People are dying and going broke..

..while the fucking GOP plays politics with the health care bill.  Tom Coburn (R-Ok) decided to demand that a 767 page amendment be read in it’s entirety on the senate floor.  This will take up 12 hours of time that could have been used for productive debate.  The amendment was submitted by Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and is essentially a single payer system.   Coburn wants people to “pay close attention” to who votes yes or no for this bill, so they can lambast anyone who votes yes as a socialist.

I have this fantasy that the democrats would just be all, “sounds good” and then fucking pass the bill.  But fantasies are just that…fantasies.  Instead…

The public option is gone.

The Medicare buy-in is gone (Allowing 55-64 Year Olds to buy into Medicare).  This makes me particularly sad….think of being able to retire or semi-retire when you want to, not being forced to wait until you are 65 because you have a chronic disease and nobody will cover you…

All this because the all important 60th vote is Joe Lieberman (Aka: Droopy Dog).  He won’t vote for anything with any semblance of a government run option, even though he supported a medicare buy-in when he was a democrat.  This is all a big F-U to the democrats that kicked him out.  (Although, to be fair, they deserve it.  What a bunch of douchebags–not supporting his re-election because he had the balls to go against his party and support the Iraq war.  I just wish he didn’t pick this issue…)

What a sausage factory.  Hopefully something good will come from this….

Christmas came early…

..for me at least.  Our new 52″ Sony Bravia LCD is in the basement.  Watched the dark night on blu-ray the other night.  Oh goodness.

A new couch has been ordered.  Hopefully, if the taxman is kind, we’ll have a new bar in our basement before the spring.  We’ll see.  I am sure looking forward to entertaining down there…it’s been in transition and essentially unusable for a while now.

In other news, Christmas plans are made and Stacy is rocking out the gifts.  Looking forward to seeing all our family and friends.   Stacy’s parents are coming this weekend, and the Gadient’s come the weekend after that.  And on and on…It is really nice to have everyone coming to our house this year.  Stacy does such a good job getting everything Christmassy.  It has been cool to see it through Alison’s eyes this year.  Every morning she comes out and points at the Christmas tree and is all “OOOhhh — treee!”  Alison reminds me every day to enjoy everything.  I am nervous, though, because she seems to enjoy playing with shoes more than just about anything.

Just for fun…we had our neighbor, who is a kick-ass photographer come take some pictures in our yard a few weeks ago…these 2 pictures sum up the experience.  (Thanks for putting up with us Sarah)

No ranting…

…in this post.

Stacy is off having fun in NYC.  I am so happy for her, she needs a break.  She is a single parent for lots of evenings when I’m working.  She is a Mom who loves her daughter, so she stresses out about her.  Today she made me text her a picture within 5 minutes of landing.  She worries that I will forget her socks, she worries I will forget the pack-n-play, she worries I will forget to brush her hair.  She worries that she’s going to fall down the stairs…again.

She worries about her first boyfriend.  She worries that she won’t be able to afford college.  She worries that she won’t have the wedding of her dreams.  She worries…

We’re doing just fine…but we do miss you..

Recap…

…of the house health care reform bill vote by the daily show, with a special clip of my favorite congresswoman debating on the house floor.   It’s 3 minutes into the opening monologue.  Have I mentioned before she is a moron?  If not…she is a moron.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/254902/mon-november-9-2009-kit-bond

Here’s the whole video, so you can hear it in context.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdqn4fv2oDw

It doesn’t make it any better.  Government takeover…give me a frickin break.  What she should say is, “Madam Speaker, I prefer that only healthy people with good jobs and good insurance benefit, by being able to have CHOICE, to choose whatever doctor is chosen for them by their insurance executives.  People that have chosen to have chronic illnesses or get deathly ill should not be protected, because God hates them…obviously.  If they go bankrupt, then that was God’s will.  This health care bill is expensive, and raises taxes on super rich people, who God obviously loves.  Voting for this bill would be like voting against God.”

Sounds like something she would say, doesn’t it?  The sad thing, is people in this district would eat it up.  Man…

What a douche..

Says Michele Bachmann during her “Health care freedom rally”

“I think that Pelosi will not be able to get the votes and we’ll kill the bill, and if we kill the bill this week in the House, if she can’t get the votes, I think it could be dead for 10 years.”

I mean, I think we all realize this bill isn’t perfect, but she’s right.  It could be 10 years before we get another health care reform bill, because she just told us the republicans won’t be proposing any if they regain control of congress.

