Health Care for All

I have been following the health care debate and have some links I'd like to share.
http://www.americanhealthcarereform.org/
has lots of links itself, is for single-payer medicare for all. I'd just like to mention that I have been on medicare for about 14 years and it works just fine. The prescription drug part, part D, has a few problems that could use fixing but overall it is a great program. I'd really like to hear more medicare recipients coming forward to say, this is government run health insurance, and it works for me!
there is going to be a march on Washington for single payer on July 30. Info here:
http://www.democrats.com/node/19877
One of the speakers at the rally will be a favorite author of mine Barbara Ehrenreich, she's most famous in the triangle for her book Nickled and Dimed, because when it was assigned as the reading for the freshman class at UNC a few years ago the conservatives freaked out and had a big ole hissy fit.
We were talking about how the world has changed and in order to keep the population healthy it is important for people to be able to go to the doctor when they aren't well. I just read that McDonald's had a hepatitis scare, that one person may have infected thousands. The people who think that their money and their health insurance and their good jobs have them protected are not thinking about all the unprotected people they come in contact with. The only way for anyone to be healthy is for everyone to be healthy.

Ocean Breezes

We have returned from a lovely few days in Myrtle Beach, SC. Or as one of our friends so charmingly called it - the Redneck Riviera. I did a lot of research before we went, and I think we were fairly satisfied with where we stayed - The Breakers hotel right on the grand strand. It had a water park with a lazy river that was a big hit. We really enjoyed the ocean too - we had some nice calm water. We were also close to the Broadway on the Beach which is shops and restaurants. We enjoyed drinks and nachos outside at the bar at the Hard Rock Cafe. We were able to take in the live band and still make the fireworks at 10 pm.
The pyramid design reminded us of the coliseum in Memphis,TN where we saw the Grateful Dead in the spring of 1995. No trip to Myrtle Beach would be complete without a game of putt putt golf. This time we tried out Mount Atlanticus, which has to be the climbingest putt putt ever! It was pretty cool - I am just out of shape for all the steps - and when you get to the top there is a good view.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I've been having some technical difficulties here lately, and I haven't posted in a while. I need to catch up on some things. Not only did the nation have a birthday, but we had a family one too - though we still haven't celebrated it. Happy Birthday to my Auntie - we will get together soon! We have been feeling pretty celebratory (and relieved) that my husband passed his Big Test - he is now CCNA certified - so he can apply for better jobs. Congratulations honey.
We have been considering a beach vacation and have been doing a lot of comparing on NC beaches to Myrtle Beach which is just over the line in SC. I really don't want to take our money to SC, in light of Sanford, but when you compare what the regions have to offer for a 12 year old, it is pretty overwhelming. I have been wondering why no one is trying to compete at all- I mean the only putt putt at Atlantic Beach just closed last year. As far as I know there aren't any hotels with water park features in NC, they are all the rage in Myrtle. I suppose one thing is that you just get the glomming effect - development breeds development. Still I think it is weird that no one is trying to draw away any of the people who go there with a little boost in development here.
Not that I don't like our undeveloped, natural beaches, I'm talking small in comparison to Myrtle.
Just Something More for kids, maybe a little more classy night life. Anyone?
These thoughts are the result of an exhaustive search of the Myrtle Beach hotels to determine where would be best to stay. We have a lot of criteria: affordability, beachfront, water park, good reviews, and strangely difficult to find: internet. And in our price range you have to check for amenities like fridge, microwave, even coffeemaker. I think it would be very easy to end up disappointed, we had to really examine places to feel like we knew what we were getting - and of course, we haven't gotten there yet! We were left wondering how people did this before the internet. However it was, it was probably faster!

The Lessons of Chronic Illness

This is something I have been meaning to write about for a while, but it is a tough topic because these are things I'm still working on. Particularly the first thing, which is, listen to your body. In order to take care of our bodies we have to understand what they need. We have to stop pushing our bodies to do what we are willing them to do, but do what they need - eat well, exercise, rest when we are tired.
Learning about your condition may seem obvious, but sometimes it is easier to research other people's ailments than your own. It is important though, because otherwise you are dealing with a big scary blob - you need to understand so you can fully participate in your health care decisions. Which leads me to the next extremely important thing. Put together a really good team of Doctors - and talk to them. I cannot stress enough how vital it is to have doctors you feel good about. Once you have these people in place you have to remember to tell them the problems you are having. A good thing to do is to keep a notebook where you can write down any questions you have before appointments, and also take notes at appointments. Another helpful thing can be a symptom diary.
Returning to the internet, there are some great blogs out there that offer support - I find that it doesn't matter really if we share the same illness, it is the experience of illness. Some of my favorites are on the right side.
Find something you enjoy, that you can do even if you aren't feeling well. I used to do a lot of coloring back when I was taking a lot of pain meds and I wasn't reading much. (Very Adult designs with watercolor markers - no crayons, thank you!) Then I got into collage because I could do it in bits and pieces while Marley napped....The point is there is something you can do that will give you pleasure you just need to figure out what and do it - because you deserve some pleasure.