Sunday, October 26, 2008

Costumes

Mr. & Mrs. Kennedy



Captured in black and white

Saturday, October 18, 2008

So Come on

As much as I hate to admit it, I really love the newly acquired apple product here at the DeMeglio household.

A few months ago Rodney was pretty persistent about getting a mac mini to hook up to the tv. He said it would be great because we could use our iPhones to control iTunes from anywhere in the house and we could also use our iPhones to control movies on the hard drive. His main argument was that it would be super easy for me to just turn a movie on for Rylee from anywhere I happened to be in the house.

I was skeptical. Do we really need this? We already have so many little gadgets around here, was this one really necessary? We both have laptops, iPhones, we have a desktop computer in the office, several iPods, playstation this and nintendo that's...why on earth did we need this?

Anyway, I caved and we the new little computer is sitting nicely underneath the tv.

I kind-of love it.

As I sit here watching every single cake I've ever made pop up on the screen, listening to The Shins, I admit to myself that I love it. I use it frequently. It's especially nice when I am working in the kitchen, on a day like today.

Shh, don't tell Rodney.

Oh, lately he's campaigning for a wireless keyboard/mouse.

Boys.


*I promise more of an updated post later. We went to the fair, dressed Rylee up like a Geisha and took 3 year old pictures this week!

Friday, October 3, 2008

The post

Alright, it's time for me to use this blog for what's intended to be.

I've been hesitant to voice my opinion on political matters in this forum and in social forums lately because I've been nervous about the response I would get. Even though it all still bothers me a bit, it's time for me to suck it up and hope that the people who disagree with me know that it is only my opinion - it doesn't change who I am as a person.

That being said, there are a couple of points I would like to make...

I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of election day. It's time for change in this country, time for real change. I'm hoping that with this election, people will wisen up.

1)

I don't think religion and politics go together. I am a young, Christian woman but I base my political decisions on who I align with more on the issues. The best example I can give to support this is in the issue of abortion. Do I agree with abortion? Not necessarily. Do I feel like it should be up to me to decide what is best for someone else? No, not at all. Do I feel like abortion is the main issue in this country that we need to resolve? Absolutely not. I don't think how I feel religiously should affect how I see a person who is running for office. I look at the person, what they want to do if elected, how it will effect me and my family. Religion is not a factor in balancing budgets, taxes, housing crisis', health care...

2)

For me, healthcare is up there on the list of important issues. I want someone who at the very least, will attempt to change the dismal face of what is going on here. So many of us can't afford gas or even food right now, what makes you think we can afford healthcare? Not even good healthcare either. Overpriced and unfair healthcare.

My father in-law recently had to make a trip to the ER for a heart attack. He was admitted into the CCU for 4 days. They had to take a scope into his heart and look at the damage and unclog some arteries. He had to stay in recovery for a few days afterward. The insurance company has denied his claim stating that his trip to the ER for a HEART ATTACK (in which the doctors told him if had waited much longer, he wouldn't have made it) was not necessary and not pre-approved. You tell me how you are supposed to get a heart attack pre-approved.

When I quit my job to stay home with Rylee, we lost my awesome insurance that I had through the CU. We went to self-pay. Rylee had tubes put in her ears just before I quit at 7 months old. We did this because we knew that no other insurance would cover that expense. When we went to self pay we were told that there would be a FIVE year waiver put on her for any type of respiratory problem. That means for the next 5 years of her young life she would not be covered for colds, ear infections, sinus infections, sore throats, allergies, strep throat, tonsillitis, upper respiratory infections or the flu. So yeah, pretty much anything that every kids gets from year to year during those first few years, she would not be covered for. Coming off of the a first 6 months of constant illness, this scared me to death. She had 6 double ear infections in 3 months. She had her first ear infection at THREE WEEKS OLD. She had been diagnosed with severe allergies when she was 5 weeks old. At that same time she also had to be taken to the hospital for a fever of 104 - where she had two catheters, chest x-rays, blood drawn, an IV, and a spinal tap. She started using a nebulizer at 3 months.

