Well all through this whole process I have been thinking "Thank goodness we live in Canada" Honestly staff are already calling Alistair a million dollar baby and perhaps thats not quite true but I'd say 1/4 to 1/2 a mill! I just really wonder what our expenses would be if we were in the States. I have heard that if its for a little one like this its different, but I wouldn't want to find out. And even if you have insurance in the states the fear that there is a chance you wouldn't be covered is enough stress as it is.
If I tally things up I lost count of my ultrasounds at 15 of them which go for at least $200 a pop. So there is at least 3 grand. I had numerous visits with my own family doctor for regular assessments, and who did a great deal of referals for me. These included seeing a genetic councellor two times in Prince George, and two referrals in Vancouver. The first day of referrals down here I must have seen at least 4 or 5 perinatologists, a pediatric cardialogist, genetic councellors, lab techs, U/S techs, and maternal fetal medicine nurses. Then once I actually moved down I had a visit with the perinatologist in maternal fetal medicine once a week, an ultrasound weekly, and home care nurses preforming nonstress tests biweekly in my apartment. Then I was induced and in hospital for 5 days, delivered, on antibiotics personally, went to the OR, had a resus team for Alistair, and then Alistair has been in the NICU since then at 4 GRAND per day! Yep every single kid in the Women's NICU is a 4 grand a day babe as then it prevents them from having to keep track of every little item for each one. So whether a kid is on just oral feeds to bulk up or on a ton of machines with a one on one nurse like Alistair was at the beginning it
's 4 grand. So yeppers not that its all about the money but it sure makes you darn humble after the max I have ever had to spend is $87 a month for health care and then you get in this reality of life.
I have a cousin that moved back to Canada as he was paying $15,000 a year for his family of 5 and they were getting more and more allergies and the insurance companies were threatening to increase their health coverage! Thats with no major underlying probs! So ya our health system isn't perfect but hells bells I think its pretty darn fricken good!
Another quick story: I had a bit of a startle last night as I was climbing into bed at 2am (Yes I'm getting to be a bit of a night owl) Anyhoo the bloomin fire alarm went off. So I thought there is no flippin way I'm going to get stuck on the 14th floor in a fire if this is the real macoy! So I grabbed my most tresured items, yes my camera with pics of Alistair and I was off down the stairs. Interesting experience. I had two guys fly by me on the stair well and thats all i saw for peps there. Then i get around to the front of the apartment and there was a max of 60 peps outside at the end! Not what I'd call brilliant for a apartment with 26 floors. A good 1/2 hour later 3 fire trucks came and the guys piled out in there heavy gear in 27 above for a false alarm! Poor lads! ~ I thanked them and took a picture of their trucks as everyone stood around grumbling. Quite entertaining really.....
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