Thursday, September 10, 2009

So, We Went to See the Doctor Today...

...and we saw a doctor!

I decided to not disrupt my entire family, so Quinn and I caught a bus at 7:30 this morning to go to his 8:15 8 a.m. appointment. The bus ride was only 15 minutes long and was entirely silent. But for Quinn's incessant chattering.

We've been to the doctor's office so many times recently that Quinn finally wasn't upset at all to go in. I don't think he quite believed that we were going to actually see a doctor. We got in right away, before I was even able to fill out the new HIPAA form. After the nurse took Quinn's weight (42 pounds—holy schnikes!) and blood pressure, Quinn thought we were done. And he was stoked.

But he agreed to wait to see the doctor, although as soon as he walked in, Quinn said, "No shots." Fortunately the doctor agreed.

After his exam, the doctor told me that Quinn has flat feet and needs arch supports. If arch supports don't help, we have to come back for x-rays and blood work. I'm betting on the arch supports.

The doctor told Quinn he could go get a sticker, but Quinn wanted something from the prize box. But the prize box is only for kids who get vaccinations. And the doctor was all, "If he wants something from the prize box, we can give him the FluMist."

And I was all, "Okay."

And Quinn was all, "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

But he got it and he was fine, except he tried to give me the flu by wiping his live-vaccine-y nose all over my sweatshirt.

And Quinn got to pick out a bubble wand from the prize box.

Please notice the bubbles.
And the flat foot-causing shoes.

We had to kill time until Alex picked us up. Quinn spent that time being ecstatic that he didn't have to go back to the doctor for several months.

I took him to school (which is going awesome for him, by the way) and after school I picked him up to go get arch supports, which Quinn took as code for "Torture Devices Mom Is Going to Put in My Shoes."


The expensive shoe store the doctor sent us to had staff that seemed to really know what they were doing, although I nearly choked when the guy showed me what looked like two little pieces of foam and told me that they cost SEVENTY-ONE DOLLARS.

When I asked if I could just move them from shoe to shoe, the guy looked at Quinn's shoes and said, "Well, they aren't going to work in those." He says I need shoes that tie so they support his foot all over.

So he pulls out five different New Balance sneakers and lets Quinn choose what color he likes. By this time, Quinn had forgotten about arch support as torture device and he's really excited about SUPER SPEEDY NEW WHITE, SILVER, AND RED SHOES! Which cost north of $50.

I also bought a wallet each for Quinn and Jack, because kid's wallets are surprisingly hard to find and they actually had them at this store.

I walked out, having spent one hundred and forty dollars on a shoe-store trip for a four-year-old. Can you imagine the shoes I could have bought if I spent a similar amount on shoes for myself?

Quinn and his solid gold shoes.

But doesn't he look supported and orthotic?

The cookies didn't hurt in the "Make Quinn Happy" scheme of things either.

All I have to say is that, shin pain be damned, if his feet start to grow fast, I am going to bind those things so he can wear those shoes for the next five years. And that shin pain damn well better go away.


  1. my guess is I know the exact shoe store you were at. The one I go to with Michael and his million dollar hard to fit feet.

  2. What's up with that doctor that he couldn't bend the prize box rules for a kid who's been turned away from his office a good 75 times in the last two weeks!!!! Geez...

    The shoes, my friend, are gorgeous. Worth every dime. ;-)

  3. Am I ever glad C outgrew her need for orthotics (suresteps) because I think our portion of the copay alone was $200+ Snazzy sneaks though. :-) I'm with Kristen---I would have snagged a handful of stuff from the prize box after all that appt. aggravation!

  4. They totally should have let Quinn have his pick of the box without a flu mist/shot! He better not grow too fast with shoes that expensive, wow!

  5. I hope he outgrows his problem with fallen arches. I had to pay a LOT of money for my supports!! But they were "custom made" so maybe that's why they cost so much.

  6. I LOVE New Balance! But really, you'll need to stunt Quinn's growth for a while so he gets his wear out of them. Good luck with that!

