Playing Catch-up: Groceries & Get-Well Wishes

Okay, it's late and I'm tired and my back and shoulder are killing me.  I need to go to bed.  But I don't want to let another day go by without posting my expenses.  Let's see if I can make this quick and simple:

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Kroger Pharamcy -- $29.09

My T3 thyroid medicine.  It was the T4 thyroid meds that I scored big on from my doctor's office the other day.  This stuff I still had to pay for.  And obviously it's not cheap.  Not sure why it didn't qualify for insurance coverage; it is the generic.  Usually I only pay $10.00 though my records are a mess and I can't remember if this is always this expensive or if something went wrong with the insurance billing.  I should call and look into it.  "Should" is a dirty word though.  It might not happen.

Kroger -- $70.68 ($44.96 on gift card; $25.72 on credit card)

• Kroger mega-pack T.P. -- $6.39 (saved $1.50)
• Horizon 2% milk -- $4.89 (saved $0.30)
• 2 Horizon chocolate milk -- $3.49/ea. (saved $0.50/ea.)
• Dole Orange/Peach/Mango juice -- $2.99 (saved $1.00)
• Welch's dried fruit Berry Medley -- $4.99
• Santa Barbara Olive Co. green olives -- $3.99 (yummy!)
• dozen Nest Fresh eggs -- $3.69
• 2 DiGiorno pizzas -- $6.59/ea.
• 5 navel oranges -- $2.95
• mini carrots -- $1.00 (saved $0.99)
• 2.84# bananas -- $1.59
• 1.72# honeycrisp apples -- $5.14
• 2.33# gala apples -- $2.31
• French's yellow mustard -- $1.50 (saved $0.79)
• 2 Amy's frozen burritos -- $2.00/ea. (saved $0.29/ea.)
• Rudi's organic whole wheat bread -- $4.59
• 6 bag credits -- ($0.30)

The day's total:  $99.77

~ ~ o o O o o ~ ~

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Doctor co-pay -- $50.00

It was time for The Daughter to go back for her first check-up with the endocrinologist.  Her blood test showed that her thyroid level had improved but was still on the very low end of normal.  Together with that result and the news that The Daughter had felt better last month but had recently started up with the uncontrollable afternoon napping and low energy, the Dr. upped her dosage.  We dropped the prescription off on the way home and she'll pick it up tomorrow.  In the meantime, it's half of what I take and some of the samples I got from his office last week are for the correct dosage (I'm supposed to just take two) so she can start on the higher dosage immediately (tomorrow morning).

Kroger -- $21.35

While at the store dropping off The Daughter's new prescription, naturally she wanted to pick up a few odds and ends.  Below you will see an item that I was loathe to buy and extremely reluctant to admit to here in public.  But the point of this blog is full financial disclosure so here it is, uncensored.  You should note that The Daughter and I made a deal --  I would buy this particular "forbidden fruit" for her under two conditions:  1) she will not longer request nor buy for herself pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream (her concession, I really had no big issue with the B&J though it is quite expensive, comparatively speaking); and 2) she would not ever admit in public or to any of her friends that I buy this stuff for her.

• 2 boxes of Lucky Charms cereal -- $2.99/ea.

I agrued that B&J ice cream is actually healthier for her because at least the ingredients are clean and pronounceable.  She was unconvinced.  She's totally hooked on these nasty things.  I can't believe we've strayed this far from the path.

• Quaker chewy granola bars (not much better) -- $2.73/ea.
• Orbit gum -- $1.29 (she was never allowed to chew gum when she was younger; where did I go so wrong?)
• Fruitabu Twirls -- $4.69
• Nexcare Camp Rock tattoo band-aids -- $3.49

If you're going to compromise your values, might as well crush every single one of them at the same time, right?

Hospital Gift Shop -- $11.49

This evening at about 7pm I received a text from my mom.  My nephew had been skate-boarding, had an accident, and broken his arm.  My sister and her husband had dashed out to take him to the ER.  The next message informed me it had been a compound fracture.  As the night wore on, more of the story came out.  A neighbor had found him wandering in the street holding his arm.  He was in shock.  She found his phone and called his parents.  More news came in too.  It was a multiple compound fracture and will require several surgeries starting this evening.  More tests were required.  A jaw fracture was feared.  And head injuries.  I didn't hear more about those possibilities so I'm assuming they were ruled out.

Before the extent of the injuries had come out, I starting thinking it would be nice to send him a little get-well gift.  I was thinking something edible because what use does a 12-yo boy have for flowers?

Not sure where to begin, I Googled "send gift to patient in XX hospital" and one of the first results was the hospital's gift shop which happened to remain open until 9pm.  They didn't have any info about placing phone orders but I thought I'd give it a try.  The young woman who answered the phone was so incredibly wonderful and helpful and friendly.  She walked me though their selection of goodies and balloons and magazines and helped me pick out some candy and a balloon.

Then she checked on the patient's status -- I wasn't even sure where he'd been taken though I had assumed it was the hospital just a few blocks away from their house; the hospital where his dad works.  I was wrong.  There are two hospitals in the area and my nephew was in the children's hospital a block or two away from the hospital I had called.  Since the children's hospital didn't have a fully staffed gift shop, the store clerk took my order and offered to drop the gift order off after work.  Wow!

The order only came to $4 and change so I added a second balloon and a bag of salty snacks to go along with the candy.  I got a text shortly after 9 that his gift had arrived and had, at least momentarily, helped lift his mood.

All I can say is thank goodness they have health insurance.  And bless the young woman who went above and beyond this evening.

Related posts:

1. Day 118: Groceries
2. Day 204: Groceries
3. Day 291: Movies, Gifts, & Groceries
4. Day 114: Groceries Galore!
5. Day 294: Groceries