Terrified Mama... reassurance?!

[Raynbow]

My litte one has to get extensive dental work on Tuesday.
Due to his age, he needs to have general anesthesia. That scares me enough... and I was anxious about that, but then today, I've been through bloody hell with the insurance companies, too... and there is a part of me that is wondering if this is the universe's way of telling me NOT to do it - that something bad will happen if he goes under.
Last week, the dentist called me to tell me that one of the insurance companies hadn't responded to the pre-authorization, and the one that did was only going to pay $380 out of the $1060. I called the insurance company and straightened it out (not that they'll pay all of it, but some at least - saving me from having to pay almost $700 up front!). That started the "maybe the universe is saying..." thoughts, but then everything got straightened out...
Now, today, the dentist office calls again and says that the insurance won't pay ANYTHING towards the facility (an outpatient surgery center) or the general anesthesia - that they denied the pre-auth!! AHHH!
So, I call the insurance company and they have NO pre-auth on record, no less a denial. So, after some more phone tag, I find out that the surgery center never sent in a pre-auth! All they did was TODAY called to verify benefits! Today!! This is supposed to happen earlky next week! And, they also gave the medical insurance co dental codes - never bothered to explain what was going on... just gave codes for fillings and when they were informed that the insurance didn't cover that code (for fillings) they stopped there and told the dentists office that I had to pay the facility cost upfront out of pocket ($2430!!) :
After many frustrated phone calls, tears and exasperation, the woman at the dentist office called in a pre-auth for the surgery center (NOT her job - they wre two separate facilities - she really went above and beyond for me!), we are waiting for approval... and have been told that :sometimes these things are approved... depends on special circumstances" - I'm hoping a two year old needing extensive dental work is a special circumstance... Otherwise, I'm going to have to pay the cost on my credit card... and I've worked sooo hard to get out of credit card debt (long story - my stbx ran off and left me with all the debt - 10K! I did it, btw!), it eats me to go back in, but I also can't just let my little one suffer with dental pain or risk ruining his adult teeth, either!
(I applied for a loan, bu tthey want 8% interest - the cc has a far lower fixed rate).
But, now my anxiety over this whole general anesthesia thing has rocketed - I'm literally sick with worry that my little boy is going to be harmed by it - brain damage, or even death... and I can't bare the thought of that...

I guess I just need some reassurances by BTDT mommans or whomever!

[kiminsac]

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[guiltriddenmommy]

Our son had to have dental work under general anesthesia this past June. He was 2-1/2 at the time. It WAS scary seeing him go under; I'm not going to lie about that. But after a few minutes I was calmed down knowing he was on his way to having healthy teeth again. I think it took less than an hour. He was freaking out when he woke up but they say that's typical at that age; it's from the anesthesia wearing off. After several minutes of screaming and pretty much not knowing where he was or what was going on, he fell asleep on DH and woke up a perfectly happy little boy. I have no regrets about having it done. Every single time I looked at his teeth with the decay on them I would feel sad and stressed out and worried. If he cried for a reason I couldn't figure out I constantly worried that he was in pain. It has only been three months since the procedure but the teeth still look great. Unless you look really closely you can't even tell he had any work done.

Lucy

[Raynbow]

Thank you both!
I talked to the dentist's office today - about "nervous momma" concerns.. and they were great. The same woman who helped me so much yesterday assured me that the dentist uses the white composite fillings (not the mercury silver fillings) and that he has done MANY of these procedures (with the general anesthesia) and that she has us slotted for an hour (I was worried about how long he'd be under). I still want to talk to the anesthesiologist - both to address the nursing thing (they want him NPO from midnight before - he's scheduled to go under at 10:30AM - that's a LONG time for a little boy to be without food and drink - especially his "Zieziez!") and to find out exactly what the process is going to be - IV or just gas or chloral hydrate or what?
But thank you both for the reassurances!

[circlemama]

We went through this, and concerning insurance...we don't have dental insurance...and our health insurance stinks, we have a small business and have crappy coverage. Anyway, I got them to pay 1,500$ for the facility/hospital and they covered the anesthesia. We still have all the rest, which is like 4,000$, and we payed the dentist 1,100$. I look at it this way, if her arm was broken, I wouldn't even blink at any cost to get it fixed. Teeth are important, especially at a young age, for speech and eating.

[Raynbow]

Yep... I will be paying it. The good news is that my estranged husband (who chose to have no contact with our child soon after birth) is court ordered to pay half, so I'm offering him a choice - either pay it (or pay the court's consequences) OR sign the custody papers (finally). So, something good may come out of this huge expence anyway!

[Raynbow]

Just an update...
T had his work done today. It was supposed to be 6 fillings (the white kind - not the old fashioned mercury ones) and two teeth sealed... but when the dentist was in there, he said that last two were deeper then he thought and needed to be filled.
The insurance refused to pay for the facility and the anesthesia, so I had to charge $2430 to my cc up front and will have to pay for the anesthesia when I get teh bill.
Anyway, I was a little irritated by the delay (his appt was for 1030 and they didn't take him in until after 1140! Now, we're talking about a 2 yr old who has been without food or drink since 3am (when he had a little breastmilk) - by 11:30, he's usually had breakfast and, heh, 11sies! I was ticked...
I understand the dentist was running late (his previous case took longer then expected), but he came out to talk to me and said they'd take T in after they cleaned up the room - just a few minutes... it was 40 minutes later when I asked the secretary (with whom I was NOT impressed) what was going on... she called and they said they were still "cleaning the room"!
Anyway, T came through with flying colors... he was very upset - even before we got int he building. As soon as we got out of the car, he told me he wanted to go back in the car and go home... and I was playing it as cool as possible. He's just a very smart little boy!
He freaked when I was carrying him back to the OR. Clung to me and whimpered. I felt sooo bad, and tried to calm him as much as I could. The procedue took less then an hour... and they let him sleep for the hour in recovery. (so that he wouldn't be more upset by the IV and monitors) He came close to waking several times - whimpering and in pain, but I talked to him and soothed him and he'd settle back down and his heart rate would drop back to normal. He woke up right at the end of the hour, nursed and wouldn't speak to ANYONE until we left the building and immediately told me to take him home!
Then he asked for something to eat... I started with water like the doc suggested and since then he's eaten a hamburger, 3 chicken nuggets, apples and a few fries... oh and his brother gave him some ice cream - not exactly a health diet, nor a "light/clear liquid" one, but he's hungry and it is an unusual day.
But, all's well and he seems to be himself - if a little swollen and sore.