The Hits Keep Coming

Monthly insurance this year: $370. Not as bad as I thought it would be, but still $200 a month more than I spent last year. It’s a good thing I love you, daughter, ‘cuz you’re expensive.

Another unexpected thing was that my house payment went up by about $40 a month because of an increase in property taxes, of all things. It’s nice that I can write it off, at least, but it’s also about $500 that I won’t have in a year that I can use the money the most.

I’m a judgemental bastard. I’ve always been sort of dismissive of the ladies in our building who use every single one of their sick days. “Bwa-ha!” I chortled, “Those sissies! Why are they always out sick? For shame!” I’ve missed three days this year already to take care of my daughter, which I’m taking as a big kick in the ass from God, his way making me more understanding.

The biggest thing going on right now is my daughter’s hearing problems. She failed her right ear at birth, but the nurses in the NICU said that really wasn’t a big deal—a lot of kids fail it, apparently. We went back in two weeks later, and this time she failed both ears. At this point I was getting a little pissed off. I didn’t understand just how the test worked (she was sound asleep when they gave it to her), and they kept on telling us that they didn’t really know what it meant—it might be something, it might not, who knows?

Yesterday we went to the audiology clinic that Group Health covers. I thought we were going to see a doctor, but it was yet another nurse who did the exact same test that she’d already had two times before. This time I asked how exactly it worked, and it was actually kind of interesting: the device they stick in their ear sends a signal in, and then measures what echoes off of the ear drum. It finally made sense why they wanted her asleep during the test.

So what we may be looking at is this: by their test, she’s fully deaf in the right ear and partially deaf in the left. I don’t know what the hell to think. Sometimes I’m sure she’s hearing me, but I just don’t know any more. But she also had a cold when they gave her the test, which might have plugged up her ears and stopped her eardrum from vibrating the way that it should.

In short, we don’t know much. She hasn’t passed, but we don’t know why she’s failed. We’re in a big holding pattern. I’ve always been a patient man, but I’m also finding that when it comes to my daughter’s health patience goes by the wayside.

It’s hard, and getting harder. I work with an exceptional staff of the nicest people you could ever hope to find, and they all care very much about me and my family, but having to talk about what could be over and over again wears you out. More than anything I’ve ever hoped for I’m hoping that this turns out OK. I’ll let you know.