I got our call back Wednesday afternoon, and it was shipped out yesterday! Talk about fast service! Between the 2 insurance plans, everything will be 100% covered, so we'll have no out of pocket payments. Insurance was waiting for the final paperwork and whatnot to give approval, so hopefully everything continues to go through smoothly.
The next step is to wait for the call from the respiratory therapist who is a rep for Respirtech so we can set up an appointment for them to come to the house and train us on the machine. Since we're already using a vest and are familiar with how it works for airway clearance, we had the option to waive the training, but I told the rep that John and I would still like to go through with it so the RT can show us the ins and outs of the new machine. I'm sure I could easily figure out how to use it by reading the instructions and whatnot, but it's just going to be easier for the RT to show us what to do since my reading time is limited these days.
We're hoping that we can get an appointment set up for the end of next week. I'm also planning to order the Ikea cart that I linked in a previous post. I'm going to bite the bullet and pay the $15 in shipping, because if the fuel cost estimates are accurate on mapquest, it's going to cost almost that much for me to drive round trip to the nearest store. The extra dollar or 2 that I would be saving by driving will go toward saving my sanity because I won't have to worry about driving on the highways around Philly, which can be pure hell.
I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that the novelty of a new vest will stick around for a bit, because Judith's been fighting me during treatment times... again. I know full moon last night has not helped with anything around here, but even once that has passed each month she's still a nightmare. At least she's been eating a little more, so I guess that compensates for the constant whining I hear for the entire half hour she's on her vest. After an hour each day of listening to that awful whining, it's no wonder I'm ready to pull my hair out some nights, and just feel like I want to fast forward to bed time.
Showing posts with label vest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vest. Show all posts
Friday, June 13, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Vest Machines
Side note: I really want to reply to comments, but for some reason my account isn't letting me comment on anything, including my own blog. Silly blogger. I need to figure out what's up, so please don't think I'm ignoring you! I appreciate the comments, and am definitely reading them! :)
One thing that I look forward to every few months is the new parent support group for our clinic. We all have kids ranging from newborns to age 5, and I can't begin to say how awesome it is talking to other parents, IN PERSON, who totally get it and you can exchange tips with! I enjoy connecting with other CF patients and CF parents via the internet, but there's something about the face-to-face interactions that can make a difference. It just stinks that the disease carries the risk of cross-contamination from 1 patient to another (hence the 6 ft. rule), because if things were different we'd be able to let our kids play with each other and just talk with someone who knows exactly what they're going through.
Anyway, somehow we got on the topic of vest machines, and while I know there are still plenty of people out there using the SmartVest system, I discovered I was in the minority of the group because everyone else was using the inCourage system. Everyone had nothing but positive things to say about it, which is awesome! I have to admit I was a bit jealous that they were all using the system already, because I've been getting exasperated with Electromed. After some encouragement and more positive feedback, I decided to call and leave a message with our nurse coordinator to talk about switching.
Long story short, she said that there were management changes with Electromed at some point, and she wasn't overly happy with them anymore, either. This had to have happened at some point within the last 2 years, because when we got our current vest Electromed was the company the clinic definitely preferred. I told her my concerns, and she said we would definitely get the ball rolling to get a system from Respirtech! I really think this is going to be a good move for us for many reasons:
1. The last few times I've had to call Electromed to get parts for our SmartVest, they weren't nearly as friendly and helpful as they used to be, and the last time the rep got a little snippy with me over the phone because I must not have been describing our problem adequately enough. Sorry, but I don't know how else to describe what the generator was doing other than telling you it sounded like the air from the generator was hiccuping halfway through the treatment cycle, which it never did before.
2. The SmartVest just doesn't fit Judith properly. In 2 years, we've been in the same size vest, and at first I figured it was just because she was still so small and literally just met the height requirement to fit into the SmartVest. For a while, I've been observing that no matter what I try to do to adjust the fit, something just seemed off with the way it was inflating and fitting on her. Even getting the new bladder and outer shell didn't make a difference. SmartVests only come in 8 sizes, and after talking with one of the other moms on Saturday I felt better knowing we weren't the only ones who had problems with the fit. Respirtech, on the other hand, offers 23 size options for the inCourage system, and that alone made me feel more comfortable about petitioning to get a different unit!
