health insurance

To those lamenting having to pay for health insurance. A response. 

Healthcare providers offer emergency, acute, and long-term care 24 hours/day to all, regardless of person's ability to pay. Health care is incredibly expensive. Insurance spreads the cost risk and helps a hospital stay in business. The hospital couldn't stay open if it depended on what a patient or patient's family wished to pay. 

The hospital is a business; workers must be paid. Nurses need paychecks for groceries, heat, childcare costs. How could the hospital stay in business if no one had insurance? If people paid what they could? What if the patient died, then who would pay? 

Our current system is not perfect, but it's better than it was. 

 I wish we had national health care. Someday a president with great vision and ability will get this done.

Citizens pay taxes to support community services like fire, police, schools, and road maintenance. You might never need to call a firefighter, but aren't you glad to know that someone would respond if you did? Aren't you glad your neighbors are also protected? Health insurance is the same thing. You pay, you might not need health care, but if you did it would be there. Your neighbors are covered too. Isn't that great? 

A last point. Here in Maine, to purchase and drive a car you must prove that you have purchased car insurance. Why? Because back in the day so many didn't. Then they'd get into an accident and were unable to pay for damages. Insurance spreads the risk, helps those who need it. Now I won't get into insurance companies' profits and CEO pay: a topic for another day.   

viral pneumonia

That's my self-diagnosis. 

getting warmer

Alternate explanation for that whole couldn't get warm episode: fever.

I'm on day 5 of fever, chills, and pain. Of course my sinuses wanted in on the action. And there's an inflammatory process in my chest too, the details of which you don't want to know.

When the fever comes the shivers wrap around me like manacles on a trapped super-hero. Everything hurts, hurts more if one body part touches another. I turn the heat up to 80, wrap myself in layers of fleece and wool, and shiver under an electric blanket cranked to high.

I slept 15 hours one night; 13 another. I spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling and listening to public radio. I sip water. Make tea. Living alone means being sick alone, too.

My baseline temp is 97. When the fever comes I go over 100: shivering and icy fingered. Then my face and lips start to burn and I know it's burning out.

Pink sunrise on Day 5.

cold

Came home early from work, sick. Cold viruses are making the rounds and one settled on me. Came home, cranked up the heat, and curled up in blankets with a good book and a pot of herbal tea. Couldn't get warm and couldn't understand why. It was sunny and 36 degrees when I came home: a gorgeous day.

Took some echinacea tincture, drank respiratory tea, took a spoonful of Lynn's dark smoky honey, a spoonful of elderberry syrup, some ibuprofen. Cranked up the heat even more. Piled on the blankets. Read.

Couldn't get warm. Checked the temperature and wind-speed. Oh. It's 10 below outside, with the windchill and I've got a drafty house. It's winter in Maine. Cold.

Winter dreams of summer gardens

Just finished the last of the garden raspberries. At the height of the season I picked 4 sandwich bags per day; tossed them into the freezer.

I ate all I wanted, gave lots away, and still had a full freezer at the end of summer. They were good on oatmeal and as fruit smoothies. The berries in the freezer were worth hundreds of dollars. I know because I just purchased a bag of frozen berries from the grocery store. Ten dollars for a 3 pound bag.

I wish the artichoke had produced. I love artichokes. My son and daughter-in-law gave me a seedling for Mother's Day. It thrived, but did not produce. Artichokes are $3 each at the grocery store. Wouldn't it be great to be able to pick from the back garden, organic, and steam a freshly picked artichoke?

life between lives hypnosis

was one of the most powerful experiences in my life. It was a four-hour session. I felt joy, longing, recognition, and unconditional love; I laughed and cried; I saw many past lives; I saw the book of my life. 

14,096

That random photo of a hospital sign, now 14,096 views. 

8,192 people reached

Usually my Facebook posts reach 5 people. Maybe 10.

This one is going crazy and I have no idea why.

I was visiting a friend at the hospital and noticed a sign about their Reiki services. I snapped a pic and posted it. Just an ordinary photo of a sign in a hospital. A sign about Reiki. Now shared by 119 people, viewed by 8,192 people. Amazing.

2015

So a month has gone by since my last post. Over a month. Been busy.

It was a healthy self-care holiday. I spent lots of time with family and friends. I did yoga, drank fruit smoothies, and walked. I spun a moorit fleece into 15 fat balls of yarn and read several books. Cooked and cleaned. Felt happy.

The best moments are when time stops and you notice that life is good. I get those a lot when crawling on the floor with my grandson. Had one today in the grocery store with a friend; she was so delighted with the selections and displays, so happy to be out and about after several days in the hospital. Another one today: I was playing with puppies, sharing Reiki with them. Three of them curled up and fell asleep at my feet, my hands wrapped around their tiny bodies. Another one today: back home with a pot of hot lemon tea, lit candles, a good book, and a snowstorm on the way.

Please notice those moments in your life.