Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T00:12:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it’s 2010? Just 10 years ago we spent the evening watching the new millennium cross the world time zones and breathing a sigh of relief when Y2K didn’t take out Europe or the East Coast. Our son was in a high school debate league, so we celebrated with a group of home school friends by taking turns doing impromptu speeches. Not your typical New Year’s Eve celebration, but it seemed to fit the crazy mood of the year.

This year we are home, just hubby and I. We enjoyed crab, champagne, and a movie. The kids left yesterday after spending five wonderful days with us. They flew out last night and had today to prepare for their new tradition: a New Year’s Day chili party. Throughout DS’s years at home, we celebrated the New Year at a hot dog party with friends from our single years. The kids would spend the day watching movie after movie, a rare treat designed to keep them quiet while the adults caught up on a year’s worth of life. Now DS and DIL are creating their own tradition with friends from their single years. And we’ll be eating hot dogs with some “very old (but very dear) people.” Life goes on.

Whether your 2009 was wonderful or terrible, I pray that 2010 be many times better. Decide now that you will love and live life. Every minute of it. Blessings!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T02:35:00.000-08:00

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-6, 10-14)

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. May you be blessed with family, friends, joy, health, and most of all, the love of Jesus, the Incarnate One.

Christmas Tree Memories

2009-12-21T01:52:00.000-08:00

Putting up the Christmas tree has never been my favorite task. In fact, next to taking it down, it’s one of my least favorites. I confess: I’m not a fan of Christmas. Not that I don’t love the carols and lights and even the gifts. But our family and friends have bought in to the American dream Christmas—lots of gifts, lots of entertaining, lots of money, and lots of time. And in the process, I think we miss the Reason for the season. I know that my problem is that I run so fast in my normal life that adding the demands of Christmas stretches my energy and as I get older, my health. So I think that the task of putting up the tree is symbolic of all I dislike about the season.

When DS was living with us, he loved decorating the tree and from the time he was old enough to help, he took on more and more of the responsibility. But now he’s gone and it hardly seems worth the effort. Except that he and dear DIL are coming home for Christmas and they will appreciate it. And expect it.

But this year, I took time to reflect on the meaning of the ornaments—the memories—and the task became so much more tolerable. We’ve always decorated only with ornaments that have special meaning. In the early years my dear MIL made most of our ornaments. She was a crafty one and every year had a new project – needlepoint, beading, lace, wood. She did good work and our tree always had a unique look to it. As I hung those on tree, I thought of her and all she did for us. Yes, sometimes she was annoying, but her heart was good and we miss her. After her death we inherited the traditional ball ornaments that she used on her tree. I had always steadfastly avoided purchased balls, but these are from the 40s and 50s. They remind me of ornaments we had on my childhood tree. Now they hold places on honor on the tree. Memories.

When DS was little, we made a photo ornament of him every year. As I carefully placed them on the tree, I remembered the joy and delight of my little one. He was so cute! Memories. Then came the vacation souvenirs. The reindeer from Montana; the whale from Hawaii; the ceramic animals and straw angels from Mexico; the turtle from the Cayman Islands…. Each one brought back fond memories of precious family times.

Last came the nativity scene. I placed it in its place of honor beneath the tree, surrounded by dozens of angels. Most of the angels also have a story. There are the small fabric angels from a church tea I used to attend. There are the lace angels made by dear MIL. And the lighted porcelain angel that MIL gave me the last year she was with us. So many memories….

We finished the tree, turned down the room lighting, and turned on the tree lights. The little white lights that remind me of Disneyland. The tree almost sang of love and memories Ah, Christmas….

Health Care Vote Scheduled

2009-12-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

Harry Reid has scheduled a cloture vote on his 2000+ page health care bill for – get this – 1:00 AM on Monday, December 21. This after violating the Senate rules on Wednesday when he stopped the reading of the amendment offered by Senator Bernie Sanders. This after closed door meetings with President Obama and recalcitrant Democrats. And what does the bill include now? Who knows? Even Senator Reid doesn’t know. And what will it cost? Who knows? CBO might get it scored by Monday, but can we trust their numbers? Republicans suggest perhaps not. Who will it cover? Who knows? Will it include a public option or coverage for abortion? Who knows?

