Sometimes it Takes a Shriner

For 3 years now we've known that we could take Daphne up to Shriners for a visit. They have a skeletal dysplasia clinic that is apparently very good, plus it doesn't hurt that all their work is free.

When Daph was first born we were so overwhelmed by going to the doctor all the time that fitting in another hospital just didn't seem appealing. At her 3 year well child visit, though, her doctor brought it up again and we felt like now was as good a time as any to make our first visit.












Hello, Shriners, where have you been all our lives?! They are amazing up there. I don't want to complain about our current insurance and health care plan, because in light of everything we've done with Daphne we know we're quite blessed to have the coverage we have, but our insurance group is not very easy to work with. It's not uncommon when we're working with a doctor outside of our coverage for him or her to comment on how difficult our insurance is to work with. Even our doctors talk about it. So I'll just admit, I don't love our insurance. I don't really even like it.

We went up to Shriners on Thursday and couldn't believe how quickly and efficiently they work. The doctor saw her and wanted x-rays, so they sent us to get x-rays. We're needing some new shoes for Daphne, so after x-rays they sent us to get new shoes (no more spending 100s of dollars on her shoes). Then they scheduled our next two visits, both of them happening in the next month. I had to call them yesterday and confirm an appointment and I was on the phone for all of about 5 minutes. In comparison, I spent Monday and Tuesday trying to call our insurance to get Daphne's latest x-rays and never was able to get someone to help me, even though I talked to approximately 13 people. Did I mention that Shriners is efficient? And quick? And amazing?

As we were driving home David said, "they kind of make me want to be a Shriner."

(If you need to step away from the computer because you're nervous about a lightening bolt from Heaven in response to that comment, I understand.)

Our new family motto is 'Sometimes it Takes a Shriner.' (Another lightening bolt? Maybe.) Because when you need to get the job done, you just go to Shriners Hospital.

I'm sad they only work with sick children. I want to go there, too. (Probably another lightening bolt there because of making light of sick children. I am on a roll.)

















Shriners has the best waiting room toys. If you ever have to go there, go early just to hang out in the waiting room for awhile.

We were told we probably won't get to go to the skeletal dysplasia clinic until May, but as we have established that Shriners is amazing, we'll actually be going in two weeks.

We probably should have done all this years ago. I think it would have saved us a lot of time and energy.