Hopefully it comes out well. It's getting busy here.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sigh
So today was Bristol and needless to say that endeavor just didn't turn out well. Tony finished 19th. Not a good day at all.
Otherwise I am bored. I watched The Grudge 2 yesterday and Legion. Both weren't as good as people said they were. Not sure what I'll watch today but channel surfing just isn't entertaining. I could do some work but that's not my idea of a good time on a Sunday.
Only a three day work week for me next week. WOOO HOO!! Thursday I'm going to do laundry and get ready for the race weekend. It's supposed to rain, not much, but rain nonetheless.
I don't know what else to say, don't have a lot of commentary today. It's raining, I like the sound of rain outside.
Here's your picture for the day.
Otherwise I am bored. I watched The Grudge 2 yesterday and Legion. Both weren't as good as people said they were. Not sure what I'll watch today but channel surfing just isn't entertaining. I could do some work but that's not my idea of a good time on a Sunday.
Only a three day work week for me next week. WOOO HOO!! Thursday I'm going to do laundry and get ready for the race weekend. It's supposed to rain, not much, but rain nonetheless.
I don't know what else to say, don't have a lot of commentary today. It's raining, I like the sound of rain outside.
Here's your picture for the day.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Made Some Changes
Just felt like making it almost impossible for you to read this blog.
I got a new keyboard today. It's stiff because it has never been used.
My tickets for the race came today along with my hard card and pit pass. I've very disappointed. They didn't print them on special commerative paper this year. So they're just plain. Sad. We only get one race and they decide to start skimping on how our tickets look. It better be worth it.
Otherwise I must work from home again tomorrow and go watch the baby because she's running a fever. Sad.
That's all folks.
I got a new keyboard today. It's stiff because it has never been used.
My tickets for the race came today along with my hard card and pit pass. I've very disappointed. They didn't print them on special commerative paper this year. So they're just plain. Sad. We only get one race and they decide to start skimping on how our tickets look. It better be worth it.
Otherwise I must work from home again tomorrow and go watch the baby because she's running a fever. Sad.
That's all folks.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Weird dreams
I had a dream last night that my mom and stepdad had had a baby when we were younger and given him up for adoption.
So it started with us playing a game of softball with all of the coaches from kaylee's tee ball league. Then one guy got in a fight with another, we kicked him out of the game and then went back to playing. He then came back and took the ball because it was his and he wanted to leave. So game over.
So we went home and were watching the oscars when mom got a call and she was yelling at someone. Then Pam tells me some guy died, like I know what she's talking about. I had no clue. I tell her I don't know what she's talking about, mom comes back in the room and says she's going to have the test done, I say what test? And they stay all cryptic on me and I eventually figure it out.
End of dream.
Now you have to understand how totally implausible this whole thing was just because my mom can't have babies and couldn't years ago anyways, she was done when we were born. Same goes for Nick.
So what does it mean? Other than I wanted to have a dream about being angry?
Weird stuff.
Off to softball today. Then who knows what. Off weekend for Nascar so no races.
Friday, March 11, 2011
On the weird dream front...
I thought this was weird and wanted to post it.
My dream last night had me, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Tony in it.
I think also Jimmie Johnson was in it too, but I'm not quite sure.
What I remember is it was obviously a championship ceremony but more like the oscars or something. Faith was on stage thanking people for their support of her team, so obviously she owned the team that won. Then they went in to the audience and Tony was thanking people for supporting the team. So the conclusion that I came to in the dream was that Faith and Tony had a partnership in a team that had won a championship. But while Tony was talking all I could think was: this shows my mom how good of a man he is. Then the end.
What the heck is up with that dream? Lol!
Patti needs to blog more often
When I decided to do this I must have been less busy. Maybe that was right when Pam was starting her job and I hadn't realized how time consuming picking a child up from daycare could really be.
Its like shell shock right now for me though. I'm just not used to being around my family so much. I went from seeing them like once a week or so to now seeing them every day. I'm still adjusting.
The baby is learning so fast. She was saying baby today in the car on the way home. Kaylee is getting better at softball. We found a batting stance that works for her so hopefully her hitting will get better. Got her to run properly too. Now if she can find first base we'll be set.
Been watching this stuff on Japan and it can be quite depressing. Crazy when things like this happen. hopefully the death toll isn't too high. Hopefully we're not next here in good old socal.
No Nascar this weekend. So here's your fix to get you through the week.
Friday, March 4, 2011
I NEED YOUR HELP! (A post from my sister)
We're trying to get this out and about and get as much support as possible. So please spread the word and contact the representatives listed below.
