Free Sample Purex 3-in-1 Complete Laundry Sheets

http://www.trypurex.com/email
THANK YOU SWEET KRISTIN!

Hi Everyone-
This is the detergent, softener, and anti-static all in one...
I would guess that supplies are limited, so sign up fast.

I have heard of this product on TV- But I sure wasn't willing to waste my $$$ on something new that may/may not work. (Now that it's FREE, that's a no~brainer)! hehehe

Site claims "In about 6-8 weeks you will receive a sample pack with two Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets."

Use the link above to get your own free offer.

XOXO
Me

Pass it on!
Tell your friends so they can get a free sample too!


Safe for septic tanks too by the way...

Also, I cannot find where it is manufactured.
(But I figure if it not in USA then it is already on the boat and waiting to be sent to me).

Apple Blossoms. Allergies. (And all else too).

Apple Blossoms (Picture taken 4-19-10).
Wish you could smell them!

NOTE:
I began writing this yesterday (Saturday) morning when Casey suddenly showed up on my doorstep.  And Casey always takes precedence over my silly blog!


Good Morning Everyone!
It is to rain today- I hope they are right. Although my lawns do not need to grow any faster, it is very dry outside, and we SO need these rains.

Punk. She really IS quite well, even though there is still over a week of meds left for her to take. (Yes I will give them all to her until they are gone).

Casey has been having a few lingering problems-
Pain.
Nausea.
And for some strange reason she is anemic always. 
She has been on added iron pills for a while now- She has adjusted her diet accordingly.
Still anemic.
So Friday her doctor had ordered even more blood tests. One of those tests will not come back for a week. (Your little prayers are always welcome).

As for me, my toe is just fine! I am SO happy I had that done.
My back a trial. To put it nicely...
(Really bad these last 3 days and it was SO good for a few days before this?).
My latest MRI showed that I am absorbing the calcium and all- Those fractures are healing!
I am so upset that they still hurt. More~so that the dang pain is so restrictive. When my pills work, they work well. When they do not, I am just stuck with it...
I will never get used to not being fully flexible (and I will not go down without a fight). Grace? Not a chance.
I have already had this lingering, sharp, awful pain explained six ways to Sunday.
I don't understand it all, just enough to know it will just always hurt. Grrr....

Other than that, my hay fever is threatening, but I have never really 'suffered' from allergies either. Not like some. The worst for me being the "bzzzz" stings.

I remember when the doctor had diagnosed me with 'allergies'... I was in my mid 30's and had finally gone in because my face had hurt like heck for about a month.
He took his knuckle, knocked on my forehead, and then on my cheekbones.  OUCH! What the hey?
He looked in my eyes, my ears, and up my nose. (Why must doctors look up your nose anyway, I hate that)!
He then stated 'you have allergies'. 
No.  I proudly reminded him that I was not allergic to anything!
He explained that allergies can/do develop at any point in our lives. That was that. 
Achoo!

So, like many, I do have these darn allergies. I take Claritin when my face starts to ache, and for a few days after. I repeat this in a week or so if they bother me more.
Still, I don't think I am the only person who thinks their allergies are worse this year? I don't know why this would be.  Maybe it's just me...
Perhaps there are more "floaties" in our atmosphere/air now too. Maybe that would be thanks to Iceland.
Sorry. I know I shouldn't make light of that when I know that the wildlife and the farm animals are dying by the 1000's, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. So sad.




When I see pictures like this, it amazes me that anyone/anything can live through it!


As you know, many flights were canceled- Better always to err on the side of caution!
My friend, Mrs. G,  absolutely needed to get from Canada to the UK for her sons wedding. I believe they have arrived safely.

Closer to home are the storms in Alabama- Not sure which part of Alabama, and I have yet to hear back from William... I had written him earlier to make sure that they are all safe and sound. I will add his reply when I hear back from him.

I can't remember if I have shared this with you or not? I believe I have, in part anyway.
Young Lawrence is going to be genetically tested for Marfan Syndrome, and others. But they can't even get him tested until December!  Here is a 10 year old boy, with a potentially dangerous heart condition, and they can't get him in?!?  In the meantime he is not to do sports or the like. I feel so badly for him.

