Week 9 of 52 - First name basis with our pharmacist

This has been one of those weeks that if not for this blog, I wouldn’t have even picked up the camera.  All but one member of my household has been sick this week. 

We started out our holiday Monday with S running a 102 temperature.   Tuesday he was pronounced flu- and strep-free but in need of an antibiotic to treat his congestion.  Total cost:  $35.

On Wednesday, we decided W’s presumed spider bite might not be a bite at all.  I did what I do best – Google research and bet him my next paycheck (as if it wasn't already allocated) that he had shingles*.  Doctor confirmed on Thursday and total cost was $35.

Not to be outdone, I got pollen in my eyes while walking on windy Tuesday.  I woke up with yucky eyes on Wednesday.  Determined to self-treat, I found a tiny tube of only slightly out-of-date erythromycin. I filled my eyes full of the goop and for a brief moment wondered if I’d lost my vision.  

On Friday I admitted my home remedies were not working and went to the doctor.  I was prescribed several medications for my allergies.  Total cost: $111.54!  

Saturday rolls in at 3:51 a.m. with a crying baby and I can’t open my eyes, double-yuck.  I do the courtesy of waiting to call until 9 am and the doc on call gives me another medication to the tune of $10.

I’m very thankful to have health insurance or this would have been far more than the $191.54 we incurred.  Still, the total exceeded my usual allotment of $70/month for medical expenses.  Far more importantly than the cost, by week end, S was perking up quite nicely.

In other news, I went consignment shopping for the boys’ summer clothes.  To buy their summer clothing, I’d saved about $300 from my Craigslist sales (this week’s sales included a pair of W’s shoes – yes, he still has a pair left and S’s too small - and unused – diapers).

$164.79 yielded 44 pieces of name brand clothing @ an average cost of $3.75/item.  Bring on summer!  

Oh and as for the grocery challenge, we are finishing out the month with $6.24.  We had to buy milk, eggs, and Gatorade.  I also used $19 for some of the pharmacy bills.  We made it!! 

*OK since the word shingles used to freak me out (as recently as Wednesday), I am doing a PSA on how it is (and is not) transmitted:  http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/transmission.html    For anyone who cares, he’s only a risk to people who haven’t had chicken pox and if they come in contact with the fluid of the blisters (and if he’s in that close of contact with anyone besides me and the boys, then he has far more to worry about than shingles - grin).  Thankfully, W’s blisters have healed and he is feeling better.