One trip to the Dr. and three trips to Walgreens

We had to take the boys into the Pediatrician today. Cort just needed two shots. We don't follow the typical immunization chart where kids get 6-7 at a time. I studied the link between vaccinations and other diseases at length in undergrad and grad school and I would rather spread them out. I know some Dr.'s say that the risk associated with a vaccine is much less than the risk associated with one of the diseases the vaccine is for. However, the PROBABILITY of my child getting autism (especially since my nephew has autism) or some other side effect from a vaccine is much, much higher than my child getting polio. So, we do 2 shots at well baby checks and then do the rest in between that visit and the next. Cort cried so hard when he got his shots. Usually I leave the room for shots and Chad stays. This time we had both boys, so we both needed to be there. Creighton was supposed to get 2 shots also, but he has a pretty bad cough. He has a lot of constriction in his bronchi that could mean asthma or a virus that has caused them to constrict and fill with mucus. He had to do a breathing treatment in the office, which he sat so good for. He held the mask to his nose and was still for about 4 of the 5 min. required for the treatment. Then, he wanted it off and we had to hold it on him for the remaining minute. He did great for a child who is not even 2 yet. The treatment immediately opened up his lungs and he was breathing so much better. We had to go get an inhaler and some meds for him and he has to do both for a week and then go back. They also tested him for Pertussis (whooping cough) because he was exposed to it. They don't think he has it, but wanted to certain with a 3 month old in the same house. I did step out for that test. They stuck a suction tube up into his sinuses and sucked out some mucus. He cried pretty hard for it and it took longer than I expected. I walked back into the room with tears in my eyes. I just can't stand to hear him cry. He is so sweet and cuddly. He has those huge blue eyes and when they fill with tears, I break down. The Dr. called in his prescription to the Walgreen's across the street from our house. Walgreen's had the medication and the inhaler, but since Creighton is so young, we have to use an air chamber and a mask and that Walgreen's did not have it. We went once and they had the medication ready, but not the inhaler. We went back and got the inhaler and they didn't have the mask and air chamber. We had to drive to another Walgreen's to get that. Of course, our insurance didn't cover the inhaler or air chamber and mask and those were $89.00 together. What was supposed to be a routine office visit and check up on Creighton's cough turned into a 2 hour long apt. costing us a total of $120.00 today. I am glad that we are on the road to recovery now. He is quarantined for 4 days though, so that means he can't go to church for the third week in a row. Our church is going up the mountain to go tubing on Sunday too. It would have been so much fun to go. However, with Cort being so young, Creighton being sick, and Chad studying for his tests, we won't be able to go this time.