Also I received a note from Charles (Baby Sam's dad). I can't remember if I'd told you about this earlier either...
Charles writes, "I had a E.G.D which is a throat scope. I have Barretts throat which turns to cancer sometimes and can kill you other ways. But whatever will be will be. Other than that things are great. Sam is fearless and fast..."
I am hapy to hear that Sam is doing well.
As far as Charles goes, I believe that this is the same condition as "Barretts Esophagus"?  (Click).

I haven't heard anything further...
But I do have an article to share also.

• Wine May Protect Against Throat Cancer Posted: March 2, 2009

  • Study finds that a glass or two a day lowers risk by more than half

I feel badly for Charles-
(This family of mine is sure giving me one heck of a medical education)!

It is windy here.   SO very W~~I~~N~~D~~Y...
The "hold onto your hats and your small children" kind of windy. My screens are up on all the windows, and they whistle like the dickens when the wind comes from the SE. Sounds like a blizzard out there! Such is NOT the case I assure you.
It is currently rainy and soggy. Nice to have that moisture! I can relax a bit now knowing I don't have to water anything.
But I'll bet my chives have all blown over! hehehe  I will go out next time Punk does, cut them and get them dried.

I have last nights dishes to do, and still to get in the shower.
Much wash to catch up on also.

What a great morning so far! I have been emailing back and forth to both Casey AND to William (now that he's up).
All is well at the Gaither household! YAY! Truth be known, they are getting ready to go fishing! (Wish I was there, I haven't gone since I went with my dad).
William had no idea what I was even talking about- But he did say they were under a warning all night long. Said the sirens were going off- (He added they don't even hear them anymore because they go off all the time).  Not me, I told him, being that I am so paranoid about Mother Natures fury.

I'd better close for now and get busy. 
The wind is still blowing fiercely, (and I haven't heard that much whistling in years)! hehehe

Love to all.

XOXO
Me

Hay-fever sufferers, know your enemy:
Scanning Electron Microscope pictures of grains of pollen

.
.

Grains of pollen come in all shapes and sizes. The large object in the centre of this image is pumpkin pollen; the tiny speck just below and to the right of it is forget-me-not pollen.

Cool picture, right?

This article from the UK states "The number of hay fever sufferers could reach 30 million [people] within 20 years as city living, pollution and climate change exacerbate symptoms, experts have warned."  Read more.
I believe there is my explanation. And I am sure this is applicable worldwide.

Also our Green Bay records and averages
  

Records and Averages

   

Daily Records and Averages at weather.com

____ 

Month	Avg. High	-Avg. Low	-Avg. Precip	Rec. High	Rec. Low
January	24.0 °F	7.0 °F	1.21 in	56.0 °F (01/26/1944)	-31.0 °F (01/30/1951)
February	29.0 °F	12.0 °F	1.01 in	61.0 °F (02/26/2000)	-33.0 °F (02/10/1899)
March	40.0 °F	23.0 °F	2.06 in	82.0 °F (03/29/1910)	-29.0 °F (03/01/1962)
April	55.0 °F	34.0 °F	2.56 in	89.0 °F (04/22/1980)	7.0 °F (04/03/1954)
May	68.0 °F	45.0 °F	2.75 in	99.0 °F (05/31/1934)	21.0 °F (05/09/1966)
June	77.0 °F	54.0 °F	3.43 in	101.0 °F (06/01/1934)	32.0 °F (06/06/1958)
July	81.0 °F	59.0 °F	3.44 in	104.0 °F (07/13/1936)	40.0 °F (07/06/1965)
August	79.0 °F	57.0 °F	3.77 in	100.0 °F (08/24/1948)	38.0 °F (08/22/1967)
September	70.0 °F	48.0 °F	3.11 in	97.0 °F (09/10/1931)	24.0 °F (09/29/1949)
October	58.0 °F	37.0 °F	2.17 in	88.0 °F (10/06/1963)	12.0 °F (10/30/1925)
November	42.0 °F	26.0 °F	2.27 in	74.0 °F (11/09/1999)	-9.0 °F (11/29/1976)
December	29.0 °F	13.0 °F	1.41 in	64.0 °F (12/05/2001)	-27.0 °F (12/19/1983)

____

Hope that all turns out...

Have a good one!

Well, Bless Me Father...

Oh no!  He did NOT just say that!
Oh wait... 

