Thanks for all the fabulous comments on my last post.  I got some great suggestions that I was able to follow up on.

Going on COBRA is considered an open enrollment event, meaning I can change anything and everything about my coverage.  If I drop to the least benefit plan that still has prescription coverage, I can cover just myself for under $200 a month.

Then I can put the kids on a good preventative plan to cover all the well-kid visits, vaccines and inevitable ear infections or pinkeye or strep, the usual stuff that comes up. Hubby can go on a high deductible catastrophic type coverage with an HSA.  We ought to be all covered, at least somewhat, for around $500 a month.  Much more palatable than $1200 a month.  It's still a ridiculous amount, but you really can't go "naked" anymore, since one incident can bankrupt a family. (READ MORE)

My job will be ending sometime this summer. Consequently, I am investigating our health insurance options. Since hubby is self-employed, we have always covered the family under my work policy.

Now, I know that "health care in this country is in crisis"!  I know this is a huge touchpoint for political candidates.  Yes, I know all this intellectually. 

Now it's PERSONAL.  COBRA, offered by my employer by federal mandate, is more than a house note EVERY month.  Private insurance is still pricey - more than what we paid on 2 car notes.  And it carries a $2000 deductible per person.  Some sloppy math later and it could be $15,000 a year before they pay any expenses for us.

  (READ MORE)

I went for my 6 month endo appt week before last. I finally got my bloodwork back in the mail. That's one thing I really dislike about my doctor. I think it would be so much more effective to have the test results in front of us for the discussion.

By the way, where I write "doctor", feel free to substitute "physcian's assistant". As with most doctors who are in demand, he has 4 PAs that also see patients. The office tells you that you can make appointments with anyone, but if you want to see the actual MD, it takes a couple more months of waiting or accepting the oddball times, like 7:45 am on a Monday or 11:55 on a Friday - they close at noon on Fridays.

My HbA1c went up from 5.5 to 5.7. I realize that is still an awesome result and nothing to complain about, but I'm sure it's directly related to the 12 lbs I have gained in the past 6 months. That dreaded holiday weight that I was so afraid of? Yes, that would be about 8 of those pounds. (READ MORE)

I sure enjoyed writing my April Fool's post yesterday. I've always gotten a big kick out of the day but rarely can keep a straight face long enough to pull a prank.

I wanted to be clear that I probably would qualify for type 2.41 if there were such a thing. I was making fun of myself and the media. I sometimes get an attitude from people that I wouldn't have the disease if I'd just suck it up and lose some weight and exercise more. That might just be my own paranoia. But you know what they say - "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you!". (READ MORE)

Did you see this story on the new type of diabetes that they've named today? It's really a sub-category of type 2 and many people will be moved from one diagnosis to the other.

Type 2.41 will make it clear to others immediately that the condition is the patient's fault, rather than just guessing as the population is forced to do now. This will make it much easier and more efficient to stereotype and discriminate.

Type 2.41 is characterized by obesity and couch potato tendencies and a ravenous appetite for refined carbohydrates and sugar. It also tends to indicate slovenliness, littering, an unwillingness to vote, owning a car that gets less than 20 MPG, poor personal hygiene and many other modern sins.

Type 2.41 is easily remedied, but we know it won't be as 'these people' are unwilling and uninterested in improving their lot in life. (READ MORE)

A lot of people in the blogosphere are posting about this poor young girl. I don't know that I can add much except my sorrow.

I just can't stop thinking about her. Since I became a mother these kinds of stories really impact me and stick in my head. Like the guy who microwaved his newborn daughter, or the 2 year old found in a plastic container in the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps Madeline was not so blatantly abused, but she is dead never the less.

I'm very tolerant religously-speaking. Heck, I'm even a Unitarian. But I totally don't understand this. This girl had to be extremely ill for several days at a minimum. (READ MORE)