3. The single hose on the SmartVest is certainly a perk, and always will be. However, when that hose gives you problems with the connection, it's frustrating. Lately, the hose either seems to get stuck in the connection point of the bladder, or it pops out relatively quickly depending on how Judith moves. If I don't seal it in hard enough, out it pops, and she gets mad because she can't put it back in herself. If I get a good seal, then it gets stuck and I have a heck of a time getting it out. User error? Possibly. But the other problem is Judith acts like an ox on her vest sometimes, and will pull that dang 23 lb generator along the floor to get to something she decides she wants, and that always ends in the hose popping out as well. Could we have the same problem with the inCourage? It's possible. The big attraction for me, however, is the locking hoses. I'll gladly give up the single hose mechanism for a double hose setup when they'll lock into place, and will be easy for her to pop into the vest herself.
4. The older model SmartVest generator is huge. And loud. And weighs a ton. Ok, not a literal ton, but it's 23 lbs. I know I've complained about this before, and I even expressed my concerns about that to the customer service rep when I called with our generator issue the last time. Since they had to send us a new generator (and we had to send the old one back so they could inspect it), I asked if we could get one of their newer model generators that is much lighter and quieter. I was told that nope, they refuse to send me a new model generator, and said that maybe with a new prescription from our doctor they could switch us. I then asked if they were planning to ever phase out the huge generators and transition everyone over, and she told me no.
The inCourage system's weight is probably going to be closer to the weight of the new SmartVest system, according to what people told me. So I'd guess somewhere around 16-17 lbs. That's going to be a huge difference for me. Obviously I'm still planning to get a cart to store everything on, but for transport purposes having a lighter machine is going to be easier on everyone, including my parents.
5. The other moms were telling me about the ease of programming the inCourage system, and I'm excited about that! This vest cycles through things itself instead of you having to program and start/stop things on your own, plus the way it inflates and shakes is supposed to clear the airways better. Judith's been doing so well respiratory-wise, and I want to keep that up while her lung involvement is minimal. If we can keep clearing things efficiently now, I can hope that we can delay or minimize some of the damage the disease causes as it progresses.
We have no idea what our insurances' response is going to be to this process. I can guarantee they're going to deny payment at least the first time. They always do, especially given the costs of the equipment. I was told that because our current system is about 2 years old, and we also switched our secondary since we had the SmartVest (and they didn't have to make any payments toward the purchase), we should have a little more leverage. Our nurse coordinator is going to do everything she can to help us, as is Respirtech. I felt really good after the initial phone call with Respirtech Monday afternoon, and feel very confident that this is a good decision for us. I'm hoping that the process doesn't take too long, and we can get the new system (and trained on it) quickly.
One thing that I look forward to every few months is the new parent support group for our clinic. We all have kids ranging from newborns to age 5, and I can't begin to say how awesome it is talking to other parents, IN PERSON, who totally get it and you can exchange tips with! I enjoy connecting with other CF patients and CF parents via the internet, but there's something about the face-to-face interactions that can make a difference. It just stinks that the disease carries the risk of cross-contamination from 1 patient to another (hence the 6 ft. rule), because if things were different we'd be able to let our kids play with each other and just talk with someone who knows exactly what they're going through.
Anyway, somehow we got on the topic of vest machines, and while I know there are still plenty of people out there using the SmartVest system, I discovered I was in the minority of the group because everyone else was using the inCourage system. Everyone had nothing but positive things to say about it, which is awesome! I have to admit I was a bit jealous that they were all using the system already, because I've been getting exasperated with Electromed. After some encouragement and more positive feedback, I decided to call and leave a message with our nurse coordinator to talk about switching.
Long story short, she said that there were management changes with Electromed at some point, and she wasn't overly happy with them anymore, either. This had to have happened at some point within the last 2 years, because when we got our current vest Electromed was the company the clinic definitely preferred. I told her my concerns, and she said we would definitely get the ball rolling to get a system from Respirtech! I really think this is going to be a good move for us for many reasons:
1. The last few times I've had to call Electromed to get parts for our SmartVest, they weren't nearly as friendly and helpful as they used to be, and the last time the rep got a little snippy with me over the phone because I must not have been describing our problem adequately enough. Sorry, but I don't know how else to describe what the generator was doing other than telling you it sounded like the air from the generator was hiccuping halfway through the treatment cycle, which it never did before.
