Luckily it was a battle with my sweet boy and not one of the stubborn little girls who seem to believe that "NEVER give up" is the best motto to go thru life with so I always won. After a few days he decided he really liked them and ran in the morning to find them and put them on and often cried at night when I wouldn't let him sleep in them. Marissa and Makayla also got over their want of them and it was smooth sailing. This past Tuesday was his scheduled follow up and I had a good friend watching the girls until my aunt could get here after work. Marley went to gymnastics camp this past week and was there until 4pm. I scheduled Jack's appointment at 2pm which should have given me plenty of time to make it back to pick her up on time. We arrived at the doctor's office at 1:50pm and checked in. Around 2:15 the receptionist called me over to tell me that Jack's appointment was July 2nd. She was correct in that his ORIGINAL appointment was this day, but his follow up was scheduled for August 6th. I told her I had the card they gave me confirming this in my car and she asked me if I could go get it. I went to get it and brought it in to her and she said she would be right back with me. Jack and I sat back down and by 2:35 nothing further had been communicated to us. I went up to the desk to ask her what was going on and she asked me if I had my insurance card. I told her my insurance was the same as it was 4 weeks ago when we were there but gave it to her anyway. She again told me to sit down and she would be right with me. At 2:50 nothing had happened so we went back up and she told me she was waiting on my insurance company to call her back to confirm coverage. By this point I was getting impatient and being we were just in the office a month ago I found this to be ridiculous. At 3:05 I went up to the desk and told her we were leaving as it was over an hour past his appointment time, I needed to be back in Riverview in less than an hour to pick up my daughter and asking a 2 year old to wait this long was ridiculous. The office manager came up and apologized profusely and begged us not to leave and promised we would be the next ones seen. Being that Jack really needed to be seen, I agreed to wait but stood right in front of the window so they could see me. A few minutes later one of the techs called us back. She asked a few questions and then told me I needed to go back up front and sit until the doctor was free. I told her my appointment was scheduled for almost an hour and a half ago and I needed to be leaving in the next 15 minutes. She also apologized as she was unaware how long we had been waiting and went to see if a doctor was available then. She came back in and said the doctor was in with a patient but she had my chart at the front and once the doctor was free we would be the next ones called back. We went back up front and I again stood directly in front of the window and after few minutes we were called back. The doctor came in and did some checks on his eye and determined that the glasses are not helping his condition. She wants to try the next prescription strength, which happens to be the strongest one, and see him again in 4 weeks. If this doesn't help, he will need surgery on that eye. I asked her quite a few questions about the surgery but I am trying not to stress too much about it until the time comes to decide if he will have it or not. Through all of the waiting and all of the checks she did on him, Jack was SO good. He never cried or whined or even really acted up. The only thing he wanted to do was lay on the ground but I think this had more to do with him missing his nap than anything else. When we checked out I asked them to verify the appointment I made for the girls the last time I was there. Well, surprise surprise,  that was not in the system either. And the appointment slot that had been assigned to them was filled. So, I scheduled Jack's follow up and the little girls' initial appointment on the same day at a different office. Hopefully that staff has it together! When we went to leave it was pouring rain. We were in South Tampa and the streets were flooding, cars were going the wrong way down one way roads and I could not see a thing. Of course Jack was asleep after 5 minutes of being in the car. We were also way past 4pm when Marley needed to be picked up but luckily my mom was able to get her. We made it home just in time for me to drop Jack off at home and head back out to school. I will update everyone again in 4 weeks after his next follow up and let you know if the stronger prescription helps or if my boy needs surgery on his eye.
Poor guy was exhausted after leaving

Loving his glasses

This is what was going on at home while Jack and I were at the doctor's office!!!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Who's Your Daddy?

I have some seriously outgoing kids. Well, three of them are. They love talking to people and they especially love hugging people. Nobody is safe from them. They hug the pizza man, UPS man, every person they pass at the Y, the neighbors and pretty much anyone they see and have freedom to get to. Some people seem thrown off by having 6 arms wrapped around their bodies at once and others love it. The young pizza guy with tattoos all over his body seemed a little unsure what to do but the neighbor who they stand calling for at the front door is a self-proclaimed hugger too so he gets it. They also like to sit by people and talk to them or even ask for help with things. When we go play at the mall and they have to take their shoes off, they find the closest person to help them when it's time to put them back on. And the funny thing is that they don't even need help putting their shoes on. They just want to talk to someone. Marley was never outgoing. She still isn't. She is very much a mama's girl and has just recently started coming out of her shell somewhat. But she would never just go hug the cashier checking us out at Publix. But you better believe that the triplets will. We used to say that we wish Marley was a little more outgoing. Now I say I wish the babies were a little less! They have no prejudice on who they socialize with. Young, old, black, white, tall, short. It doesn't matter to them. Now recently Jack has taken it a little too far I think. He has started calling every man we see "Dad." And then they all laugh about it so I know he is doing it to be funny. When we were at the eye doctor the other day every man that sat near us he greeted with a "Dada?" and when the man got called back for his turn Jack would say, "Bye daddy" and wave and smile real big at him. Um, it was just a tad bit embarrassing! But what else can you do in that situation except smile and sometimes mutter, "That's not your dad." Hey, it kept him entertained! It is surprising to me they are so friendly with people simply because I was a very shy kid and Marley was/is too. I never had to worry about Marley taking something from someone she didn't know but I think these three would be lined up waiting their turn. We will see if eventually they stop hugging everyone or telling them as much as they can in a few minutes time and maybe realize that a little wave or smile is enough, but for now the pizza man, UPS man and everyone else who looks their way (which is everyone we pass most of the time) will have to deal with the hug fest that ensues when they encounter the Boucher Triplets.
The crazy little people of our house