Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Play Money

For Christmas Popo got the boys a toy cash register complete with working keys, play money, grocery basket, apron, and items to purchase. We'v enjoyed swiping the fake credit card (since they always want to do mine and I won't let them), buying orange juice and ketchup, and making accurate change (Keahi, not Jarom). Money is fun.

Not having money is no fun.

I just got back from an emergency root canal.....the first of two needed. Last Saturday, Iz had his emergency root canal. Somehow we were fuzzy on how much the rest of the procedure was going to cost, but today it was all cleared up for me and now I'm seeing dollar signs everywhere. Apparently, even with insurance one root canal with crown will cost us almost $500. That's $1500 for the both of us. Holy rusted boulders, Batman. So for now we have the emergency procedure done so we can put off the rest for a few months to save up. We were supposed to go to San Diego in April. The boys are so excited about Legoland and Sea World. And sometime or other we'd love to go back home. Poor Iz hasn't been back in 2 years. I could just have them extract both teeth. It'd be cheaper. But I'd have two gaping holes which would make chewing uncomfortable on both sides of my mouth. Plus, if I wanted to get a bridge later one it'd cost $2000 each.

So I'm sitting there in the dentist office texting Iz about our options and realizing too late the simple lesson my parents tried to teach me and which we're attempting to teach the boys. Choices have consequences. I grew up watching my mom brush her fake tooth after eating at the food court at Ala Moana. She always had a mini toothbrush with her. Good hygiene. Bad teeth. I never really thought about it. It just seemed to my child's mind that things happened and then you got fake teeth. No big deal. Now I know better.

Now I know that my thoughtless decision to stay up late snacking on junk food till I'm exhausted and fall into bed without brushing my teeth has led to telling the boys we'll have to skip San Diego. And goodbye Hawaii. And goodbye bigger house. Mom, now I get it. If this, then that. I just wish I could go back to playing with fake money.

8 comments:

beth said...

Student loans felt like playing with fake money. Things are different now. Hope the root canals don't hurt too much (physically, financially, emotionally, etc.). I'm going to go brush my teeth.

Mariko said...

Arrrrrgh.
Seriously. Insurance sucks. Can they just give you back all the insurance you didn't use so you can use it for this?
Don't just get them pulled. For lots of reasons.

Hold on, though, 'cause you're due to come in to some money pretty soon here!

cailin said...

Thanks gals. I'm definitely missing that loan money. Good times. And insurance does suck though I'm glad I have it since otherwise it'd be 1200 per tooth. Yikes. And what windfall am I supposed to be getting? Do you know something I don't? I mean, I have been called by publisher's clearing house informing me I'm a quarter finalist or whatever. I guess I'll cross my fingers.

Mariko said...

Well, you are married to a doctor.
When all that money's paid back that you've taken out for loans, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to make some money at this job. :)

cailin said...

Oh, so by pretty soon you meant 10 years from now. =) But we did just file our taxes so once we get our return we'll be able to afford the 3 root canals.

Mariko said...

I love comment conversations...
By pretty soon I mean sooner than never. :P (and sooner than us...HA.)
YAY for getting your own money back from the gov't and then putting right back into the system supporting dentists everywhere!

So maybe you're still going to go on vacation? Is Iz coming here? Yes? Definitely don't feel like we even really got to see you much last time so I hope we can hang out again, someday.

Leah said...

Cailin, you are a good writer. If you need me to point out all the literary technique you used in this passage, I'll send you a full review (and you are FUNNY).
In my opinion, this blog is WAY better than that lame Julie and Julia stuff, and you are a way better writer than the author of Waiter Rant. All these people made money (and got book and movie deals) from a blog.... Just sayin.

bocah ingusan said...

yes, the more money the more we can afford