Garrett's molar

On Sunday, we went to a cookie social at a friend's house. The kids all play outside and the adults get to socialize on our friend's really nice patio in the fabulous weather. Just as we were heading out, Garrett took a last cookie and then started crying because his tooth hurt. I figured it was a cavity and both he and Evelyn had a dental cleaning scheduled on Wednesday, so we would get it checked then. So when we got home I obligingly took a look, but to my suprise, he has a massive white mass on the side of his first molar (lower left). So I gave him some tylenol and called the dentist the next morning.

We went to the dentist and got an x-ray and guess what? The tooth is the same tooth that we paid $600 to have get a filling last year. It is perfectly fine, but the area between the roots has abcessed (read: died) and his molar now has to be pulled!!!! My poor little boy :( His gums are so swollen, they know they can't get the Novocain down into the nerve. Oh and he will need a custom spacer to keep the area open for the adult tooth to come in four years from now. So they prescribe him some antibiotics and tell me to bring him back in two days for the extraction. Now, mind you, Garrett is allergic to penicillins, so she thinks of some other antibiotic and sends me off to get it filled. And don't forget to visit Shiela before you leave! 3 x-rays $152

I get to Walgreens and let them know I will wait for the prescription, meanwhile my kids disappear down the toy aisle. 20 minutes later, no prescription, but Evie has to use the bathroom, so I track down an employee to let us into the password protected bathroom. The boys and I wait for her, then they charge back to the toy aisle...still no prescription. So I go ask where the heck is my prescription? and they tell me the dosage is wrong for Garrett's size and they have a message in with the dentist....

Little background: my kid's dentist is one of those awesome offices with playstation, a saltwater fish tank, movies in the ceiling, and tiny toilets in the bathroom. They are very, very kid oriented and my kids LOVE going to the dentist, but they also take ridiculously long lunch (12:30 to 2:30).

....so I am waiting at Walgreens and it isn't quite 2:00, so I tell them to call me when the prescription is ready. I quickly put all the toys back and tell the kids it's time to go. I have little Dave firmly by the hand and walk all the way from the back of the store to the front of the store...no Evelyn and Garrett yet...but I am sure they will be right behind me because they are so obedient (HA) then I go out the door and put little Dave in his carseat (we are parked right outside the door), still no Evelyn or Garrett. I wait a little bit, then walk back in the door. They are running around the store looking for me (small store with mirrors up near the ceiling, so I can see all the aisles). I call their names and get them back in the car. I am going to scream.

We get back home and after another hour Walgreens calls. "Hello is this Mrs. Nichols?" "yes" "Your prescription is ready, are you aware of the co-pay?" "i don't have a copay, my insurance doesn't cover prescriptions" "Well, they kicked in half for this one." "really? how much is my copay?" "$214.63"#$%@! um, I can't afford that, let me call the dentist
Knowing my insurance has made a mistake and I will end up paying over $400 for antibiotics I call the dentist and get them to call in another prescription. I pick that up a little later for a mere $18, but it has to be administered every six hours (yep, that means a midnight dose).

Garrett is not complaining at all for the next two days, then I take him in on Wednesday and they pull the tooth. He is a brave little trooper with his happy gas mask and numbed up mouth, every once in a while he groans and wiggles his feet, but no major issues. The give us this very cut plastic tooth that pops open to reveal your yanked tooth, roots and all (teeth are very long!) and Garrett is so excited because the tooth fairy will visit! Meanwhile, Evelyn and David had their cleanings, no cavities, thank heaven! Extraction, Novocain (billed separately), 2 cleanings $500 and see me in two weeks for the spacer fitting: another $214. Tooth fairy visit $2

Grand total dental visit: $ I don't want to add it up, I'll just get depressed.