Peace of Mind vs. Money

How much should we have to pay for peace of mind? This week we've paid $50. Let me back up and explain ...

Shayla has been sick now for 1 1/2 weeks. I don't remember if I mentioned about her ear infection, but she started taking amoxicillan a week ago Monday. Well, she continued to be miserable with a cold and still has it this much later. However, Tuesday she had a major rash all over her body, so I was sure that she was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic.

So, I called the doctor's office to see if it really was a big deal and if I NEEDED to bring her in or if I could just finish up the antibiotic and call it good. The lady almost seemed appalled I'd ask such a question and want to keep giving my daughter something she may be allergic to. I figured it couldn't be THAT bad of an allergy if it took a week to happen. (Maybe I'm wrong?) Anyway, she said that a rash can't be diagnosed over the phone and that I'd have to come in.

Well, after paying my $25 co-pay, the doctor informed me that the rash was just fine. Apparently if you apply a little pressure to it and it goes away for a second it's a benign rash. He said also if it wasn't itching her then it was probably just a side-effect and not an allergy. Hello! If they had put me through and let me talk to him I could have saved $25.

Fortunately Becca called me before going down for that appointment, because then while we were there I could make them give her a strep test. Positive. (Not surprising since we took Paul to the doctor Saturday and he tested positive for strep. This was starting to get expensive!) So, at least for my $25 I got Becca diagnosed with strep earlier than she would have gotten in otherwise.

The day after basically wasting that $25 Shayla started having a fever, and a nice one at that (101 and above). So, I called the doctor's office and asked if maybe she could have strep, even though she just went off an antibiotic two days earlier? They said anything was possible, but that they don't treat kids under 2 for strep. However, because of the fever they recommended bringing her in again for another evaluation.

I wasn't about to go two days in a row. At this point we had already paid more than $100 in co-pays in a week. However, this morning when I took her temperature she registered at 103.7! So, I felt guilty for not taking her in to save a measly $25. I took her in and guess what?!? She has a sore throat and they don't treat sore throats!!! He said to give her popsicles and ice cream or anything cold she may like to eat. She has lascerations in her throat, so it's probably more sore than strep, but that there's nothing they can do. They basically said to keep her drugged. I could have done that without paying you $25 and waiting 45 minutes to see you!!!

In any case, I'm glad for the peace of mind to know that I'm not just being cheap and making my baby suffer. She has to suffer while we dish out $50 just to be told she's going to be fine. Sigh ... at least she no longer has the ear infection and I know it. At least we have health insurance, even if it is expensive and eats our shorts month after month. And at least we live in a time when medicine and doctors are readily available so that we can have peace of mind and a little relief with some ibuprofen.

I'm just hoping my Shayla gets better soon!!!