Spiritual Sunday - Healing Yourself

If you have read any part of my blog, you would have read that I have undergone 5 surgeries on my right ankle. Each time, it seems to get harder and harder to get myself back up and moving or even want to move. Moving causes pain and while I know and have learned that it is only through pain that one heals, honestly it gets harder and harder to want to work through the pain.

The past 8 days I have had severe pain if I move around, so to avoid the pain I stayed in bed and just went back to basics to relieve the pain: RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). It was worked somewhat and slowly I keep doing a bit more each day - progressing from total non-weight bearing to balance weight bearing with crutches to going to the bathroom using just the crutches even if it is just a few times a day. It hurts but I am working through it and increasing the number of times I do it each day.

Today's Lenten sermon reminded me of what Jesus went through from being crucified to having a crown of thorns hammered into His head to carrying the Cross through the streets to being nailed on the cross and ending with dying on the cross. Kinda puts what I am going through into perspective. How did He do it? Through His faith.

I realized that although in the past 2 weeks that I have hopefully been physically healing, I had forgotten that I needed to boost my healing spiritually. The relationship between religion and health is real. Spiritual healing is not a substitute for any medical treatment or a surgeon's skill. It is not just positive thinking either but when one is sick we do need more positive thinking than we usually manage to have. Positive thinking is as much a vital part of healing as doing all the physical things. Some people erroneously think that spiritual healing will bring them relief from pain or freedom from a handicap. But just as praying does not get you into heaven, it will not be reflected in an outward physical sign.

Instead positive thinking will have an overall positive effect on your physical health. The Mayo Clinic says that when you use positive thinking, it helps you handle problems in a more positive way. Positive thinking can support healing in a number of ways: it fights depression and anxiety and allows you to build up healthy coping skills. When the body is under less stress, it is able to better focus its energy and efforts on healing. Positive healing also strengthens immunity, which helps fight certain illnesses. Positive thinking should be used on a daily basis to have the maximum effect on healing.

The affirmations that are the most effective are the ones that you compose yourself. If you write your own, you will believe in them and they will have an effect on you emotionally. When you can actually ‘feel' your affirmation, not just utter or read them, their total impact increases immensely. Always affirm in the present tense, not the future tense.

Here are just a few of my personal affirmations since some are highly personal:
1. I always receive more than what I need.
2. I am very fortunate to work at what I love to do.
3. I am a confident and positive person.
4. If I make mistakes, I am able to give myself the benefit of the doubt.
5. I am surrounded by love.
6. Everything is getting better every day.

And yes, even my affirmations change daily, depending on what I need that day.

Health Care, Etc Beginning 3-1-10

Politico (www.politico.com) reported that Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) single-handedly filibustered HR 4691 preventing it from passing by unanimous consent. Why should you care? Interestingly enough this bill contained all the legislation voted in by Republicans which were set to expire 2-28-10.

Why was HR 4691 important? Passage of the bill would have:
1. Extended federal unemployment benefits.
and
2. Extended transportation funding.
and
3. Extended the current Medicare physician payment freeze through March.

So instead, beginning Monday 3-1-10, 1 million people will be thrown off unemployment and lose their health insurance and here's the big one: Physicians will see a 21.2% reduction in their Medicare payments for any service dated March 1, 2010 or after. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has no choice but to institute the federally-mandated cut on Monday.

You think this involves just Medicare? Well, you are wrong! Every single insurance company sets their reimbursement rates based on Medicare's rates. Yep, that means physicians will take a 21.2% decrease across the board in all insurances.

Would you take a 21.2% decrease in pay? I don't think so.

Do you think your doctor will remain on your health insurance plan with this 21.2% decrease in reimbursement? I don't think so.

Do you have a clue as to when physicians had a pay raise? Try over 10 years ago.

Have a clue as to what the physicians will be doing after Monday? Stay tuned. They might not be available.

Then where will we be with health care?

How Much is Enough?