Imagine how I felt finding out that the company we were switching to, the company that we would be paying $130/month for Rylee ALONE after going from 2 incomes to 1 ... was not going to cover any major childhood illnesses.

For the first few months, I held my breath every time she had a sniffle or a runny nose. The tubes definitely helped and we were extremely grateful for that. After one week of having the tubes and me being at home with her, she no longer needed breathing treatments. By the time she was 1, we were able to stop the allergy medication (I had ordered months worth when I still had my insurance through the CU before I quit). Then in April of 2007, 8 months after I quit my job, it happened. She got sick. Very, very sick. She had an extremely high fever and we had no option. We had to take her to the doctor. It was Monday. They did a throat culture and said she didn't have strep or an ear infection. We were given a prescription for Omnicef and sent on our way. By Wednesday there was no change in her fever and she was just as lethargic and sick as before, if not more. I took her back into the office. They did another throat culture and discovered that she did have strep - and a double ear infection to boot. They resolved to give her two rounds (shots) of rocephin. They wanted me to come back in Thursday for two more and once again Friday for two more.

A few weeks later we received our bill for those 4 visits to the doctors office. It was well over $2000. Our doctor was gracious enough to discount as many things as she could, bringing the bill to $1200.

We had to pay $1200 for two ear infections and a case of strep throat.

This is not the worst thing you've heard when it comes to problems with health care but for us, it was pretty bad. We were beginning the house buying process and did not need anymore added expenses.

We live in fear of having to go to the ER. I'm pretty sure Rylee and I both have a $5000 deductible.

Healthcare is the most important issue to me (though the economy is probably tying it right about now) and I don't know why it isn't more important to other people. There are people who need medicine and can't afford it, people whose kids are not properly immunized or well checked. There are people stressing out because they can't afford antibiotics, can't have life-saving surgeries. This is not how we should be living. People shouldn't be turned away from hospitals due to the type of insurance they have or for not having insurance.

I don't know what the best way to fix the healthcare crisis is.

But here's what I do know. Giving a $5000 tax credit is not it.

3)

Sarah Palin.


Of course, I want to address this. Of course I have to say something regarding this issue.

I want more than anything for a woman to take a high ranking political position. I think it would be such a progression and step away from the past. It would be wonderful to have a woman as VP.

But not this woman.

This is not the woman we want to be second in command of the free world.

But you know, I think what bothers me most is the fact that there are people out there who actually think they are being forward-thinking, liberal, and partly feminist by endorsing her.

This woman is a political pawn. We all know that she was not John McCain's first choice, does anyone really believe that she was? Choosing her was a strategic move to gain votes from Hilary's supporters.

This woman has no clue how to run this country and it's evident every time she opens her mouth. I don't know if I've even heard a straight answer come out of her mouth. It's all talking around the subject, off the subject but never actually about the subject. She even stated that she wouldn't be answering all of the questions the moderator gave her last night. HELLO?!?!?!?!?!

Her foreign policy experience comes from the fact that Russia is near Alaska. I know we all had to see that interview and if that didn't slap you in the face, please, allow me.

I could probably go on and on about this subject matter for days on end. I'm praying for change. I'm praying that Americans will wake up and realize that we have been going in the wrong direction for the last 8 years and it's time turn and go the other way. We definitely don't need to continue down the same path that we have been heading. And if anyone really, truly believes that the last 8 years have not been some of the most shameful and awful years in this country's history...

Look around. We're in crisis mode. Financial crisis, healthcare crisis, work force crisis, gas crisis ... and I for one, cannot take it any longer.

I don't expect people to agree with me. I don't expect people to think anything except what they already do. I hope that the people out there who don't agree with me understand that these are only my opinions. Just as I understand that their opinions are that as well.

Tomato, Tomahto.