Ctremail - Groovy Adventures News

Health Care and government involvement

Fan of Freedom

We all know that our country needs a better health care system, and our President has been working on getting this changed for the better… or so they tell us.
Here are some examples of some snip-its that are in the bill:

-Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: * THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.*

-Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: * YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!! *

-Page 42 of HC Bill: * The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC benefits for you. You have no choice! *

-Page 58 HC Bill: * Govt will have real-time access to individuals’ finances & a ‘National ID Health card’ will be issued! * (Papers please!)

-Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for elective funds transfer.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans — The Govt will ration your health care!

-Page 12 4 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt monopoly.

-Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association – The Govt will tell YOU what salary you can make.

-Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay.)

-Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!

-Page 341 Lines 3-9: The Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. (Forcing people into the Govt plan)

-Page 354 Sec 1177: The Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of ‘special needs people!’

-Page 425 Lines 17-19: The Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. (And it’s mandatory!)
-Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: The Govt provides an “approved” list of end-of-life resources; guiding you in death. (Also called ‘assisted suicide.’)

-Page 429 Lines 10-12: An “advanced care consultation” may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans.. (AN ORDER TO DIE FROM THE GOVERNMENT?!?)

-Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end-of-life! (Again — no choice!)

So, if you ask me, it doesn’t sound like this is going to benefit * “the people” very much! *

I’m trying to do some more research to find out more then just these little snip-its from the bill. I believe this info is public info, so if/when this information is located I’ll post it too.

This was a very interesting read too:
http://michaelconnelly.viviti.com/entries/general/the-truth-about-the-health-care-bills

Avatar Chrochet doll

Bonzo

I just wanted to post a picture of the Avatar doll that I made. I’ve talked to people who haven’t seen it yet, and requested I blog it so they can see it.

There are no patterns for this yet, so I kinda ‘fudged’ it, and it turned out ok. If I decide to try this again, I think I’ll be able to have it turn out a bit better. Took me FOREVER, but it was fun :) All her hair is braided!!! (Crazy tedious!)

Kiera's Birthday Party

Mom (who is older just by watching her kids B-days)

Today we had an Avatar Birthday party for our little Kiera-Boo. This was the party that she invited some of her home school buddies to.
Ever since we took the girls to see Avatar Kiera has requested having an Avatar Birthday Party. So we have had plenty of time to try to plan. (And MAN, she has been excited!!!)

We sure had fun decorating for it!

I took some streamers, and some construction paper and made our own version of the “Tree of sols” from the movie. (Kiera taught me how to do this nifty cutting trick with the construction paper to make it curly, and she learned that from one of her co-op classes! hehe)
My mother in law made yet another Fantastic custom order cake.
BLUE cake, BLUE icing, and check this out…

She took a necklace and made a “tree of sols”. MOM…. YOU ROCK OUT LOUD!! Thanks!!!

We hunted all over the valley for ANYTHING in Avatar theme, but the most we found was the figure you see on the cake, and 1 poster!!!!
So, I had to get a bit creative.

There is a website I let my girls play on that is a dress up doll website, and they love to dress up fairies, or mermaids, and one day they shouted out “MOM…. IT’S an AVATAR DRESS UP!” So, I took the pictures from the website, and printed a few for the girls to color as paper dolls.
Then I designed cloths that they could put on the doll, that they could also color.
So, that was what the girls did for the first part of the party.
Then we painted “war-like-paint” on faces, having gotten ideas from the movie. Then we played “Pin the Avatar on the dragon.” I had been trying to come up with something that would work, and just couldn’t find anything to work! Finally last night Mark came accross something that was Fantastic for it! So I was thrilled we had that game! ( Mark ROCKS WHOOOW! ) And after they all finished their turn, they got to pick out an Avatar head band. (hand crocheted by me)
Then, we had a treasure hunt in the living room. I told the “avatars in training”, that we had “un-obtainium” (mentioned as the extremely valuable rock in the movie) hidden around in the room, and they needed to find them.
(Chocolate coins hehe)
Then we had cake and ice cream.

I wanted to add this next little bit, cause its too cute of a picture not to post!
My niece was excited about the Avatar birthday, but she has to wait for another week for the party, and knew she wasn’t going to get the face painting that I was going to do at this party…. so while she was outside with the kids, just the other day, she decided to take the new sidewalk chalk, get it wet, and paint her face like an Avatar.

Isn’t that adorable!!!! hehehehe

Happy Birthday Kiera

(As these sweeties are getting older…I’m starting to realize that I really am getting older! hahaha)

Need Everyons Support TONIGHT!!!!!