Yesterday I posted an article on "Stop Tolerating Things". Today, after the 5th phone call from inlaw's doctor reminding me of their appointment today (have never forgotten one plus this was only their 2nd actual visit to this doctor to begin with), I blew up with their office. I told them I did not need to be reminded 5 times in one week of an appointment for them. This evening, I got a phone call from the office asking me to give them a date for father in law to get his halter monitor (monitors the heart for 24 hours). I told them that this had been discussed over 5 times now and that when and if I have time to be with him for 28 hours consistently we would do it but in the family's opinion, it was not necessary. The man is 91 - almost 92. I had asked the doctor to do it while he was in the hospital and in physical therapy so we could know how his heart responded to activity so we could determine how much we could do with him. He needs a pacemaker but his health is not strong enough for one and the family said no heroics. We did not sign a DNR because there are things that can be controlled by medication but no heroics are to be done. Having the halter monitor attached to him requires a 2 hour hospital visit to start it, then 24 hours of constant monitoring and one of us with him constantly so he doesn't peel off the electrodes, then another 2 hours to see if all 24 hours was recorded. If any part of said 24 hours was not, we had to start over again. FIL has dementia. He doesn't remember anything past 1-2 minutes so keeping electrodes on him for a solid 24 hours is almost impossible without constant supervision (probably is even with constant supervision). I can't do that non-weight bearing so it can wait. This is why I had wanted it done when he was in the hospital - they could have just used a portable telemetry device and not the halter monitor. Big difference in how they work.

I should add in here that their doctor and I have had words. I get repeated phone calls from 3-5 different people saying the same thing. I get told to take one of the inlaws for blood work that an order was faxed to the hospital yet when I get to the hospital, there is no order. We call the office and are told the doctor decided they didn't need that test. Did they bother telling me? Nope. So there went a wasted trip out there. 2 days later, I get a phone call to now get the test done. This goes on back and forth to such a degree in less than a year that I insisted on orders being mailed to me instead of faxed to the hospital.

On top of all the above, the doctor put on one of my MIL's tests a code for a test with a wrong diagnosis code. Instead of correcting it with the hospital, the hospital made my MIL sign what is called an ABN (Advanced Beneficiary Notice) that this test will not be covered and she would have to pay for it. Well, it was denied by Medicare and sure enough we got a bill. I called the doctor and supposedly it was taken care of. That was until yesterday when I got a call from a collection service that the hospital sent MIL to collections and the doctor never corrected the claim. I hit the roof. I paid the claim but let the office know I was not pleased.

This evening, we get a call from their doctor who refuses to talk to me - said I was a rude ignorant person - yep to my face. She hasn't seen rude and ignorant from me - yet.

Enough is enough.

I gave my husband my cell phone. He gave her his cell phone number. Didn't say ONE WORD to her about why I was upset. Didn't say ONE WORD about the type of care she had been giving his parents. Instead he APOLOGIZED for my behavior stating that I was in a lot of pain and just had surgery. I was WHAT? Where were all the things I had told both sons this doctor had done and they made the decision to change doctors after FIL's home care and current medical crisis is over? Where did the decision that I made them make about not doing the halter monitor because the doctor forgot to give the order in the hospital? Where did all their complaints about this doctor go? No where if an apology had to be given. In my opinion, no apology but theirs was needed. So I removed myself from their medical care. Let the 2 sons deal with this doctor. Enough is enough! I am not tolerating this doctor anymore. She is an idiot. If and when they get a new doctor, I MIGHT help again but until then, I am done. Husband? He's in the doghouse.

Stop Tolerating Things

I get a daily email on coding, etc. In today's issue there was a Practice Management tip which I thought applied to every day life.

How many of you just tolerate things yet never change things so that they just keep happening day after day, week after week? I know I do. Sometimes I change things so that they won't happen again but lately, I am frustrated enough just recuperating that the thought of doing anything extra is just one thing too many. It helps the one or two days per week that I actually sleep a straight 8 or more hours without pain but those days are too few.

The article tells us to stop tolerating what we don't need. Don't allow your office to become cluttered with piles of papers. Don't waste money buying things that you know you have but just can't find at that moment. Don't fill your garage with so much stuff you can't use your garage. The article tells us to start by making a list of the things you are tolerating now that you are sick and tired of. It says to be really honest and make sure you keep this list for your eyes only. It also says that just the act of getting this on paper is the first step in actually doing something about it. Once you do, you will find yourself committing to taking action to eliminate these one by one until your daily personal and professional life is clear of these frustrations.

Good ideas! I know when the kids were small and I told them to clean their room, they would look at the mess and look at me and do nothing. Breaking a job down into sections does work. It brings to mind the following song that I have not been able to get out of my head since reading the article (yes I figured if it was implanted in my brain, I would share with you) - it's called the Garden Song but I would change the lyrics to pick up different items in the room.

