Zach came home from the hospital last Wednesday (yes, a week ago). During that time we experienced the usual up and down swings of emotions that generally correlate with how your child is doing when he is in the hospital. There were times that we rejoiced; like when the docs came out after surgery to remove the stent. The docs said that it was a textbook procedure and there was minimal bleeding from the operation. (THANK YOU GOD!!)
Or when the docs chalked up Zachary's dehydration and vomiting to his inability to handle the new antibiotic.
There were times that our heart sunk to the soles of our feet. When Zachary was in the hospital the first time, Becky and I cannot remember a time when the hospital used the PA system to announce a Code Blue. This happened THREE TIMES during Zach's short stay. Each time, I could only imagine the helpless and absolutely paralyzing fear that the parents must be experiencing as the expert doctors and medical staff are scrambling to save your baby. There were two times following the Code Blue that the PA system went off again asking for the ECMO team.
The last evening that Zach was at PCH, the docs wanted a CAT scan performed on his lungs due to the collateral pulmonary artery recently discovered. The anesthesiologist mentioned that Zach might have to be intubated so that the machine could take very accurate pictures of the area. There is always a chance of complications so he had to make sure we understood the process. We signed consent forms and then Becky and I left Zach in radiology to go grab some dinner in the cafeteria. As we are heading back up to Zach's hospital room, we heard the Code Blue announcement again. This time they announced the team should be sent to Radiology.... WHAT?! The announcement finally announced the specific room in radiology and it was down the hall from Zach. I am sure that you could see the look of panic on our faces change to relief and then into sadness. Zach came back from radiology and he was already extubated and breathing on his own. PRAISE GOD!
Meanwhile, we are finding out that our new insurance through my work has limited some of the covered items for everyone in the plan. This will mean an extra $250 for each echo (I believe that he has had a dozen since April.) The plan also does not cover any of his formula (medically prescribed). Each can is $60 from the home health provider and lasts about 3 days. Huh... Ok, so now on top of his other medical expenses, we are adding around $1000 a month.
So, we are working on this problem. We are working on multiple fronts to get this taken care of.
Everything from contacting the manufacturer to get samples in the interim to contacting my employer's Benefits Team, to asking several support groups for any extra formula. I think we have 7 cans. (The cans are in Zach's room and I don't want to wake him.)
There is a sense of peace that we have about this problem. I can't explain it. I don't know how we would be able to cover this cost for the entire time that Zach needs this. I do know that God will provide.
Becky and I recently watched the recently released movie, Noah and at first I was somewhat disappointed that they didn't follow the biblical story exactly, I was excited that they used a Bible story as a basis for the script. It even prompted me to reread the beginning of Genesis.
One thing stood out the most during my study of Genesis 1-10. Several people's entire lives were wrapped up in just a couple of words. Like looking at someone's tombstone and noticing that their life is wrapped up by the dash in between their birth and death.
So everything that I am experiencing, ultimately in the grand scheme of things, amounts to a dash... And therein lies our peace...
God is Good.
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