Anah's Oral Surgery

After a frustrating year of fighting to get Anah's medicaid straightened out it finally was fixed two days before her surgery! This would have been the third time I had to reschedule her surgery due to the incompetencie's of many people, who shall remain nameless and, who blatantly lied time and again. This week I spoke to the supervisor's supervisor, the supervisor, the case worker, Anah's service coordinator and the billing lady at the hospital. I basically told them they had better get it straightened out because Anah WAS having her surgery on Friday (today) and I was not going to pay the $1500 copay since I had prior approval from her primary insurance and medicaid was supposed to pick up the copay.

I really am a very easy person to get along with and I have great patience when it comes to health care and billing, after all I am a nurse and was a community health nurse for years, so have tons of experience. But a year is way too long and it wasn't a matter of anything other than laziness on other peoples parts, THAT is one thing that doesn't fly with this momma bear!

So, my little girl finally had her oral surgery she needed. Now, you have to remember, she hadn't so much as seen a toothbrush in her 11 years before she came home and her teeth were in a bad way. We had brought her to the dentist, but she was very uncooperative so rather than traumatize her, when they wouldn't be able to do much anyway, they decided to wait for xrays and the cleaning and do it all at once when she was out.

This is what they found: had to yank four permanent teeth on the bottom, (the two incisors and the two six year molars), got stitches, sealed all the teeth biting surfaces, pulled the two baby incisors and filled three or four cavities on other teeth, crowned one, x-rays to all and a cleaning. She has severe periodontal disease that is irreversible and will probably loose the teeth on the bottom within 5-10 years. She will then have the option of dentures, IF she will wear them, we will cross that bridge if/when we come to it.

She was one ticked off little girl when she came out of anesthesia!!! I expected it, since I've seen it plenty before, but the nurse felt bad for me, lol. I didn't feel bad for me, I just felt badly for my pumpkin since she was crying and didn't know what was going on. After she threw up all over mommy she felt much better ;oP . She was sick a couple other times on the way home, but she's settled down now. She is drinking her green tea and fruit juice, so life is good. She is also taking her Motrin and I guess that is doing ok for pain control since she appears comfortable and isn't moaning or crying. That's what bothers me the most about her being nonverbal, I don't know if she is in pain or not feeling well. I have a good idea from her facial expressions and body language, but it would be helpful if I knew exactly what was causing the discomfort. I just have to trust my intuition that God has given me.

I am hoping she has a good night and forgives her momma come morning ;o)