By now, most of you know that for many years I have not been a practicing Catholic. I do, however, consider myself quite Christian and more than spiritual.
I have gone to the annual Sts Edward and Isidore church rummage sale as time and circumstances would permit.
I kind of 'have' to, (I have always gotten really good deals). hehehe

My back is awful -and Casey is pretty sick, (She is OK, and I will fill you in later). Since this sale is a 6~hour event, and only once a year, we went anyway.

They (the church) had blocked off the handicap parking stalls. I was in no shape to walk any further than necessary, nor was Casey-  And I had chosen to leave my cane at home (knowing there would be ample tables to lean on).
Knowing that it is illegal to block off handicap stalls, I parked 1/2 on the torn up lawn, and half in the stall- perpendicular to the way the stalls are set up. I must also metion that I was not the only vehicle that had done so.
(They had put 3 orange cones in the 3 stalls).
Lots of people outside, but nobody said a word as I hung the DIS tag up on my rear-view mirror and we walked in.

The church sale is in 2 parts.
The 1st four hours are for regular business- The final 2 hours are the $3.00/bagful. You check out between the sales.

While carrying things out to the car from part one, one man (my age) came up and told me that I couldn't park there. He had a real badass attitude about it, (when I have moo~koo pain, I am not the right person to "tell" anything to).
I said, calmly, "But you blocked off the handicap stalls."
He replied, louder this time, "You have to move your car or leave. You can't park here."

I opined that it was illegal to blocked off these stalls in the first place, and then mentioned that I would think state law would trump his little orange church cones.
Mad as heck at my calm replies, he went on to holler something else... (I do not know what he said as I was way past listening to the ranting person).
So I just told him "Well, call it in to the sheriffs dept. then" -as I walked back into the sale.

Casey, still behind me, suffered the worst of his wrath.
He demanded to know what "f***ing" law I was referring to. She simply replied for him to 'please take it up with my mom.'
He chose not to, and continued to holler at her- She came in near to tears and related the conversation to me.

Spying an old friend of my moms, I went to the Mrs. and told her what had happened. Another lady overheard and suggested we speak to Father Dave about it.
There he was, across the room. The 2 nice ladies walked over with us.

After filling him in, he looked us both straight in the face, and said, "Maybe if you are so handicapped, then you shouldn't be out shopping."

I kid you not. He was dead serious. (This is the same priest that, 23 years ago, had refused to baptize Casey because I was not married to her father).

I would have left then and there. (I think that might have been his angle anyway). But I would not be giving him that satisfaction.

My question is this.

1. Does state law trump this?
2. What would you have said?
   To the guy? To the priest? To Casey?

As soon as I realized he was serious, I smiled, (smugly then). We simply turned and walked away.

They have the nerve to wonder why I don't grace them with my presence?!
Really?

POODWADDLE

http://www.poodwaddle.com

One Sick Puppy.

Mama, I don't feel so good...

.
Good Morning All;
We have been so darn busy- (between you and I, I much prefer it this way).

Save for the pup that is...

2 mornings ago, I was woken by her at 1:45am-
She was begging to go out. "OK kid, but just this once" hehehe
Out she went. (And I was up for the day).

This scene repeated itself any number of times that morning- And she didn't care to come back in either. By now, everyone knows that when a dog acts out of character, there is something that needs to be paid attention to.

She demanded to be fed. Too early for that.
But then I remembered that there are times that I want to be fed between meals too.
Soooo, she had an early breakfast-
Then back outside.
She came in to nap.

Casey came out, not feeling too well herself; and noticed the light pink blood on Punks backside. Pink, but definitely blood. This freaked me out, knowing that it was only a year ago in February that we lost Miss Milly (also bleeding, but profusely) from her cancers.
As I recited Doc Spires phone number by heart, Casey made the call.
We needed a clean-catch urine -kinda rough to obtain from a dog. {Think "difficult, but not impossible"}
With Casey's small animal vet background, we were able to get that from Miss Punk, (a tablespoon or so at a time). A little urine, lots of obvious blood, and some small clots too.
We were scared.
And off to see the vet...

.
.


This little guy even tried to come along...   hehehe

.
.

 
Dr. Spires trying to evoke a pain reflex from Punk as he checked her kidneys.
(Not sure if Casey was singing or what)?!? hehehe
.
.
The urinalysis would not be ready until the next morning. (A long wait).
So no medication until they absolutely knew what they were treating.

