One small victory. Let's party.

A Captain from our local Fire Department called last week to tell me we were forgiven the balance of an ambulance charge that occurred in February.  We were billed almost $800, insurance covered over half, so the balance was $300-ish.  Nothing to sneeze at, so we were happy to not have to write a check...again.

We have what most people would consider good insurance, but it seems we're nickel and dimed to the tune of several thousand dollars by the end of a year.  I try to fight many things, but I get tired and end up writing the check.  I realize that's part of the strategy.

The ambulance?  Didn't save one of our lives, but it saved my sanity during a rough night...

February 13, 2008

3:15 P.M.

I picked up the two older boys from school, plus a boy who lives in our neighborhood.  I had Toddler Child with me too.  A winter storm hit about 15 minutes into our 30-minute drive home.  I called Neighbor Boy's mother and said I was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic so expect us to be late.  We were safe, just moving slowly.

4:00 P.M.

We turned off the freeway onto the State Road that leads to our small town. 

7:00 P.M.

Two miles, and 3 hours later we were informed by an officer that the road was closed and we couldn't travel further.  We'd already passed (slowly) at least 100 cars that were stranded.  The winds were 70 mph and we were in the middle of a ground blizzard.  Visibility was zero.

Prepared mother that I am, I had less than a quarter of a tank of gas, no water, no snacks, no diapers for my then 2-year old, and no insulin for my oldest son who happens to be a child with type 1 diabetes.  Oh, and we only had 3 test strips - what he uses to test his blood sugar.

Diabetes - Quick Lesson.  Oldest Boy has type 1 diabetes (not type 2) and at the time was on two types of insulin.  He received a shot of long-acting insulin once a day - in the evening - that remained in his system to maintain blood sugar for 24 hours.  He took shots of rapid-acting insulin when he ate food, specifically carbohydrates that exceeded 5 grams.  It's a carbohydrate based disease.

7:30 P.M.
Fortunately, where the officer stopped us was a gas station - the only business on the 5 1/2 mile stretch of road.  We joined about 200 people in the gas station also seeking shelter.  I gave Neighbor Boy and Middle Boy money so they could buy "food".  Oldest Boy couldn't eat, because we had no insulin.  Toddler Child ran around like a wild animal with me trotting behind him while holding the hood of his coat.

A police officer and three EMTs arrived via snow mobile with a woman 8 months pregnant, showing signs of early labor, and experiencing hypothermia.  They set up a treatment area in a supply closet.  Oldest Boy joined the pregnant woman in the closet so his blood sugars could be monitored.  I was out of test strips.  The EMTs had NO insulin.

Note:  High blood sugar is miserable for Oldest Boy to experience - he feels thirsty, urinates frequently, feels confused and aches.  It is NOT a life threatening situation for a short period of time.  I knew he would be fine, just wanted him to have some relief as soon as possible.

An ambulance was called for the pregnant woman.

10:15 P.M.
The ambulance arrived.  The pregnant woman was not experiencing active labor, and her core temperature was steadily rising.  She and unborn baby were doing well.

10:30 P.M.
No of us knew when the storm would pass.  Middle Boy, Neighbor Boy and Toddler Child were drunk on sugar and trans-fats.  Toddler Child was wearing a too small, pink diaper I'd bummed, that was taped at the hips, and no pants.  Oldest Boy felt miserable, and we were all tired.

I was asked if I wanted to get Oldest Boy to the hospital, and the rest of the kids out of there.  I felt a little sheepish because I didn't want to take an ambulance spot if someone else at our gas station or along the route needed it for a more serious condition - like a heart attack.  I was assured that wasn't the case.

I decided to take the ride.

11:15 P.M.
We pulled up to the hospital. Chris was standing there when the back of the ambulance doors opened.  The pregnant woman was on a stretcher in the middle of the ambulance.  Oldest Boy was sitting to the side of her on oxygen and an IV - crying.  Middle Boy was sitting on the other side of her, assisting one of the two EMTs at her feet - seriously.  Toddler Child was strapped into a jumpseat at the head of the pregnant woman holding an inflated latex glove, and I was perched on the edge of the jumpseat.  Neighbor Boy was riding shotgun with the driver.

Because I get motion sick, I retched the entire way to the hospital, apologizing between retches to the pregnant woman, who's head was inches away from my vomit container.

Middle Boy kept saying, "She's not gonna have this baby is she?" over, and over, and over.

Toddler Child sang - loudly - during the ride.  One of the EMT's looked up and said, "Is he singing Benny and the Jets?"

In between retches I said, "Yea.  I've been listening to Elton lately."

February 14, 2008
1:00 A.M.
We were all home.  Oldest Boy received insulin at the hospital and was released immediately.  The pregnant woman did not have her baby that night, but made the local news.  Neighbor Boy was thrilled to have ridden in the front seat of an ambulance during a blizzard.

8:00 A.M.
We told our boys they didn't have to go to school because of our late-night ordeal.  They insisted though.  After all... it was Valentine's Day... and they just couldn't miss the party.