Sarah Bernhardt, Eat Your Heart Out

Because that's my girl, "Elf #2" in her camp production of a re-worked tale of Hansel and Gretel.

I'm glad for her and her absolute glee at being able to recall every cue, and to state her lines with a confidence that still eludes her Momma. But because life is forever "interesting," we have a little issue ...

Maddie has Strabismus, which I guess used to be called "lazy eye" or "squint." It's very subtle in her case, but we were recently told (by a surgeon) that she ought to have surgery. My husband and I did some soul-searching, but because there are serious risks involved, and because Strabismus kids more often than not require several surgeries to get their eyes "straight," we're pursuing another route.

It's called Visual Therapy, and it's sort of like physical therapy for the eyes. It sounds like just the thing, and we're very excited about it. Maddie is an excellent candidate, so we're told. Except that, unlike the surgical option, visual therapy is not covered by insurance. (Apparently, the geniuses at HIP/Vytra majored in Penny Wise and Pound Foolish whilst in college, and would therefore rather spend potentially thousands on multiple surgeries than try to fix our little girl with some weekly therapy.)

Of course, the therapy's not cheap. It's upwards of $100 per session.

So wish me luck while I pursue a multi-pronged attack. First, one more "opinion," from a doc who will hopefully have some suggestions as to how we might pursue coverage. Second, a planned appeal of the Denial of Coverage (four years ago I fought Empire Blue Cross to get coverage for a $300K lung transplant for my father-in-law, and won). Third, independent research into the field of Visual Therapy, and - I hope - the discovery of tools to begin the process at home while the other two options are working themselves out.

I'm going to have to remind myself to be patient while this all falls into place. It'll be Halloween at least before we have any resolution ...