Secret Is Confirmed
(This is an Ian-and-Lisa-only post.)
Today was my first appointment at The Birth Center. Ian met me there and I’m really glad he did.
Naturally we had to fill out and sign a bunch of paperwork, including a contract detailing the amount of money our insurance (Blue Shield PPO) will pay. I experienced sticker shock in a major way. I expected to have to pay about half of the total fee, but this is ridiculous … in a not funny kind of way. The estimate (after Kathy spoke to Blue Shield twice) is that they will pay about $1700 and we have to pay $3500. I stared at the 5 equal payments of $700+ and cried and couldn’t stop. Hormones. Of course. But it was like a blow. I just kept thinking Where will we get that much money? We have to pay for Lucas’s school!
Ian did his best to comfort me. We had our appointment with Ruth. We got to hear the baby’s heartbeat for a minute! Baby was hiding, so the heartbeat was difficult to find at first and Ruth had to run the machine over my belly a long time before we finally heard it. It was fast and strong, and it sounded beautiful to me.
So, I’m really having a baby. It’s not a tumor. Holy shit.
We paid $500 today. When we left I fell apart all over again. Ian took me to lunch for burritos. I cried off and on today.
The good news is that I saw Alethea again after quite a long time. She seems just the same. She offered to come assist at our birth for free no matter where we go, even if it’s not at The Birth Center. But I can’t see us going anywhere else for this. It’s too important.
Also, I called Kelly and told her the news. I got to spill my guts to her while I was grocery shopping and talking to her on my cell phone. She was gracious and wonderful, as usual. She was warm and reassuring and very excited for us.
Last night we went to Ian’s mom and David’s and we told them. Chris jumped up and down for joy and we had to hush her up because Lucas was there. She is just beside herself with glee. Later on, we called Kellie and she was ecstatic too.
