On a fun note - Autumn is a lovey - she likes to give me big sloppy kisses every time I pick her up!!!!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Frustration
My baby is at that not so fun stage where she wants to be able to do more than she actually can. She wants to stand and run, this crawling thing is no fun! Unfortunately I can't hold her fingers and let her walk all day (well I guess I could, but yeah no...). I set her down and she yells at me and gets crocodile tears. No fun really for either of us. She does eventually calm down and will play with her toys - but it is drama every time we put her on her knees or bottom. Once she does settle down she likes to practice crawling, but spends a lot of time trying to stand! Last night she pulled herself to standing using my legs and shirt as hand holds! I think I've got a very determined little girl on my hands! I'm happy and scared at the same time - as I think she will walk and run in the same week, be into everything, be a climber and have many more determined yet frustrated moments ahead! We shall see!!!
On a fun note - Autumn is a lovey - she likes to give me big sloppy kisses every time I pick her up!!!!
On a fun note - Autumn is a lovey - she likes to give me big sloppy kisses every time I pick her up!!!!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Frontline: Sick Around the World - my two cents
Here are my two cents on health care reform after watching an interesting documentary on health care in other countries.
My overview of the problems:
1. We spend too much (some doctors, equipment manufactures, liability insurance companies, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, some hospitals and other medical drains - make a lot of money). Statistics from the documentary - the US spends 16% of its GDP on Health care (and I don't think that includes out of pocket costs, only the government programs) and the average insurance company spends about 22% on administrative costs.
2. Many people have no coverage (which ends up landing on those with coverage if those bills don't get paid). This means many people do not get preventative care or are scared to go to the Dr. when a problem is small because the cost is so great and then finally do get help when it is late in the game and the fix is much more costly both to their health and in $$s for everyone.
3. We are not a healthy nation - overall we don't believe in a healthy diet or taking care of ourself. Capitolism has fed us lies to make a profit and mass media and ads tell us that the "High Life" includes delicious and un-nutritious fast food and a pleasure seeking sedentary lifestyle. In addition, we don't handle stress well and tend to have poor work/life balance. Many of our nation's health care costs are the result of poor decisions - and though obesity is an issue, it is far from the only issue. During the segment in Japan and Taiwan, it was apparent that they had different beliefs about taking care of yourself - both in diet and exercise.
4. We are sue happy with a capital S. Do we need to minimize mistakes? Yes! Should people be paid millions upon millions when mistakes are made - maybe not. When will be put limits to liability? The rest of the world laughs and runs Saturday night live type jokes about our Sue happiness. If we could see in really money how much more we would each get in our pockets each year if we limited medical law suits - would we change our minds? Because - yes we the health care consumer and tax payer are paying those bills too.
5. I'm not going to dive into this one too much - but many illegal immigrants don't pay into any system and use state health care systems and hospitals that can't deny them. California might have more insight, as many of their hospitals are going bankrupt due to this problem.
6. End of life costs - another hard topic - but I've heard estimates that the last 3 months of a person's life typically costs more medically than the rest of their life combined. Does this make sense?
Okay solutions - or thoughts on solutions - because the problems are way too big for a quick fix and also way too big for a band-aid (which is kind of what I think the current administration(House and Senate and all) is doing - putting a 1" gauze pad on a head wound).
I'm going to phrase my solution ideas as questions - as I am far from believing that I have the solution. However, I do believe after watching the documentary and living in New Zealand and speaking to friends there about health care - that our system is far, far, far from taking care of people as well as our other 1st world friends. In addition to not taking care of people as well, our system also is the leading cause of bankruptcy (talk about stress which causes more health care problems) - which all the other Universal health care systems say this problem is unheard of.
Solution thoughts:
1. Will there be people willing to be our providers, manufactures, pharmaceutical makers, insurance companies ... for less? (in most countries these people make significantly less) - this is a huge task to limit profits and to change the way we do things (like administration and end of life decisions).
2. Will we some how incentivize healthy decisions and preventative care?
3.Will we limit medical suits?
4. Will we own up to the fact that privatization mixed with state insurance for uninsured, poor and retired mixed with the non-insured isn't working and is going to make us all broke - one at a time?
5. Will we figure out how to manage immigration so their medical costs are covered?
Okay - so these are truly thoughts and not solutions - I'd need a book for that and like I said - I don't have the solutions! However, after being faced with $1300 a month group insurance on a less than $45,000 a year salary (which we said no thank you to), hearing my OBGYN say that his uncle's last words in the ER at the age of 50 something were "I can't pay for this, I don't have insurance" and knowing friends who make a decent living and can't afford insurance or get denied because of asthma when they are in their 20's, and ER visits that cost $10,000+ - something has gone terribly wrong.
If I were to vote today - I would select a fully universal system like Taiwan or Japan or even the UK over what we have now. A system that forces cost cuts, limits administrative costs, incentivizes preventative health, simplifies plans and takes care of everyone. I know that initially the pain would be severe and the headache big - but I believe it would be worth it. Ten years from now I think we would be happy with the decision and wish we had done it 20 years early.
If expecting education for everyone is not being a socialist, then can't expecting health care for everyone be the same?
My overview of the problems:
1. We spend too much (some doctors, equipment manufactures, liability insurance companies, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, some hospitals and other medical drains - make a lot of money). Statistics from the documentary - the US spends 16% of its GDP on Health care (and I don't think that includes out of pocket costs, only the government programs) and the average insurance company spends about 22% on administrative costs.
