Broken

I've been aware for some time that the medical system in this country is broken. Today however I see that more clearly than ever before.

When Squirrel had his accident we had a short term health insurance policy. It covered a portion of his hospital bills but by no means all of them. In January we switched to a "permanent long term" policy that had a fairly high deductible and a premium payment of almost $600.00/month. However it has paid nothing on Squirrel's follow-up tests determining them either to be diagnostic or relating to a pre-existing condition. It has also denied coverage for my (recurrent) sinus infections determining them also to be pre-existing due to having been treated for them previously in less than a year. (Last fall and two this past spring). We have been paying out almost as much on these medical bills as on our monthly premium payment. Slowly there has been progress but there is still a long way to go.

This month B requires some testing done. He made his first doctor's appointment in several years for last week. We went together and blood work, an ultrasound and sleep study were ordered. I phoned our current insurance company this morning to try to find out what percentage of these tests would be covered. Turns out that unless he is hospitalized and having surgery within 21 days these would all be considered diagnostic and would therefore not be covered at all. Considering how much we are paying per month for coverage this is decidedly unacceptable.

So...I'm once again on the search for health insurance. I did...with B's approval go ahead and sign up for a policy that has no deductible, covers all pre-existing conditions with no waiting period, pays 75% of "everything" with a office visit co-pay of $10-30.00 and what sounds like reasonable co-pays on prescriptions. It is a plan designed primarily for "difficult to insure" people who have pre-existing conditions...and not everyone qualifies. In other words, because I deal with depression our family would qualify for this coverage while someone who was as "healthy as a horse" would not. The price is much more reasonable than what we had before and there is a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. So...we will see.

I rarely post anything that could be remotely construed as political or having anything to do with politics. However...right now I feel this needs written.

A Realization...

It is official...I have too many hobbies. Now the question becomes how to pare down. I scrapbook, bead, stitch, crochet, take photos, journal, quilt (if one can call my feeble beginning attempts quilting) and "garden". In addition I have books on woodworking, writing, drawing (and supplies) plus all of the ones I actually do. I used to rubber stamp and have plenty of supplies for that as well. As a child I had daydreams of having a room/building devoted to crafts. It would have excellent lighting, work table space for working with beads/gemstones, more worktable space for scrapbooking and drawing. There would be a potter's wheel and kiln. There would be an area for sewing/quilting...I've never had the desire to design and make clothes but long to make teddy bears. There would be an area with easels for painting or drawing. The lighting would be natural daylight as much as possible...both overhead and through windows with a beautiful view. Realistically...I'm too busy at this time in my life for all of these and I can't see actually having the space for that room. But the thought of paring down is rather overwhelming.

On a different note...Stretch is home from college. He had a blast and made friends who I hope will be lifetime friends. He learned a lot...spent the drive home talking stream of consciousness and pretty much non-stop. He is sold on having a Mac computer for college. He pulled an all-nighter in celebration of successful finishing of the course and has been falling asleep in the recliner since we got home. He has decided that he will likely apply to this university after high school and that he will apply for the honor's program. I'm thrilled at that news...I know it will be more work for him but believe he is able to handle the load.

Squirrel has been watching "Star Trek - Voyager" since we got home. He was pretty much counting the hours until we could leave this morning to get his brother. He missed his brother...though he enjoyed the county fair demo derbies. He also enjoyed mostly our trip to Chicago to see family.

Dipstick is out on a camping trip this weekend. The original plan was for it to be a biking trip so the troop could earn their badges. However due I think to the extreme heat forecast for this weekend the plan was changed...I am not sure what they are working on.

The computer is fixed...thankfully. It had to be completely formatted so I've still not got everything totally back to the way I like it. However...slowly progress is being made. No pictures are loaded yet.

Stretch

Home late last night from dropping Stretch off at IWU for the next 3 weeks. He was accepted to a Summer Scholars program down there and will be taking a World Civilization course. It's a very small group of students - less than 20 I think. He got a scholarship for the tuition...we just had to pay for his room and board. I'm sure he will have a lot of fun...But wow! Talk about the memories and the mixed emotions...Seeing his room for the next 3 weeks - way nicer than ours at RVA and he does not have a roommate as there are only 4 guys total in the program. But the dorm atmosphere.. .I'm guessing the closest comparison was...I can't remember the name of the dorm but it was the boys one at the end of the main rugby field (Upper?) overlooking Logonot. Seeing the other students and parents there - some of whom were obviously also dropping off their first-born and were apparently struggling more with it than I was - and at least one student who had flown in this morning from Virginia. Along with all the dorm "stuff" was the longing that never goes away totally for me to go back to school - to sit and listen to people who are smarter than me share their knowledge - I wished I could have taken notes from the professor who was at the reception who prayed.

Am currently getting an exercise machine set up in our bedroom. Stretch is afraid it won't get used...I have to prove him wrong. Dipstick is currently reading the instructions trying to figure out the cables. This piece was one of several machines that B purchased at the local town-wide garage sale this spring - since that time it's been residing on the front porch. However I now have a beautiful candle lantern that I would like to reside out there complete with a citronella candle for enjoying the evenings and the exercise equipment had to go. Squirrel and I will move the rest into the old shop for the time being.

Since i last wrote...it's been almost a month. This summer is absolutely flying past and no major projects have been completed since then. Stretch leaves on Monday for his 3 week course at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). Squirrel and I are planning a trip to Chicago for a few days while he is gone. Dipstick will hopefully be heading to spend some time with his sister in early August - after the 4H fair and his next boy scout camping trip. B stays very busy in the shop - working long hours most days. We did get away for a mid-week vacation while the younger boys were at church camp.

Squirrel was baptized last Sunday - that was exciting.