2. The SmartVest just doesn't fit Judith properly. In 2 years, we've been in the same size vest, and at first I figured it was just because she was still so small and literally just met the height requirement to fit into the SmartVest. For a while, I've been observing that no matter what I try to do to adjust the fit, something just seemed off with the way it was inflating and fitting on her. Even getting the new bladder and outer shell didn't make a difference. SmartVests only come in 8 sizes, and after talking with one of the other moms on Saturday I felt better knowing we weren't the only ones who had problems with the fit. Respirtech, on the other hand, offers 23 size options for the inCourage system, and that alone made me feel more comfortable about petitioning to get a different unit!
3. The single hose on the SmartVest is certainly a perk, and always will be. However, when that hose gives you problems with the connection, it's frustrating. Lately, the hose either seems to get stuck in the connection point of the bladder, or it pops out relatively quickly depending on how Judith moves. If I don't seal it in hard enough, out it pops, and she gets mad because she can't put it back in herself. If I get a good seal, then it gets stuck and I have a heck of a time getting it out. User error? Possibly. But the other problem is Judith acts like an ox on her vest sometimes, and will pull that dang 23 lb generator along the floor to get to something she decides she wants, and that always ends in the hose popping out as well. Could we have the same problem with the inCourage? It's possible. The big attraction for me, however, is the locking hoses. I'll gladly give up the single hose mechanism for a double hose setup when they'll lock into place, and will be easy for her to pop into the vest herself.
4. The older model SmartVest generator is huge. And loud. And weighs a ton. Ok, not a literal ton, but it's 23 lbs. I know I've complained about this before, and I even expressed my concerns about that to the customer service rep when I called with our generator issue the last time. Since they had to send us a new generator (and we had to send the old one back so they could inspect it), I asked if we could get one of their newer model generators that is much lighter and quieter. I was told that nope, they refuse to send me a new model generator, and said that maybe with a new prescription from our doctor they could switch us. I then asked if they were planning to ever phase out the huge generators and transition everyone over, and she told me no.
The inCourage system's weight is probably going to be closer to the weight of the new SmartVest system, according to what people told me. So I'd guess somewhere around 16-17 lbs. That's going to be a huge difference for me. Obviously I'm still planning to get a cart to store everything on, but for transport purposes having a lighter machine is going to be easier on everyone, including my parents.
5. The other moms were telling me about the ease of programming the inCourage system, and I'm excited about that! This vest cycles through things itself instead of you having to program and start/stop things on your own, plus the way it inflates and shakes is supposed to clear the airways better. Judith's been doing so well respiratory-wise, and I want to keep that up while her lung involvement is minimal. If we can keep clearing things efficiently now, I can hope that we can delay or minimize some of the damage the disease causes as it progresses.
We have no idea what our insurances' response is going to be to this process. I can guarantee they're going to deny payment at least the first time. They always do, especially given the costs of the equipment. I was told that because our current system is about 2 years old, and we also switched our secondary since we had the SmartVest (and they didn't have to make any payments toward the purchase), we should have a little more leverage. Our nurse coordinator is going to do everything she can to help us, as is Respirtech. I felt really good after the initial phone call with Respirtech Monday afternoon, and feel very confident that this is a good decision for us. I'm hoping that the process doesn't take too long, and we can get the new system (and trained on it) quickly.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Airway Clearance
Airway clearance is a major part of CF care and maintenance. There are various ways that patients and their caregivers can administer the clearance therapies, and some of the techniques used can vary by country. Some techniques can be done by the patient (if they’re old enough to take charge of their care), while others require someone else to assist them.
The whole point of airway clearance is to loosen and move the abnormally thick, sticky mucus out of the lungs so patients can (hopefully) breathe better. Getting all of the mucus out can also help reduce the severity of lung infections (cff.org).
One of the first airway clearance techniques parents of infants use on their child after diagnosis is manual chest physiotherapy, or CPT. The parent or caregiver can use a cupped hand or a special percussion cup to clap over the lungs in specific zones for a set amount of time. This is the method we used with Judith for almost 2 years until she was big enough to qualify for another method of airway clearance.