There’s a huge rush to get this bill passed before Christmas? Why? Who knows? Why the need for a 1:00 am session? Are they hoping the opposition will oversleep? Who knows? The Democrat panic over this bill is palpable as they have refused any Republican input and as they continue to ignore the wishes of the people – at least 56% of whom prefer that Congress do nothing.

This Congress is out of control and in panic mode. Yes, we do need health care reform, but not via a bill that even the author hasn’t seen. This is still America! If you have an opinion, let it be heard before 1:00 am Monday.

Personally, I'm feeling smooshed.

Photo Credit: PicApp.com

Fiction Friday: Shattered Justice

2009-12-18T01:22:00.000-08:00

Shattered Justice by my friend, Karen Ball, isn’t what I’d call Christmas reading, but it is deep, profound, and well written. Buy it for Christmas and read it in January. Karen is one of the best fiction editors in the business, and obviously a great writer as well.

In response to a tragedy in his life, Dan Justice becomes the deputy sheriff the small town of Sanctuary, Oregon, a sleepy village where everyone seems to know everyone else. His children gradually adapt and the family reaches out to a troubled youth. There is even a hint of romance. Then tragedy strikes again, challenging Dan’s fragile faith and sending him into a dark fog. How can he overcome this latest blow to his life? Can Dan find sanctuary in the light of God’s justice?

This book is the first in The Family Honor Series trilogy. I just picked up the second book, A Test of Faith. Can’t wait to read it!

Is Home Care the Answer?

2009-12-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

As Mom’s ability to care for herself at home continues to decrease, one option I’ve been considering is home care. It seems like the perfect intermediate solution between self-sufficiency and assisted living. Having someone come in for a few hours per week or even a few hours per day to help with cooking, cleaning, and personal care would relieve a lot of my concerns. The Boston offers a helpful fact sheet on home care – how to find help, evaluate employees, and pay for the care. Useful reading.

Of course, convincing Miss Independent to accept help is another question. I haven’t figured that one out yet. And the Dems are messing with the Medicare home care option, so we may not have it for long. Always one more challenge...

Photo: PicApp.com

Fiction Friday: Fossil Hunter

2009-12-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

Fossil Hunter, by my friend John Olson, is a wonderful combination of 24, Indiana Jones, and Expelled. When paleontologist Dr. Katie James leads an expedition to search for an ancient whale fossil rumored to be in the Iraqi desert, she has no idea that her archrival, Nick Murad, will be searching for the same fossil. But then Katie makes a groundbreaking discover and is forced to collaborate with Nick to analyze the find before its destroyed by a fundamentalist government faction.

When Nick and Katie’s initial results fly in the face of current scientific theory, it seems the whole world turns against them, including those they thought they could trust. Then the fossil disappears, sending Nick and Katie on a chase that could cost them their reputations, their careers, and even their lives.

Set in contemporary Iraq and in the midst of the intelligent design debate, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat page after page. The characters are round and well developed and the plot is fast moving with more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

Squeezing Good Out of Bad

2009-12-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

Is your life filled with lemons? Perhaps your life is fine, but someone you know is going through hard times. For example, two families in our small group have been forced to sell their homes in this down market. Another has a son in jail. I just learned today that my brother-in-law was laid off last week. And my brother expects to lose his job by the end of the year. My mom has been sick since Thanksgiving. Yep, times are tough for GenSandwichers and just about everyone else. And by all projections, getting tougher.

My friend James Watkins has written a simple little book to offer hope and humor in the midst of the lemons. He shares the top ten ways to squeeze the good out of those life-puckering situations. And Jim is a great guide since he's felt the squeeze of cancer, unemployment, family crises and chronic nose hair. Join him on the journey of making lemonade with hope and humor. You can buy a hard copy or download an electronic version at his website OR, if you’re unemployed, he’s offering a free download!

Can You Find a Medicare Physician?

2009-11-30T01:30:00.000-08:00

As our elected representatives rush toward national health insurance, I keep reading reports of physicians opting out of Medicare. I’m not surprised – Medicare pays physicians considerably less than their costs. Yes, the government expects physicians to lose money providing medical care.