Bonnie

As most of you know, Mark and I have been going with our girls to the ‘Sanderson Community Center of the deaf and hard of hearing’ for our sign language classes.

(located at 5709 s. 1500 w.)

You all know about our good friend Eli? She sent me an email last night, and I wanted to share it. Let me to try to sum it up,…. the government is trying to cut another 5% from state funded places like the ‘Sanderson Center for the Deaf & hard of hearing’. And after they just recently passed budget cuts, along with retirement changes. The retirement change made it so that Eli wont be able to retire till she is 83 years old!!!!!! HOLY CRAPOLA!!!!!!!
Isn’t that HORRIBLE??

Anyway, the government is trying to scratch around for more places to take money from, and the Deaf Center is NOT one that should be cut from!!! It has had cuts for the past 2 years!

This center provides a “home away from home” for the deaf and hard of hearing. Not only that, but those who are deaf, that are raised in hearing families, some times go through different kinds of abuse, or they might be in families who don’t sign, making communication hard. This deaf center is a safe harbor, and offers a place for those people to go who need support!(among many other things)

I would encourage all of you to email one, or more, of the following legislators, and tell them not to support the 5% cut!
Here is that info:

Don’t forget to thank the legislators and sign off with your name at the end of the letter.

Rep Ron Bigelow – ronbigelow@utah.gov

Sen Lyle W. Hillyard – lhillyard@utahsenate.org

Rep Bradley G. Last – blast@utah.gov

Sen Daniel R. Liljenquist – dliljenquist@utahsenate.org

Rep David Clark – dclark@utah.gov

Rep Brad L. Dee – bdee@utah.gov

Rep Kevin S. Garn – kgarn@utah.gov

Rep James R. Gowans – jgowans@utah.gov

Sen Scott K. Jenkins – sjenkins@utahsenate.org

Sen Patricia W. Jones – pjones@utahsenate.org

Sen Peter C. Knudson – pknudson@utahsenate.org

Rep David Litvack – dlitvack@utah.gov

Rep Rebecca D. Lockhart – blockhart@utah.gov

Sen Karen Mayne – kmayne@utahsenate.org

Rep Carol Spackman Moss – csmoss@utah.gov

Sen Wayne L. Niederhauser – wniederhauser@utahsenate.org

Sen Luz Robles – lrobles@utahsenate.org

Sen Ross I. Romero – rromero@utahsenate.org

Rep Jennifer M. Seelig – jseelig@utah.gov

Sen Michael G. Waddoups – waddoups@utahsenate.org

This will be a topic discussed Friday. I know its kinda last minute, but if you have a moment, Please sent to at least one of those names.
Thanks

Catching up on life in the Barber home

BonBon

I wanted to update other stuff n junk going on in the Barber home, and also post pictures from the parties, and puppy pictures.

Our puppies are now 6 weeks old, and just about ready to find new homes!

I’m really excited for our sweet little black puppy. She is going to a family that bought a puppy last year! They wanted a buddy for their pup, and they brought over their dog to meet the little black pup (now named Abby)

That was one of the Sweetest pictures!
Their dog is the only puppy we’ve had that came out looking just like our Duke, that passed away last year.
It was almost too hard for me to see this sweet angel, that looks So much like my first little Doxie sweet heart! I wanted to snatch him up, hug him, and say “Oh Duke, I LOVE YOU!”

Here are some fun pictures from my 30th birthday bash:
Balloons EVERYWHERE!

POP !!!!

This NEEDS a caption!!! Two pregnant woman, who both think they’re fat! FYI girls…. Pregnant people get bellies, its part of pregnancy, and your NOT FAT! Your adorable! Glowing with excitement! (despite the morning sickness)

And look…. Matt and Camille actually have a normal, nice picture for once! haha

In school recently the girls did some crafts where we were trying to learn the concept behind arranging flowers. (without making it overdone, or gaudy. Kids can some times really go nutts when it comes to decoration, so I was going for teaching too much of a good thing, is not always a good thing. hehe) So here are some picts from that.

And that’s all for now.

30 is just another number

BonBon

To some people their own birthday is something they either Dread, or really look forward to.
I’m neither of those. I just turned 30, and Mark has really gone all out trying to make me look, or feel old (in a loving, and humorous way!) He blew up (with his air compressor) almost 200 black balloons in our living room, hung up black streamers, and bought a dark chocolate birthday cake with black “30” candles on top.
But the funny thing is, its just another number to me.