In the US, inflatable vests are a popular and common form of airway clearance, called High-frequency chest wall oscillation, or HFCWO. I see 3 brands mentioned most often among other CF parents: The Vest by Hill Rom, Smartvest by Electromed, and the InCourage by RespirTech. The patient puts on a cloth vest that has an inflatable bladder inside, connects the vest to a generator with a hose (or 2 hoses depending on the system), then starts the generator for the specific amount of time that the CF team recommends. As patients get older, they will often let the vest run for a few minutes, set the program to automatically pause so they can huff cough to expel the loosened mucus, and repeat for the duration of the treatment. Judith isn’t old enough to understand how to huff cough yet, so her treatments run straight through. Our team wants her to do 30 minutes twice a day, which seems to fit with the average of 20-30 minutes that I’ve heard about from other CF parents. Vest systems are hard to come by for patients outside of the US because other countries often will not pay for the systems, so if a patient wants one they often have to pay out of pocket for a new system or a used system. There is some debate about whether or not the vest systems do a better job than manual CPT or other methods.
Another technique that older patients can use is Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (Oscillating PEP). To do Oscillating PEP, the patient blows into a device that then vibrates the large and small airways to help loosen the mucus (cff.org). 2 devices I’ve heard mentioned frequently for Oscillating PEP are the Flutter and Acapella, but there are other brands available.
During normal treatment plans, most patients perform airway clearance twice a day, but some may do it more frequently depending on their individual case. During sick plan, patients are often performing airway clearance at least 3-4 times a day to help get rid of excess mucus that’s building up, and to hopefully keep more serious infections from setting up camp in the lungs. Airway clearance can be pretty time consuming, particularly during sick plan, but it’s necessary to do it regularly.
There are other forms of airway clearance that I didn’t cover, and if you would like to read more about them, you can find them by following the source link at the bottom of this post.
Source: http://www.cff.org/treatments/therapies/respiratory/airwayclearance/
The whole point of airway clearance is to loosen and move the abnormally thick, sticky mucus out of the lungs so patients can (hopefully) breathe better. Getting all of the mucus out can also help reduce the severity of lung infections (cff.org).
One of the first airway clearance techniques parents of infants use on their child after diagnosis is manual chest physiotherapy, or CPT. The parent or caregiver can use a cupped hand or a special percussion cup to clap over the lungs in specific zones for a set amount of time. This is the method we used with Judith for almost 2 years until she was big enough to qualify for another method of airway clearance.
In the US, inflatable vests are a popular and common form of airway clearance, called High-frequency chest wall oscillation, or HFCWO. I see 3 brands mentioned most often among other CF parents: The Vest by Hill Rom, Smartvest by Electromed, and the InCourage by RespirTech. The patient puts on a cloth vest that has an inflatable bladder inside, connects the vest to a generator with a hose (or 2 hoses depending on the system), then starts the generator for the specific amount of time that the CF team recommends. As patients get older, they will often let the vest run for a few minutes, set the program to automatically pause so they can huff cough to expel the loosened mucus, and repeat for the duration of the treatment. Judith isn’t old enough to understand how to huff cough yet, so her treatments run straight through. Our team wants her to do 30 minutes twice a day, which seems to fit with the average of 20-30 minutes that I’ve heard about from other CF parents. Vest systems are hard to come by for patients outside of the US because other countries often will not pay for the systems, so if a patient wants one they often have to pay out of pocket for a new system or a used system. There is some debate about whether or not the vest systems do a better job than manual CPT or other methods.
Another technique that older patients can use is Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (Oscillating PEP). To do Oscillating PEP, the patient blows into a device that then vibrates the large and small airways to help loosen the mucus (cff.org). 2 devices I’ve heard mentioned frequently for Oscillating PEP are the Flutter and Acapella, but there are other brands available.
During normal treatment plans, most patients perform airway clearance twice a day, but some may do it more frequently depending on their individual case. During sick plan, patients are often performing airway clearance at least 3-4 times a day to help get rid of excess mucus that’s building up, and to hopefully keep more serious infections from setting up camp in the lungs. Airway clearance can be pretty time consuming, particularly during sick plan, but it’s necessary to do it regularly.
There are other forms of airway clearance that I didn’t cover, and if you would like to read more about them, you can find them by following the source link at the bottom of this post.
Source: http://www.cff.org/treatments/therapies/respiratory/airwayclearance/
Monday, May 5, 2014
A Look Into Our Daily Routine
The CF team is one part of the core care facilitators for CF patients. The patients themselves and their parents/caregivers or spouse/significant others are the other part of that core. Compliance is huge for patients to be able to stay as healthy as they possibly can, to try to ward off as many bigger complications for as long as they can, and to try to live a long, full life.