Why Men Need Women

Hubs went to AZ for a 5 day golfing trip with his 4 buddies. They figured out where they were going but in actuality it was all the wives who obtained their airline tickets and paid the fees. The other wives packed for their husbands and got them ready except in my husband's case where I made him do it all on his own. I refuse to pack for a grown man. There is nothing wrong with his arms or legs. I even made him do his own laundry but in my defense I am not even 2 weeks post surgery and am non-weight bearing and basically, confined to bed.

We had words to begin with about his even scheduling this trip knowing full well when my surgery was but no one - NO ONE - gets between a golfing man and his golf ............ except rain. Every single time these guys go anywhere the rain follows them. Even their regular weekly golf game seems to have this rain effect too. They used to golf on Fridays and every Friday it would rain. They changed it to Thursdays and sure enough it would rain on Thursdays and be okay on Friday. So they moved golfing to Wednesday and yet again, the rain followed them. If any part of the country needs rain, just ask these guys to come to golf and I will bet you that it will rain there. (Kinda makes you wonder what they do on the course) - NOT.

So every day he would call me twice a day and do nothing but complain about the rain and cold. I played my violin for him. That is until yesterday and he only called late at night. Why you ask? Because it was 60 and sunny so he had nothing to complain about so he didn't call.

Earlier today I warned him there was a lake effect snow warning for 5-6 inches. Did he listen? Nope. Did he arrange his transportation home from the airport? Nope. Instead he lands, gets his luggage and decides to get a cab who wants to charge him $90 for the 15 mile trip to our house. So he calls me and asks me to call around and get something cheaper. I told him to walk. He didn't think that was funny. I did arrange a limo for him and his buddy for $50.00 which he could have done on his own.

But of course, as hubs and son would say: "That's a pink job". I say: "Oink Oink"!

Recipe Tuesday - Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I am a huge fan of crock pot and pressure cooker recipes mainly because it is so nice to come home and have dinner mostly made especially after a busy day. I have come to love them even more since they usually require few ingredients and are easy for me to do while kneeling on the scooter.

This portion size is for a 5 and 1/2 quart crock pot which is supposed to make 8 servings unless you have a son like mine whose serving size is that of 4 people by himself.

6 lb chicken, cut up (I usually buy chicken when it is on sale, cut it up, rewrap it to smaller portions, then freeze it....therefore I will use a couple packages of drumsticks and a couple packages of breasts, depending on what I have - but you want about 6 lbs of chicken counting bones so that would mean about 4-5 pounds of deboned chicken.
1/2 c chicken bouillon broth
4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning (the recipe calls for this but I don't happen to like the taste of it. I use 1 heaping tablespoon of Emeril's Original Essence Spice instead)
6 ribs celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 c. packaged biscuit mix (I use Bisquick).
3/4 c milk
1 tsp parsley flakes (I use fresh parsley about 1 tbsp).

Wash chicken pieces; cut away excess fat. Place raw chicken pieces in crock pot with the largest bony pieces on bottom (usually the breasts). Add broth. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, Emeril's Original Essence Spice. Add celery and carrots on top. Cover. Cook 7 to 9 hours on low.

When I get home, I combine the biscuit mix, milk, parsley flakes; stir until just moistened. Drop dumpling mixture by spoonfuls (about 8) over steaming chicken; cover, cook on high 30 minutes. (Do not remove the cover during the steaming of the dumplings.)

Serve immediately - when dumplings are at their best.

As a side note - sometimes I make this as is, then cool half and then freeze it in a Food Saver bag - do this before you make the dumplings. Then use the other half of the recipe as the meal remembering to now half the dumpling recipe.

When preparing the frozen bag, drop the bag into a pot of boiling water until it is heated. Dump the water then open the bag and dump the contents back in the pot and heat until boiling. Prepare the dumpling mixture then drop in and cover and cook as above.

Day 3 of Husband Gone

He called today. He's crabby and whiney - it's "monsoon raining and it's cold". Awwww....I feel sorry for him! Yeah - not!

What is it with men? Can't they think of something else to do like women do? But this rain and cold weather does not fit into his plans of playing golf so he's throwing a temper tantrum the likes that any 2 year old would have!

