Don't Think About The Expenses, But Now...

Jo, this doctor actually gave us the second opinion already. about a year ago when one doctor recommended the sleep study, but we have no money at that time. when we had the money on December, somebody told us to get a second opinion from another doctor, so we met with this present doctor, who said, if we can do through medication, we'll do it first. let set aside the study or operation at this moment until 6 months. and now we have no money for it.

the doctor said they hope the problem can be solved with medication, but it turned out that when the medication stops problem re-occurs. yes, medicines helped but how long will he be taking those meds?

I just don't agree w/your dr., neil. Wish u would get a 2nd opinion. Happy weekend to u.

hi jane. yes, i have been trying a lot to find help and hopefully, someone will answer. thanks for a lot of help you have extended here, for Zayzay. wait, what do you mean by this? we ask our doctor here to refer us to Manila doctors/hospitals? i don't think this is possible until there is one who will commit for the finances. you know i cannot make it alone, with my salary.

yeah,it is possible my friend. you just need to asks help from your doctor(zay2's doctor) ask your doctor is he/she had a friend doctor who works at good hospitals here in Manila (Makati med or St,Lukes) then,asks some help from your city mayor. then,once you were here,you can seek more help from media,or charities.

I know what ya mean

that's actually what i am scared of now, when the operation will be needed after the test. when i am already drained.

you could be right, i talk this way because we really run out of money to even spend for the next few weeks of medication. so how will i be able to decide for the next procedure if you don't know you will have the money, for the tests?

Maybe you should ask them what are the remaining procedure if the another procedure they are introducing will fail, because on your part you want the procedure to be done but how can you move and decide for it if you don't have money. Ask them all the procedure they are planning to do and can they calculate the amount will be used for it so that while there are still no procedure happening, you are already hunting for money. Have you decided to loan in a bank?

operation to remove the tonsils/adenoids will be the ultimate solution to this. but before that, the sleep study will be performed to confirm if operation will be done. we'll be taking another few weeks of medication before she decide on whether the test will be recommended. if really i have money, there will be no problem. but oh my, i don't think we will survive with some more added loans, i am already drowned.

I sure wish I knew, but I definitely think it's worth another opinion. Poor little guy...

i really kinda confused right now dawn. you see, his tonsils are big or larger than they should be for his age. although he gets cough sometimes, i cannot say it's asthma. the x-ray reveals (6 months ago) he had sinusitis along his airways. this doctor is giving this medicine at this moment to fight his allergies. "histamine receptor antagonists" is stated in the website that i found when i try to see what is this medicine really is. in the last period of medication, this medicine was taken together with another medicine which is intended to fight allergic rhinitis or asthma. well, this doctor wants to treat the tonsils with these medicines. do you think medication will be enough to prevent the problem from coming back? as i look at it, the tonsils get smaller only be a little but never shrink.

That's the mistake of the doctors, honestly if they are passionate of what they are doing, they can really discuss all the possible area that will happen. Their work is to prescribe so, why not prescribe possible test in advance.

i would really love to share to everyone here the outcome of the operation, if we reach to that point. but at this moment, the question is how can we possibly go with the sleep test. if only the doctor (this is actually the second opinion we got after the first doctor told us or suggested the test as early a year ago, more ore less) have suggested the test as early as december last year, when we have enough money at that time. government hospital is not that good compared to private hospitals here. some would even say, i would rather die at home than die in that hospital. although not all of the government hospitals are like that.

well, i guess it's my bad to listen to some people. when we had enough money for the test last december, few people have told us to get a second opinion, look for some other doctors, so we ended up with this present doctor, who told us that if we can get him better with medicine, it will not be necessary (the tests). we already had some recommendations or referrals or something, for the sleep tests and other procedures given by the previous doctor. but at that time, we still have no money for all of those tests. so someone (thanks Marti) helped us and by december it came. now all the money for the test were spent, most of them, to pay for the doctors fees, medicine for six months, and transportation. blood test and x-ray were also done during our first visit. it's really my bad to listen to them, and if not, maybe by this time, we already done with the sleep study and probably he is doing great now, or i could only be thinking about the operation.

here, some people do not take risk to be confined in a government hospital. they are usually poor in services and facilities. they are only good in slight and emergency cases.

we actually have enough money for the test, i guess when we start consulting with her, the latest doctor. she is the one we approached to get a second opinion, when our doctor last year suggested the test, even if it was our fist meeting with her. now by this time, we have no more money for the test. we have spent a lot for the 6 month medication, regular check-up and some other laboratory procedures. i think you are talking about the CPAP machine, which the patient should wear when he sleeps. the doctor told me that it is not available in the Philippines and we have to order it in the US. but our draw-back with CPAP is, should the patient be convenient enough in his sleeps with the machine? and will it also be the best solution? almost all the symptoms of sleep apnea in children is with him. i read about some articles online. i also watched some videos of a child sleeping with apnea. those who commented usually said, the operation is successful. but still, they undergo some tests, like sleep study. how can i tell the doctor, ok, let's proceed with the sleep study and go on with the operation, when my salary as a state worker is not even enough for the basic needs in the household?

i live here in the Philippines where there are also organizations that help the needy. but most of them, they look for the status of the family, if they can be called poorest of the poor. if i will going to seek help from them, they will just (maybe, i just thought) ignore me because i am working in the government which they come to think, i am not one of the poorest. i don't know. but i still try to look for some, i hope to find one that will look after the child and not after the family status only.

in the middle of 2010 when one doctor suggested to put him in a sleep study. we have no money at that time. and on December that we only had enough money (thanks Marti) for the said test. but not only one person told us to look for a second opinion. and so we ended going to this present doctor. which is the one who suggested to undergo some medications first, in hope that his tonsils and adenoids will shrink in time, and will get him better. she put aside operation at this moment, but if the study will show that it is already necessary, then... we undergo medication for 6 months. after which, we stop giving him medicine, as told by this doctor. but now that he is not taking any medicine, his condition starts to go back. loud snores, choking, gasping for air, crying. all these happen to him only when he is asleep. but he is more like a hurricane, hyper-active when awake. a super duper naughty kid. if we continue medication, until when? and even this doctor pitied him when she saw this kid sleeping, one time during a check-up.

of course, that is not a problem best, as long as i know you are there, quietly actually, i am happy that the doctor tries her best with the medication, as it really helped zayzay sleep better. for months that he is under medication, we all had good night sleeps. until she told us that it can be stopped. we are back to medication, for a few more weeks again. but if the medication don't get him back a better condition, she said we really have to do the sleep study. you know me best, i am not going to approach any politician because i work with the government. so i still look for something or someone who will be very willing to do it, without any favor back to expect. you know politics. i will try to find help, maybe an organization, a foundation, some institutions, but not politicians. but if someone will do it for me for the sake of my son. then it will be greatly appreciated.

i know what apnea can cause the child and so i am so afraid worse comes to worst. i am not just sitting right here and wait for nothing. what most articles say, the normal remedy is operation but the age of the child is to be considered.

i am still hopeful i can see one who can help us with the expenses. and you are right, my son did better with the medicine but how long do we have to bear with the expenses, aside from we also pity him taking medicine every night. i really wish for the best solution, if ever as soon as it is possible. but still we think a lot of times how can we raise big amount of money for the tests and the operation, if the doctors will tell it should be done.

a confirmatory test which is the sleep test or sleep study costs a lot. that would only suggest if the operation is really needed or when it will be necessary to remove it.