"Government payers, without question, are the worst payers in health care," said John Rivers, president of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. "Medicare shortfalls in hospital payments represent nearly $1 billion in Arizona alone. And those costs ultimately get shifted onto the backs of privately insured individuals in the form of a hidden health-care tax." As a result, the five physicians at the Mayo Clinic in Arrowhead, AZ practice will stop taking Medicare payments for primary-care services, effective Jan. 1, 2010. This will affect about 3,000 seniors. Five doctors have practices at the clinic. Multiply this across the nation and you get an idea of the impact of the monopoly the government already has on health care. This impact will increase over the next few years as the first of the Baby Boom generation, estimated at more than 78 million, begins to turn 65 in 2011 and qualifies for the nation's largest insurance program for seniors. The Medicare Board of Trustees has predicted that the program will be bankrupted by 2017.

This trend is exacerbating another equally disturbing trend. There is a shortage of internists nationally — the American College of Physicians, the organization for internists, estimates that by 2025 there will be 35,000 to 45,000 fewer than the population needs — and internists are increasingly unwilling to accept new Medicare patients.

So here’s the question: have you or your aging parent had difficulty in finding a Medicare physician? If so, how have you solved the problem?

Photo credit: PicApp.com

Fiction Friday: Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana

2009-11-27T00:53:00.000-08:00

After reviewing a number of high-tension books recently, it was fun to read Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss. If you need a book to simply escape for a while, this is it. It’s 1889 and Julia Cavanaugh travels west on the orphan train from New York City to unite orphans in her care with new families. To her horror, she discovers that she's to be "delivered," too—as bride to an uncouth miner! But with no return fare, Julia's options are bleak.   What does God have planned for her on the lonesome prairies of Montana?

Reminiscent of the early Jeanette Oke historical novels, Lonesome Prairie is a sweet, but predictable story. The conflicts are simple rather than life and death. But all in all, it’s an enjoyable and entertaining read.

The authors, Tricia and Ocieanna, have put together one humdinger of a contest for this blog tour! Enter the Fall in Love With Lonesome Prairie Contest and WIN a perty Montana Gift Basket! To enter, simply fill out the entry form, (then tell 5 or more friends about the contest)! The winner will be announced December 14th, just in time for an old-fashioned Montana Christmas. Giddy-up!

The Winner of our ‘Fall in Love with Lonesome Prairie’ giveaway will receive a fantastic Montana Gift Basket, including:

*Winter fleece throw
*Huckleberry chocolate bar
*Paula Dean candle
*Burt’s Bees gift set
*Wild Huckleberry taffy
*Montana stationary notebook
*Montana greeting card set
*Montana ball cap
*Montana apron
*Montana refrigerator magnet
*Charlie Russell 2010 Montana Calendar

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

I'm wishing all of my loyal readers a blessed Thanksgiving today. What are you thankful for today? I’m thankful for:

Jesus, who redeemed me and has given me 34 years of hope
Family, especially a wonderful husband, son and daughter-in-love
America, and the opportunities we still have to live in freedom and prosper
Our Constitution, which provides the framework for freedom.
Abundance, even in this time of recession
A ministry where I see lives changed with great regularity
The opportunity to finally go to seminary!

I pray that whatever your situation today, you will find a way to praise and thank our Heavenly Father for his many benefits. We are still more blessed than any other nation on earth.

Fiction Friday: One Perfect Day

2009-11-20T04:48:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas, my friend Lauraine Snelling, weaves an emotional tale of two mothers, each a stranger to each other, whose lives are changed forever in a single moment.

Nora Peterson is determined to make this Christmas perfect. Next year her twin teenagers will head off to college. Their lives will never be the same. With her husband on a business trip abroad Nora’s nerves are already frazzled when she received news of an auto accident that will not only change the Petersons’ lives forever, but also those of another family whom they’ve never met.

As a nurse, Jenna Montgomery has always struggled with balancing her personal and professional life. Her daughter, Heather, has suffered from a heart defect for most of her life. Now that Heather is twenty and still on the organ transplant list, Jenna must find a way to accept that this is likely their last Christmas together. Then the miracle Jenna has desperately prayed for becomes a reality in an instant and Heather’s health is restored.