Here is my sister's story in her own words:
_________________________________________
As you may or may not know my daughter has a disorder called Hyperinsulinism. Because of the events of late 2010 and early 2011 I had to put the kids on Medi-Cal in order for them to have medical coverage. Medi-Cal claims (at least on the letters I’ve received over the months) to cover Kaylee 100% for her medical care. Oh wait here’s the actual wording:
Due to shortages in manufacturing the amount of bottles you can get per order is limited to three bottles. So we have to order every 15 days or so to cover her prescription. What does six bottles of Proglycem cost out of pocket? $990.00. We’re lucky, our local pharmacy gives us a discount and lets us purchase it at cost. Not every pharmacy is so nice. Costco for instance will only mark down their total price (for three bottles) by $20.00.
So you can see how impossible it would be to buy Kaylee’s full prescription every month, pay for daycare, school, rent, and utilities when I make $33K a year. Luckily in a few months (May or June) I will have medical benefits for the kids and myself (right now I’m totally uninsured).
So why am I giving all this info?
Remember that TAR to get the medication approved? They denied it.
Yes folks, they denied it. Why? Well at first the pharmacist told me it was because the medication cost too much. I said I wasn’t surprise to hear that. Then in what I assume was a “opps” moment for the pharmacist, she told me that Medi-Cal had determined that since the medication my daughter takes is typically only given to children with severe disabilities, that Kaylee must be severely disabled and thus eligible for another state program. I don’t for the life of me remember what that program is though.
I called my case worker asking her what we could do. She was stunned about the denial and got more information. She said that my daughter must be severely disabled to be taking her medication. I asked what severely disabled means (cause I already know but I wanted to know what their standards are). She said having severe retardation, autism, developmental delays, or needing constant care.
I told her that no one would know Kaylee has a medical problem unless I told them so. Kaylee is by all means a normal, healthy, 4.5 year old. She goes to school. Excels at school. Plays sports. Uses a computer better than Grandpappy. The only real thing I can see “wrong” with her is her ability to run is a bit off and her small motor skills (like using scissors) are not fully developed. She’ll catch up though, she always has.
But her language skills are above her age level, and she’s just eager to learn.
Plain and simple, Kaylee is not severely disabled.
Medi-Cal made a decision, based solely on what her medication is typically used for and the typical severity of the disorder and applied it to Kaylee. They didn’t bother to consult with her doctor, who would have laughed at them calling her disabled, because that’s exactly what he did when I told him. They just made the decision without gaining any knowledge of her medical history. And I believe it’s for the reason that pharmacist first told me. The medication costs a lot of money.
I asked my social worker what the process was to get it appealed. She said I could apply to the other program (which would take 30 days itself), get denied. Then submit an appeal to Medi-Cal which could take up to six months to process and get done (you have to have hearings).
So that’s six months of paying out of pocket. And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.
So I need your help. I’ve looked up my local state representatives and I need you to send them emails/letters (whatever you feel appropriate) about this. I’m a newly single mother, who just started a new job, is getting little to no monetary support from their father, and I have not enough to cover the total cost of the med. We’re slowly but surely draining my mother’s savings to pay for the medication and I feel that it’s utterly wrong for Medi-Cal to make this sort of determination and deny a life saving medication to a child all because it cost too much.
I’m not sitting on my butt, not finding a job. I found one. I’ve been working for 3 weeks now. Sadly insurance won’t kick in for a few months. But working doesn’t mean I can pay that much. I make $2300 net income a month. Imagine paying $990 and then paying the nearly $700 for Kaylee to go to school and $690 for Annabelle. I wouldn’t even have enough to do that.
These programs are supposed to be there when you need the help. And I needed it and they denied my child. I’m not planning on using Medi-Cal long, hell I’m paying out of pocket most of the time for them to see the doctor anyhow. All I wanted was that safety net to cover her medications and they pulled it out from under us and that’s not right.
What happens when the money runs out? Does Medi-Cal believe that having a child in the hospital having her blood sugar maintained by a Dextrose Drip (IV) will be cheaper than just providing us the medication? Where’s the logic.
So I would like everyone to copy and paste this blog entry, or write your own email to my local representatives in the hopes that they will help us out. For anyone who wants to help me out please leave a comment that you would like to and leave a working email as well (I believe you can link it to your name).
I’ll send you my contact information so that you can put it in your email to our representatives.
Here are the folks we need to contact:
_________________________________________
So please, please help in any way you can.
Thanks!
