The Poop List And The Paperwork Pile

I am learning a lot from my organizational consultant.  One is to keep an "Anti-Procrastination List," aka, "The Poop List." 

The Poop List is a place to write down any item that has been on the "to-do" list too long.  Mine currently has a variety, everything from "seal kitchen counters," to "make adoption announcements for Mei Mei," to "fix Paul's screen" (which needs fixed because a couple years ago Paul and his friend had this great idea of trying to shoot a bird out the window--with an airsoft gun--and the screen was in the way so they decided to just CUT A HOLE!!!  What a great idea?  Yes?  Please tell me that not all twelve year old boys have brains that think this way!  And please tell me they really were trying to shoot a bird, which would be bad enough, and not a brother!). 

I've also listed "catch up blog posts," so this week I plan on adding quite a few.

You like this anti-procrastination idea.  Yes?

Every Saturday I have to choose at least one item to work on for at least one hour. 

It's amazing what can be completed in one hour.

One item I have crossed off my list is create medical folder.

(I just love how I can even cross it off on my blog!)

Adding two kids while simultaneously switching to high deductible insurance resulted in a pile of medical paperwork that was threatening to give me a stroke!  Seriously!  It was one of my biggest stressors!  And having 40,000 kids resulted in a bit more memory capacity than I had!  I couldn't remember who needed what appointments--when!

Note:  If you are a naturally organized human being, read no further.  You will laugh that it has taken me this long to create a basic medical organizational system.  If you are not naturally organized, let me tell you that having a system is like a HUGE breath of albuterol!

I created a 3-ring binder for medical/dental/ortho/speech.  It holds a section for each child where I can list the date they had an appt, the provider, medication/instructions given, follow-up needed.    I keep a 3-hole punch to add lab results, immunization records, etc.

In the front I have a section for bills pending and bills paid, plus a tab for authorizations.  I keep a special section for insurance/billing issues that require ranting calls of frustration sweet conversations to the insurance company--complete with contact names and dates.   I also have a place to track our health savings account.

I keep the binder right in my hall closet, so when the mail comes in I can immediately stuff anything medical into the "to file" pocket. 

The only thing that is lacking is a prescription to take before diving into the bill paying. 

It's probably no surprise that medical/dental is one of our biggest expenses.  Sigh.  And we are blessed to have very good insurance. 

Whose idea was it to have all these kids again???

But oh, how I love them!  They are worth every penny and all the paperwork nightmares!  Enjoying ice cream last weekend after a final summer trip to the cabin.  Yum!