4 more days

Four more days until the Britney Spears concert. I'm so so so excited.

We bought the tickets so long ago that it's kind-of slipped my mind and just yesterday I realized it was actually time to get excited.

We never ever get a babysitter. It seems like everywhere we go, we just take the kids with us. It's always been that way, but this night - we're going all out - babysitter and all.

I've been listening to all her music making sure I know all the words so that I can sing at the top of my lungs :)

Sweet Don is going with me. What a trooper. Of course, Britney will be nearly naked and she is back to her pre-baby(s) body, so it's not like he's enduring much. But, I still appreciate that he got the sweet hook-up for tickets and is coming with me since he knows I love Britney so much.

If I make the news, or the fan page, you'll be the first to know.

NOT HAPPY w/ HEALTHCARE

I'm a little miffed right now. This has not been the greatest week in Click Healthcare History.

Here's the 30 second summary:

Monday - Avery throws up in Target. Yes, I said, in Target ... not in Target's bathroom. The most puke I've ever seen come from a child, btw.

Tuesday - I leave for a 3 day work trip. Don stays home with Avery (who also has diarrhea) - Piper goes to school. Pediatrician won't see Avery. Says it's a stomach bug, so no need to come in. I didn't know the doctor could "not" see us. I was "not" happy. (PS - I miss our Franklin pediatrician SO much!!!)

Wednesday - 6:45 AM Don calls to tell me that now he's throwing up and has diarrhea. He and Avery are dueling banjos at this point. Both drag Piper to school. Thank goodness we live close.

Thursday - I pull into town and go straight home to bleach the entire house (Don/Avery still sick) BEFORE I get Piper from daycare. As I'm pulling into our street, daycare calls - Piper's throwing up and has diarrhea.

Friday - Send Avery back to school. Don's still sick, Piper's still sick. I stay home to get everyone uncontaminated. Around 3:00 PM, Piper quits throwing up/diarrhea and starts running a fever. WHAT??? Where did this come from? With that, she starts this deep cough (think 70 year old man that has smoked for 67 years.)

Saturday - Doctor finally agrees to see Piper. She prescribes a breathing treatment for which we have to rent a machine. Can't find a place to rent a machine.

Sunday - Finally figure out that Kroger rents machines. Start Piper on treatments.

Today - Everyone is back to work and school. Hallelujah.

Tomorrow - Don gets the epidural with steroids in his back to help alleviate the pain he's had (since January 8) from the herniated nerves.

UNTIL .....

Don gets a call from the surgery center. He happens to ask what the co-pay will be. (Our policy says that if it is an out-patient PROCEDURE, then the co-pay is $50. If it is an out-patient SURGERY, the co-pay is $500. Big difference.) It's $500. I'm not kidding.

This is especially not cool since we already KNOW that we've reached our $1,000 deductible getting MRIs, X-rays, etc, getting prepped for this PROCEDURE. I'm waiting for the bills to start rolling in on that.

Here's the catch: Don's deal tomorrow is a PROCEDURE, but because he's having it done in a SURGERY CENTER - we're expected to pay the SURGERY co-pay. Seriously.

Needless, to say, he immediately called the doctor to see if we could schedule this PROCEDURE at a different place, but they are out to lunch. Of course.

Pray for this to be sorted out. That Don can get the treatment and that we don't have to rob a bank to pay for it.

Oh, and Aetna ... you can suck my foot. We're not friends anymore.

Don's Neck Trauma

Don's had some horrible neck problems lately. It started on January 8, and as of today, he has still not gotten any relief. He's been to a Family Practitioner, who then sent him to a Neurological/Orthopedic Surgeon. 4 co-pays, a set of x-rays, and an MRI later (not to mention the LOAD of drugs he's been prescribed) - he's still in pain.

Yesterday, we got word that he will need to have four weeks of Physical Therapy and three deep injections of cortizone in his neck (OUCH!!!) Should the PT not work, then the only other option will be surgery. We're praying hard for the therapy to effective and provide some immediate relief. As is usual for us -- the therapists are on vacation this week, so it will be Monday before Don can even be evaluated!!!

Bless his heart ... I hate to see someone I love in pain. He's been pitiful.

Scarfing Day Two and Words of Wisdom

It's Day Two of "The Year of the Scarf". Yesterday I did a video blog about it. (If you are reading this on Facebook, follow my "real" blog at http://stephanieclick.blogspot.com to see the video!)