2. Many people have no coverage (which ends up landing on those with coverage if those bills don't get paid). This means many people do not get preventative care or are scared to go to the Dr. when a problem is small because the cost is so great and then finally do get help when it is late in the game and the fix is much more costly both to their health and in $$s for everyone.
3. We are not a healthy nation - overall we don't believe in a healthy diet or taking care of ourself. Capitolism has fed us lies to make a profit and mass media and ads tell us that the "High Life" includes delicious and un-nutritious fast food and a pleasure seeking sedentary lifestyle. In addition, we don't handle stress well and tend to have poor work/life balance. Many of our nation's health care costs are the result of poor decisions - and though obesity is an issue, it is far from the only issue. During the segment in Japan and Taiwan, it was apparent that they had different beliefs about taking care of yourself - both in diet and exercise.
4. We are sue happy with a capital S. Do we need to minimize mistakes? Yes! Should people be paid millions upon millions when mistakes are made - maybe not. When will be put limits to liability? The rest of the world laughs and runs Saturday night live type jokes about our Sue happiness. If we could see in really money how much more we would each get in our pockets each year if we limited medical law suits - would we change our minds? Because - yes we the health care consumer and tax payer are paying those bills too.
5. I'm not going to dive into this one too much - but many illegal immigrants don't pay into any system and use state health care systems and hospitals that can't deny them. California might have more insight, as many of their hospitals are going bankrupt due to this problem.
6. End of life costs - another hard topic - but I've heard estimates that the last 3 months of a person's life typically costs more medically than the rest of their life combined. Does this make sense?
Okay solutions - or thoughts on solutions - because the problems are way too big for a quick fix and also way too big for a band-aid (which is kind of what I think the current administration(House and Senate and all) is doing - putting a 1" gauze pad on a head wound).
I'm going to phrase my solution ideas as questions - as I am far from believing that I have the solution. However, I do believe after watching the documentary and living in New Zealand and speaking to friends there about health care - that our system is far, far, far from taking care of people as well as our other 1st world friends. In addition to not taking care of people as well, our system also is the leading cause of bankruptcy (talk about stress which causes more health care problems) - which all the other Universal health care systems say this problem is unheard of.
Solution thoughts:
1. Will there be people willing to be our providers, manufactures, pharmaceutical makers, insurance companies ... for less? (in most countries these people make significantly less) - this is a huge task to limit profits and to change the way we do things (like administration and end of life decisions).
2. Will we some how incentivize healthy decisions and preventative care?
3.Will we limit medical suits?
4. Will we own up to the fact that privatization mixed with state insurance for uninsured, poor and retired mixed with the non-insured isn't working and is going to make us all broke - one at a time?
5. Will we figure out how to manage immigration so their medical costs are covered?
Okay - so these are truly thoughts and not solutions - I'd need a book for that and like I said - I don't have the solutions! However, after being faced with $1300 a month group insurance on a less than $45,000 a year salary (which we said no thank you to), hearing my OBGYN say that his uncle's last words in the ER at the age of 50 something were "I can't pay for this, I don't have insurance" and knowing friends who make a decent living and can't afford insurance or get denied because of asthma when they are in their 20's, and ER visits that cost $10,000+ - something has gone terribly wrong.
If I were to vote today - I would select a fully universal system like Taiwan or Japan or even the UK over what we have now. A system that forces cost cuts, limits administrative costs, incentivizes preventative health, simplifies plans and takes care of everyone. I know that initially the pain would be severe and the headache big - but I believe it would be worth it. Ten years from now I think we would be happy with the decision and wish we had done it 20 years early.
If expecting education for everyone is not being a socialist, then can't expecting health care for everyone be the same?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
7 months
Really - it is April 8th? I think this is hard to believe because I scraped snow off my car this morning! Autumn, you are now 7 months old- and growing and changing daily! You continue to be a heart breaker - cuddling in close, giving lots of sloppy kisses, and smiling at most everyone who coos at you. This month we are away from home for your month birthday and so I'm going to have to try to remember your milestones without the help of my handy calendar!
You have started rolling all over the place and pivoting on your stomach, pushing yourself backwards, and occasionally you pull up on your knees
You went swimming for the first time and loved it.
You met your Uncle Chad and Aunt Christie
You went on your first family trip to Estes Park where you were the center of attention, tried avocado and watched the fire while sitting on great grandpa's lap.
One night you slept 11 hours in a row and I'm okay if you want to do that every night
You gave me a look and pulled a spoon I was trying to get from you away
You started crying when I come home from work, but you want me to hold you - I think you become emotional because you missed me and crying is your outlet. As long as I don't know I can imagine it is that (-:
You walk around looking at everything with the towel under your arms.
You had your 6 month doctor visit and did very well getting your shots and Dr. Marler still thinks you are adorable.
You had your first professional photo shoot and were easy going and smiley.
You sat next to your friend Aaron and baby played - he took your sock off and tasted it, you shook Easter baskets together, cooed at each other and sucked on plastic eggs together!
You had your first Easter and you were bright eyed and curious during church. You stared at and grabbed your cousin Ashton. We spent the afternoon with our family and you sat in the grass, swung in a swing (which you loved) and cuddled with your grandma and aunt. Grandma got you a baby pinwheel that you loved playing with.
Baby Autumn, we love you so much and are so blessed that God gave you to us here on Earth! You are such a delight and a lover. We can't wait to see you grow up into a little girl - I can imagine from your current personality you will continue to be curious, motivated, active, tender hearted with streaks of strong will and giggly. Hugs and Kisses, Mommy and Daddy
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