While Nora struggles with depression and grief, Jenna discovers that miracles aren’t always easy to receive. As a mother myself, I resonated with the emotions of both mothers in this story—the joys, the sorrows, the worry. It’s a delightful book, especially for this season.

I Feel Whiny

2009-11-18T23:28:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel whiny when dealing with your aging parents? I’m in such a season right now. We were at Mom’s for four days last week. In addition to the usual medical appointments, we dealt with a variety of issues around the house. Calls she has postponed making for at least two months. Paperwork she didn’t know what to do with. Plumbing problems. TV problems. Took a small pile of “stuff” to Goodwill. All in all, it was a busy week. When we got home, Hubby and I were exhausted and of course, way behind on our work.

Add to that Mom’s constant talking about the wonderful sibs who don’t do much for her. It’s a replay of my childhood – do the work, but the others are the favorites. Especially the boys. She had pulled a scrapbook from the first twenty or so years of her marriage, which I read through. It confirmed many of my memories of being the “responsible” one while she became less and less capable as life got more difficult. That triggered a lot of negative feelings.

Tonight when I talked to her, she commented on how my (poor) brothers can’t help much because they work, after all. Hello! I work and go to school. And live the farthest away! But because I’m self-employed, my work isn’t really work. Excuse me? I probably put in more work hours than the brothers, plus school.

Mom has lots of aches and pains that doctors keep trying to address. The reality is that they’re probably more emotional than physical. But if a doctor does something that doesn’t work, or heaven forbid, makes things worse – guess who gets blamed?

OK, I know I’ve never been the favorite – or even 4th favorite. And I know that she’s beginning to skip a mental beat more and more often. And I know that she doesn’t have the social skills and emotional maturity to realize what she’s doing or how it hurts. But darn, I’m tired. I’m discouraged. I’m whiny. I’d just like someone to say, “Good job. Thanks.” I’ll be better tomorrow. I hope….

Photo: PicApp.com

Fiction Friday: Lost Mission

2009-11-13T01:16:00.000-08:00

Provocative. Penetrating. Painful. Lost Mission by Athol Dickson is haunting story that will remain with you long after you’ve read the last page.

What secret legacy awaits deep beneath the barrios and wealthy enclaves of Southern California? In a story that spans from the late 1770s to the present time, we meet:

A Spanish friar compelled to bring the gospel to the Indians of New Spain
An illegal immigrant desperate to feed his family.
A billionaire driven mad by grief.
A pastor in love with the wrong woman.

Only Lupe de la Garza, a humble shopkeeper compelled by God to leave her tiny village deep in Mexico to preach in America, can save them from the ancient evil lurking in a lost mission's ruins, but it will take an act of faith beyond all human power.

An idyllic Spanish mission collapses in the eighteenth century atop the supernatural evidence of a shocking crime. Twelve generations later the ground is opened up, the forgotten ruins are disturbed, and rich and poor alike confront the onslaught of resurging hell on earth. Will the evil that destroyed the Misión de Santa Dolores rise to overwhelm them?

This book is a compelling read. I was both captivated and disturbed from beginning to end. The various threads flowed at several levels, playing with my mind and emotions in the midst of a well-written story. But I realized that Dickson had used the ploy so common in film and fiction today. The protagonist—Lupe—is an illegal alien who broke the law to enter the US in order to preach Catholicism based on an icon to pagan, Protestant America. The Christians in the story are stereotypical--a wealthy man whose grief-decisions are characterized as greedy and a young pastor who breaks the law to serve illegals. I found that approach disturbing and left the book feeling manipulated.

See the other entries on this blog tour at Litfuse.com

But Can You Find a Doctor?

2009-11-10T22:25:00.000-08:00

Saturday night in a rare special session, the Democrat-led House of Representatives passed the Pelosi health care bill in by a slim margin of 220 to 215. This bill, if passed by the Senate, will allow the government to take over approximately one sixth of the American economy. However, that’s not the whole story.

