There's something I just don't understand. Why did God give me a passion for emergency medicine, the ability to do it well and a desire to do medical missions only to allow me to lose the chance to go and help? Watching the coverage from Haiti makes me feel so frustrated. I could have helped. I want to help. Why is my mind fine and my body betraying me? I should be helping! I should be helping! I WANT TO HELP!
I have many friends and former co-workers who are already planning their trip to Haiti. I am envious. I feel so useless. I could help... I should be helping!
Then I realize that the world goes on and people will help and really no one will miss me or my contribution. This isn't about me. This is about the Haitian people. Poor, suffering people BEFORE the earthquake and now, literally in a living hell. I can pray. I can give up something and send a little bit of money...that's it.
Please join me in doing whatever you can (however small it might be) for the people of Haiti. Thank you!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday, November 20, 2009
Healthcare Reform: Real-life experiences to illustrate why I OPPOSE it
Tomorrow the US Senate votes on cloture for the Healthcare bill. I am strongly opposed to the healthcare reform bills currently circulation because I don’t want the government any more involved in my life than it already is. The same bureaucratic rocket-scientists who brought you the IRS, Amtrak and the USPS want to ‘help’ with your healthcare. It sounds wonderful. You need a medical test or procedure? NO PROBLEM! It’s covered. But WAIT.
I have learned over the years that just because the government “offers” a benefit, it doesn’t mean you GET the benefit. How can that be? Do you have any idea how challenging it is to find a decent doctor that accepts Medicaid? Most aren’t taking any new Medicaid patients. But say you find one. Your child is disabled and needs “waiver services”… services that regular Medicaid doesn’t cover. “There’s an app for that!” You apply for the waiver and, after a barrage of paperwork and medical documentation, you are told that your child qualifies for the waiver! Great news, right? Not so fast. Your child qualifies but there are no slots available on the waiver. The government only funds x-number of slots and the only way that you get one is for someone currently on the waiver to “drop off” (move out of state – the benefits don’t follow the person – or die). So your child is place on a waiting list. You’re told they’ll “contact you when a slot comes open”. You ask how long the waiting list is and you’re told that people currently being placed on the waiver applied 10 years ago. TEN YEARS. So, those services you need are COVERED, but hopefully your kid doesn’t REALLY need them now. She’ll get them a decade from now. How’s that for service? BUT WAIT! There’s more…. Just because you finally get a slot on a waiver it doesn’t mean that there are WAIVER PROVIDERS in your area. What good is a therapist or service when the nearest provider is 2-3 hours away. But – the service is covered. A comfort, no?
Then there is the outstanding efficiency and customer service those bureaucrats are legendary for! Here’s an example from real-time, here in Delaware County. Because of our situation we are eligible for “PRIORITY” status for energy assistance. We called in September and were given an appointment in early November (“priority”, huh?). All adults permanently residing in our home were required to be present for the appointment, which was conveniently scheduled during normal business hours. The lady doing the intake was polite while taking our information. She gave us a form that we had to bring back along with the social security cards for everyone in the household. Our appointment was on Monday. She said, “You can come back any Friday at 9AM or 1PM and just tell them you have your form and SS cards.” Today Amy went to drop off the forms, arriving at 0815 and was told that she was #35 and they only take 20 applicants at 9AM. She went back at noon and was told that the people who were being seen (basically, just dropping off forms) were given the 20 slots at 1100. There was one woman there who was on her 6th (SIXTH!) try, and another on her 4th. They only take paperwork on Fridays. And the employee who told Amy that was none-too-sympathetic or apologetic. Her job evidently does NOT depend on how she treats “the customer!” Just imagine if this was something URGENT (because heat in the winter isn’t urgent, right?).
Then there’s the COST of the proposed healthcare reform. It is said that they will cut $500 million from Medicare and “reduce waste” in Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for the program. Here’s an idea: how about we SAVE first and once it has been demonstrated that we CAN save by reducing waste, THEN we can start spending the money! Oh, wait…that would be un-American (it is the AMERICAN WAY to spend first, run up a big debt – like with credit cards – and then figure out how to PAY for the stuff, right?) The bill is even purported to be “deficit neutral” (they’re financing 5 years of coverage starting in 2014 with 10 years of taxes, ‘savings’ and other revenue). Unless they’ve found a PAUSE button for the calendar, so we can repeat the 10-years-of-payments-for-5-years-of-service cycle again, it won’t be “budget neutral” for long.
