Monday, January 28th wasn't a happy day for any of us..but especially Cooper. Brooklyn took Cooper outside with her and he decided to jump off the top of the rock waterfall into the lower pond...well he hit his head right on the edge of the rock slabs that stick out. (The guy who built this house did NOT have little kids...definitely not child proof..lots of dangers.) Brooklyn and Easton yell and carry him to the deck. I come out running and see lots of blood. I had the kids run over to get my neighbor to help and I called Eric. He came home and we went to the Lakeport hospital..well it was flu season and waited for over an hour and didn't get called back and they said it would be a couple of hours before he is treated. We finally decided to leave and go to St. Helena Hospital because we called them and they had no wait. So Eric dropped me off at home and took Cooper by himself. He got there, walked in, walked straight back, they glued his head and they were out of the hospital in 30 minutes. No one was there. (Later...I know why...I'll explain that at the end*). I would have liked stitches but the doctor said glue was better for this type of injury. (well...as we found out later...no it isn't...fast forward to May)
It was really deep as you can tell. Big cut. Poor guy.
He was so brave. Didn't throw a fit at all.
Hey I am glued!
All done!
Time for ice cream!
Well the glue didn't stay. I was concerned it wouldn't heal right but I called the hospital and they said I could bring him back and they can glue it again but I would pay another ER visit. I talked to my brother who is an ER doctor and he said to let it heal. So we did.
Healing...slowly but surely.
This picture almost makes me cry. This was the day before he fell. He is so cute with a perfect forehead. Sniff, Sniff. Now he is a cute kid with a scar!
*So the hospital had no wait...the other hospitals were full of flu sick patients. Hmmm interesting...well now I know why...we got the bill and they billed his 30 minutes ER visit at a level 3 for $2800. What? Crazy? No stitches...that is for glue. I called...they said it is what they charge because they are in the "Napa" Valley and it is more expensive to have a hospital there. I asked them to review the file to see why it is level 3. Stitches is usually level 2. And this was glue! She called me back finally in September and said the ER looked over the case and said it was RIGHT and there was NOTHING they could do to adjust it. I asked her to send me the ER papers and she said she would. Well she never did. I called a month later and a new lady was doing that job. She looked over the case and said the ER HAD changed it to level 2 for us and it took off $1,000 BUT said it was never processed. So she processed the change and the insurance and myself would get a refund for the difference. I was totally shocked...this is NOT what the lady told him the first time she called me back. I think she was being dishonest and didn't want to tell me they adjusted it and didn't process the change. I was pretty mad but glad I called and talked to the new lady...I was proud of myself...It took a long time, many phone calls but I got it reduced to where I felt was more reasonable. I did learn a valuable lesson...never go to any doctor in Napa Valley. I will drive the extra 15 minutes and go to Santa Rosa. They won't get my money again. Lesson learned!
By the way I am writing this in October...way late..that is why I am telling you what happens months later but posting the date for January. I like to keep the events in order and around the time they take place.