Have you tried to get a doctor for a Medicare patient lately? Increasingly I’m hearing of people having problems even finding a doc who will take Medicare. And if you can’t find a doc, what good will even the best medical insurance do you? A friend experienced this recently. After years of having no health care, she finally got Medicare through Social Security disability. We were thrilled--until she tried to find a physician. You see, since Medicare pays only 80 cents on the dollar, physicians lose money treating Medicare. If they have limited hours available, expensive malpractice insurance, a huge office staff necessary to process the Medicare and insurance requirements… who will they fill a slot with? Since there’s already a physician shortage in many parts of the country, can you blame them for making the best business decisions they can? But if things are bad now, the health care bill will make it worse.

Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, wrote an excellent Wall Street Journal article called The Coming Shortage of Doctors: Our aging population is challenge enough. Try to get an appointment after health-care reform. He mentions several critical points:

• If the doctor shortage is not addressed and health-care reform is signed into law, millions of Americans will likely find themselves able to obtain insurance for the first time—but may be unable to find a doctor without a long delay. Why? Because expanding the number of insured patients but not the number of doctors will only increase the demand for services that already must meet the demands of an aging population.

• Even in the absence of health-care reform, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges, the U.S. will face a shortage of at least 125,000 physicians by 2025, when the number of people over 65 will have increased by about 75% of what it is today—to 64 million from 37 million today.

• Doctors are also aging. By 2020, as many as one-third of the physicians currently practicing will likely retire.

I wish our esteemed lawmakers would understand the problem before they try to “fix” it!

Photo: PicApp.com

Let Your Voice Be Heard. Today

2009-11-06T12:06:00.001-08:00

Reading Guide to the Pelosi Health Care Reform Bill

2009-11-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

Mike Pence is running for Congress in the 6th District of Indiana. He may be one of the few politicians who has actually read the 1990 page Pelosi health “reform” legislation (H.R. 3962) introduced by House Democrats. The following notes were posted on his Facebook page. Today the AMA and AARP endorsed this bill. Speaker Pelosi has scheduled a vote for Saturday morning. Is this the bill you want for yourself, your parents, and your children? Forever? If not, please contact your Representative today.

Page 94—Section 202(c) prohibits the sale of private individual health insurance policies, beginning in 2013, forcing individuals to purchase coverage through the federal government.

Page 110—Section 222(e) requires the use of federal dollars to fund abortions through the government-run health plan—and, if the Hyde Amendment were ever not renewed, would require the plan to fund elective abortions.

Page 111—Section 223 establishes a new board of federal bureaucrats (the “Health Benefits Advisory Committee”) to dictate the health plans that all individuals must purchase —and would likely require all Americans to subsidize and purchase plans that cover any abortion.

Page 122—Section 233(a)(3) requires the Commissioner—the new insurance “czar”—to “issue guidance on best practices of plain language writing”—this from the same people who wrote a 1,990 page health care bill.

Page 183—Section 305(a) gives the Commissioner the power to enlist “appropriate entities” like Planned Parenthood and ACORN to engage in “outreach to specific vulnerable populations” about the bill’s new programs.

Page 211—Section 321 establishes a new government-run health plan that, according to non-partisan actuaries at the Lewin Group, would cause as many as 114 million Americans to lose their existing coverage.

Page 216—Section 322(b)(3) prohibits “any federal funds for purposes of insolvency” from being directed toward the government-run health plan—an anti-bailout provision that may seem implausible given Democrats’ role in advancing legislation to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Page 225—Section 330 permits—but does not require—Members of Congress to enroll in government-run health care.

Page 255—Section 345 includes language requiring verification of income for individuals wishing to receive federal health care subsidies under the bill—while the bill includes a requirement for applicants to verify their citizenship, it does not include a similar requirement to verify applicants’ identity, thus encouraging identity fraud for undocumented immigrants and others wishing to receive taxpayer-subsidized health benefits.

Page 297—Section 501 imposes a 2.5 percent tax on all individuals who do not purchase “bureaucrat-approved” health insurance— the tax would apply on individuals with incomes under $250,000, thus breaking a central promise of then-Senator Obama’s presidential campaign.