I have no choice but to take what I get from the government. YOU probably have more choices. If you think they’re viable, you might want to consider fighting to KEEP them. Let your voice be heard at www.congress.org.
I have learned over the years that just because the government “offers” a benefit, it doesn’t mean you GET the benefit. How can that be? Do you have any idea how challenging it is to find a decent doctor that accepts Medicaid? Most aren’t taking any new Medicaid patients. But say you find one. Your child is disabled and needs “waiver services”… services that regular Medicaid doesn’t cover. “There’s an app for that!” You apply for the waiver and, after a barrage of paperwork and medical documentation, you are told that your child qualifies for the waiver! Great news, right? Not so fast. Your child qualifies but there are no slots available on the waiver. The government only funds x-number of slots and the only way that you get one is for someone currently on the waiver to “drop off” (move out of state – the benefits don’t follow the person – or die). So your child is place on a waiting list. You’re told they’ll “contact you when a slot comes open”. You ask how long the waiting list is and you’re told that people currently being placed on the waiver applied 10 years ago. TEN YEARS. So, those services you need are COVERED, but hopefully your kid doesn’t REALLY need them now. She’ll get them a decade from now. How’s that for service? BUT WAIT! There’s more…. Just because you finally get a slot on a waiver it doesn’t mean that there are WAIVER PROVIDERS in your area. What good is a therapist or service when the nearest provider is 2-3 hours away. But – the service is covered. A comfort, no?
Then there is the outstanding efficiency and customer service those bureaucrats are legendary for! Here’s an example from real-time, here in Delaware County. Because of our situation we are eligible for “PRIORITY” status for energy assistance. We called in September and were given an appointment in early November (“priority”, huh?). All adults permanently residing in our home were required to be present for the appointment, which was conveniently scheduled during normal business hours. The lady doing the intake was polite while taking our information. She gave us a form that we had to bring back along with the social security cards for everyone in the household. Our appointment was on Monday. She said, “You can come back any Friday at 9AM or 1PM and just tell them you have your form and SS cards.” Today Amy went to drop off the forms, arriving at 0815 and was told that she was #35 and they only take 20 applicants at 9AM. She went back at noon and was told that the people who were being seen (basically, just dropping off forms) were given the 20 slots at 1100. There was one woman there who was on her 6th (SIXTH!) try, and another on her 4th. They only take paperwork on Fridays. And the employee who told Amy that was none-too-sympathetic or apologetic. Her job evidently does NOT depend on how she treats “the customer!” Just imagine if this was something URGENT (because heat in the winter isn’t urgent, right?).
Then there’s the COST of the proposed healthcare reform. It is said that they will cut $500 million from Medicare and “reduce waste” in Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for the program. Here’s an idea: how about we SAVE first and once it has been demonstrated that we CAN save by reducing waste, THEN we can start spending the money! Oh, wait…that would be un-American (it is the AMERICAN WAY to spend first, run up a big debt – like with credit cards – and then figure out how to PAY for the stuff, right?) The bill is even purported to be “deficit neutral” (they’re financing 5 years of coverage starting in 2014 with 10 years of taxes, ‘savings’ and other revenue). Unless they’ve found a PAUSE button for the calendar, so we can repeat the 10-years-of-payments-for-5-years-of-service cycle again, it won’t be “budget neutral” for long.
I have no choice but to take what I get from the government. YOU probably have more choices. If you think they’re viable, you might want to consider fighting to KEEP them. Let your voice be heard at www.congress.org.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
DRINK....your veggies
About a month ago, I was blessed to be able to get a Vita-Mix. If you've never heard of one, they're a blender - on STEROIDS. I had heard how wonderful they are for years and as food gets harder to eat I thought that it would be a wonderful way to be able to still eat fresh fruits and veggies. Well, IT IS! I LOVE it! One of my favorite things is the "Everything Smoothie". The ingredients are: soy milk, red grapes, pineapple chunks, an orange, frozen peaches, carrots, broccoli, spinach, frozen strawberries, frozen banana and ice. Blend until smooth! It tastes DELICIOUS!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
God’s Timing: Trusting It
Most of you don't know this, but we applied for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" a few months ago. We need a makeover. Our house is so cute, but it is groaning under a plethora of small not-so-small problems. As my disability progresses, the needs for home modifications will increase. The irony in this is that, today, they are bringing a family back to their new home just 60 miles from us. The feeling of "not quite" getting what we need is almost indescribable.
