First hair cut

My grand nephew had his first hair cut the other day. Two years old. He is holding the car keys. That is the equivalent of his security blanket. He also likes cell phones and will have nothing to do with the toy versions. It has to be the real thing.

Another wallpaper

Another wallpaper from my new collection.

Medical Insurance

Here is another desktop wallpaper that I downloaded a week or so ago.

I received in the mail yesterday the bill for my daughter's anesthesia. The original charge was for $880.00. My Medical Megachew paid $488.67. The "Anesthesia , Inc." then adjusted the bill and subtracted $297.00, leaving me with a $94.33 balance to pay.

I wonder. How does this "adjustment" policy work? Do they jack up the price and see what the insurance company is going to pay and then bring it back down to the "normal" charge? What the hell is the adjustment? Maybe I'll call and ask them just to see what their explanation is.

Never mind. I found an explanation:

5. Why did my billing statement have an adjustment amount?
"Adjustment" (discount) refers to the portion of your bill that your hospital or doctor has agreed not to charge. Insurance companies pay hospital charges at discounted rate. The amount of the discount is specific to each insurance company. When the insurance company pays their portion, the discounted amount (adjustment) is taken off to show the true amount due from the patient (co-insurance). For example, a hospital may charge $10,000 for a surgery that your insurance has agreed to only pay $2,500. Of that $2,500, the patient would have to pay $500 if the patient's responsibility is 20%. After the insurance pays $2,000 and patient pays $500, the remaining $7,500 would be the adjustment.

It's criminal

Here is a photo of my basement shortly after I bought my house. We held the kids birthday parties down there because they were born in the cooler months. The outdoors was still too chilly to celebrate there. My daughter turned 17 earlier this month. It broke my heart that I could not be with her.

If somebody enters your home and assaults your child you have every right to defend them and knock the crap out of the criminal. You would call the police and have their carcass hauled away. But, when somebody (or a group of people) attack your child emotionally causing and intending to inflict pain, there isn't a heck of a lot you can do. Comfort, console.

We are talking 16 and 17 year olds. It isn't like I can call up Johnnie's Mom and whine "Johnnie hurt my daughter's feelings. She is crying inconsolably and no matter what I say she is hurt and she is asking me 'why me?' " Truthfully, I'd like to go and kick Johnnie and his friends' arses from here to Alaska. But there is this law protecting minors. I always told my daughter, you handle the 18 and unders and let me handle the ones over 18.

Some girl started a rumor about her and my daughter's boyfriend. My daughter was devastated. She got 3 of my daughter's so-called "friends" to back up her story. The boyfriend denied it, but it was a wild couple of nights. She tried very hard to get to the bottom of the matter, and we think we have. The nastiness of it all. I told her what I would do. I would have told them all to go to he!! and be done with the lot of them. But, she is not me. Thank goodness.

The green is beautiful

Yes, the green is beautiful. This one is from a back road during a summer a couple of years back. The green in my yard is beautiful, yet annoying. I cut the grass, now I am working around the edges on the weeds and overgrowth. It was very warm outside. I caved in and turned the air on when I came inside. Now I am cold. How spoiled we are.

The days pass quickly and are full of things to do. Insurance paperwork, bills to pay, kitchens to tidy up, debris in the living room. Pets to tend to. I took Sable (dog) to the vet the other day. She was tested for heart worm and being cleared of the disease, we began her preventative medicine. We also picked up some soft chews for her back legs. If it is arthritis, then this medicine has more to treat her with than the OTC brand I have been purchasing. She also got an allergy shot so hopefully she will be feeling quite well for the spring.

Work is also on the busy side, but just until mid-May. There are spurts of work here and there in my occupation but in this circumstance every school network must be audited and I was off for a month. My area has more schools than the others and I suppose I am going to have to break down and ask for help. I am stubborn in the fact that I want to do it all myself. Ah, well.

