This 'N That

• I had no idea that so much of my scheduling would revolve around the schedules of my 5- and 2-year-olds.
  
• Halloween 2009 netted my kids more candy than you could imagine. So many parties and activities! We definitely got our money's worth out of the costumes this year. One was free, handmade by my aunt about 25 years ago (I bought a $7 hat to complete it) and the other was $6 at a consignment sale.
  
• One had strep throat, the other had a weird stomach/diarrhea thing and both kept me crazy busy. Today, I have this sore throat business, which I know is related to my stuffy head. I'm wondering if I have a sinus infection.
  
• Want to hear something weird/interesting? If you're my friend on Facebook, you've seen my frequent posts lamenting about having pleurisy. Well, I went to the doctor and, besides putting me on Prednisone (yuck! boo!), he did a CT scan. I fully expected him to tell me to stop being a baby and suck it up or something. I mean, when I go to my family doctor, I'm usually told that he doesn't know why I'm having the pain, here try these meds, see you when I see you. So, I kind of expceted that. But, no. No, no, no.
  
  First, he asks if I spend a lot of time in the mountains. And I'm like, doc, we both grew up in southern West Virginia... you LIVE in the mountains. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but growing up, I lived on a hill. One year during a huge snowstorm, the snow drifts were at my hips. I mean, you can't really avoid the mountains here. My parents have had to fight forest fires to keep from getting too close to the house. It comes with the territory.
  
  He said I have calcifications on my lungs, which are basically scars due to me having had histoplasmosis at some point or other. After I scooped my jaw off the ground, I was told that there is really nothing we can do about it. Oh, and there's this one calcification near my main airway that we have to watch because if it ever errodes over into the wind pipe, I could start coughing up blood and would need to get to an ER ASAP.
  
  Yeah, freaky, right?
  
  So now I just keep praying that the pleurisy doesn't come back because HOO BOY did I ever gain weight! And I acquired chipmunk cheeks. Just in time for Christmas family photos. LOVELY! Not to mention it REALLY hurts.
  
• And, at the end of October, I decided to go with a work-from-home opportunity that is pretty promising. I'll start training in about a week through New Year's. I'm excited but nervous. Aaannnnd.... I submitted an application to a teaching program. I'm just throwing all my irons in the fire. Just waitin' to see what God wants me to do.
  
• In the middle of all this, Hubby and I decided to start following Dave Ramsey's Financial Freedom program. Even though I know a budget is in no way a punishment, it really FEELS like it, especially at this time of year. I keep seeing things I want, but don't need and some times it bums me out. I keep trying to focus on the goal of financial security and peace of mind. Today, it's not helping. :-P

I've had lots of thoughts and stuff that I wanted to share over the past month or so, but I have this "helper" who literally climbs on to my lap any time I start typing a lot. And then I just get frustrated and quit. But eventually, I'd like to just write and share.

Busy IRL (In Real Life)

I remember the early days of chatting when people talked about their "real" lives, and we referred to it as IRL. Do people do that anymore? I haven't chatted in forever.

Anyway, Angie over at Not in Kansas has been posting some good stuff. I was particularly struck by something she wrote in this post (it's a short post, so worth the few minutes it takes to read):

"It’s like this (as an example): If I want to be a person who has clean baseboards, I have to come to a DEEP realization that they’re not going to magically get (or stay) clean! SOMEONE has to clean them, and have a plan for WHEN and HOW they’re going to be cleaned."

In the comments section, I told her that we must be living parallel lives, because I'm in the same boat.

Last week, I began my Spring Cleaning. Not an easy feat with two little "helpers" running around, but slowly but surely, I'm getting there. Last week, I focused on the kitchen. I washed walls and cabinets. I cleaned out old medicine that had expired. I still have a few little projects, one being cleaning out the fridge, that didn't get finished because I was out of commission thanks to a mild migraine.

I also have half of the TV/Play room's walls wiped down, but that room needs some intense, deep cleaning, as it's where we spend the majority of our time. Toys need to be gone through and purged. Everything needs to be dusted and I need another package of Magic Eraser to get some scuffs and crayon markings off the walls.

Last night, I watched "Clean House" on the Style Network to inspire me. Nothing gets me inspired to clean and purge like that show! Wowza!

**********

Apart from the cleaning, other things have been keeping us busy. Abbie had her yearly check-ups in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago. Everything is great! Praise God! I tell you, I'm just so thankful what He has done in her life. When I think of what might have been and what is, it's just overwhelming.

