Yesterday at the dentist I learned that my daughter needed some fillings. Two appointments worth of fillings.
"Can we please do them before the thirtieth? Because that's when our insurance is going away." Darn lay-offs. This is getting complicated.
"Oh!" the receptionist looked duly consternated. "Our office is going on vacation next week. We'll have to do them tomorrow. Can you come at eight-o-clock?"
No, not unless I move heaven and earth to make sure everyone in my seven-person household gets to where they're going in the morning without my serene and time-conscious presence hovering over it all.
"Yes," I said. "Thank you."
As I drove home I tried to work it out in my brain. It made me want to cry. I never expected lay-offs to mean I'd have to go to all this trouble to rush a dentist appointment. My husband would leave for work at eight, my middle two boys would need to leave for elementary school at eight forty-five, my babysitting daughter would be in the dentist chair getting her teeth drilled and so what about the baby? Well, I had another son old enough to babysit, and he would do it if I made it worth his while. I thought since I don't give allowance and he's always asking for ways to earn money a dollar ought to be enough to persuade him.
The only problem would be getting the two boys to school. This is when I am happy I have friends, friends with children the same age as mine.
The first friend I called said, "I'd love to help you, but I'm not sure my children are going to school tomorrow. You see, they're throwing up all over the place."
The next friend I called said she would be happy to pick up two boys on her way to school with her own children.
In the morning I instructed the troops on the master plan. I would leave for the dentist with my daughter. Then Dad would leave for work. The two boys would be dressed and ready to go as soon as my friend came to pick them up. My older son would watch the baby until I returned. The plan was foolproof.
It all came off well, too. I guess I don't have to supervise every little tiny detail every moment after all. The dentist even did all my daughter's fillings in one appointment. In the end of it all, I'm just grateful we found out about the cavities while we still had dental insurance.
AND IF ANYONE IS GOING TO GET SICK THEY'D BETTER DO IT NEXT WEEK!
3 comments:
aahhh insurance--cant live with it-cant live without it! so glad things went well. :) so sorry about the lay off!
So, has Russell found any job leads?
I *so* wish you didn't have to deal with a layoff. Are you still looking at selling your house, or have you found a solution that keeps you in your home?
I still remember layoffs with Rob, in Houston. I needed an OB checkup quick (I think my yearly pap smear, etc), trying to cover all my bases before the insurance ran out.
The office said I could come in *right* then if I rushed over, which I did. (Warning; the following is personal woman talk--it was an OB appt. after all)
Imagine my complete embarrassment that I was about as gross as a woman can be. I didn't have time to shower or anything, and the dr. was mad at me that it appeared I had poor hygiene and he was the one who had to check me, even though women's private areas just don't stay clean 100% of the day.
Yet as ashamed as I was, I was grateful I made it in before the insurance ran out. The joys of being laid off. Gosh, I'm *still* embarrassed abt. that dr. appt.
We feel pretty sure that Russel can teach high school. Hopefully that will keep us in our house until the foreclosures dry up and housing prices become reasonable again.
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