Here is my sister's story in her own words:
_________________________________________
As you may or may not know my daughter has a disorder called Hyperinsulinism. Because of the events of late 2010 and early 2011 I had to put the kids on Medi-Cal in order for them to have medical coverage. Medi-Cal claims (at least on the letters I’ve received over the months) to cover Kaylee 100% for her medical care. Oh wait here’s the actual wording:
As of 02/01/2011 your child is eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits without a share of cost under the 133% program for children one to six years of age.Sounds wonderful huh? Well they lie. In February I tried to fill her medications under Medi-Cal. I knew each would need a TAR (which is like a proof of it being needed) because they aren’t standard medications you see given to children. Her main medication, the one she takes to keep her alive, is called Proglycem (also known as Diazoxide). This medical costs $165.00 per 30mL bottle. Kaylee’s prescription for Proglycem is for 180mL. This comes out to six bottles being needed to cover her needs.
Under this program, Kaylee’s Medi-Cal benefits will provide full Medi-Call Benefits.
Due to shortages in manufacturing the amount of bottles you can get per order is limited to three bottles. So we have to order every 15 days or so to cover her prescription. What does six bottles of Proglycem cost out of pocket? $990.00. We’re lucky, our local pharmacy gives us a discount and lets us purchase it at cost. Not every pharmacy is so nice. Costco for instance will only mark down their total price (for three bottles) by $20.00.
So you can see how impossible it would be to buy Kaylee’s full prescription every month, pay for daycare, school, rent, and utilities when I make $33K a year. Luckily in a few months (May or June) I will have medical benefits for the kids and myself (right now I’m totally uninsured).
So why am I giving all this info?
Remember that TAR to get the medication approved? They denied it.
Yes folks, they denied it. Why? Well at first the pharmacist told me it was because the medication cost too much. I said I wasn’t surprise to hear that. Then in what I assume was a “opps” moment for the pharmacist, she told me that Medi-Cal had determined that since the medication my daughter takes is typically only given to children with severe disabilities, that Kaylee must be severely disabled and thus eligible for another state program. I don’t for the life of me remember what that program is though.
I called my case worker asking her what we could do. She was stunned about the denial and got more information. She said that my daughter must be severely disabled to be taking her medication. I asked what severely disabled means (cause I already know but I wanted to know what their standards are). She said having severe retardation, autism, developmental delays, or needing constant care.
I told her that no one would know Kaylee has a medical problem unless I told them so. Kaylee is by all means a normal, healthy, 4.5 year old. She goes to school. Excels at school. Plays sports. Uses a computer better than Grandpappy. The only real thing I can see “wrong” with her is her ability to run is a bit off and her small motor skills (like using scissors) are not fully developed. She’ll catch up though, she always has.
But her language skills are above her age level, and she’s just eager to learn.
Plain and simple, Kaylee is not severely disabled.
Medi-Cal made a decision, based solely on what her medication is typically used for and the typical severity of the disorder and applied it to Kaylee. They didn’t bother to consult with her doctor, who would have laughed at them calling her disabled, because that’s exactly what he did when I told him. They just made the decision without gaining any knowledge of her medical history. And I believe it’s for the reason that pharmacist first told me. The medication costs a lot of money.
I asked my social worker what the process was to get it appealed. She said I could apply to the other program (which would take 30 days itself), get denied. Then submit an appeal to Medi-Cal which could take up to six months to process and get done (you have to have hearings).
So that’s six months of paying out of pocket. And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.
So I need your help. I’ve looked up my local state representatives and I need you to send them emails/letters (whatever you feel appropriate) about this. I’m a newly single mother, who just started a new job, is getting little to no monetary support from their father, and I have not enough to cover the total cost of the med. We’re slowly but surely draining my mother’s savings to pay for the medication and I feel that it’s utterly wrong for Medi-Cal to make this sort of determination and deny a life saving medication to a child all because it cost too much.
I’m not sitting on my butt, not finding a job. I found one. I’ve been working for 3 weeks now. Sadly insurance won’t kick in for a few months. But working doesn’t mean I can pay that much. I make $2300 net income a month. Imagine paying $990 and then paying the nearly $700 for Kaylee to go to school and $690 for Annabelle. I wouldn’t even have enough to do that.
These programs are supposed to be there when you need the help. And I needed it and they denied my child. I’m not planning on using Medi-Cal long, hell I’m paying out of pocket most of the time for them to see the doctor anyhow. All I wanted was that safety net to cover her medications and they pulled it out from under us and that’s not right.
What happens when the money runs out? Does Medi-Cal believe that having a child in the hospital having her blood sugar maintained by a Dextrose Drip (IV) will be cheaper than just providing us the medication? Where’s the logic.
So I would like everyone to copy and paste this blog entry, or write your own email to my local representatives in the hopes that they will help us out. For anyone who wants to help me out please leave a comment that you would like to and leave a working email as well (I believe you can link it to your name).