Also, my oldest "baby" graduated from preschool this week. Having helped in the planning, setting up and tearing down of the reception, I am pretty much worn out. I also have a pretty good idea of how it will be when she's in school and how few parents want to help with stuff. While I realize that everyone is busy and short on money, if we all did a little bit, the burden wouldn't fall on a few. A mom can hope, can't she?

So, here's to cleaning and purging! And a wonderful summer before the official First Day of School! I hope everyone is finding something to enjoy.

As soon as I can, I'll write more... 'till then, enjoy an iced tea or lemonade!

"Modern" Times?

The story below is real. The link to is is here.

This story is troubling on so many levels. Discrimination, disabilities, government creating a selective society... And we thought those kinds of things were behind us, didn't we?

Australia: No residency for boy with Down syndrome

By TANALEE SMITH, Associated Press Writer Tanalee Smith, Associated Press Writer Fri Oct 31, 4:12 am ET

SYDNEY, Australia – A German doctor hoping to gain permanent residency in Australia said Friday he will fight a decision by the immigration department to deny his application because his son has Down syndrome.

Bernhard Moeller, a specialist physician, came to Australia with his family two years ago to help fill a doctor shortage in a rural area of Victoria state.

His temporary work visa is valid until 2010, but his application for permanent residency was rejected this week. The immigration department said Moeller's 13-year-old son, Lukas, "did not meet the health requirement."

"A medical officer of the Commonwealth assessed that his son's existing medical condition was likely to result in a significant and ongoing cost to the Australian community," a departmental spokesman said in a statement issued Thursday by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

"This is not discrimination. A disability in itself is not grounds for failing the health requirement — it is a question of the cost implications to the community," the statement said.
Moeller said he would appeal the decision.

"We like to live here, we have settled in well, we are welcomed by the community here and we don't want to give up just because the federal government doesn't welcome my son," he told reporters.

Moeller has powerful supporters. Victorian Premier John Brumby has pledged to support the family's appeal, and federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said Friday she would speak to the immigration minister about the case.

Roxon said the case must go through proper channels — an appeal to the Migration Review Tribunal and then the immigration minister — but that "there is a valid reason for this doctor and his family to be eligible to stay here in Australia."

"As a government, we understand the importance of having doctors working in our rural and regional communities and we support them in many ways and continue to do this," Roxon said.
Don McRae, director of clinical services at Wimmera Health Care Group, said the hospital had invested a lot of time and energy in recruiting the German specialist and were very happy when he and his family arrived in Horsham, in central-western Victoria about 100 miles northwest of the state capital, Melbourne.

"We were very surprised by the decision," he said of the immigration department's rejection. "It's distressing for Dr. Moeller's family and distressing for the community who have welcomed him and relied on his medical services."

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has no power to intervene in the case until the review tribunal or a court upholds the department's decision.

The immigration department said it appreciates Moeller's contribution to the community but said it must follow the relevant laws in considering residency applications.

"If we did not have a health requirement, the costs to the community and health system would not be sustainable," the statement said.

More than 150,000 migrants settled in Australia in 2007-08, the department said.

Shortages of medical practitioners in rural parts of Australia have led a number of recent government initiatives to boost the numbers of doctors and nurses nationwide.

What's been keeping me busy...

...other than the kids, is a pretty significant project that affects one of my kids.

I just learned this week that the WV Birth To Three program, which provides therapy services for Abbie (occupational, developmental, speech & physical) is facing a $3 Million shortfall for FY '08-'09. That's not chump change. It's a big deal, especially for families whose services could be affected; however, so far, one of the TV stations covering this story says "services may be cut, families may be wait-listed" and other such explanations with no more feeling in their voice or care on their face than a dead lizard.

The NICU's in Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown are always at capacity. There is even a waiting list for the NICU's. Can you believe that?!?? A waiting list for the NICU's. Good grief!

Where do people think kids who go home after being in the NICU go? I mean, the majority of these kids need follow-up care because being either a premie or sick enough to warrant being in the NICU usually means there's a big enough problem that requires intense follow-up care. For some kids, it's a few months or a few years; for others, that kind of care is a life-long process.

Please go to the link below and watch the video. Please leave comments on the news channel's web page. If you're really feeling like crusading, I encourage you to contact our state Senators and House of Delegates members, as well as the Governor's office.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/17457074.html#

Watch the "Today" Show on Tuesday, April 8th!!!

The guy I talked about in a recent post, Jay, and his wife will be on the "Today" show on Tuesday, April 8th.

Obviously, they'll talk about "The Biggest Loser," but I'm hoping that since his wife will also be with him, that Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome will also be discussed.

How exciting! I already have my DVR set to record it.