  7. I hope this is the solution to Quinn's shin pain!

    And your doctor = discompassionate creep! A little tight with his treats or what? LOL!!

  8. Ah, now the hefty price tag makes sense. Those orthotics can get seriously pricey when you start getting into custom stuff; hope you don't have to go there anytime soon!

    Gorgeous kicks (shoes), though!

  9. And no more snazzy yellow crocs... YM

  10. Have you started with the soccer cleats, riding boots, etc? We bought two pairs of $60 riding boots that they wore for 2 weeks at horse camp - of course they never fit the next year, and no hand-me-downs at our house. I am still giving them away on Craig's list.

  11. I can tell you were at the Foot Whisperer's store by the picture with the floor! Yes, we spend hundreds of dollars on shoes. Crazy. I have to buy MY shoes at Target as a result.

    And we were promised a prize the other day due to the extreme pain Shout was in and the fact that we couldn't leave until she peed into a THIRD cup, and then everyone LEFT and there was no one to hand out the prize. (It was 5 o'clock, of course. Quitting time. Even if there is a sobbing 4 year old still in the office. I really need to let this go, but not just yet.)

  12. Holy crap! We just went to the shoe repair store, and for $7 they pulled up his sole, glued in arch supports and we were good to go.

    And why is it that shoes aren't all made with arch supports anymore? I had to wear them all the time as a kid and that damn bump drove me crazy.

  13. Good lord. I don't think I've ever bought $140 worth of shoes.

    But don't bind his feet. Ugly. Painful. Cruel:

  14. I think in this circumstance foot binding is entirely justified!

    Well, at least they look good.

  15. When Ian was in AFOs they cost almost $2000 per pair and he needed new ones every 6 months (each time he had to have new leg casts applied for fitting). Hence A's tendency to wear her shoes until they have multiple holes and/or YM comes to visit.

    - DOS M's

  16. OMG!!! Why aren't those things priced with children's size and speed of growth in mind?! Holy crap!

    I wonder if you can get the cheaper ones from the store to put in shoes that he doesn't wear all the time? I have done that with my balancing lift, and it's been fine. I wonder if that would work with arch supporters for a pinch situation?

  17. I think I know exactly where you were, I've spent many a long stretch there over the last four years, not to mention beaucoup bucks. He does look awesomely (orthotically) supported though :) Between that and the doctor, all in one day? hope you're asleep by now.

  18. Well, you would look awesome in those boots. But Quinn looks styling in his. A blood test for flat feet? Hopefully the arch supports will hel p and you won't have to find out the connection.

  19. It is hard to beat the support lace-ups offer and it always hurts when unexpected costs come up like this. You are a good woman for not buying the Frye boots and telling the kid to suck it up. Not that I'd do that but dang, it would be tempting. Those zappos are sweet.

  20. We're in lace-ups this year too and currently holding shoe tying boot camp.

    Hope Quinn likes the solid gold shoes and arches. Fingers crossed it works.

    I don't get the blood test thing? What else would it be?

  21. I feel your pain. All three kids wear orthotics: two for bunion toes and one for flat feet. We're due for new orthotics as well The orthotics do last for about 2 years, but still it is an extra expense. I have a preteen and a teen -- so you can imagine how much time we spend arguing/discussing what is an appopriate shoe. Anything with a low heel, anything with laces.

  22. My family is on the 3rd. generation of flat feet. Did anyone tell you that the orthotics will prevent some of the damage caused by no arches but they will not give him arches? Running around barefoot is also a good thing. Anyhow flat feet are the reason my grown son wears a 14 EEE and can only buy expensive shoes. And be glad he's not a girl. I haven't been able to find a comfortable pair of dressy shoes since I was about 8.Have fun.

  23. "Can you imagine the shoes I could have bought if I spent a similar amount on shoes for myself?"

    And the comments on zappos say that your boots "have excellent arch support!"