So I told him to call back when he has something nice to say and a change of attitude, that I was in pain and he left and he could just find something else to do. He didn't... appreciate my suggestion.

Me - I am thankful he's crabby there so am still smiling here although I would love to get rid of this new pain - the one in my foot.

I have so many books I have read I really need to get reviews done. Maybe tomorrow.

Day 1 of Husband Gone

This morning at 4am, my husband left for a 5 day golf trip with his golfing buddies. They keep trying every year to pick a sunny warm spot in order to get a jump on the start of golf in the Chicago area which isn't usually until mid April or May. One year they picked Tucson, AZ and found it to be the only week of the year it was cold and rainy the entire year and it happened to be the week they were there. Last year they decided to stay in the area and do it in October and once again got rained out all 3 days and actually came home after a day and half because they had no more dry clothes.

So this year they picked Phoenix, AZ. They landed in 45 degree rainy weather and after looking at the weather for the next 5 days, the forecast is 50 and rain every day with warm dry weather returning the day after they leave.

Why does this make me smile?

Can't really say I miss him yet. Between him keeping me awake all night going over in his head if he forgot to pack anything to the pain in my foot and the effect the cortisone had on my body (hot flashing and going to the bathroom every hour), I haven't gotten around to the missing part yet. It's just me and the cats and son who did feed me today.

I know, I am bad. But really am enjoying having control of the remote or the TV not even turned on and reading instead, and there is no need for listening to him complain on how high I have the fan turned on or what temperature the thermostat is set on. I read 2 books today and played online. I got to do what I wanted to do. Imagine that!

5th Ankle Surgery 8 days Postop

The 2 new incisions on the outside were from the 5th ankle surgery done 2-11-10. Yes those are sutures you see - they are still in and won't come out for another 2 weeks. Up until today, the subtalar joint has been bleeding through the sutures which is normal for as much synovitis as they had to clean out. Because it finally stopped bleeding, I was given a cortisone shot for the nerve pain which is between the long incision going up and down and the suture incision and then placed in a cast.

Yes, I won't lie - there is still a lot of pain. No, I have not taken one pain killer yet. I use old fashioned things that do work: 50 minutes of every hour the ankle is elevated higher than my heart, 20 minutes of ice packs at the back of the knee per hour, take anti-inflammatories like Naprosyn every 12 hours, and up until today, wore ace wraps to help with swelling. All the nerve pain I had worked out is back plus now the joint pain. There are worse things though I could be feeling. I will get back to you if I actually feel blessed about that!

I had figured I would get a cast today so I let one of my nieces choose the colors - she wanted lime green and pink combo but they were out of lime green so I took her 2nd choice of pink and purple. I am one more week of non-weight bearing then the following week I can start putting partial weight on it using the crutches.

Today was the first day I have been downstairs since the surgery. Not a pretty picture of what I wheeled into - the family room, breakfast room table, and kitchen cabinets were so loaded there wasn't room for anything. I found a few items the girls said they had sent home to me but I never got and hubs "couldn't find". I folded 10 loads of towels and found the chairs, then cleaned off and sorted the mail and found the dining room table. The kitchen I yelled at our son to clean up. And then I also started laundry. No - it hadn't been done since I last did it on the 10th.

Hubs is packing. He's leaving tomorrow for 5 days of golf with the guys. My girls trip will come in October when I visit a friend near Atlanta.

I have 5 days of no husband and having son get me breakfast, lunch, and dinner and whatever I need. Please pray for me - or maybe him.

Ever Feel Like an Old Dog?

....and who has a hard time learning new tricks?

Well, for the past month now, I have been slowly learning PowerPoint 2007 which I had never ever used before. It's been one h of an experience and truthfully - one I hope to forget for quite a while.

But before the learning took place, I was trying to figure out where my PowerPoint disc was. I knew I had it on one of my computers at one time but couldn't find it - anywhere. No clue what happened to it but it was probably taken by "I don't have it" (don't all households have that imaginary person in their house?) Well, if you don't then that's why he/she seems to be at my house a lot even though I am a pretty organized person.

So I had to go out and actually purchase another copy of PowerPoint. When I looked at the price of just PowerPoint 2007, then looked at a complete Microsoft Office 2007 that included Word and Excel, I couldn't pass the deal up.