Page 313—Section 512 imposes an 8 percent “tax on jobs” for firms that cannot afford to purchase “bureaucrat-approved” health coverage; according to an analysis by Harvard Professor Kate Baicker, such a tax would place millions “at substantial risk of unemployment”—with minority workers losing their jobs at twice the rate of their white counterparts.

Page 336—Section 551 imposes additional job-killing taxes, in the form of a half-trillion dollar “surcharge,” more than half of which will hit small businesses; according to a model developed by President Obama’s senior economic advisor, such taxes could cost up to 5.5 million jobs.

Page 520—Section 1161 cuts more than $150 billion from Medicare Advantage plans, potentially jeopardizing millions of seniors’ existing coverage.

Page 733—Section 1401 establishes a new Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research; the bill includes no provisions preventing the government-run health plan from using such research to deny access to life-saving treatments on cost grounds, similar to Britain’s National Health Service, which denies patient treatments costing more than $35,000.

Page 872—Section 1433 requires the director of food services at nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid to hold “military, academic, or other qualifications” as determined by federal bureaucrats.

Page 1067—Section 1729 requires States to cover incarcerated juveniles previously enrolled in Medicaid after their release “unless and until there is a determination that the individual is no longer eligible.”

Page 1174—Section 1802(b) includes provisions entitled “TAXES ON CERTAIN INSURANCE POLICIES” to fund comparative effectiveness research, breaking Speaker Pelosi’s promise that “We will not be taxing [health] benefits in any bill that passes the House,” and the President’s promise not to raise taxes on families with incomes under $250,000.

Page 1183—Section 1904 provides $750 million in federal funding for a new entitlement program to offer “knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate child behaviors” and “skills [for parents] to interact with their child.” (And this is related to health care how??)

Page 1255—Sections 2231-2235 make veterinary students eligible for up to $283 million in federal scholarship and student loan forgiveness funding. (Why is THIS in this health care bill?)

Page 1432—Section 2531 provides incentive payments to States that enact new medical liability laws—but only if such laws do “not limit attorneys’ fees or impose caps on damages.” (As opposed to the Republican bill that offers serous tort reform.)

Page 1515—Section 2572(b) imposes labeling requirements on all vending machines nationwide, in addition to new mandates by the federal government on all restaurants with more than 20 locations.

Page 1925—Section 3101 creates a new program within the Indian Health Service to provide federal funding for “perpetrators of child sexual abuse who are Indian or members of an Indian household.”

If you would like to read the entire 1,990 pages yourself, you can find the legislation here: (Note: the above notes were posted a few days ago. Page numbers and details may have changed.)

Fiction Friday: The Missionary

2009-11-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday David Eller was an American missionary serving the poor in Venezuela. Today he's an international fugitive.

If you like 24 or Alias, you’ll love The Missionary by William Carmichael and David Lambert. It’s a novel of international espionage with a Christian twist. And it’s a real page-turner.

David Eller rescues impoverished children in Caracas, Venezuela, with his wife, Christie. But for David, that isn't enough. The supply of homeless children is endless because of massive poverty and the oppressive policies of the Venezuelan government.

When the CIA gives David an opportunity to do something more-to heal the disease rather than working on the symptoms-he decides to go for it. But little by little, he falls into an unimaginable nightmare of espionage, ending in a desperate, life-or-death gamble to flee the country with his wife and son.

Was he wrong to resort to the political solution?
And was it really the CIA that asked him to get involved?

Fiction Friday: The Swiss Courier

2009-10-30T01:47:00.000-07:00

It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich. When Joseph Engel, a German physicist working on the atomic bomb, finds that he is actually a Jew, adopted by Christian parents, he must flee for his life to neutral Switzerland. Gabi Mueller is a young Swiss-American woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner to the CIA) close to Nazi Germany. When she is asked to risk her life to safely "courier" Engel out of Germany, the fate of the world rests in her hands. If she can lead him to safety, she can keep the Germans from developing nuclear capabilities. But in a time of traitors and uncertainty, whom can she trust along the way? This fast-paced, suspenseful novel takes readers along treacherous twists and turns during a fascinating--and deadly--time in history.

