It’s been a crappy last couple of days…
Took my 7 year old to a new dentist in town a few days ago. He hated his old one. I can’t blame him for it. The guy is like a hundred years old. He has these thick, scary glasses and the personality of a rotten stump. If it were up to him, I’m sure he’d be using the old fashion torcher devices of days gone by.
We were pleasantly surprised with the new place. The receptionists were nice, the office was newly renovated and very modern. And they were great with kids! The dental hygienist explained every tool before she used them, and made it fun for him.
Then the dentist entered. She was very professional. As she began looking over his x-rays, a cold stone started sinking in my gut. She started point things out to the hygienist and started spouting off terms in her toothy jargon. She looked up, and told me to come here.
She gently peeled back my son’s lip and starting pointing things out. She explained that he was 2nd degree tongue tied. I was a little taken aback. I had not realized this was a real thing. I thought it was only a phrase people used when too many words tried to spew out of their mouths at once. But apparently is is a real affliction.
She began telling me how the tongue is what basically forms the jaw. So when your tongue is “tied” to the bottom of your mouth, the jaw can misform. It can cause dark circles under the eyes (which I had assumed was from his refusal to sleep), breathing issues, sleep issues, and most obviously eating issues. Things started to piece together in my mind. Could this be the reason for all of these little issues?
She then asked if he had problems latching as an infant, which he had. She informed me this is why. She said they could have made a few snips while he was still in the hospital and they would have healed by the end of the day.
That’s when I became angry. You mean to tell me that, first off, all of the horrible times I had trying to nurse were due to the oversight of the doctors and nurses at the hospital? And that every doctor and dentist that evaluated him for the last 7.5 years had overlooked this as well? What the hell kind of health system is this?
She explained that the correcting procedure was done by a laser, in office, with a small general anesthetic. It would only take a few minutes, and would feel like you burnt your tongue on some hot pizza. Meanwhile, my son is lying there with her hands in his mouth cringing in fear. Lasers? Burning? Surgery? Noooo way, Jose! Not him!
She finishes up and moves along to her next patient. Our hygienist leads us to the check out counter and gets our bill together. I asked if she could give me a quote on the procedure. She clicked away and printed the quote. $4000! I looked again. Yep. Still $4000. WHAT?! (say it like your best Lil Jon impression) Ok. Hellooo, shit creek! Why, no, I don’t own a paddle. (Did I mention we don’t have insurance?)
Yeah. You read correctly. No insurance for us. Apparently, when the president said that his insurance was affordable, he didn’t have families like mine in mind. We make just too much for assistance, but not enough to swing it on our own. Which would be $500+ a month with a $12.5k deductible and a 50% copay after deductible.
Basically, if we did forgo some things (like food, water, or heat), we just might, maybe, be able to afford it. But we wouldn’t be able to afford to go to a doctor, because every dime of the money we would use to go would be tied up in insurance we wouldn’t be able to use. Then, says our government, let’s add insult to injury and fine you people that can’t afford insurance. Because that makes sense, right? Fine those that don’t have the money to comply. That will solve problems, right?
So, now we need to start a dental credit card to cover his procedure. But, they did say this included a mouthpiece that would be good until he is about 12. She said if we did not do this, he would probably need braces in a few years. So it is happening. Somehow or another.
Then, he brings home a letter from school today saying he needs to go have his eyes checked. So we get to do that now, too. I guss his doctor didn’t catch that either. Gotta love the timing!
From our poorhouse to yours,
-Misty
tiredbrokenmommy 
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