No Wonder People Can't Afford Medical Care

I recently "broke up" with my long term Dr. She just was too conservative and was not handling my medical problems.

I called & let them know that I need to have my medical records copied & sent to my new Dr. I was informed that it would be $83.00. When I expressed my surprise at that number the receptionist quoted a Michigan statute that said this was legal. I replied by telling her that just because it was legal, doesn't mean it's ethical.

It's $25.00 for the first so many pages then 58 center per page after that! When I complained that this better be copied onto gold paper, she said that I was really paying for her time. That's when I pointed out that most copy machines run about 100 copies per minute.

The next excuse was that it's not her time copying it, it's her time to take a medical record apart & put it back together properly, so that's what I'm really paying for. I told her that we were in luck! I'm a medical coder & have worked in a hospital. I have experience. I would be glad to come into their office, take apart my record, copy it & then re-assemble it properly. I'd even bring my own paper. Surely we could work out a deal where I just pay for the copier toner...

No go. In our now familiar thrust & parry routine she told me it would be a HIPPA violation. Au contraire mon frere, no HIPPA violation at all since I'd only be dealing with my medical record.

Wearily she said that it's just not something they could do. I replied with, yes of course, they could do it, they just choose not to.

Obviously I paid the ransom for my medical records. I think what really irked me about the whole thing is how she kept coming up with excuses. It would have been much more palatable is she just would have said, yeah, I know it's a lot, but that's what the Dr. charges.

"You'll Be Like The 500 Pound Women"

Let's file this under things a husband should not say to a chubby wife, shall we?

Due to our bathroom remodel (that will hopefully be done by 2010), we have had to sleep on the fold out bed on our sunporch. The plumbing access to our bathtub is in our bedroom closet, so all of the closet things are on our bed.

Tonight Chris cleared off our bed & I was saying that I would miss sleeping here on our sunporch. It's where I spend almost all of my time here during the day so it was kind of cozy to sleep here too. Then he said it.

Chris, "You'll end up like one of those 500 lb. women."

Me, jaw hanging open...

Chris, "Well, I mean, you'll just stay in the bed down here, using your computer, eating all of your meals here..."

Me, eyes of death, boring into Chris.

Chris, "Well you know..."

Me, "You should really stop talking now."

Chris, "I'll just stop talking now."

Are they really that obtuse??

June Must Be Drunk Again!

The very first mommy-blogger that I fell in love with is June Cleaver After A Six-Pack.

June, or Cris as she is sometimes called, is a natural blonde with perky boobs, with 4 beautiful children & a hunky hero hubby, Carl, who has been halfway across the world keeping us all safe.

Oh, and did I mention that she has spent years homeschooling these children? Hmm, almost makes me feel guilty for shoving mine out the door so quickly every morining. I personally think she's a saint & deserves at least a 12 pack.

Carl is home for a couple of weeks R&R, so June is taking a little time to, uh, you know, rest. Since she will have a little less time for blogging while he's home she was recruiting stories from some of her fans.

I am proud to say that today, the humiliating story of my grocery store/underwear incident is prominently feature on her blog.

Why don't you stop by & say hi to June & all the Cleaver gang. While you're there don't forget to send them cyber hugs for being a brave military family in today's crazy world!

I R Tiny Kitteh

The oldest pet here in Mimi-ville is Chloe. Say hello Chloe.



Chloe is fat full-figured. I, myself, happen to be on the plump side. I was very skinny (size 0 or 2) up until I got pregnant for the first time. I am still struggling to lose that baby weight. (Yes it does too, still count even if my first baby is almost 17!)

There is not a day when I do not realize that I am chubby. Chloe on the other hand seems to have no issues with her size. She is quite good at wedging herself into things that are really too small for her.




I hate having my picture taken if I think I will look fat. As you can see, Chloe has no issues exposing her shortcomings, or largecomings as this photo with her belly shows!



She is so unfazed, she just went back to her rigorous schedule of napping.



O.K., cute chubby kitten aside, what is my point, you may be asking...

My point is this. While I realize that Chloe is a cat with the brain the size of a walnut, a lot of us can probably learn something from her. At 41 years old, I can count the number of times I have ever been happy with my body on one hand.

When I was a size 2 who could eat everything in sight with not consequences, I was not happy because I had small boobs & no real curves. I so wanted to have cleavage to show off. When I went up to a size 10, I was apalled at my fatness. Now at a 16 I would gnaw off a couple of toes to go back to a 10 & be sag-free.

Chloe is happy with herself just as she is. She has not wasted years of her life always feeling badly about herself. Maybe we should all try to learn a lesson from Chloe!

After laughing along at with my friend Mimi on Not Me Monday, I decided to play along.

It was totally not me who was rushing my hubby & kids out the door this morning so I could have my house back after vacation.

It was not me who ignored the dishes, laundry & construction mess to take a long, hot, soak in my new tub after they left.

It was not me who chastised my husband for not getting his clothes ready last night so he wasn't running around like a chicken with his head cut off this morning, when I was totally not trying to get him out of my house.

It was not me who burst out laughing when I made the crude remark "I'll be helping Chris (my hubby) screw" in front of my teenage sons, possibly causing them to need therapy.

It was also not me who laughed when I ended up punting one of my kitties who didn't get out of my way fast enough. No animal lover would laugh at that.

It was not me who pouted a little bit last night because I didn't get to spend any quality time with my hubby on his last weekend of vacation. No one who's husband was working his hardest trying to give his wife a beautiful new bathroom would be selfish enough to pout about something about that.

Anything you didn't do that you care to share?

For more Not Me Monday fun, check out MckMamma.

My bloggy friend Diane over at Good Mourning, Glory introduced me to Music Memory Monday. Last week she featured one of my favorite songs ever, Just Like Heaven, by The Cure.

Music Memory Monday is hosted by Jeff & Me + 3

I knew I wanted to play along this week & was trying to figure out what song to choose. I love TONS of music from Sinatra to Suicidal Tendencies, John Denver to Bob Marley, Elvis to Depeche Mode.

My 13 yr. old Jack solved this problem for me in a rather unfortunate way. His first girl friend broke up with him this week. He was laying around listening to sad music & I said, "you can't listen to break up music without listening to Last Night I Dreamt, by The Smiths." Voila, my selection had made itself. Jack didn't dig The Smiths too much, but he does share my undying devotion for The Cure, so he is forgiven.

This is the original 5 minute version with the loooong instrumental opening. The second version shows Morrissey actually singing it in 2006 & is only 3 minutes long.

Put on your black eyeliner, your old Doc Marten's & your sulky attitude & enjoy The Smiths.

Bathroom Update

Well my husband worked late into the night & all day again today. My tub & shower surround are beautiful!

Unfortunately, there are 2 leaks in the plumbing. My husband has not really done any plumbing before & was soldering his little heart out. I really think that 2 leaks is not bad for someone who hasn't done this much, but obviously he just wants to be done & is really disappointed.

He could have had it fixed tonight, but he took back some of the parts he needed already. Once he gets that fixed, my dad can come in & work on the walls.

The bathroom will be done in crisp white bead board & a pale green apple color. This is similiar to what I'm doing.



My guys have worked their hearts out & I love them so much for all of their effort!