God is working on me, teaching me to trust Him to meet our needs and to do so in HIS time. How hard that is!!!! This morning the devotional below was in my email inbox. God does have a knack for timing. Thank you, Father, for loving me and for meeting our needs in Your way, in Your time. Amen.
His Vision, His Way, In His Timing
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
10-27-2009
"Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'" (Gen 22:2).
Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it? Have you ever gotten so close to fulfilling a dream only to have it disappear right before your eyes? Such was the case for Abraham.
God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He would have a son. However, Abraham panicked when Sarah aged beyond child bearing years and tried to help God by birthing Ishmael through Sarah's servant, who was not the promised son. Eventually, Isaac was born, who was the promised son.
However, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son on an altar to demonstrate his obedience to God. Truly, this is one of the hardest instructions given to one of God's people in all of scripture. It compares only to the Heavenly Father sacrificing His own Son. God intervenes and allows a ram to get caught in the bushes nearby, symbolizing the Lamb of God as a prophetic sign of what is to take place in the future.
God often births a vision in our lives only to allow it to die first before the purest version of the vision is manifested. This has happened several times in my own journey. Oswald Chambers observes, "God's method always seems to be vision first, and then reality, but in between the vision and the reality there is often a deep valley of humiliation. How often has a faithful soul been plunged into a like darkness when after the vision comes the test. When God gives a vision and darkness follows, waiting on God will bring you into accordance with the vision He has given if you await His timing. Otherwise, you try to do away with the supernatural in God's undertakings. Never try to help God fulfill His word."*
When God's vision is finally birthed, nothing will stop it. Our job is to allow God to birth His vision through us His way and in His timing.
Oswald chambers, Not Knowing Where, Discovery House, Grand Rapids, MI.
God is working on me, teaching me to trust Him to meet our needs and to do so in HIS time. How hard that is!!!! This morning the devotional below was in my email inbox. God does have a knack for timing. Thank you, Father, for loving me and for meeting our needs in Your way, in Your time. Amen.
His Vision, His Way, In His Timing
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
10-27-2009
"Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'" (Gen 22:2).
Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it? Have you ever gotten so close to fulfilling a dream only to have it disappear right before your eyes? Such was the case for Abraham.
God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He would have a son. However, Abraham panicked when Sarah aged beyond child bearing years and tried to help God by birthing Ishmael through Sarah's servant, who was not the promised son. Eventually, Isaac was born, who was the promised son.
However, God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son on an altar to demonstrate his obedience to God. Truly, this is one of the hardest instructions given to one of God's people in all of scripture. It compares only to the Heavenly Father sacrificing His own Son. God intervenes and allows a ram to get caught in the bushes nearby, symbolizing the Lamb of God as a prophetic sign of what is to take place in the future.
God often births a vision in our lives only to allow it to die first before the purest version of the vision is manifested. This has happened several times in my own journey. Oswald Chambers observes, "God's method always seems to be vision first, and then reality, but in between the vision and the reality there is often a deep valley of humiliation. How often has a faithful soul been plunged into a like darkness when after the vision comes the test. When God gives a vision and darkness follows, waiting on God will bring you into accordance with the vision He has given if you await His timing. Otherwise, you try to do away with the supernatural in God's undertakings. Never try to help God fulfill His word."*
When God's vision is finally birthed, nothing will stop it. Our job is to allow God to birth His vision through us His way and in His timing.
Oswald chambers, Not Knowing Where, Discovery House, Grand Rapids, MI.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Fall Foods
Raisins or chopped pecans can be used in place of the dried cranberries, or try another chopped dried fruit.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces French bread, torn into small pieces, about 5 cups
- 2 cups half-and-half, or half milk and half cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- cinnamon sugar, optional
Preparation:
Butter an 11x7-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.
In a bowl, cover the torn bread with the half-and-half; set aside.
In another bowl, combine eggs, sugars, pumpkin, cranberries, melted butter, spices, and vanilla; blend well. Pour pumpkin mixture over soaked bread and stir to blend.
Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until set.
Serve with a vanilla dessert sauce or brown sugar sauce, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 8.
A delicious brown sugar sauce for bread pudding, fruit desserts, pound cake, ice cream, and other goodies.
Prep Time: :
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce to medium-low and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it cools. This sauce is delicious with bread pudding, plain unfrosted cakes, ice cream, or other desserts.
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