money makes the world go round

About my last post.. sister is very caring and helpful and all. As I think one of the comments said, it was probably her lack of attention, she probably just emptied the clothes from the cupboard and didn't look at them one at a time (and she does have a life, with a baby and a little girl and times are tough for her now). It was me who was feeling bad with all these hand-me downs, me who feel so chocked with finances right now.
And finances is what I want to talk about:-)

There are two very consuming (money-wise) "activities" that I am going to stop. I can't afford them. One is totally unnecessary, the other can very well do without.
When I went to the IVF route, I decided I wanted to have a private doctor. Now I could have done it within the public health system, but thought that it would be best with my own private dr. one who knows my case and all and whom I can phone whenever there might be a problem etc. If/when I'll be attempting ttc for child #2, I'll totally go the public route, but for first child.. Anyway I went to this doctor for for IVF, and then there was a positive and we scheduled a scan where we saw the heart-beat. I was sure that once we'd see that heart beat, that he would say good bye, and I would continue with a "regular" (that is not private) doctor from my kupa (I think it's something like hmo). That didn't happen. Instead he gave me all these tests I should do (and will I get around to writing that Down Syndrome post???), some for the now and some for later, but I was so overwhelmed. I decided I'd continue with him until I got those blood test results (one set done day after NT, the other at 17 weeks), so as to sit together and decide about the amniotic fluid [hmmm... numbers are so great I really didn't need him to advice me yes or no. But obviously didn't know what my results would be at the time].
The meeting before I wanted to mention how the next meeting will be the last, but couldn't.. And then in this last meeting he gave me some more tests to do (does it ever end :-)), and well... again couldn't tell him this is our last meeting. So I will just have to go the coward way, and cancel our next appointment.. I mean I really cannot afford him, and I really don't see any extra benefit from seeing him (I mean my pregnancy is perfectly o.k, no problems [touch wood :-)] or anything). Don't need to pay a high sum to someone to see me and tell me now do this test and now that (a regular doctor from the kupa can do the same..
So now the question is where do I continue from here. There is an option (besides a dr. from the kupa) of going to a child development centre (which is where after birth you go for your baby's vaccinations and regular check-ups (growth and all). Didn't know you can also go before, during pregnancy..). Advantage -it is a nurse you sit with who takes your blood pressure, weight, takes a urine/blood test and that's about it. Now I won't talk about the nurses in these centres who have a great reputation for making new mothers panic that their child is not up to par, but basically I think that should be enough for most of the time, don't need to see a dr. so frequently. Not sure if it means I still need to find a doctor or if their service also includes a doctor. Well, will see..
The other thing I'll have to stop is therapy. Now the last couple of months we went down, because I couldn't over wise, and I did try to say maybe we should finish.. I do think that now is a good a time as any time, and while there will always be issues and always things to discuss, and there are stuff I didn't really talk to her about but want to (and don't want to :-]), I just can't carry on like this. I can't carry on being worried if I'll have enough to pay her, if I'll be making enough money, can't carry on feeling like I only get second hand stuff for baby and can't get her anything new, just can't. So although I could possibly continue, I don't want to feel chocked anymore..

And these tests. Well one of them (for most - the glucose tolerance, a heart echo for fetus he wants me to do as I'm not doing the amniotic , regular blood and urine, I have a referral and can do in the kupa), the second level II scan, I have three options [so as not to complicate an explanation, I will mention prices. If you want to know US$, divide by about 4...]:
1. Do it privately. Too expensive (I think I saw numbers of around 2-3 thousand NIS).
2. Do it through the kupa. Advantage - doesn't cost. Disadvantage - they do a very quick basic of basic scan.
3. Do it semi private, at listed places for 700 NIS and get a refund of 600 NIS.
First level II scan I went for option #3. (I mean, who wouldn't..). Problem is you can only use option 3 once.. So the second one I was going to do through the kupa. But, well.... as of January they made it even better, letting you also have a refund for the second level II scan (of 500 NIS). Except.. seems I am falling between the cracks. Since I did the first one before January (as in before this new regulation), they are giving me a hard time. I am still trying to see if I can get the refund. Right now they offered something else, not good enough but I guess better than nothing.
[think I should add that these befefits are beyond the basic coverage, and I do pay a small sum every month for these "extras"]

O.K, I think that was enough of money talk for quite some time :-) Will end with a happy note.. At last appointment I was a bit worried that I haven't really gained any weight (from the beginning of the pregnancy. And no, I wasn't vomiting and loosing weight in the 1st trimester). I mean, great that I'm not gaining too much weight, but hey.. there's a baby in there, shouldn't I be gaining some weight??
So last night when I got ready for bed, I looked at my belly and - wow, its big! Now I always had a big belly, though might have managed to loose some weight before this last IVF attempt, I still didn't begin with a nice flat tummy (far from it), so I was all along with some kind of belly. But now it looks like its grown like I never had before.. I guess very soon people will be asking :-).