Hmmm...

Last weekend, I took the boys camping. Just as we were tearing down on Sunday morning, one of my boys fell off the roof of a shed.

The fall was probably from about 5-7 feet high and when he fell, he fell flat onto his back and then his head whipped back and hit the shed.

He was in a lot of pain from a large portion of his body - his entire back from his neck to his hips, and all the way down one leg. Additionally, he was very shaken up from the fall.

I won't tell you that I did not worry, that I did not feel afraid, or that seventeen different scenarios did not run through my head.

But, being the mom of boys, there is a certain patience involved. A wait-and-see sort of therapy. A 'let's not panic and go to the hospital in a rush' mentality.

Was he hurt? Oh yeah. Was he going to die? No.

At the 24-hour mark, he was dragging his right leg, walking only when I got him up to 'exercise', and had a lot of pain in his back and right leg. Clearly, he was hurt.

I took him to a chiropractor. She is a family chiropractor and has an excellent reputation. She owns a small, private office, works part-time, and brings her baby to work with her.

Once there, she did four different diagnostic doppler/ultrasonic evaluations. She then did x-rays on his skull, neck, spine, hips, and legs. After we talked about the findings, she did adjustments. She spent an hour with us - talking, evaluating, diagnosing, adjusting. It was great care that we all felt was helping Gable heal properly. Immediately, he could lift his leg again, could twist his back, and could turn his neck normally.

Here's where the 'hmmm' comes in: The whole hour cost $75.

X-rays, ultrasounds, adjustments. One hour. $75.00.

Now, if this was some kind of a dive, medical establishment, I could understand, but it was a clean, well-run office with a chiropractor who truly cared about my son's well-being.

Jon had taken one of our boys in for x-rays on his elbow in the spring. For two x-rays and evaluation, it was almost $1000.

One of my friends had x-rays on her little girl's hip, leg, and knee, and it was $4600.

I am not going to get into the whole medical system and all of it's drama and shortcomings. For that, I do not have a solution, nor do I want to engage in a debate. (Remember, that makes me hide in a corner and cover my head.)

But what is making me say 'hmmm', is that I could find quality medical care, without insurance, without any delay, for such a reasonable price.

No judgements.

No big revelation.

Just 'hmmm'.