We Got Medicaid!!!

The title is really the sum of my post. I got a letter yesterday saying that Cataleya was approved for Medicaid and we will be receiving her card in the mail. They will reimburse us for covered expenses incurred since March 1st- which is perfect since we've only been home since March 16th.

There is some messy name stuff that I'm sure will be annoying, but I think I can handle it. Cataleya was known in the hospital at birth by "Baby Girl" and her Mother's last name- the MediCAL that covered her medical expenses until she was placed with us was under that name. When we got to California, the hospital changed those records to Cataleya **Mom's last name**. Since we've been in New York, everything official has had Cataleya **Our last name** on it- including her medical records and our private insurance. However, her birth certificate and social security card have the name that the first adoptive family picked for her and their last name. So I don't know if it will be a problem for medicaid to pay for Cataleya's bills with a policy in another name. I honestly am not worried about it because we got medicaid and that is awesome.

I got a letter in the mail from Social Security as well and literally thought I would die and go to Heaven with 2 approval notices in one day- but it was just a letter for a scheduled phone appt on Tuesday. I'm not really sure why they would do a phone appointment with me since they were very clear that I could not apply for SSI for her, but I'm interested to hear anything from them. The letter had no information as to what the call would be about. Mystery...

Our 1st two weeks home have been very turbulent. We've been in emergency twice, the pediatricians office 3 times, the outpatient lab once, Pulmonary, Hematology, 3 nursing visits, 4 sleepless nights, seven days of 103 fever, diarrhea blowouts, irritability (both Mama and Cat), an ear infection, Methadone, oxygen, and teething.

Our pediatrician- who is great- looked me in the eye after I had been up all night, in emergency since 4am, and in her office at 2pm, with a baby that wouldn't stop screaming. She asked me if I was OK and I couldn't stop crying if I had tried. tI was really embarrassing because I wasn't sad or scared- at this point we knew that Cataleya was having withdrawls from all the meds she was on in hospital and putting her on Methadone at home and weaning very slowly would stop most of her symptoms (which it did)- I really needed a nap and a sandwich and the Dr didn't get it. She gave me a really pitiful look and held my hand. She said, "It must be really hard to go through all this. You didn't know how involved her care would be when you took this on."

I nodded. I really didn't know how involved Cataleya's care would be when I said yes to her. In none of my extensive research about Congenital Heart Defects or 22q11 did I read about babies who couldn't be in public places or clot properly with out transfusions. I didn't know I would have to stop my whole life and devote every second to her medical care. And if I was going to sit here and be completely honest with myself and you, I would tell you:

Had I known then what I know now about Cataleya and her health....

.....I would have said yes even faster than I did.

Cataleya has made me a better person for the selflessness she requires. I love her more than I've ever loved anything. She smiles and it makes every aggravation worth it. When I cry, it's not because I wish for less burden, it's because I wish to be more for her. I complain a lot about all the hardships we are going through with her, but I have a very solid understanding that this is how miracles happen. The situation must be difficult for the turn around to be amazing. If everything was great and then it stayed great- this would be a very boring story.

My Heart