Is she saying that it’s ok for us to have 47 million uninsured people and hundreds of thousands of people go bankrupt because they get sick?  Because the bill being debated will ensure many more Americans are insured, eliminate insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, and cap annual and lifetime coverage maximums.  I consider just those 3 things a win.   Yes, it’s expensive, and I am sure it’s filled with beauracracy and unnecessary expenses..  Show me a single bill ever produced from congress that isn’t.  But we have to start somewhere, and the time is now.

I’d like to ask Michele what kind of health care freedom I would have if I lost my job?  None.  If it were up to her, and the government didn’t guarantee me coverage, nobody would cover me because I have Crohn’s disease.  I would have to pay cash for my healthcare, and I would go broke.  I can’t wait until 2010….anybody but Bachmann.

Update:  Bill just passed the house.  Yay!!

I found..

what I’m getting Stac for Christmas.

Rock this bitch..

Went to Ben Folds on Saturday night at Orchestra Hall.  He played with the MN Orchestra and they were superb.  The first time we saw him (at 1st Ave), the show was absolutely rocking and crazy.  This was obviously more subdued, until the end, when he played a few songs without the orchestra to give us all a little fix of good times Ben.  I rocked out at exactly the level you would expect for being male middle class and white.  Afterwards Stacy, Brian, Jen and I hit up Brit’s pub for some subpar service and overpriced beers, and then headed back to Farmington.  We made the mistake of letting the women ride up front (thus controlling the radio).  I think we may have blown out the speakers in the Altima listening to something by Ton Loc.  Then Stacy threw a book at me and it hit me…in the face.  I could have been severely injured.  We did stop at Applebees for a nightcap, where Stacy proceeded to try on the waiters Star Wars storm trooper outfit.  Just makin memories.

So, most of you will stop reading now because I’m about to talk about health care reform, but if you are interested I found a good article on the public option and conservative hypocrisy, always a favorite of mine…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sahil-kapur/so-what-if-a-public-optio_b_340160.html

I found it interesting.  I don’t think it will matter much anyways, the public option being presented in the house and the senate is really weak.  The new study of the house version says only 2% of people are likely to use it, and it is unlikely to be competative with private plans because most people will be sicker that would enroll, thus upping the premium.  I still maintain insurance companies serve no purpose to society.  If you can think of one, please e-mail me.  A non-profit middle man could do the job just cheaper, even with the beauracracy of the government.  Single payer allows for improvements in preventative medicine, universal medical records, improved billing efficiency, and can enforce discussions about end of life care.

I get so sick of people saying the government will kill Grandma, and make decisions for her.  What I’m saying is that a single payer system could say, hey, if your over 80 or have a diagnosis associated with a high risk of death, you have to sit down with someone while you are still healthy and discuss how YOU want to handle end of life issues.  I would bet most people would choose not to be kept alive on a ventilator for weeks if they have a 2% chance of survival and will likely spend the rest of their life in a nursing home being fed through a straw.  I would bet most people would say “If I don’t know my own name because I have Alzheimers, and my kidneys shut down, please don’t hook me up to dialysis.”  So, this would put YOU in charge of your health care…NOT the government.  And guess what…save LOTS of money at the same time, because this crazy shit happens all the time.  We have 90 year olds with no advanced directives being kept alive for weeks on end because families are scared to say stop.  And this, folks, is a HUGE reason health care is so expensive.  And these politicians try to scare you into thinking these ideas are about socialism and health care dictatorships.  Misinformation is rampant, and this is complicated.

 

 

Sneezes, Snot, and being home

So last Friday I went to work feeling shitty.  By Saturday I had a low grade temp and was exhausted.  Spent the day in bed.  Sunday wasn’t much better.  Called into work Monday and they wouldn’t let me come.  This H1N1 paranoia is getting ridiculous, but whatever, I guess me not coming in with a sore throat and hacking cough is probably best for the patients.  Anyways I call in on Tuesday, and they are all “Sure come on in, sounds like a cold.”  So, I haul my ass up at 0600 Wednesday, and go to work.  I have to stop at Employee health, and guess what…they fucking send me home.  Nice.  The head honcho, that outranks the lady I talked to, decided I had too many H1N1-like symptoms to come to work for 7 days — so I can’t go back until Friday (tomorrow).  So Wednesday and Thursday I have sat around like dead weight.   I am ready to get out of the house.  But yeah, feeling better.  Still having barking coughing jags every 1/2 hour or so, but feeling much better.

