a momentary medical rant

Have I mentioned recently how much I hate the medical system?

I was recently reminded of this issue when reading Marty's blog Travelin Oma, where she was talking about her issues with health care and insurance. (You can read the post I'm talking about here).

Then, when I talked to my mother last night I just about lost it again.

It seems my dad had to have a procedure done yesterday which entails stretching the tissue in his esophogus (he had esophogial cancer surgery a couple of years back, and he makes scar tissue way too efficently, so they do this procedure about every 3 or 4 months).

So, it was time to do this again, and my dad had made his appointment where they told him they could do this yesterday morning. They get to the place to have this done and they are told he's not on the schedule. AGAIN! The last time he went in they had done this to him too. For whatever reason the doctor's office doesn't seem to be able to follow one simple thing -- write it down!!

Once they got that part straightened out, then they were told that the code for the procedure was coming back as something not covered by Medicare -- WHAT!? He's had this thing done nine times before and Medicare has always paid for it.

I swear, it's like the older we get the more difficult the system makes it for us -- why should my mother have to tell the billing clerk what code they should be using to ask Medicare to pay for something that they've billed 9 times before?

It's almost like they're hoping all of us older folks will just give up and die off so they don't have to deal with us

It makes me plenty mad (can you tell?)

geesh

Life is messy

have you ever notice that?

A while back I decided to try to sort out my blogging by catagory, beading in one, fiber arts in another

trouble is, that kind of "neatness" just ISN'T me

So, today I posted my last posts on two of the ones I had started and I feel a huge relief at not having to try to come up with something to say on those, or even to explain why I don't have anything to say on them!

I will continue to post on Hatties Kitchen with recipes and household tips (a new recipe was posted this morning) and on Esmerldas Studio about all of the many cross media projects that I'm working on (I post there almost every day); and here with all those things that are of a more personal, philosophical or political nature.

I hope you'll join me on all three!

Over the weekend we had the pleasure of getting to hear our daughter sing in a performance -- the first we've gotten to attend for about 6 years!

She has recently joined the Loveland Opera Theatre, and Saturday evening was their fundraising Gala -- dinner, silent auction and entertainment by the company.

It had been my pleasure to donate a piece of music themed jewelry for them to auction (which raised a nice amount for them, I might add).

I'm looking forward to new opportunities to hear them perform and probably to be involved in other ways as well.


On the way back from our daughter's on Sunday we stopped by to visit with my folks. I can report (with a hugh sign of relief) that my dad seemed MUCH better than he had the last two times we had been there.

He was talkative and seemed much more alert. It was a good visit.

I can talk about it now

my daughter and her husband are buying a house!

looks like we'll be spending our Thanksgiving weekend helping them move

we'll be praying for good weather!!!



We went yesterday, the first day of early voting and cast our ballots

There was a line, but I'm sure it wasn't as long as the lines will be on election day!

If you have a mail in ballot -- get 'er done!!
If you can go to early voting -- go do it!!

I think this is probably the most important election I have ever voted in.

GO DO IT!!!!

fighting the "what if" monster

When I was walking yesterday morning I snapped some pictures of the fall colors in our neighborhood.

This one is just around the loop from our house, on the downhill side of the beginning of my walking route.

It had rained some on Saturday night, and everything was dripping, and the sun had just come up, hitting this tree with this spectacular light

The picture doesn't do it justice -- the tree "glowed"

Somehow, it just begged to be photographed

I feel the need to write about some difficult things this morning.

For the past 2 years I've been concerned especially about the health of my dad.

He had surgery for esophageal cancer, then developed an abdominal hernia which they will not repair because they don't want to do surgery on him again unless they must because he has lung issues (COPD and emphysema). All of these problems inpact him.

Recently he and my mom decided to take out a reverse mortgage on their home so they would have some financial breathing room. My sister helped them deal with the paperwork and the setting up of accounts, etc., and I worried from afar.

Frankly, I've been concerned these past few months if he is just tidying up loose ends.

The last two times I've seen him he seems fragile. He doesn't talk much when we're actually there and he doesn't answer the phone any more when we call -- just mom does.

And I wish I could talk about this whole thing in a more open way with my sister. It's not that we don't talk -- we can chat for hours about knitting and our animals and music and all of that, but our upbringing didn't teach us to talk about BIG stuff -- like what does she see and how does she feel about it.

As usual, I pour my worry and my energy into creative endeavors -- working on more projects keeps my hands and my head busy and helps me hold off the "what if" monster in my brain when I'm working.

So, my dear readers, forgive me for this intensely personal post.

and say a prayer for my dad

Sunday morning musings

On Sunday mornings, if I have nothing pressing to work on at the computer I go blog surfing.

This mornings ride included a trip to a site titled Colorstrology.com

I'm not really into the whole "the stars/your number/your astrological sign" control your life thing -- I do believe we have freedom to choose, but found the description of someone born on my birthdate to be interesting:


Mar 30
Faded Rose
Pantone 18-1629

Storyteller
Thinker
Messenger

People born on this day tend to teach others through the stories they share. Whether you are singing a song, writing a play or painting a picture, you are able to convey images and emotions that can affect others. It is very important to you to stay active and communicate. Your thoughts can turn to worry if you are not expressing yourself and connecting with the world at large. Your personal color embodies love, passion and courage.


So what do you think?

I'd say the "worry wart" thing fits perfectly, I am a lot happier if I'm creating (yes, any medium works!), and I've always loved the color RED.

What color are you?

Thanks, but no thanks

Some days I hate the mail man

Quite a while back I had submitted a mini quilt for a challenge in one of Interweave Press' magazine

This arrived yesterday

Its a form letter (salutation "Dear Artist") telling me I didn't make the cut from the over 300 entries that they received

{sigh}

Oh well, on to other projects

(anybody need a large coaster?)

In print again

About a week ago one of the newspapers that we subscribe to included an article about a plan to tear down one of the historic high schools in the Denver area.

You can read the article here

The article ticked me off

My daughter attended a historic high school. The students there had a real pride of ownership

So once again I wrote a letter to the editor

You can read my letter here

GRRRRR!