12 month check-up

Mary Louise and David visited their friendly neighborhood pediatrician today for their 12 month check up and immunizations. They also had their hematocrit and hemoglobin checked to ensure appropriate iron stores. It was just fine- even without the awful iron drops that we just stopped giving them over a month ago when the constipation they at least contributed to was getting over the top ridiculous.

I requested that their immunizations be split up rather than bombarding them with so many new things all at once. Don't worry, they will be properly immunized eventually. I just want it to be as safe and uneventful as possible. They received a booster today of the DTaP and their first Varicella shot. So, we waited on introducing MMR. It will be started at either 15 or 18 months.

The doctor was pleased with their growth - still not on the growth charts of course, but they are following their own curves just fine at just over 2 feet and 12 pounds 4 ounces and 13 pounds 7 ounces. He was also pleased with their development and thought it funny that David is just barely crawling, but has no issues pulling up to a stand. So, no complaints - they're doing just fine.

They have tried egg yolk this week. Although they aren't too keen on plain bits of it, I use the flaxseed oil to make a smooth paste with it and mix it in fruits and veggies and they don't seem notice.

In insurance news (no, the issues with insurance never end in this house), Mary Louise and David have been deemed developmentally disabled due to their size and secondary to their extreme prematurity. This makes them eligible for disability Medicaid. So, under the Family Opportunity Act, we have been accepted into that program until March of next year. We pay a small premium, and they keep their Medicaid benefits. Since Mary Louise is still eligible for an employee group policy, she also has that. Because David is ineligible, we don't have to carry private insurance anymore for him!!! This means I have a decent bandaid on the situation until March of next year.

If you're wondering about health care reform, when the plan says "immediate" it actually means "6 months". So any "immediate" action of the new health care bill will not be in effect until September. So says the state insurance commissioner's office. They currently can't answer any of my questions because apparently, the literature of the bill has "not been sent out to individual states yet". So, no one knows what the thing really says. So September - that is also when we hope to see if our group plan will have to disregard the lifetime cap previously imposed, and pick David back up (please please please).

So, that's the story for now...

xo,
Heather

P.S. Happy Birthday to the Lizzie dog! 8 years old today!