Compliance can be challenging at all stages of a CF patient’s life. One benefit I recently discovered is being able to get a glimpse into potential future battles we may have with Judith; I’m part of a Facebook group for CF parents, and the children’s ages vary greatly. I’ll often read through posts about the challenges in dealing with teens, and file the tips away in the back of my mind in case we have the same problems in the future. Of course there are challenges with kids Judith’s age as well, and believe me there are days when I want to pull my hair out trying to keep her compliant when she is trying her hardest to get out of doing a treatment!
One thing that helps keep us in compliance is sticking with a solid routine. Our daily routine is strict, but also allows for wiggle room depending on what’s going on that day. A general day for us looks like this:
Wake up, have a can of Pediasure in a straw cup, mixed with the day’s dose of Miralax
Random “get ready for the day” stuff that everyone does
Have breakfast with another can of Pediasure; take vitamin
Play time for about 60-90 minutes
Vest, Albuterol
Snack and more play time or other activities
Lunch with another can of Pediasure
Nap
Yet another can of Pediasure, then about 30 minutes of play time
Vest, Albuterol
Dinner
Bath, bedtime routine, bed
Most of that is nothing out of the ordinary for a preschooler, and in fact the majority of Judith’s day consists of very typical activities. The differences are in the treatments. We’re fortunate because she is not on as many medicines as a lot of other CF patients, so it significantly cuts back on treatment times. However, The Vest alone takes a full hour out of each and every day, and that’s when she isn’t sick. Sometimes it can be hard and even annoying trying to plan appointments and activities around her treatment times and accounting for them, but it’s something you get used to. Now, when Judith’s on “sick plan,” things are even trickier. Treatments will at least double, which means she’s spending a good 2 hours every day on her Vest, and taking puffs of her Albuterol every 4 hours (again, though, the time is significantly less than it is for some patients because we use the inhaler with her, and don’t nebulize it). Antibiotics are also added, which can often be a good 15 minute battle depending on what form they come in. If she has a pseudomonas infection, TOBI would add an additional 40 minutes (approximately) to the plan. I also know that once we add hypertonic saline and pulmozyme to her daily meds, treatment times are going to go up even more.
It’s a lot, and it’s overwhelming, especially if she’s sick. We’re hoping that by fostering good compliance strategies now, it will help with the compliance battles we may end up facing as she gets older.
Compliance can be challenging at all stages of a CF patient’s life. One benefit I recently discovered is being able to get a glimpse into potential future battles we may have with Judith; I’m part of a Facebook group for CF parents, and the children’s ages vary greatly. I’ll often read through posts about the challenges in dealing with teens, and file the tips away in the back of my mind in case we have the same problems in the future. Of course there are challenges with kids Judith’s age as well, and believe me there are days when I want to pull my hair out trying to keep her compliant when she is trying her hardest to get out of doing a treatment!
One thing that helps keep us in compliance is sticking with a solid routine. Our daily routine is strict, but also allows for wiggle room depending on what’s going on that day. A general day for us looks like this:
Wake up, have a can of Pediasure in a straw cup, mixed with the day’s dose of Miralax
Random “get ready for the day” stuff that everyone does
Have breakfast with another can of Pediasure; take vitamin
Play time for about 60-90 minutes
Vest, Albuterol
Snack and more play time or other activities
Lunch with another can of Pediasure
Nap
Yet another can of Pediasure, then about 30 minutes of play time
Vest, Albuterol
Dinner
Bath, bedtime routine, bed
Most of that is nothing out of the ordinary for a preschooler, and in fact the majority of Judith’s day consists of very typical activities. The differences are in the treatments. We’re fortunate because she is not on as many medicines as a lot of other CF patients, so it significantly cuts back on treatment times. However, The Vest alone takes a full hour out of each and every day, and that’s when she isn’t sick. Sometimes it can be hard and even annoying trying to plan appointments and activities around her treatment times and accounting for them, but it’s something you get used to. Now, when Judith’s on “sick plan,” things are even trickier. Treatments will at least double, which means she’s spending a good 2 hours every day on her Vest, and taking puffs of her Albuterol every 4 hours (again, though, the time is significantly less than it is for some patients because we use the inhaler with her, and don’t nebulize it). Antibiotics are also added, which can often be a good 15 minute battle depending on what form they come in. If she has a pseudomonas infection, TOBI would add an additional 40 minutes (approximately) to the plan. I also know that once we add hypertonic saline and pulmozyme to her daily meds, treatment times are going to go up even more.