Punk was fine with that as we talked to the office lady before leaving.
.


In the meantime to offer lots of water.
'Leading horses to water' came to mind.  But no!. we have ways...
I just put a little kids canned spaghetti in the water dish, (it sinks); and viola!, we have no problems getting this pup to drink 2 or 3 gallons of water a day!

.
.
As it turns out, Punk has her own UTI. 
Given the fact that this is an e~coli infection, she is on antibiotics for 3 weeks.
All this from a sore shoulder, she could not 'reach' to clean herself properly, and the e~coli just happily crawled where it shouldn't have been.

Dogs are, as a rule, immune to e~coli and salmonella through ingestion of bad food. 

And yes, I clean her furry bottom twice a day now.

On the wall at the vets was this handy chart. 
This, just to blow away all those claims of one dog year equaling seven human years.

.

Punk is already 38.
.
.
Please don't think that the dog is on her last leg though.  She always has energy to play a bit.
.
She even tried to keep her favorite ball away from the indomitable CocoBeans.

.



Keep away didn't work...
.
.
 
hehehe
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.
She also had more than enough energy to try a few dance moves with Mr. Miller.
.
.
 
.
.
.
Then, there are always her somersaults...
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.
 
.
.
.
 
Oh! Why is the world spinning????
.
.
 
Ooooooh--- Make it stop!!!
.
.

Sputty had a new friend!
.
 
.
.
.

   ..... (But then he ate him)!
.
.
.
For right now my little Punk is still a bit tired...
.

 
Dreaming of better days, and healing.

I did get most of the lawns mowed on Tuesday. What a pain that was! (No, really)..

Punk has exactly one more hour to sleep. She cries in her sleep sometimes and breaks my heart.  Casey has an appointment at 7:30 and I'd best get a move on it if I am to shower and get her there in time. 

Love to all

XOXO
Me

RECALL Horse Feed, and Poultry Feed

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm208975.htm
Purina Mills Undertakes Limited Recall of Strategy® Horse Feed and Layena® Poultry Feed

Good Morning All;
1st question is "Where does YOUR supplier buy their products from?"

XOXO
Me

*****

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- St. Louis, Mo., April 16, 2010 -- Purina Mills, LLC, is voluntarily recalling two specific lots of 50-pound bags of Strategy® Professional Formula GX horse feed and one lot of Layena® SunFresh® Recipe Pellet poultry feed. The recall is being implemented due to the discovery of metal fragments in a limited number of bags from one of the Strategy® product lots. At the time the recall was issued, five customer complaints had been received. No animal health issues had been reported.

The products being recalled were manufactured in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 24-25, 2010. They were shipped to retailers and dealers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri and Virginia. (See my question, above).

Only the following specific products and lot numbers are involved in the recall:
Formula No. Item No. Description Lot Number
35SS 0066547 Strategy® Professional Formula GX 0MAR24NST1A1
35SS 0066547 Strategy® Professional Formula GX 0MAR24NST2A1
61R3 0056922 Layena® SunFresh® Recipe Pellet 0MAR25NST2A1



The lot number is found on the sewing strip of each bag and is interpreted as follows:
0=Year / MAR=Month / 24=Day of Month / NST1A1=Plant Code.

Customers with products that do not have the specified lot numbers are not affected by the recall.

Customers who have purchased the recalled products should not store or feed the products and are asked to return unused product to their dealer for replacement.

Contact:
Jeanne Forbis: 651-481-2071 or 612-308-5441
David Karpinski: 651-481-2360

Customer questions or concerns may be directed to the company's Nashville Customer Service Office at 800-424-5234.

#

A Short Warning...

G'Mornin'!
I miss you all, and have been very busy 'round these parts. Not to mention fighting with my computer on a daily basis.
Here's your warning then. "New blog coming later this morning." (Um, I hope).

For now, it's Wednesday and I must get the garbage out.

XOXO
Me

"More On" Glenn Beck.

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0426/entertainment-fox-news-simon-schuster-glenn-beck-inc.html
Good Morning All;
You already know how much I love to laugh in the morning. (Know that I found this particular tidbit- very hysterical).
Thank you Kris!

