When we saw Parker’s surgeon last week he was very pleased at how Parker’s teeny tiny designer hiney is healing.

So pleased in fact that he decided that we could skip the size 8 dilators and move right on up to the 9s. Two weeks with the 9’s and on to the 10’s we go for another two weeks.

Then back for another appointment with our surgeon to make sure that the 11’s are a good fit, and from there we can only go up.

Parker’s surgeon wants the actual pull down to take place in October. Early October.

But before he performs the pull down he wants to scope Parker from the bottom up to make sure that his theory as to why Parker loses so much blood via his stoma is correct. It would be very bad news to connect Parker’s bowels back up and still have the blood loss issues he has.

As we all know, I’m a compulsively manic wee bit of a worrier when it comes to Parker’s health and up coming surgeries.

So, to help me focus on the positive blessings that life without stomas or ostomy bags will bring I’ve been trolling online for super cute TWO PIECE outfits…..the kind that Parker can’t wear now because the rise of the pants hits him straight on his fragile stoma.

But come October we can buy two piece outfits!

Yeah. I know. I REALLY need to get out more, huh?

But….LOOK! Seriously! We’re talking the cover of GQ here!

And jeans!

Can’t you just imagine how cute Parker’s little cloth covered tush will look in something like these?

And sweats! The absolutely perfect solution to Parker’s chicken leg problems.

Oh, how I’ve waited!

Yeah. I’m thinking an ostomy free life could be pretty sweet.

Now, off to buy that winning lottery ticket! lol!

well I was going to title this post Up And Running.

But I have to be satisfied with just up for now.

I can live with that. Cause this kid is pulling up on every and anything these days. And if there is one thing I have learned from being Mom to this amazing spirit is to celebrate and give thanks for even the littlest of things.

Speaking of little things. How cute is that tush and those chicken legs holding up that tush? In real life the kid has these long and skinny feet. Totally out of proportion to the rest of him. The exact same feet his big sister McCall has.

And one day those feet will be running. I just know it.

But you have to admit, that on the cuteness scale this kid is moving beyond the speed of light.

I am so weary of hospital calls wanting to be paid NOW. My day can be moving along in such a swell way and then, “Whack!” I get hit upside the head from yet another demand.

These guys are pretty sneaky too.

My caller ID doesn’t show, billing office….major witch sweet lady who is only concerned for our child’s health on the other end of the line. It simply shows University Of Utah Hospitals. So I don’t know if it is a doctor, someone calling me back in regards to an appointment…..or that afore mentioned witch…….er… sweet lady.

Today’s experience was concerning a doctor that took care of Parker last summer. He was a great doctor. BUT what we didn’t know is that he was a University of Utah doctor…..not an IHC doctor.

Both my insurance company and Primary Children’s Medical Center fall under the umbrella of IHC. And my insurance doesn’t want to pay for a UVU doctor. AND LIKE HOW WERE WE TO KNOW THAT WHEN THIS GUY WORKS AT PCMC? Hello? PCMC assigns doctors to a patient.

So now we fight our insurance because since they and PCMC are owned by IHC, we don’t feel as though it is our fault that THEY hired a doctor that THEY won’t pay for.

We’ve been fighting. After mind numbing hours of research I know that we are right. So we hold out.

My insurance then requests notes and more info from The University Of Utah Health Care system to make sure that what they say this doctor did, he did. They request notes from PCMC too.

Heavens knows it should only be us that takes it in the shorts and not the powers that be at IHC. Cause that might affect their Christmas bonuses or something.

Months later our insurance company has yet to receive requested info. And we get the call from the witch sweetly concerned lady on the other end of the line wanting payment. Now.

Cause if we do pay now and then our insurance pays out too, they will be sure and reimburse us. Scouts honor.

Yeah. And I bet they have some prize swamp land to sell me if I’m interested.

I know that without a shadow of a doubt these hospital billing centers are writing off hundreds of thousands of dollars of bills a day. They forgive those bills and then reach into their stash of donated monies to pay themselves back.

Unfortunately it would take way more than a miracle to for us to get that kind of help.

