With the good comes the bad

Today has really been a struggle.

I've been on the phone for so long that my phone is dead, my ear is hot, my patience is gone and my children are feeling ignored. Insurance companies and the American health care system in general really suck sometimes.
Keep us in your thoughts over the next few days as Sam starts his first actual dosage of chemotherapy tomorrow morning. He's a little nervous but confident that he will do just fine!
While I'm not sitting with him tomorrow I will be working with the finance department trying to figure out this - wait for it - $30,000 dollar bill we just got. Yes, that is the correct number of zeros. That is just a portion of the bill we received for one days worth of services. The wonderful folks at Blue Cross Blue Shield don't want to pay it. Bummer. Let's all hope that there are some paperwork errors in there and that we get this all taken care of tomorrow.
Pregnant lady hormones can be pretty persuasive sometimes.



On a positive note, our families have been doing some really wonderful things for us!

My mom lives in Raleigh again and has been picking up children and toting them around town to their various extracurricular activities while we've been stuck at the hospital. It has been amazingly helpful for us to have them taken care of so that I can stay with Sam during his treatments.

Sam's brother Josh and sister-in-law Rebecca have been in contact with some of the Shrader's out of town family and friends and working with them to prepare meals for us on their behalf. They're truly a blessing! I know that there have been some out of town folks who have wanted to help in this type of way and Josh and Bec are making that possible. They are hoping to have this arranged by April/May.

My baby sister Sam has set up a calendar at mealtrain.com to help us and our support system organize meals and child care arrangements. I've never used one of these sites until today but it is wonderful! I can't wait to use it for other new parents or loved ones in need of a helping hand. It is super user friendly and really a wonderful idea. Consider signing up someone that you know might enjoy or need a meal and invite your friends, family and neighbors to take turns doing this for them. Its an easy little thing that you can do that can make a family's life so much easier (I promise I am not endorsed my mealtrain.com! I just think it's a fantastic idea!). If you want to check out the calendar that my sister made for us the link is here.

We have gotten so many calls, messages, cards, meals, and notes of support from so many of our family members and friends. We love and appreciate every single second that all of you took to let us know that you care. Being so far away from most of you has been really tough but we really appreciate all the words and thoughts of encouragement and love!

I will update everyone on how the next few days go this weekend.

XOXO