I have tried to like the green template, but I just don't. So, I changed it. Don't worry, you're still in the right place for Reasons Why.
I hope that this one works out better for us.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
I feel like an ant
Do you want to hear the most ridiculous story in the world? Sure you do. Well, even if you don't, I feel like "blogging it out," so here goes...
Where do I start? Hmmmmm. Based on certain calculations of events, I think that I am 12 weeks pregnant as of today. Exciting, right? Yes, I am very excited, that is the good news. The bad news is that I have not seen a doctor yet, nor do I have an appointment to do so. Gasp! I must be a horrible mother-to-be. Well, don't judge me so fast, here are my reasons why:
1- I did not have a positive pregnancy test until I was about 7 weeks pregnant. From everything I've read on the internet, this can happen and is totally normal. Thus, delay #1.
2- The positive showed up just three days before I left on an 11 day trip to Moldova. (Btw, I really need to blog about that. It's coming.)
3- Before I left for Moldova, I made an appointment with my primary care physician to see him about getting a referral to an OB. He had no openings until four days after I got home from Moldova. Delay #2. Glad I had a little trip to the other side of the planet planned for that time.
4- After said visit with the primary care doctor (PA actually, but I love him!), the insurance company needed at least 72 hours in which to process the referral. This made me a little impatient, but I kept telling myself that we don't pay a thing for this insurance...Delay #3.
5- Called the insurance company on Tuesday morning to get the name of the OB to which I had been assigned (yes, assigned, don't get me started on that) so that I could finally call and make the magical appointment.
6- I immediately hung up the phone and dialed the number for the OB's office. "Oh sorry, we need 48 hours to process referrals before you can make an appointment," was the unenthusiastic reply of the disinterested person on the other line. Are you kidding me? Does everyone and their brother have to "process" my referral. What does that even mean? Delays #4-6.
7- Fast forward to this morning. I get a call from the office that says I can call one of two of their satellite offices to make an appointment. The referral is finally processed. Hallelujah.
8- I nervously dialed the number for the office closest to my home. Could this finally be it? Would I actually get to schedule an appointment with a real live OB? Not so fast. In so many words I was told that I must attend a class with a nurse and a nutritionist before I can schedule my first appointment. What? What? I uncharacteristically blew a gasket. I told the person on the other end of the phone that this was the worst, most inefficient process I had ever heard of, let alone been a part of. She said that she was sorry, "that's just the way it is." I told her that I am pretty sure I am 12 weeks pregnant and had been waiting for over three weeks to even be able to make this call. Then I decided to apologize. We both settled down and she gave me the direct line of the nurse who does the classes, telling me that maybe I could talk to her personally and make an appointment before I go to the class. This nurse is out of the office until Monday, so please pray with me that it works out that way. I am going to call her at 8 am on Monday, make no mistake about it.
I never imagined that it would take a month to merely make a doctor's appointment.
So, that's the story of why I'm 12 weeks and still don't have a doctor's appointment. It's also the story of why I'm not so sure that socialization of health care would be the best approach in America. And the story of why I feel tiny and insignificant today, much like an ant.
Where do I start? Hmmmmm. Based on certain calculations of events, I think that I am 12 weeks pregnant as of today. Exciting, right? Yes, I am very excited, that is the good news. The bad news is that I have not seen a doctor yet, nor do I have an appointment to do so. Gasp! I must be a horrible mother-to-be. Well, don't judge me so fast, here are my reasons why:
1- I did not have a positive pregnancy test until I was about 7 weeks pregnant. From everything I've read on the internet, this can happen and is totally normal. Thus, delay #1.
2- The positive showed up just three days before I left on an 11 day trip to Moldova. (Btw, I really need to blog about that. It's coming.)
3- Before I left for Moldova, I made an appointment with my primary care physician to see him about getting a referral to an OB. He had no openings until four days after I got home from Moldova. Delay #2. Glad I had a little trip to the other side of the planet planned for that time.
4- After said visit with the primary care doctor (PA actually, but I love him!), the insurance company needed at least 72 hours in which to process the referral. This made me a little impatient, but I kept telling myself that we don't pay a thing for this insurance...Delay #3.
5- Called the insurance company on Tuesday morning to get the name of the OB to which I had been assigned (yes, assigned, don't get me started on that) so that I could finally call and make the magical appointment.
6- I immediately hung up the phone and dialed the number for the OB's office. "Oh sorry, we need 48 hours to process referrals before you can make an appointment," was the unenthusiastic reply of the disinterested person on the other line. Are you kidding me? Does everyone and their brother have to "process" my referral. What does that even mean? Delays #4-6.