Little did I know how different Microsoft Office 2003 was compared to the 2007 version. So now I was not only learning PowerPoint, but I was re-learning Excel and Word and trying to find things I knew right where they were in the 2003 version but they had to use these huge icons instead of words in the 2007 version. I have no clue as to why words wouldn't work but I am definitely not an icon person. I love words. Icons can mean many different things. Then who was to know there were a whole lot of icons that one can't even see? I found one today that I had been searching for probably 2-3 weeks.

Now I had to turn my PowerPoint presentation into a Word or pdf document. This took me 3 days to learn. But I wasn't finished. No, I had to add one Word page that contained Excel tables to the PowerPoint handout that I had converted to Word. No matter how many times I tried, it wouldn't work - the tables changed and that wasn't good. After 8 hours today, I finally accomplished that.

I feel like an old dog. And Microsoft Office 2010 is out. I wonder if I will ever be comfortable enough with 2007 before I have to upgrade to 2010?

Whiney Husbands

....can take a hike!

Hubs called and said he was going to the wake of a friend's mother. I said fine and to call me when he was on his way home so we could figure out dinner.

2 hours later he called and says: "Order a pizza".

I said: "Absolutely not. We just had pizza 2 days ago and I had the remainder for lunch. One cannot have pizza every night."

Hubs: "Well, you figure out what your stomach wants and let me know". He then hangs up on me.

I call him back and ask him who gave him a wedgie and that why in 30 years I can come up with different menus and home cooked meals for him while working and taking care of the house and taking care of our 2 children and taking care of other people's children plus doing all the shopping, cleaning, laundry, etc. He's had to do it since November and even then I did all the holiday cooking, planning, and laundry and now he's got his panties in a wad because he feels stressed with working and doing the shopping and cooking? I am still doing all the laundry and paying bills and hired someone to clean and we don't have kids to take care of anymore with their 1000 activities.

Well, tough titties.

I demanded a home cooked meal tonight. I wonder what he will throw at me!

Recipe Tuesday - Easy Stir Fry Chicken

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 small onion, diced
2 cups julienne sliced carrots
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 (15-ounce) can baby corn, drained
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup edamame
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Oyster Sauce
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Brown Rice

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until starting to brown, stirring constantly. Add onions, carrots, and peppers and cook 1 minute. Add snap peas, corn, edamame and broccoli and cook 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and cook 2 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add oyster sauce to taste (I usually use 1-2 tablespoons).

Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small bowl and add to wok. Simmer 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (toast them in the oven while cutting up the veges. Serve over brown rice.

Note - I will use different vegetables at times (corn, peas, celery, green beans, or veges that are leftover in the frig). You can also substitute beef strips or pork strips or use no meat and have this as a side dish!

Elevators and Safety

In today's Yahoo News http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100216/hl_hsn/elevatorscanbringinjurytoseniors there was an article on how elevators can bring injury to seniors. Well although I am the legal speed limit, and I admit to being a card carrying member of AARP, I don't consider myself a senior yet. I might when I reach the age of 100 or so but not till then.

I read the article and thought - how many of us have problems with either elevators or escalators? I know I do. Packages get caught - wheelchair wheels get caught - crutches get caught. Yes I know that at times it seems a wayyyyyyyyyyy long time before those doors close but there are other times they close so fast you get caught. I read what the study suggested as a resolution and I totally agree - bigger button to hold the door open. You have my vote and I am not a senior!

Elevators Can Bring Injury to Seniors
Mon Feb 15, 7:03 pm ET
MONDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Over 2,600 senior citizens suffer serious elevator-related injuries each year in the United States, and three-quarters of them are women, according to the results of the first large-scale study of these events.

Slips, trips and falls accounted for more than half of the injuries, and about one-third were caused by elevator doors closing on a person. The third most common cause of injuries were those related to the wedging of walkers in elevator door openings, the researchers reported in the January issue of the Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection and Critical Care.

The study authors analyzed elevator-related injuries that were serious enough to send a person aged 65 years or older to an emergency department. Almost half of the injuries were "soft-tissue" injuries such as sprains and bruises, they noted.

"Elevator-related injuries are not accidental; they are easily preventable. Individuals of any age, but especially older adults, who often have vision or balance issues, should not stick an arm or leg or walker into the path of a closing elevator door," Greg Steele, associate professor of epidemiology in the department of public health at the Indiana University School of Medicine, said in a university news release.