Here's the quote from Beck himself:

“If you take what I say as gospel, you’re an idiot.”

Since I don't think that he would willingly tell this to his fans/fanatics/followers/others, I thought I would post it for them. If he does admit this, then there are always those with 'selective hearing'. (Perhaps seeing this in print will have a better translation for them)?

From Forbes magazine...

"Note that Beck gave this interview to Forbes magazine, a magazine serious people (not his radio or tv audience) read. There is no danger of his core audience reading this interview." (Thanks to stunvega)

Read on!

**********************
This, from here.

Fox News host Glenn Beck’s media “empire” is the cover story of the newest issue of Forbes Magazine. In the story, Beck reveals that his media company Glenn Beck Inc. made $32 million in revenue in the period between March 2009 and March 2010. The host also explains that he sees himself much more as an entertainer than a political activist, saying that he doesn’t “give a flying crap about the political process”:

With a deadpan, Beck insists that he is not political: “I could give a flying crap about the political process.” 
Making money, on the other hand, is to be taken very seriously, and controversy is its own coinage.
“We’re an entertainment company,” Beck says.

“I don’t necessarily believe that [what Beck says] is reflective of his own personal politics — I don’t even know if he has personal politics,” Michael Harrison, the publisher of Talkers magazine tells Forbes.  "I  see him as a performer.”

This isn’t the first time Beck has suggested he isn’t as radically conservative as he seems. In February he told USA Weekend that “you’d have to be an idiot” to “not notice the temperature change” caused by global warming, and that he thinks mankind may play a significant role in the phenomenon. Beck has previously described himself as “a rodeo clown” and conceded, “If you take what I say as gospel, you’re an idiot.”

**********************

At least now we all know the truth of the matter... 

I am still giggling...
 
XOXO
Me

What about the watch?

http://www.wwltv.com/news/GOP-victim-unsure-if-violent-attack-was-political-91046574.html
Hi All;
A more sobering entry here... My heart goes out.
The first I heard of this was this morning.
Some places state that this was/is political. Some deny.
All I know is that whatever it is, it falls under "what in the hell is wrong with people?"

XOXO
Me

PS
Google "Allee Bautsch" for more.

*********************
"GOP victim unsure if violent attack was political."

by The Associated Press

Posted on April 16, 2010 at 12:49 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- The boyfriend of Gov. Bobby Jindal's chief fundraiser says he's unsure whether protesters were responsible for attacking them April 9 outside a Republican event in the French Quarter.

Joseph Brown, 29, told police protesters were outside Brennan's restaurant during the Louisiana Republican Party event. But most had left about an hour before Brown and Allee Bautsch, 25, left the restaurant.

According to a police report obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, Brown said a group of men yelled obscenities and taunted them, but he heard nothing suggesting the attack was politicallymotivated. Bautsch suffered a broken leg in the attack.

The fundraiser took place during the Southern Republican Leadership Conference but was not tied directly to that event.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


*********************
Then this from here.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=36533

UPDATE: Mysterious Crime Scene Photo Appears of Jindal Staffer Beating
by Connie Hair
04/15/2010

UPDATE 12:23 P.M: Observations on photograph and the clear indications of a violent struggle:

Note the wristwatch on the curb to the right of the policeman's feet. Both the policeman and victim Brown have on their watches. We do not have a clear observation of Allee's wrists (but she is missing a shoe). The watch wasn't stolen if it belonged to Allee or it belongs to one of the perpetrators.

Also, the bottom of Brown's right shoe is actually ripped open.

Brown suffered a broken jaw and nose with a brain concussion. Allee suffered a broken leg that required surgery over the weekend.

TODAY'S ORIGINAL UPDATE STORY:

Late last night, someone calling himself Jack A. Neal posted a photo of the aftermath of the attack on his campaign staffer on Bobby Jindal’s Facebook page.

*********************
Good question about the watch...
Too bad no one knows where the photo came from...

Zoom Zoom Zoom...

.
.
Good Morning All;
Know that there is something abominably wrong with my cursor/key/board...
Seemingly, it has a mind of its own, and scrolls by itself, zooming all over. Kinda funny.
Would be funnier if, (oh never mind)). hehehe
My new 'link' posted, so I shall try to post this also.