This book reads like an episode of “24,” (which I love, BTW). It starts out innocently enough, and then like a roller coaster, takes the reader on twists and turns, switchbacks and dead ends. Being impossible to put down, it’s responsible for far too many late nights for this writer. I was particularly impressed with the detailed historical details. It’s well researched, making it feel quite authentic. If you enjoy mysteries, suspense or historical stories, you’ll love The Swiss Courier. I sure hope there's a sequel!

I’m delighted to be part of the Swiss Courier blog tour, sponsored by Litfuse. Check out other tour stops here.

Pelosi Reveals House Health Care Bill

2009-10-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled the house version of health care reform – all 1990 pages of it. She claims the measure will cover 96 percent of Americans once fully phased in, and it includes the much-debated government option. But it also carries a $1 trillion price tag over 10 years. She expects to bring it to the floor next week. She pays for "reform" by cutting seniors' care, raising costs for small businesses and taxing middle-class Americans. It still covers abortions and probably covers illegal aliens. From a quick skim-through, it looks like it covers everything for everyone while disguising the real cost by moving a huge spending provision ($200 billion) to a stand-alone bill and claiming it's not related to health care reform. The whole bill has been written behind closed doors with no input from Republicans or the American people.

You can download a copy of the bill here. You have until early next week to read it. If you care about your own health care, or that of your parents and children, you need to start calling Washington. Happy reading.

Health Care Bill Being Negotiated in Secret

2009-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Does it bother anyone else that the health care bill is being crafted by three senators and a handful of White House officials, with no input from the Republican leadership? The Washington Times offers an excellent article today exposing the refusal of the Democrats to allow any participation by the Republicans. The closed door approach also leaves out the American people, who will be affected by whatever eventually passes.

Remember how during the campaign, candidate Obama promised the ultimate in transparency? For example, he told a town hall audience in Chester, Va., in August 2008,

"I'm going to have all the negotiations around a big table," "We'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies. And so, that approach, I think, is what is going to allow people to stay involved in this process."

Well, that’s not quite what’s happening and whether you voted for him or not, this ought to concern you. So far, the only parties to the Senate discussion are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana, and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, who led the work on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee bill. White House officials seen attending the meetings include Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, health care "czar" Nancy-Ann DeParle, and Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget. Republican leaders have been summarily uninvited, and no bill has been posted for either the American people or the rest of the Congress to review.

Folks, this is not how government should be conducted. This bill will affect one sixth of our economy and every American (and more than a few illegal’s). If you're my age, the outcome is going to affect you, your aging parents, and your children and grandchildren. It will contain something that everyone will hate, and little that most of us will like. If you agree, be sure to write your representatives and express your outrage. If you are anywhere near the Tea Party route, consider showing up with your sign. You can find a schedule here.

Fiction Friday: Daisy Chain

2009-10-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

Daisy Chain is perhaps an unusual book to start off Fiction Fridays. At multiple levels, it isn’t an easy read. It’s complex, literary, and heartbreaking. It’s also a book with more truth than many of us want to believe. It’s a story of many questions, many layers, and few answers. But it’s worth the effort to read.

The location: Defiance, TX.
The year: 1977.

Jed Pepper and Daisy Chance are best friends. In fact, Daisy’s decided that 14-year old Jed is going to marry her. Then she goes missing. Suddenly, immediately after they’ve left their usual meeting place: the church. Jed knew he was late and in trouble, so he didn’t walk her home. Now she’s disappeared and he’s the last one to see her. And her last words were, “You’ll regret it…”

Now he feels guilty. Confused. He’s investigated. Meanwhile, life at home is unpredictable. Unfair. Abusive.

Weeks pass. No word from Daisy. Life goes on. The investigation turns up nothing. Jed copes. Sort of. And he never gives up hope, even when everyone else does.

This book is haunting and challenging, but the complex characters make it well worth the read. My only complaint is that many of the story lines don’t resolve. There are loose ends that will hopefully be addressed in the next two books – and the second one, A Slow Burn, just came out. It’s in my stack and I can’t wait to read it!