He had another suggestion to improve rider safety. "Elevator open buttons should be made twice the size of the other elevator buttons so they are not hard to find by passengers who want to stop the door from closing on an approaching individual," Steele said. "This would be very inexpensive to change because electronics don't have to be altered, just the button. Certainly all newly installed or updated elevators should have such buttons."

Happy Valentine's Day

~Love isn't who you can see yourself with...it's who you can't see yourself without~
~The soul that can speak with it's eyes can also kiss with a gaze~
~Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship and find out you still care for that person.~

Did you know that the French word for love - Amour - was voted the most romantic word in the world? Amore (the Italian word for love) was 2nd although the Italian language is considered the most romantic.

To me, I don't care how love to me is expressed - just that it is. It doesn't have to be chocolate or diamonds or fur or even words. It just has to be felt. The best Valentine's Day present from my husband has always been reasons why he loves me. These are valuable possessions to me and I still have the first love note he ever wrote me.

As an added treat for you - ever wonder how to put a heart in your email or word processing note? I did so I looked it up. Here is how to do it:
Type in these symbols without spaces: & # 9 8 2 9 ;

♥

Or Fcn Alt L (again without spaces)

♥

H♥ppy V♥lentine's D♥y!

My Protectors

Trouble and Nubs won't leave my side unless hubs comes to bed or comes up and watches the Olympics with me then they decide it is okay to go play. At night they play all night long, chasing each other, etc, and keep us awake.

Ankle Surgery #5 and Welcome A!

Welcome A! Congrats to J and K and D!


As for surgery #5 - this was the last one - done yesterday. I am putting my foot down and telling it to toughen up and start walking. I am getting a wee bit tired of this!

They took out the 2 syndesmotic screws that they had put in in November to hold the joint and leg bones together. We were all holding our breath because I have rejected a lot of products to replace my own ligaments but this one (Artelon) is holding and even taking out the screws, the ankle held. The docs then directed their attention to the subtalar joint where they found a whole lot of fibrous tissue that isn't supposed to be there and a lot of inflammation. They cleaned out that joint then reinforced it with a plastic screw and sutures. Hopefully that will stop the instability in that joint and allow both joints to work together now instead of helter skelter.

Up until now, I couldn't weigh myself because I couldn't stand on both legs so I had no idea if I had gained or lost. At the hospital, the beds weigh you and I found out that since the surgery in November till now I had lost 10 pounds.....that was nice to hear.

But I did wake up during the surgery and the anesthesiologist is going to get written up. It wasn't pleasant but it did allow me to bypass the recovery room and go straight back to day surgery and get discharged within an hour after my surgery was over. I slept most of the afternoon on and off with my kitties attached to my side - they wouldn't leave me alone.

So non-weight bearing for at least 2-3 weeks then transition to weight bearing cast until the subtalar joint heals and the holes where the screws were fill in.

Seeing an end and a light at the end of the tunnel..........finally!

Snow and Earthquake in 27 hours

This is how snow affects Chicago - WE.HEART.SNOW.

Our area got about 12 inches of snow which started this past Monday night and continued into last night. Didn't detour any of our patients from showing up to see us or hubs from making it into work - Chicago needs more than a foot of snow to stop things. At this rate it would take a couple feet to slow us down for a day.

But the buzz around here? We had an earthquake around 4am. While this isn't really rare in these parts (the last one was in 2008 in southern IL), they are nothing like the ones in say, California or Haiti, etc. Ours was 3.8 magnitude and located about 45 miles west of Elgin and I am about 20 minutes east of Elgin. I didn't feel anything but then again at 4am, if I felt the bed moving, I would have figured it was my husband turning over in bed. The kittens didn't act any differently than their normal psychotic demonic behavior that possesses them only at night time when we are trying to sleep. I think they had been banned from our bedroom by that time anyway.

The earthquake even beat out Rod Blagojevich who was back in court today and pleaded not guilty today to corruption charges in a revised indictment. Rod and snow are old news here.