As many of you have figured out, or know, Casey has been in Southern California for the past week.  Greg is also there, attending a computer genius' conference. He has gotten his promotion. (Say "YAY")!
When his convention came up, and given the fact that Casey has always wanted to go to California, Greg knew there would be no leaving her behind. Casey is staying with Sweet Pea; Greg stays with his work buddies at the hotel and convention center

Since they are gone I have one ear always tuned to the news, and on high alert for the word "earthquake".
That alert went off yesterday afternoon while I was reading National Public Radio.
Seems as though Utah, Idaho and Wyoming had an EQ. 
My friend Polly (think chokecherry jelly), lives in Wyoming.
I dashed a note off to her. They are well.

Gosh, even my fingers aren't cooperating today.  Grrr...
The 'backspace' key is a great friend to have! hehehe

As the 'kids' should be back this evening, I shall just catch you up on the events of the past week or so, (at least weatherwise).

We got between 4" and 6" of new snow late last week...
It covered everything!!!


.

.....

Yes, the chives have recovered- ........     And are almost ready to cut and dry!

.
.
.
 
I wish this one would have turned out better- It really looked like a painting!
.
.
.

A row of tulips, protected a bit by the bushes above them.

.
.
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The rest will open shortly!
.
.
.
 
The hyacinths also recovered just beautifully!
.
.
.
 
.

.
.
.
.
Then there was the little blossoms- this one of pears...
.
Time will tell, but I believe they too will be fine. They weren't quite open yet, so were safe.
Gritters deer will be darn disappointed if they don't have pears. (So will Sue for that matter)! hehehe 
.
.


 
My pussywillows...
.
.
.
And of course my Punk!
.
 
Lovin' every minute of it!
.
.
And just an FYI for y'all who mistakenly believe it is always cold and snowy here near Green Bay, the last two days, (Wednesday and Thursday) topped out around 80°
Even warmer than Southern California!


.


.
Not sure if the clicky~things on the maps will work for you or not...
.





I'd better close and get on with my day.
First to shower and check out my toe...

Then to grab the camera and get outside!

Have a Friday!

XOXO
Me

Hospitals Must Grant Same-Sex Visitations: NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126034014
Here is the article, dated April 16, 2010

*****

President Obama issued a memorandum Thursday to the Department of Health and Human Services, ordering hospitals to give same-sex couples the right to be with a partner who is sick or dying.
The memorandum applies to every hospital that receives Medicare or Medicaid funding -- nearly every hospital in the country.

The language in the memo is not boilerplate government bureaucrat-speak. It says gay and lesbian Americans "are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives -- unable to be there for the person they love."

James Esseks of the ACLU's LGBT project called the memo a huge deal that harms no one and helps many people.

"What we face is a whole series of problems in our daily lives, and certainly in times of crisis, when the relationships that are an integral part of our lives are just not protected," Esseks said. "It shows up in lots of different places, but hospital visitation is a prime example.

Some states already have policies like this one, but the country is a patchwork of different rules.

J.P. Duffy, vice president for communications at the Family Research Council, said Obama was pandering to a radical special interest group.

"There are many other ways to deal with this issue, whether through health care proxy or power of attorney, through private contractual arrangements. We have no problem with those situations," Duffy said. "But the fact here is this is undermining the definition of marriage."

Most hospitals, he said, have no restrictions on same-sex visitation.

But Dr. Jason Schneider, former president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, said that unless a hospital has a formal policy allowing same-sex hospital visitations, gay couples can run into trouble.

"One person in a hospital can make a huge difference," said Dr. Jason Schneider, former president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. "So I think this directive gives weight to the importance of recognizing the variety and the breadth of how people define families."

The memo also applies beyond same-sex couples.

It says a patient can name anyone to be a surrogate decision maker, including a friend or a distant relative.

It also says hospitals must follow patients' advanced directives, no matter who the patient designates as a surrogate in a medical emergency.

In the past year, gay and lesbian groups have criticized the Obama administration, saying the White House has not moved quickly enough on "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and other issues that are important to the community.

Esseks of the ACLU says he thinks this might change their view of the president.

"He put his name on this memorandum," Esseks said. "This change could have simply come through [the Department of] Health and Human Services. And the fact that he did it over his name, I think, speaks to an understanding of the real problem that people are facing."