7- Fast forward to this morning. I get a call from the office that says I can call one of two of their satellite offices to make an appointment. The referral is finally processed. Hallelujah.
8- I nervously dialed the number for the office closest to my home. Could this finally be it? Would I actually get to schedule an appointment with a real live OB? Not so fast. In so many words I was told that I must attend a class with a nurse and a nutritionist before I can schedule my first appointment. What? What? I uncharacteristically blew a gasket. I told the person on the other end of the phone that this was the worst, most inefficient process I had ever heard of, let alone been a part of. She said that she was sorry, "that's just the way it is." I told her that I am pretty sure I am 12 weeks pregnant and had been waiting for over three weeks to even be able to make this call. Then I decided to apologize. We both settled down and she gave me the direct line of the nurse who does the classes, telling me that maybe I could talk to her personally and make an appointment before I go to the class. This nurse is out of the office until Monday, so please pray with me that it works out that way. I am going to call her at 8 am on Monday, make no mistake about it.
I never imagined that it would take a month to merely make a doctor's appointment.
So, that's the story of why I'm 12 weeks and still don't have a doctor's appointment. It's also the story of why I'm not so sure that socialization of health care would be the best approach in America. And the story of why I feel tiny and insignificant today, much like an ant.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Mid-Afternoon Hamburger
Well, actually, it's only half of a hamburger. And, in the spirit of complete honesty, it's a cheeseburger. From Outback. The arresting thing about this reheated half-cheeseburger is that I'm eating it at 4:30 in the afternoon. As a snack. Me. If you know anything about me, the previous post about carrot soup is so much closer than a cheeseburger to my usual culinary choices. I usually eat salads for lunch and, although I'm not a vegetarian, I try to go several days between meals in which I eat meat. So what on God's green earth am I doing eating this as a snack?
To make a short story a little longer, we got a little surprise on Saturday morning, July 5th-we found out that I'm pregnant! B and I are just delighted by the fact and almost a month later, it is finally sinking in that our little family is growing. The only not-fabulous side effect thus far is that I just cannot seem to keep enough food in my body. This child is not even born yet and it is already eating me out of house and home. I think maybe it's so strange to me because before now, I have eaten, well, nibbled really, at food like a bird. So, the portions that I feel like eating now are like Thanksgiving dinner for every meal to me. I give in and eat like this because I have discovered over the last week that if I don't, I end up severely nauseated. Which is pretty much the worst feeling in the world.
I have decided to look at this like a season of my life and not get stressed about eating too much right now. Life will not be like this forever. One day I will again snack on apples as I play with my little boy or girl. But right now, this cheeseburger sure hits the spot!
To make a short story a little longer, we got a little surprise on Saturday morning, July 5th-we found out that I'm pregnant! B and I are just delighted by the fact and almost a month later, it is finally sinking in that our little family is growing. The only not-fabulous side effect thus far is that I just cannot seem to keep enough food in my body. This child is not even born yet and it is already eating me out of house and home. I think maybe it's so strange to me because before now, I have eaten, well, nibbled really, at food like a bird. So, the portions that I feel like eating now are like Thanksgiving dinner for every meal to me. I give in and eat like this because I have discovered over the last week that if I don't, I end up severely nauseated. Which is pretty much the worst feeling in the world.
I have decided to look at this like a season of my life and not get stressed about eating too much right now. Life will not be like this forever. One day I will again snack on apples as I play with my little boy or girl. But right now, this cheeseburger sure hits the spot!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Carrot Soup
First of all, friends, don't knock it 'til you've tried it. If you're like i was, the thought of carrot soup is not the most appetizing. But my dear friend made some for me one night and it has changed my life and lunches. You see, I love to eat hot things for lunch, which most of the time ends up being soup. Following is the recipe for the most wonderful, beta-carotene-filled soup I've ever tasted. Enjoy!
Meg's Carrot-Ginger Soup
2 lbs. carrots, washed and peeled
1 small lime-sized chunk of fresh ginger, peeled
~2 T butter
4 C vegetable broth
Half and half
After peeling the carrots, cut them into chunks. Mince the ginger. Heat butter in large sauce pan over medium heat until bubbly, then add ginger, stirring until fragrant. About 5 minutes. Then add the broth and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots are soft. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth. (You may have to do two batches.) Blend batches in a bowl with a bit of half and half using a whisk. Serve hot or cold. I like to garnish with cucumbers.
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