It’s a lot, and it’s overwhelming, especially if she’s sick. We’re hoping that by fostering good compliance strategies now, it will help with the compliance battles we may end up facing as she gets older.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The SmartVest by Electromed, Inc
As you already know, Judith's been using her SmartVest for about a month. The "honeymoon" is definitely over with it, and she's been having mini tantrums when I want to put her vest on. Once we start the treatments, I distract her with Disney Jr. and her shape sorters (or another toy), and she's generally ok.
During the last month, I've been bracing myself for the insurance denial letter. Electromed actually has something in place where you can sign a waiver for them to handle all of your insurance issues for the vest, and we took full advantage (who wouldn't want to do that in this case?). I wasn't sure if we'd actually see the denial letter or not, and I didn't know how the payment negotiations were going. Well, today we got our answer, in the form of our regular statement, which means that our primary insurance paid their portion (it's always a crap shoot to see what Medicaid pays since I rarely get statements for stuff, and so far they've covered everything).
So let's have some fun and play a game! These airway clearance systems aren't cheap, but most people may be shocked at the actual cost. Small side note: I don't think ours is quite as expensive as The Vest by Hill Rom - I read blogs and know some parents who use this vest on their child(ren), and it looks like it costs a bit more. Anyway, to give you an idea, here's a list of different things I could buy for the cost of Judith's SmartVest:
311 Economy Plus packs of Pampers Cruisers (size 4 - Judith's current size)
1,167 6-packs of Pediasure
82 Island Treasure steak & seafood combo packs from Omaha Steaks
21 shares of Apple stock OR 733 shares of Facebook stock (prices at close on 8/30/12)
350 copies of Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the Nintendo 3DS
4 tickets in the lower level for the Pittsburgh Steelers
111 season passes to Hersheypark for 2013
1 used 2008 Toyota Corolla
Ready to hear the grand total?
$13,998.00
Yep, that's a comma in there.
I knew this sucker was going to be expensive, and to be honest after reading what other people's vests have cost, I was a little surprised that the figure was that low. Still, that's a pretty hefty chunk of change. Our primary insurance picked up the bulk of it, and now the rest is being submitted to medicaid, so we'll see how much they end up paying.
It really does blow my mind how much this disease costs to maintain. But I'll gladly look at all of the statements if it means Judith will be as healthy as possible, and we'll pay whatever we have to to help her.
During the last month, I've been bracing myself for the insurance denial letter. Electromed actually has something in place where you can sign a waiver for them to handle all of your insurance issues for the vest, and we took full advantage (who wouldn't want to do that in this case?). I wasn't sure if we'd actually see the denial letter or not, and I didn't know how the payment negotiations were going. Well, today we got our answer, in the form of our regular statement, which means that our primary insurance paid their portion (it's always a crap shoot to see what Medicaid pays since I rarely get statements for stuff, and so far they've covered everything).
So let's have some fun and play a game! These airway clearance systems aren't cheap, but most people may be shocked at the actual cost. Small side note: I don't think ours is quite as expensive as The Vest by Hill Rom - I read blogs and know some parents who use this vest on their child(ren), and it looks like it costs a bit more. Anyway, to give you an idea, here's a list of different things I could buy for the cost of Judith's SmartVest:
311 Economy Plus packs of Pampers Cruisers (size 4 - Judith's current size)
1,167 6-packs of Pediasure
82 Island Treasure steak & seafood combo packs from Omaha Steaks
21 shares of Apple stock OR 733 shares of Facebook stock (prices at close on 8/30/12)
350 copies of Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the Nintendo 3DS
4 tickets in the lower level for the Pittsburgh Steelers
111 season passes to Hersheypark for 2013
1 used 2008 Toyota Corolla
Ready to hear the grand total?
$13,998.00
Yep, that's a comma in there.
I knew this sucker was going to be expensive, and to be honest after reading what other people's vests have cost, I was a little surprised that the figure was that low. Still, that's a pretty hefty chunk of change. Our primary insurance picked up the bulk of it, and now the rest is being submitted to medicaid, so we'll see how much they end up paying.
It really does blow my mind how much this disease costs to maintain. But I'll gladly look at all of the statements if it means Judith will be as healthy as possible, and we'll pay whatever we have to to help her.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Fall Preparations
It's that time of year: the start of a new school year is around the corner, back to school ads and commercials have been in the papers or airing for a few weeks, and the fall lines of clothes have hit the racks. I think I'm ready for the cooler weather, especially after the insanely hot and humid weather we've had this summer.