Some prominent gay and lesbian advocates said they never thought of using Medicare and Medicaid funding as a tool to force hospitals to expand LGBT access. It's a move that Duffy of the Family Research Council calls "a big government takeover of even the smallest details of the nation's health care system."

But this isn't the first time a president has used Medicare funding to expand access to hospitals.

When President Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965, many hospitals were racially segregated. That new law said hospitals receiving federal Medicare dollars would have to integrate. Initially there was strong resistance, but within a year of Medicare's beginning, the desegregation of the nation's hospitals was essentially complete.



*****


Why has this taken a presidential memorandum?
Would it not have been the kind thing to have been doing all along?

XOXO
Me

Posting new blog shortly-  (I hope).

image: renwl.org

Freebies. Today only (4-15-10)

Start:	Apr 15, '10 12:00a
End:	Apr 15, '10 11:45p

Cinnabon. Starbuck. MaggieMoo. Hydromassage

Just received these in my email
BUT, please call ahead. I did not verify.

CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.


MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.


STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.




-- STRESS RELIEF
HYDROMASSAGE: Get a free massage Thursday through Sunday at participating locations. The mall-based massage chain suggests calling ahead to book an appointment. Find a location at http://www.hydromas sage.com/ taxday.

These are only available today April 15th!


XOXO
Me

Promises kept

Link

I can add nothing more to this.
Except a big "THANK YOU" to my little Sweet Pea. 
Please do the click above, smile a while, leave a comment there, and have a wunnaful day!

XOXO
Me

How Brave are You?

Did you already know all about ingrown toenails, (or was I one of a very few who did not)?

I knew they didn't come from shoes.

 

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I already knew they grew into the sides of the toe.

 

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I only thought they were at the end/top of the toe.

 

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Anne, you are dumb as a field of clay.

 

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I don't have toes.

 

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I like rocks.

 

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Wanna ride bikes?

 

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Pic for Greg. (No room for interpretation there)!
My prescription reads: "Apply once daily with a bandaid."
hehehe Bandaids are too flimsy to apply anything with! 

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Good Afternoon All;
Just thought I would carryover a bit of the toe stuff to today.
Same as in the last blog I wrote, I am only aware of my toe when it is in a shoe, and then, only when I walk. So that's a real good thing.

I have to run into town and get a few things- (Gauze wrap being one of those things).

But before I do all that, I thought I would share what my foot looks like today.

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hehehe

Must fly for now!!!
Have a wunnaful day!

XOXO
Me

Ingrown Toenails, and Casey too...

Once you get past the above picture, from here, you may read on.
...If you dare.
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Good Afternoon Everyone!
First and most importantly, I opened the most wonderfilled letter from Casey this morning when I signed on.  She is well.  While I will not share the entire letter- (it is too precious to do so), I will share this much: 
Casey writes: "...we shall spend lots of time together this weekend, now that I'm feeling MUCH better!!!

Thank you for calling the rescue squad on Wednesday, I know I didn't think it was a big deal at the time, but I now realize how bad it was. Especially after hearing that blood sugar reading and now seeing the picture of how I looked laying there on the couch... That must've been scary as hell for you, yet you thought quickly, called 911, and got to the hospital to be there with me..."

My Baby Girl sure ROCKS, doesn't she!

Now, on to my toe. You were warned in my previous blog that this entry would include pictures. It is your choice whether or not to look at them.

What I did not warn you about was my own ineptitude; (ignorance plain and simple).

• I always "thought" I knew what an ingrown toenail was.
  
  • Turns out I was wrong.

• I also "thought" I knew what caused them.
  
  • Turns out I was wrong about that too.
    
    • hehehe Not really...
      

Once upon a time I had a few corns which Dr. Scholl's took care of in a day or two once they became painful.
I have never had bunions. (I have been told I have 'sexy' feet more than a few times). ♥♥♥
As you know, I have been fighting with my own 2 big toenails for the past 2 decades. The top ridge of the nails would cut into the sides as it grew. I would soak them, apply dental numbing product and cut them low- into the sides of the toe, depending upon how far they had grown into the top of my toe.
Every now and again they would still poke out of the top of my toe. (Yeee-ouch)!
While terribly uncomfortable I humored them as I kept them trimmed, painted. Neat.  (Dare I say, my feet were always "Sandal-Ready")?! hehehe

Then along came my bad back.
Caring for my 'tens' presented quite a challenge to say the very least.
I persevered- mostly by neglecting my feet for twice the amount of time I normally did.
The girls had bought me a foot fixer, soaker, heater thing for Christmas one year. I use it a lot. But I still couldn't bend.