The calendar is quickly filling up with dinners and parties and cook-outs and get togethers. I seriously am considering staying put this summer because of the stupid gas prices. I have always complained that my yard always looks a mess because I am off visiting. Those who never visit anyone but want everyone to come to their house have the most beautiful lawns. What really cracks me up is when they don't stop working on their lawn when you come to visit and some even have the balls to hand you a rake or spade. Do they really need to ask me why I don't come to visit more often? Seriously!

Here's your sign

Well. I know it had been a while since I stayed in a motel room, but really. I know. I was beyond tired. There's my excuse. I came back to my room after a long day at the hospital with my nephew to discover that the lamp in my room didn't work. I called the front desk. "My lamp doesn't work, I need a new bulb." "Okay, I'll bring one up."

Stupid. I walked over to the hall and turned the light on with the switch. I called and cancelled the replacement bulb. I thought of asking her for a sign that I could hang around my neck, Jeff Foxworthy style. Then again, I wonder why she didn't suggest that I try the switch on the wall.

This was at the beginning of the month. I just found my camera and photos. I didn't take many pictures since most of my time was spent in the hospital. Their security was pretty tight, being a Children's hospital and all. Next to my nephew in the ICU was the tiniest baby. It was so sad.

One time I came out of the family room (stocked with sports furniture, t.v., kitchenette, washers/dryers, showers and a few computers) and witnessed a little girl racing down the hallway on a Big Wheelie. Her father lagged far behind. She gave me a whimsical look as she whizzed past. She stopped and turned at the cafeteria. I said to her father "She knows her way, huh?" He gave me a tolerant look. "We've been here for months." Oh.

I received our electric bill today. I said to my daughter "Hey! Our electric bill went down thirty dollars!" Oh. We weren't here. Another 'Here's your sign' moment.

I was able to mow the grass today. My little gas can was full. I wonder how much gas was when I filled it up. $2.65? It is $3.55 here today. To find the cheapest gas near you, go to www.gasbuddy.com. Choose your state, county and city.

Lazy fun

I didn't take this picture. I downloaded free wallpaper for my computer at home today. This was one of the abstract ones that I picked. It kind of makes me thirsty.

There are about 3 houses on our street that do not have their lawn mowed, yet. Me, my neighbor and the people directly across from us. I took my daughter to get some supplies for a school experiment and then we did grocery shopping. I collapsed when I got home. My daughter made fun of me in the grocery store. We can really make some funny noises when we are trying to suppress a cough. She would make me laugh. Laughing makes me cough. Coughing and/or laughing hard made my chest hurt. Remind me not to take my daughter with me when I am sick.

It was a very easy day at work. People left me alone. I am sure that they are all waiting until the same day to attack me with their needs.

My daughter is enjoying her birthday present.

General malaise

It all hit me today. I don't imagine I will be a ball of energy anytime soon, either.

Wax on

I washed and waxed this black demon today. (this photo is from about six months ago). I also washed and waxed a silver Stratus. I have a sunburn on the top of my head where my hair has become thin. I am not at home so I do not have my usual stuff that I would wear to protect myself. Ahhh. 24 hours, no?

My sister said that when I come to pick up my daughter, how about if we have a girl's night and I spend the night? Is she for real? I have not been home (except for two nights last week-end) in three weeks. Forget that! I am going home and I am not going out other than for work and grocery shopping until my nephew comes down and we are all going to go and see "Ironman".

We saw "21" tonight. Pretty good. Now, I want to read the book. I may not be posting for the next couple of days. Not sure my arms are going to work. Wax on, wax off.

I caught it

A bad cold. Right in the middle of staying with my nephew. Who just had open-heart surgery. Certainly my germs cannot be good for him. I am trying to keep it clean. I keep wiping everything I touch with lysol wipes. Faucet handles. Doorknobs, cupboards, refrigerator handles.