I've been shopping for Judith, and am really excited for her to wear some new (or new to her) clothes! It's extra challenging this year - she's not growing as quickly, and it's hard to predict what size she's going to be in for the upcoming seasons. I'm anticipating she'll be in 12-18 month sizes for at least the fall, if not most of the winter. I scored a bunch of pants last week at a freecycle event that my in-laws' church had, and all we need to do is get some more onesies/tops for her. I ordered her dresses for church last night on eBay (smocked, of course!), and I'll be ordering the 2 smocked bubbles I want to get for her in a few weeks. We'll need to get her a couple pairs of shoes and some tights, but then we'll be set.
I'm happy to report that Judith's cold didn't get as bad as it could have, and it seems to have cleared up completely. I'm not sure if her ears are completely clear yet, but she's still taking her antibiotics so we should be good. We moved her back to her room a couple nights ago since she doesn't really need to be elevated anymore, and I decreased her vest treatments back to the normal 2 per day since her cough has disappeared.
Speaking of vest treatments, we have a treatment goal time. I talked to the nurse the other day, and asked what we should be shooting for. They want her to work up to 30 minutes twice a day - right now it seems like a lofty goal considering the novelty has more than worn off and Judith has become Little Miss Fussy Pants with her treatments, but we're going to try it anyway. Right now we're sitting at 12 minutes, and I'm going to keep bumping up the time gradually. Thank goodness for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Chuggington, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates - they're going to save my sanity and hopefully make those 30 minute sessions possible!
I've been shopping for Judith, and am really excited for her to wear some new (or new to her) clothes! It's extra challenging this year - she's not growing as quickly, and it's hard to predict what size she's going to be in for the upcoming seasons. I'm anticipating she'll be in 12-18 month sizes for at least the fall, if not most of the winter. I scored a bunch of pants last week at a freecycle event that my in-laws' church had, and all we need to do is get some more onesies/tops for her. I ordered her dresses for church last night on eBay (smocked, of course!), and I'll be ordering the 2 smocked bubbles I want to get for her in a few weeks. We'll need to get her a couple pairs of shoes and some tights, but then we'll be set.
I'm happy to report that Judith's cold didn't get as bad as it could have, and it seems to have cleared up completely. I'm not sure if her ears are completely clear yet, but she's still taking her antibiotics so we should be good. We moved her back to her room a couple nights ago since she doesn't really need to be elevated anymore, and I decreased her vest treatments back to the normal 2 per day since her cough has disappeared.
Speaking of vest treatments, we have a treatment goal time. I talked to the nurse the other day, and asked what we should be shooting for. They want her to work up to 30 minutes twice a day - right now it seems like a lofty goal considering the novelty has more than worn off and Judith has become Little Miss Fussy Pants with her treatments, but we're going to try it anyway. Right now we're sitting at 12 minutes, and I'm going to keep bumping up the time gradually. Thank goodness for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Chuggington, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates - they're going to save my sanity and hopefully make those 30 minute sessions possible!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
New Vest!
Judith completed her 3rd vest treatment this evening, and so far, so good! She's cooperating and sitting for the entire time (watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - it's a good distraction!), and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll continue this trend.
The system is pretty easy to use, and I'm grateful for that! Once Judith is older, she shouldn't have any problems working the machine on her own. All we need to do is train my parents so they know how to use it when they're babysitting, and eventually we'll have to show my in-laws how to use it as well in case Judith ever wants to spend the night with them.
For your viewing pleasure, here is the little peanut doing her therapy:
The system is pretty easy to use, and I'm grateful for that! Once Judith is older, she shouldn't have any problems working the machine on her own. All we need to do is train my parents so they know how to use it when they're babysitting, and eventually we'll have to show my in-laws how to use it as well in case Judith ever wants to spend the night with them.
For your viewing pleasure, here is the little peanut doing her therapy:
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
It's Ordered!
Much to my surprise, I received a phone call from Electromed, the makers of the Smart Vest, this morning while I was dropping off Judith's cup o' poo at the lab. Her vest was 1 step away from being ordered and shipped - all I had to do was review insurance info, health info, etc., with the representative! Her vest is expected to be here early next week, and a rep will come out and teach us how to use it. Woo hoo!
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