Anyway... Back to my ignorance.
(Please do not laugh at me- You may ask me almost anything about pancreatitis, or about the digestive tract, etc; but apparently you could not ask me about my toes).
'Til now that is.  (I thank you Dr. Balfour, for clearing these misconceptions up for me).

#1.
Ingrown toenails do not only affect the top part of the toe.
Ingrown toenails grow sideways, w-i-d-e-r, into the toe. (That's the part I had never known).
That is also why they would never go away, even when I would dig them out, file them, cut level, trim them, and take proper care of them.

#2.
Ingrown toenails are NOT caused by ill-fitting footwear.
They are caused by injuries to the toe.
They are mostly caused by the 'shape' of the underlying bone.
That is to say if your bone is flat, or more square shaped, chances are that you will not experience ingrown toenails, unless your toes have been injured, broken, or otherwise disturbed.
If your bone is round, like mine, your toenail roots will grow accordingly; growing and bending to the shape of the bone.

Since I had finished my antibiotic prescription for Cephalexin, it was time to be rid of the beasts. My back did not allow for me to make my feet easy to look at at this point in time- So forgive the unfiled, and unkempt polish on them.

Furthermore, that is powder on my feet. They are not that scaly or dry!

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Peek a tootsie!
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And from the other side now...
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hehehe
But look at all the metal instruments! Holy great grail! What'd they need all that for?!?

Look again at the above table for a moment...
Just curious, but what would YOU have grabbed???
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Yeah.  Me too.   
hehehe
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I had my b/p checked- Then my temp taken...
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And even a comforting hug from Miss Candy.
She applied lots of beta iodine to my toes, making them really rusty but still flexible.
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Enter the podiatrist... Yikes!  (I changed my mind- wanted to escape).

He was nice.
* One hell of a lot nicer than Jen's oral surgeon. (CLICK for her awful, horrible story).

I was to have both toenails done.
The doctor said no, even as I told him of my anxiety attacks, etc.  He said I would have to reschedule for the other big toe. Well yeah, he wants the office visit call.

After challenging me with his questions of ingrowns, he told me what to expect. This as he massaged my foot. He said he would begin by applying a topical numbing goo. (Medical terms I even understood). Then he had a spray can of freezing stuff. After that he would freeze my toe.

He gooed.
He sprayed.
Then came the poke!
I was expecting him to tell me 'when', but he didn't. Not being able to see through the table, I jumped at the poke. (Goo and spray had left much to be desired).
Then he told me...

He left the room.
Candy remained behind (maybe to make sure I didn't sprint out of there)

He returned about 5 minutes later. I was not froze, so he poked me again. This time he told me 'when' to expect the poke. No problem then.

(This is where your warning kicks in)...


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Note the red fishhook pokie thing on the left of the tray...
That's the top part of the left side of my big toe.

After that was all gone, he applied something to kill the nailbed so that part of my toenail would not return.

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Some kind of acid on the end of that long wooden Q-Tip.
Casey said it went under my skin at least an inch. OUCH! (But I didn't feel it).
You can actually see the ridge under the skin a bit.
The acid remains for 45 seconds, then gets rinsed.

And on to the other side of the toe...
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Know that it only looks bad.
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What looks worse is something that I never thought I would see...

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Both sides removed now...
The dime to give you a sense of how much these bad boys had hurt my toe!
Of how big they really were!

That much GONE... And I still have my normal size toenail! Very cool that!
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Did it hurt as the numbing stuff wore off -only about 10 minutes later?
Sort of. It felt like a darn painful ingrown toenail.

Does it hurt now? Nope, and I only feel it when I put shoes on.

They wrapped it up good (it looked like a fat lollipop); after applying a drain and a whole glob of gentamycin ointment.
I had to leave that all in place for two days, removing it to shower on the 2nd day, which was yesterday.
Then to put more antibiotic ointment on it and rewrap it every day.

I'd better close- High time for my shower -and a rewrapped lollipop!

My love to all.
Have a 'wunnaful' weekend!

XOXO
Me