I’ll send you my contact information so that you can put it in your email to our representatives.
Here are the folks we need to contact:
SenateThank you so much for any help you can give. I also have a letter written up if you would like to use it.
Strickland, Tony
http://cssrc.us/web/19/contact_me.aspx
Assembly Members
Smyth, Cameron
http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/38/?p=email
Gorell, Jeff
http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/37/?p=email
_________________________________________
So please, please help in any way you can.
Thanks!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
How long are they going to freeze us out?
So the building I work in must be ancient or something because the darn thing has a boiler that does it's heating. Well, the way it works, which I don't quite understand, is that every now and then the building pumps in fresh air from outside. Now, in the spring and summer that's no biggy because it's warm. In the winter, when the outside temp is 50? Now that's a problem. So the room temperature is probably somewhere around 62 to 64 on any given day instead of a comfy 72 degrees. Hell I'd settle for 70. So we bundle up. Now for those of us who sit under the air vents, it's hell. It's always cold and our hands and feet are always frozen. Lately it's been so cold it is actually bothering my back. That's just damn near the craziest thing.
Otherwise, I had a twitter war with a reporter for Nascar today. Just not a fan of the fact that he was like the first person to point out something and did it on Twitter and then picked a fight with anyone and everyone who chose to feel differently than he did. I think it was very unprofessional to air his grievance on Twitter, he seems to think it was ok, but cheering in the press box? No that's worthy of burning someone at the cross.
People these days just think it's cool to air out whatever they want on Twitter because it happens. He literally told me that. It happened, what did you expect? That you act like an adult about it. That's what. He still didn't get it. Still doesn't get that I, as a non-credentialed fan, do not have access to the activities happening in the press box. So until someone who is privy to that activity points it out I am totally oblivious. I don't know there's bias because I CAN'T SEE IT.
But no, this reporter just decided it was his job to point out supposed bias by other members of the media. That wasn't his job.
Now we have bloggers who want to be legitimate members of the media once they finish school who are worried that because they express their opinions now they won't be hired later. Because they're worried it'll become so black and white in the media that there will be no room for journalists who do both reporting of the facts and commentary on the facts separately from their straight forward reporting of the facts.
Pete Pistone said, as long as they stay professional they'll be ok. I think the same. Also, as long as they maintain integrity, don't blur the lines between fact and fiction, and manage to maintain that line between journalism and commentary theyll be fine. But what we're seeing all too much these days are reporters who claim to be journalists but often inject their opinions in to their stories.
Some are good at drawing that line. They report stories on one place, comment on them on another place. This helps the fan understand when they're looking at a statement of fact versus an interpretation of that fact.
In the end this whole mess has taken away from some good beginning of the year storylines and I hope everyone just moves on.
Yeah we get it, NO CHEERING IN THE PRESS BOX!
Otherwise, I had a twitter war with a reporter for Nascar today. Just not a fan of the fact that he was like the first person to point out something and did it on Twitter and then picked a fight with anyone and everyone who chose to feel differently than he did. I think it was very unprofessional to air his grievance on Twitter, he seems to think it was ok, but cheering in the press box? No that's worthy of burning someone at the cross.
People these days just think it's cool to air out whatever they want on Twitter because it happens. He literally told me that. It happened, what did you expect? That you act like an adult about it. That's what. He still didn't get it. Still doesn't get that I, as a non-credentialed fan, do not have access to the activities happening in the press box. So until someone who is privy to that activity points it out I am totally oblivious. I don't know there's bias because I CAN'T SEE IT.
But no, this reporter just decided it was his job to point out supposed bias by other members of the media. That wasn't his job.
Now we have bloggers who want to be legitimate members of the media once they finish school who are worried that because they express their opinions now they won't be hired later. Because they're worried it'll become so black and white in the media that there will be no room for journalists who do both reporting of the facts and commentary on the facts separately from their straight forward reporting of the facts.
Pete Pistone said, as long as they stay professional they'll be ok. I think the same. Also, as long as they maintain integrity, don't blur the lines between fact and fiction, and manage to maintain that line between journalism and commentary theyll be fine. But what we're seeing all too much these days are reporters who claim to be journalists but often inject their opinions in to their stories.
Some are good at drawing that line. They report stories on one place, comment on them on another place. This helps the fan understand when they're looking at a statement of fact versus an interpretation of that fact.
In the end this whole mess has taken away from some good beginning of the year storylines and I hope everyone just moves on.
Yeah we get it, NO CHEERING IN THE PRESS BOX!
BE CAREFUL NOT TO CHEER!!
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