We watched Alvin and the Chipmunks last night and Sweeney Todd tonight. Alvin was cute, and Todd was gruesome. Very dark and twisted.

We are planning to see "21" tomorrow night.

Sometimes

Sometimes I sit and I think that three days ago, I was doing this. And, I say to myself 'in that same amount of time, this will all be over.' Sometimes I have to say "in a week" or a month.

Tortoiseshell fur

This is Gato. My nephew's cat. I first called her a brindle, but now I realize that she is a tortoiseshell coated cat.

She adopted my nephew. Somebody removed her front claws.

She is a sweet one. She was supposed to be helping me clean, but she played while I worked. Here she is in an empty dresser drawer.

My sister's mess

Day one of the cleaning begins.

When my nephew scheduled his open heart surgery my sister was in jail. Jail is different than prison. Before her "ordeals" I did not know this. I thought they were one and the same. I have also discovered that this incident is number 10 for her.

So, now she is back in prison.

I told my nephew I would help him to clean up her stuff since he can't move very well or lift anything. In fact a walk tires him out. He is napping. I am trying to figure out how to cram her stuff into totes and/or boxes. Yet again. It is usually me or her son that cleans up her mess. Never her. She will complain to the person who "didn't" clean up that they threw all her stuff away. I say "Impossible." She has started over so many times, she should have a world record.



How can I put this? My sister keeps notebooks. Dozens of three-ring binders full of construction paper with photographs out of magazines. She goes through thousands of sheets of plastic page protectors. She has each one labeled by the year. I try not to look at them. She is obsessed with make-up and health ideas. Kind of ironic, isn't it? For someone who is an alcoholic. I have put about 26 bottles of old vitamins and mineral supplements down the garbage disposal today.

She has medications. I have no idea how they manage that in prison. I guess she sees a doctor, but I am not certain how soon. She certainly cannot take any with her.

She is a night owl. I have boxes of OTC sleep medications. Scarves, hair bands, trinkets, cheap costume jewelry. I swear she has a serious problem with lids. There are no lids on her lipsticks or eyeliners. Her make-up was probably purchased at the Good Will and bargain bins. She has pictures of herself everywhere. In sexy teddies, stuff like that. She never emptied her trash can, if stuff even made it to the trash. Certainly there must be a disorder for all of this mess.

Sigh. Back to it.

Fair weather

Fair weather is here.
Headache around the corner.
Can feel it coming.

Post surgery

It is very important that the patient keeps their lungs clear after open heart surgery. That cough. That pain. That agony. I cringe. I hear. I want the pain to stop. I worry. Above is a device that the patient uses to blow into so that they can keep the air pockets around their lungs open.

Halls of a hospital

Overheard in the hall.

"I have tried on 60 dresses. I was the only 18-year old bride-to-be who isn't pregnant."

"Sixty dresses?! Sixty!"

"Yes, sixty."

"I only tried on about 10 when I got married."

Wow.

Roller coast emotions

I am in the middle of a roller coaster. I am experiencing just about every emotion that can be felt. My family is notorious for burying their feelings. We don't do emotions very well.

I go from intense rage to the pits of despair. At one point today a Dr. brought in two doctors in training. He had them "attempt" to place an I.V. in the hand of my nephew. This would enable them to take the I.V. out of his jugular vein.

I got mad and left the room. Both doctors failed. My nephew is NOT a guinea pig or a pin cushion. I unloaded on a female doctor I found in the kitchen. I'll lay odds that male doctor does not show his face again for some time.

My other emotion that I am not used to experiencing is utter despair. My nephew had some complications last evening and it was after all my family had left. It was just me. I was on pins and needles. Every beep every cough every breath I was jerked into "what, what?" mode. Or, what now?

The song "Philadelphia" has the lyrics "Nobody's gonna save me, it's just you and me my friend."

There is nobody else. The responsibility lies with me. Why do I feel so sad? I feel so guilty about these feelings.