Here's a pic of Day One


Now, Day Two (notice that it's tied differently ...) Thanks again to my scarf blogging friends for the plethora of ideas on different ways to tie :)


... and here are my words of wisdom today. They come from my husband, who as usual, is
speaking to me about doing more things for myself. (It's on my list of New Years Resolutions, but it's still an everyday struggle.) My reply to Don was, of course, that there is so much to do at work, home, with the kids, and with him, that I'm worn out by the time I have a chance to do anything for myself ... this conversation was taking place via email and this is what he replied ...

"You know how when you're on an airplane and they're going over the safety rules and they get to the air mask part? They say 'place your own mask on before you assist others, including children.' Make sure your air mask is on before you put on ours...."

Those words have stayed with me all day. I think I'm gonna see if Michael (my flight attendant brother-in-law) can get me a mask that I can hang in my closet to remind me of this statement.

Thanks Don! That's why I love you.

Hysterical

I had to blog about this picture today. To me, it's the funniest of our whole trip. We stood in a short line to pull on the sword. It's important to note that everyone in front of us was a child. I'm sure that these kids saw this giant of a man and thought "surely he'll be able to get the sword out of the stone".

... on the other hand, perhaps I should have taken the picture from the other direction. They might have been thinking "Look how hard he's pulling on that sword. Should we tell him that it's not real?"

HBD Don and A List of Character

Happy Birthday, Don!
First of all, I'll have to say that I can't believe you are 40. If you're 40, then I have to be ... well, let's not even talk about that! ... Happy Birthday to the best husband in the world - my best friend, my soulmate, the person that takes care of me - keeps me safe, makes me laugh, and shares every up and down in my life. You are the best and I love you unconditionally ... Happy Birthday!

I read this list today and thought it spoke to the person that I strive to be everyday. And, moreover, it spoke to the kind of people that I want to surround myself with.

I want to be a person ...

Who cannot be bought;
Whose word is their bond;
Who puts character above wealth;
Who possesses opinions and a will;
Who is larger than my vocation;
Who does not hesitate to take chances;
Who will not lose my individuality in a crowd;
Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;
Who will not make compromise with wrong;
Whose ambition is not confined to my own selfish desires;
Who will not say I do it “because everybody else does it;”
Who is true to my friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as prosperity;
Who does not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;
Who is not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;
Who can say “no” with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says “yes.”


Till next time!

Thank Goodness It Was Hump Day!

This week has been a blur. For many reasons, all of which are valid. It seems that at work, I don't even get a chance to catch my breath. I look up and it's 5:10PM!!! That's pretty much everyday! Then, at home, ... well, lets start with by the time I fight traffic and pick up the kids - we don't get home until 6:30. Then dinner must be made and kids entertained (thank goodness for the Disney channel and Toon Disney!). By the time the kids eat - usually 7:45 - 8:00PM, I'm too tired to eat. Put the kids to bed at 9:00 PM ... do whatever I have to do (only those things that are a necessity) and get in the sack around 11:00 PM.

I know that I'm not singing a new song. I'm fairly confident that most mom's feel like this, especially if they work outside of the home. And, I am OVERLY blessed with an extremely helpful husband .... but, it's marching band season so he's gone until November.

Literally.

Monday night - Don at random school #1 - home at 8:45pm

Tuesday night - Don at random school #2, then random school #3 - home at 10:00pm

Wednesday night - Don at random school #4 - home at 11:00pm

Thursday night - Don at random school #1 on "A" weeks, or random school #5 on "B" weeks - home at 8:45

Friday - Sunday - we get to have him at home while he prepares for these 5 school for the upcoming week :)

Don leaves for work at 5:45ish every morning. It is so far beyond me - who needs 10 hours of sleep a night - to know how he is making it! Truly by the grace of God is all I say.

I certainly appreciate his sacrifice. Sacrificing his sleep, sacrificing the time with his kids, or heck, just time to do little things like watch TV or lounge on the couch.

But, we get to go on our first family vacation in December. We usually vacation wherever some various marching band or drumline contest happens to be held and then we stay a day or two on the flip side! We've been to exotic destinations like Dayton, OH and New Albany, IN to name a few :)

I have a wonderful husband. I don't tell him enough ... he's very appreciated (and loved)!