Who knew that Reed holding a job would cause us so much grief. Cross the border illegally or refuse to hold a job or not have insurance coverage….and bingo!….problem solved.

What were we thinking?

Sometimes I wish that these not for profit hospitals would remember who is really at the heart of matter:

The brave and beautiful children whose parents are simply trying to do what any parent would do:

Keep their child alive.

Baby Einstein Color Kaleidoscope:

Retail Price: $14.99

Yard Sale Price: $0.50 (and that included batteries)

A few Saturday mornings this summer have found Rigel and I spending some quality time together hitting the neighborhood yard sales. Because of gas prices we are going only to the ones in our immediate area or on the same path as our weekend errands.

I’ve been hoping to find some jeans for Rigel to start school in. Last year’s jeans are pretty trashed. But it seems as though jeans in the size of ‘not a kid anymore, but not a man yet either’ are as scarce as hen’s teeth this season.

I read a lot of blogs where eagle eyed Moms are finding everything from next to priceless items to auction off on Ebay to full wardrobes of the latest and greatest fashions for each and everyone of their kids. In like new condition, no less.

Obviously Rigel and I aren’t privy to the location of the primo yard sales.

What are some of YOUR yard sale scores, and what are your tips for finding that yard sale motherload? You know, the one with tons of jeans in the exact size that we desperately need.

Our Brave Hero is resting up for his trip up to Primary Children’s Hospital this morning.

Dr. Downey is going to take a look at Parker’s Teeny Tiny Designer Hiney to see how it is healing. We simply can’t say enough good things about Dr. Downey. He is an amazing surgeon. And he believes in Parker. He sees past that extra chromosome straight to the potential that lies within our littlest one.

I can now honestly say that this kid sports the cutest (and most expensive) tush I have ever seen. And with six kids I have seen quite a few behinds in my day.

The trip up to Primary’s is never fun. And to make things even more exciting it now costs us $40.00 to drive up and back to PCMC. Over inflated gas prices, anyone?

BUT, the good news is that my Mom is coming with and she’s gonna pay for lunch! There is an awesome wrap place in Foothill Village that is totally Weight Watchers friendly. I’ll have a veggie wrap, please. I may even splurge and add avocado.

See, if you look hard enough you can always find that silver lining.

That is how I feel today. I have no desire to do much of anything. Unfortunately there is much that needs to be tended to today. And I am the head tender.

It is days like today that I wish I had one of those metabolisms that laughed in the face of a handful of peanut M&Ms. But nope. I might as well just hot glue stuff like that straight onto my butt. Cause that is where it will end up anyway.

Weight Watchers is great. But slow. At least for me anyway. Really slow. Super slow. I want to start walking and then running and then walking. If I can find the energy.

I’ve been using a few cups of stove popped in canola oil as my WW friendly snack food. But in the last three months alone the pop corn at Costco has gone up over 5 dollars in price for the container I usually purchase.

I gotta say wondering if I can afford popcorn while friends and neighbors are heading out on vacations, attending the summer rodeos, going out to dinner and just having regular summers is starting to make me feel a bit sad.

Okay. More than just a bit.

We received word Friday that Brant’s new and very expensive bike was stolen. Reed and I spent a lot of the weekend staring at each other and wondering how we were going to come up with the cash to buy him a new one? What happens if we tell Brant’s mission president that we simply don’t have the coin to replace this bike. Would they send Brant home? Could he and his companion take turns riding on the handlebars of the one remaining bike?

The real kicker is that the money we had set aside for this mission went to medical bills. The never ending, life sucking pieces of paper our mailbox is usually full of.

Yeah. I know. I’m just a total ray of sunshine today, ain’t I? It’s a gift. Compliments of my insurance company.

I read about how Universal Health Care is the cure to all of our problems. Then I read articles on how in Germany health care under a universal plan is being rationed, because there simply isn’t enough money for everyone to receive it.

And those that get kicked off the life boat first are the elderly and kids like Parker.

So, I’m hoping for another option. One that works well for everyone.

Of course I’m not going to hold my breath or anything.

And finally. The words of wisdom I am holding close to my heart today:

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying…. “I will try again tomorrow.” ~Mary Anne Radmacher