Alison, however, is now sick.  We were up a couple times last night with the motrin and tylenol, and up at a little after 6.  Stuffy nose and fever.  I think the biggest problem is she can’t suck on those fingers and breathe at the same time.  Poor punkin.  I would imagine all parents have that same awful feeling when their kids are sick..worried and helpless.  This too shall pass.

An October pic…

Otherwise things are pretty much status quo around here.  Have been working some shifts in ER lately and have been liking that.  Went to my first trauma code, have helped with sedation for a couple procedures (one nasty broken ankle — no bone though..doah — I know I’m sick), and done some other interesting things.  Mostly though the ER is just filled with people with flu-like symptoms.  It’s amazing I got sick

In home news, we got our windows fixed, got our siding fixed, and I replaced the rotten drywall in the garage so needless to say we’ve been in project mode.  We are looking forward to getting the basement done so we can have a tv room again.

So yeah…I’ve kind of had a case of the blah’s…for a while now.  I’ve struggled to come up with really anything interesting to post, so sorry..I know you all wait with baited breath.  I will attempt to do better.   I’m really eager to post about health care reform, I’m needing to vent a bit, so watch out for that….as if it will be new for most of you .

Oh yeah…NASCAR in Atlanta over Labor Day fucking ruled.  Sunday’s race was amazing, the people were fun and friendly, and I got to spend a long weekend chillin with my guys.  I miss that so much.  I am so blessed to have that group of 5 guys that can hang out after not seeing each other for forever, and not miss a beat.

Here’s a couple pics with the guys, as well as some friends I met at the bottom….

Hope everyone is well.

Update

Went to my GI doc for my follow up.  Went very well.  He told me something I guess I didn’t know.  He said Crohn’s pretty much stays where it starts, unless you have surgery, in which case it can recur at the point at which the colon is reconnected.  So, essentially, if my disease stays under control, it won’t spread.  This made me feel much better.  I was planning on heading to Mayo for a 2nd opinion, but that was because I was deathly afraid of it “spreading.”  For now, I’m going to stay put, and I think that is the right decision.

So, the plan is to stay on the Asacol for a year.  Then we’ll trial off of it, and if everything goes well I can stay off meds.  I guess we’ll see.  I continue to eat what I want, and have essentially no symptoms.  No blood.  No cramping.  I’m a pretty lucky crohn’s patient I guess.  Thanks for everyone’s support…

Otherwise things are well.  I had some daddy time with my sweet little girl tonight.  I can’t tell you how much I love spending time with her these days.  At first, I hate to admit, I kind of enjoyed going to work to get a break from the screaming.  Now I can’t stand being away.  Something new happens every day.  She combs my hair.  She pulls up my shirt to touch my belly button and laughs.  She chases me down the hallway.  She brings me books to read to her.  Tonight she brought me her blanket so we could snuggle on the couch.  It’s hard to explain how much I love this little punkin..

Twins are winning.  Surprise surprise.  I’ll stick by ‘em, but man…heartbreakers.

Vikings…saw Favre for the first time tonight.  1 drive.  Preseason.  Meaningless.  Should be fun to watch though.

We’re going to Jimmy Buffett at Alpine Valley in WI next weekend.  Should be a good time.

Atlanta NASCAR race in 2 weeks baby.  I am so pumped.  Hangin with the guys, drinking some beers and people watching should be fun.  I’ll post some pics when I get back.

The world flies by..

Now playing:  Jezebel by Iron and Wine

Stacy reminded me again last night that it feels like we are just roommates passing in the hallway.  Work, Alison and every other little part of life just consume us, and then suddenly it is 5 days or 5 months later, and we forget what even happened.

We are blessed to be busy.  We are blessed to have jobs.  We are blessed to have a beautiful daughter.  We are blessed to have wonderful friends that come visit us.  The Walkers came and we had fun on the boat.  The house was loud and messy, the way God intended it to be.

People at work have been sicker and younger than usual.  I find myself more often lately hoping we can take the time to appreciate all the things that keep us busy, while finding time to appreciate each other.

More to come..the few people that keep up on this remind me to post, so I will soon.

A memory from Stacy’s birthday weekend…so funny…check out T-pain’s dance at 2:50.  Good times.