Introducing Fiction Friday

2009-10-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

I’ve been receiving a lot of fiction books lately, so starting tomorrow, I’m starting something new: Fiction Friday. At the end of a busy week, we all need a respite. I’m finding that reading a chapter or two of fiction refreshes my mind and lets me think about more pleasant things than caregiving, aging, health care, and all the other heavy topics we deal with here. I hope you’ll enjoy some of my reviews and that you’ll be motivated to pick up a good book and relax for a bit.

Photo Credit: PicApp

Time to Sign up for Medicare

2009-10-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

My hubby turns 65 in December and we’re way behind. Between his summer of medical problems, his recent surgery, and caring for Mom, we haven’t even begin to look at his Medicare options. Frankly, we don’t want to. We have good insurance. We’ve had it for 30 years. We like it. We don’t want to change. But apparently he’s required to move to “the government option” at 65, regardless of his choices. So we need to do some quick work, learning the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage (which BTW is under attack from Congress and may not be here next year).

Of course, all of this could be a moot point in a year if the Democrat-run Congress has its way. Within a year or so we’ll all be under the public (read: government) option fighting for access to underpaid physicians. And seniors will be the least served as the government takes a reputed $450 billion from Medicare over the next ten years to provide services for a mere 16 million more people, including (yes, Joe Wilson was right), illegal aliens.

But enough whining. What’s your experience? What should we do? What are the stumbling blocks? What do we need to be aware of? I remember the debacle of trying to understand Medicare Part D for my stepdad. Never did really conquer that one. Now we need Parts A, B, and D. And C? And J? I just read Nearly 65? Time for the Medicare Maze and cringed. It’s a good overview, though, and offers links to other helpful resources. Guess I’d better get busy… Help!

Photo Credit: PicApp

Being a Hospital Advocate

2009-10-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

This has been one of those weeks. My hubby had lung surgery on Tuesday. It went well and he came home today. But it’s been a while since I’ve sat at the hospital for a week. Last time was the week before my stepdad passed away. This, of course, was not as intense. The surgery was serious with some unknowns, but all went very well.

One thing I learned (again) is how important it is have a healthy advocate in the room with the patient. I was able to stay aware of all of his meds, treatments, and instructions. He seemed to be groggy and not tracking well for several days. They would tell him something and 20 minutes later he was asking me what he was supposed to do. I’m sure that the anesthesia stays in the system for a few days, but whatever the cause, he really wasn’t tracking.

It’s also important that the healthy person is a little pushy. Assertive. Alert. For example, they had him on a liquid diet for several meals after the doctor had changed him to regular. Somehow the instructions didn’t make it to dietary. He’s diabetic who controls his levels with medications. They were giving him insulin with every meal – meals that were full of carbs and sugar. I was able to advocate for a better diet, get a dietary consult, and get meals substituted. I was able to ask about the meds they were giving him and question why he needed some of them. Or get the one that upset his stomach changed to something else. Yesterday a phlebotomist came in and prepared to draw several vials of blood. The nurse and PT were there, but no one questioned it. I did. Why did they need more blood? After I started asking questions, the nurse asked who had ordered the test and the PT started looking at the paperwork. Oops. Wrong patient…

This is in no way to criticize the care Hubby received. It was generally excellent. He had some amazing nurses and other caregivers. But the reality is that they are very busy. They move fast. They keep a lot in their heads. Errors happen. So it’s up to you to learn all you can and advocate for your loved one.

How do you do that?

Read as much as you can about your loved one’s condition. Some reliable sites for good info include Mayo Clinic, Medline, and WebMD.
Ask questions. If you don’t understand the answer, ask more questions.
Keep good notes. A binder is helpful. You’ll be prone to forget or get confused, especially if your loved one is going to be there for a while or if his case is complex. You may be the only caregiver who has the whole picture.
Write down the names of the people serving you and know what they do. Don’t ask the RN to clean up the mess in the bathroom or the physical therapist to change a medication.
Learn the hospital routines. When are meals served? When does your doctor make rounds? Is there an ice machine or refrigerator with gelatin and puddings that you can get for your loved one? Are they measuring fluids—input and output?

Yes, it's a challenge. But I have faith. You can do it.

Photo: PicApp