There have only been a few birthdays where I was excited to have it come:
-16 (because of the drivers license)
-18 (because I graduated high school, and got married that year too)
-21 (I’m not really sure why I was looking forward to 21, for some people it’s so they can legally drink, but that doesn’t really apply)

The next birthday that will be a ‘milestone’ of any kind to me is 40.
So, 30 just seems like another number. No biggie! :)

I’ve sure had a fun time calling myself and ‘old fart’ this year! Its mostly fun because, for one thing, I know I’m not old, so its just silly, and it helps me tease people like Mark who are a bit older then me.
“Yup, I’m an old fart now, so what does that make you? A ‘Reesty’ fart?”
LOL
My girls are also having a great time calling me and old fart! Its really funny coming from them!!

Now that I am “older and wiser”, I can pass my wisdom onto younger, and less experienced people.
So, here is a bit of advice I have for all you youngsters:
-“Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you by experience!”
-The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat are really good friends."
-“Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity”
-“Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.”
-“Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.”

Now everyone can benefit from my years of experience.

Changes

Bonzo

Man,… it has been a while since I’ve blogged.
I wanted to update everyone on something I have been doing.
Since the start of the new year, I knew that our oh-so-lovely deductible would reset again, and my fibro meds are very expensive! Its about $150 a month for one kind. Which, compared to some, isnt that much. So, Mark and I started talking about me trying to cut back my meds, ween off them and see if I can handle the pain without the medication. I have been going swimming to get some gentle exercise, which is suppose to help my condition, and so I thought; if I can do this, I wont be ‘depending’ on meds to survive my pain.
Anyway, it has taken me just under 2 months of weening off my meds, and I am now on day 5 of absolutely NO Cymbalta.

When I first started cutting my doses down, I started aching more and I though: “Oh yea! This is why I’m on Cymbalta”. But I kept it up, & kept weening myself off.
The smaller the dose, the more I noticed pain. But…I am determined to hang in there, long enough to see if I can just deal with it.
On the first day when I had no meds, I woke up in the worse emotional state! And what makes it worse is Mark was at home that day, taking a day off, and he kept asking if it would help me for him to go into work. I think he was wanting me to say yes so he didn’t have to listen to me yell, complain & freek-out! But after that I was back to myself…for the most part. Although I have found my self a lot more prone to cry at movies, & laugh so hard I cry! Its Very odd for me, but I know its part of the withdrawals!

But I am very excited to report that I’m surviving…. Mark is surviving… and so we will continue being Cymbalta free.

Situations like this really make me worry for the state of our county! The insurance, and how the government is trying to fix things, but I just dont see a solution happening any time soon, which is super frustrating.
Well…. that’s all I have to say about that…for now.

Lactose Intolerance

Mommy'o

So, lately our little Kiera has had stomach aches and head aches every day for the past couple weeks. They come and go through out the coarse of a day.
And it occurred to us to have her go off dairy for a day or two and see how she feels.
She had 2 full days without any pain anywhere.
Then, the next day we had taco’s with sour cream, and BAM!… Stomach ache!

So, we have switched back to soy for her, and I am joining her on this.

I had a test done showing I was a tiny bit lactose intolerant.
So, switching to soy is easy for me.
I have been weary about dairy for a few years now, and I have read some reports about what they do to the cows that produce the milk we drink, and its not exactly an appetizing thing.
Here is one web site that has some info on it:
http://www.environmentalhealththreats.com/environmental-health-hormones.shtml

I’m not trying to convince anyone that dairy is not right for them, I only believe that people should be informed, and then they can make their own decisions.

I was told by a doctor that about 1 in every 3 people have some form of lactose intolerance.
The symptoms can vary from gas, tummy pains, bloating, to hives and severe itching & more. Point is, many people may have lactose intolerance, and not even know it.

There is so much going into the foods that we eat, stuff that we just DON’T need! Because of all these un-natural things that are put into our foods we are getting more allergies to foods, and even health problems in some people.

Puppy Pictures

Bonzerdelly

Ok …here are a couple puppy pictures that we took last night when we rushed to clean the bedding for the dogs.

Aren’t they Adorable!!!!

DOT'S Puppies

Bon-A-Boo

This morning at 2:00 am Dot had her first puppy.
So….for all those who have guessed…
she had 5 puppies. (which was much less then I was expecting!)
I took a very quick peek to discover gender.
I might be wrong, because I did it in the dark, and as quickly as possible, so as not to upset the new mommy.
But as far as I could see, we have 4 girls, and 1 boy! :)

Becky was closest on guessing gender. :)
Go Becky!
When we make cookies, I may make them for anyone who guessed, and give extra to the closest guesser! :)

Mazel Tov