But for Chicago - this is big news - the earthquake!
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/02/quake-like-tremors-reported-in-western-suburbs.html

Recipe Tuesday - Easy Turkey Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1/3 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
1 Tablespoon Flour
2 1/2 Cups Milnot or Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1-2 Cups Chopped Cooked Turkey (or Chicken)
1 Can (4 oz.) Mushrooms
1 Cup Cooked Peas (drained)
1/4 Cup Chopped Pimientos
8 Oz. Spaghetti – Cooked and Drained


1) Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees
2) Grease 2 quart casserole dish
3) Saute onion and pepper in butter until tender
4) Blend in flour and evaporated milk
5) Cook stirring constantly until smooth
6) Add Salt, 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, turkey, mushrooms, peas and pimiento
7) In 2 quart casserole dish, alternate layers of sauce with cooked spaghetti
8) Sprinkle with remaining cheese
9) Bake for 20 minutes


*Note: You can also add a capful of cooking sherry to the sauce for more zing

FINALLY AT&T DSL AND FAX

Yes, you read that right. We FINALLY have our DSL line and fax line back at our office - FINALLY. Took 20+ techs, 20+ field people, 60 hours of my time on the phone, 8 managers, 3 supervisors, my own phone network specialist, a Verizon wireless internet card, and over $5000 in money due me to pay payroll to have the girls be at that office doing nothing but watch ding-a-lings say everything is fine, plus my Verizon bill for the internet card, plus my network specialist person's bill.

Guess what came in today's mail too? Yep an AT&T bill. Anyone taking bets if I pay it?

What went wrong? Who knows except that some idiot wired the phone line outside that went to the DSL and fax to another telephone line instead of its own line. When the tech specialist I have been working with since last Wednesday called and said he was sending out someone to see what was wrong with the lines, I politely asked him to make sure he/she had taken their meds because the others had heard dial tones and DSL tones on those lines - and therefore they had to have been listening to voices or noises in their head and I requested either one on his meds not hearing things or one with a brain. I got Fred who confirmed what I have been saying the entire time that there was no tone on the line and that the idiots before him had wired that line into one of our other lines.

**sigh** Now to hire a lawyer to recoup my losses. At least the office can function now - just in time for my surgery on Thursday.

Do I know why they turned me off? Nope and probably never will. All I know is it took over 42 days to get it turned back on. Sounds kinda like.........yeah will leave that alone........:)

Happy 59th Birthday Honey Honey Honey!

It doesn't seem possible you are that old....seems like yesterday we were kids falling in love and getting married. How time flies!

At least we didn't set off your daughter's smoke alarm last night lighting all those candles although it was really close.

And just a reminder, parroting your own words to everyone else: You are beginning your 60th year! **ouch**

I love you honey honey honey! **smooch**

Day 36 with NO AT&T DSL OR FAX LINE

Let's see - today's excuses (yes 3 separate phone calls from 3 different departments) who wanted to assure me they were working on it as fast as possible. Oh and to let me know I had a new bill to pay (mind you I hadn't even gotten it yet as the invoice date was today so it hasn't been mailed yet).

I asked if they expected me to pay their bill considering how much they are costing me for something that was their fault. They said it would help to speed things along.

Oh yeah I think you can imagine my response to that. Thank goodness it isn't Lent yet so the swearing jar isn't out.

In the meantime, I think I have been through every supervisor and manager. I want the VP or the President or CEO now.

AT&T this is ridiculous! It's not as if AT&T horror stories are anything new - there were plenty I found doing a simple google search. Who remembers Lily Tomlins as 'Ernestine the Operator' recite the mantra: "We don't care. We don't have to. We are the phone company!"

This one website suggested I file a FCC complaint so I did. Let's see what works the fastest - a letter sent certified to the CEO, a letter sent to CBS, NBC, and ABC, or the FCC complaint. Anyone want to take bets?

Day 36 AT&T STILL NO DSL OR NOW FAX

Really? This is a business. We pay you higher rates - triple what you charge customers PLUS we have to pay to advertise in your yellow page directory to the tune of $30,000 per year per book per office.

You disconnected my services. You admit your mistake. Yet not one of your managers or supervisors or tech people can figure out how to put the DSL and phone number to our fax machine back in our office.

You offer me another number yet I have invested YEARS in that number and all our clients have that number. Are you going to pay to re-advertise it for me?

You can flip a switch and turn me off yet you complain the problem is in my office. I demanded an explanation that if you didn't come to my office to physically turn off this line, then there is nothing physically in my office you have any right to see or touch. Frankly I am afraid to have any of your idiots touch anything on the inside.

I spent over $300.00 today getting my own telephone network system person - the same one who put in my phone system.

Funny how you say I have internet. Funny how you say I have a phone line.

Yet inside, there is no internet tone. There is no dial tone.

So where did it go?

Pam Zeckman and newspapers and lawyers here I come. I am beyond pissed.

Interesting how you can't afford to pay a technician or employ intelligent people yet you Mr. Randall L. Stephenson make $1.42M as Chairman, Chief Exec. Officer, Pres and Chairman of Exec. Committee. Interesting how you Mr. Richard G. Lindner make $1.2M as Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Sr. Exec. VP or Mr. John T. Stankey who makes $1.36M as Chief Exec. Officer of AT&T Operations Inc and Pres of AT&T Operations Inc, or you Mr. Ralph de la Vega who makes $1.46M as
Chief Exec. Officer of Mobility & Consumer Markets and Pres of Mobility & Consumer Markets can't figure out how to work your system or keep systems from shutting down.

Really? How nice!

Recipe Tuesday - Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

1 jar (6 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg (9-11 ounces) frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Diced red pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.Combine all ingredients except red pepper in bowl, mix well.
Spoon into oven safe dish.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Garnish before serving with red pepper in center for color.

Serve with crackers or baked pita chips (split pita pocket in half horizontally, then cut each round into 8 pieces, bake in single layer on cookie sheet or stone for 8 to 10 minutes or until chips are lightly browned and crisp, cool completely). I also serve it with mini baguettes, lightly toasted.

AT&T

Thanks. Now in ATTEMPTING fixing my DSL problem (nope still not fixed), you have now disconnected my fax machine line. How in the flippen world do you think I can run a business??????????

Lawyer here I call. Comcast here I come.

I can't believe someone besides an insurance company has pissed me off this much!

Monday - AT&T - et al

There are Monday's and then there are MONDAY's. I knew it was going to "one of THOSE Monday's" when all I wanted to do was go back to bed and pretend it was any other day but Monday and this Monday was far far away and it was all a nightmare.

My day started way too early for what was to come. Mind you I am handicapped and stuck in my room unless someone deems it okay for me to go elsewhere. Usually that's my husband but he was at work.

First up was dealing with AT&T who I am so pissed at I am hiring a lawyer - yeah me who never sues anyone - even the town of Philly who was responsible for my 5 surgeries to date. But come on, they disconnected my DSL at one of the offices for NO REASON on December 30th and as of today I still don't have DSL in that office. All I get are excused after excuses after excuses. I refuse to hear anymore of them. There is not enough money in the world they can give me at this point.

Next was mother-in-law who got told by her physical therapist that she no longer qualified for home physical therapy and had progressed as far as she could at home and needed to continue physical therapy at the hospital. You would have thunk the world caved in after her histrionics on the phone. So I gave her a choice - she could come live in my house, following my rules, or go to physical therapy via the bus where she lives. She chose her way (figured she would). Then I dealt with her orthopedic surgeon who mistakenly booked her for an appointment for tomorrow when we don't go for another 3 weeks and their office who was being pissy when I said we didn't book it. Finally got it settled and an apology from them. I feel sorry for the patient who really has that appointment because I am sure someone else is coming in your place by now.

Next up was father-in-law who decided to use desitin to brush his teeth with this morning while the nurse was waiting on him to draw his blood. Desitin people - yuck yuck yuck - I can't believe even a dementia patient as bad as he is couldn't tell it wasn't toothpaste but then again, he used to drink cologne for mouthwash. After a call to poison control, another crisis averted.

I use a folding chair with a 55 gallon bag over it to take a shower (I kneel on it with my right leg that I can't stand on yet). Usually hubs puts it back in the shower after he takes his. Today - nope - he forgot. Said chair fell right in front of the door. So here I am, naked as a jaybird, on my hands and knees, trying to get the door open. Trouble and Nubs decided to help so they crawled over me into the bathroom and thought this was some new game to play with my arm trying to get the chair out of my way. I was accomplishing this a bit until they decided to sit on said chair. Yes, I finally got the door open and the chair into the shower along with 2 kittens who took a shower with me because they love that.

Work wasn't any better. Patients from hell. Patience was shot. Plus no time for lunch and still no coffee. I had decided that since my dear son wouldn't wake up to help me this morning, he didn't deserve to watch any TV or be on the internet. I was able to parental control him on the TV and changed the password to the modem and router but got the tables turned on me when I couldn't get online this evening.

Perfect ending of a very crappy day!