What To Expect

Here's an article about what Alyssa will be doing this summer as a LEAP student at Penn State. It sounds exciting! I think it'll be a great transition from high school to college life.

I'm Back

And I bet you didn't even know I was gone, huh?!?!?!? Our brand new modem crapped out this past Friday. I hoped for the best and half expected it to be back on Saturday morning...no such luck! I spent 54 minutes on the phone with Verizon's technical support going through everything and anything trying to get it to work, but nothing. The young woman who was helping me finally came to the conclusion that the modem was defective. They sent us a new modem which arrived today; I spent about 40 minutes on the phone with Earl from technical support at Verizon as he helped me get everything set up properly.

I don't think I realized how much time I spend on the computer until I didn't have it available to me! I get quite a bit of grief from my 'other' half for the amount of time I am on the computer, but if I compare it to the amount of time he watches TV or sleeps in front of it, I really think he would win by a landslide!

Anyway, it's good to be back!

Cool

I stopped at a Subway sandwich shoppe this afternoon to get a sandwich for lunch. I got a $1 bill with my change that had the following stamped on it: This bill registered with www.wheresgeorge.com
I wasn't sure exactly what that all meant, but this evening I went to the website. You can actually track where your bill travels by entering information such as the serial number onto the web site. I learned that my bill started in Lancaster, PA.

I guess the only way this works is if people register the bill as it travels on its way. I think it could be interesting to see where the money travels and how quickly.

Ringtone

This evening after supper, I was standing at the sink doing the dishes. Alyssa and Adam were standing about five feet away from me. All of a sudden Alyssa was yelling at Adam to "Turn it off!" He was snickering, she was yelling, and I'm just standing there clueless, because I have no idea what is going on! I didn't hear a thing; I thought Alyssa was going nuts!

Next thing Adam pulls out his cell phone and asks me if I can hear it ringing. I'm like, "No, what are you talking about?!?!?" I'm looking at his phone; I didn't hear a thing! All this time, Alyssa continues to yell at him to turn it off.

Man, was I confused!

Here there is a ringtone that is at a decibel level that older people can't hear it. I only heard it when he put it right up next to my ear; then it was really annoying, no wonder Alyssa was yelling at him!

I actually had heard about this several months ago; kids use it at school so they can keep their phones on and the teachers can't hear it ringing (My children don't do that however, I'm sure! Well, at least Alyssa doesn't....)

It was kind of depressing; up until this point, I really hadn't considered myself old, but I guess this confirmed it...LOL!

Staredown

Macy and Frodo had a little staredown earlier this afternoon. I patiently stood there waiting for the attack, so I could catch the picture, but after about three minutes of them just looking at each other, Macy just got up and walked away!

Groundhog....Schmoundhog

What does that silly old groundhog know anyway?!?!? You call this Spring?!?!?!?

The Birds

Some of you may know that I am basically petrified of birds. Ok, they are OK as long as they are far away, but get them anywhere near me and I start hyperventilating! This morning as I was going to church, I came across a field of snow birds.


As I was putting my camera back in its case, I heard this great commotion and fluttering; they all flew away. I had the passenger window open...in the back of my mind, I was hoping that one wouldn't accidentally fly into my car!

Anemia

I wonder how many phone calls we will be getting from patients about this article?!?!? We use this medication a lot in our office to treat the anemia of chronic kidney disease. Prior to the approval of this medication in 1984, patient's anemia in the dialysis population was treated by multiple (and I do mean, multiple) blood transfusions. I consider Procrit one of the best things that has happened in the dialysis world. I would much rather receive a subcutaneous injection a few times a month as opposed to blood transfusions every time I turn around.

Unbelievable

I took Adam to the doctor today as he has a cold, had bilateral ear pain and a terrible sore throat. During the visit, there was discussion that he most likely has allergies and would probably benefit from a steroid type nasal spray and something like Claritin or Allegra. We had gotten some OTC Claritin-D a few weeks ago which cost close to $10 for only ten pills. So I asked the doc if he could prescribe a generic similar to the OTC Claritin that would give us a month's supply and hopefully cost less. He prescribed the generic of Allegra and gave him a 30 day supply. In addition to that, he wrote out a script for Flonase and Amoxicillin. When I went to pick up the meds, the bill was $86. I didn't pay attention to what each cost, assuming the $86 was a combination of the three meds. I pulled away from the drive thru and Adam noticed that there was a stickie on the Allegra info saying that the med required prior auth. I asked him to look at the receipt, expecting that the Amoxicillin was probably dirt cheap and the other two were responsible for most of the cost. It turned out that the generic of Allegra cost $80 and the other two meds combined cost $6!

So now instead of the OTC which would have cost about $30 for a month's supply, I have this generic prescription that cost close to three times that! Plus I have a husband who is annoyed with me! This whole experience has allowed me to appreciate our patients more and their unwillingness +/or inability to pay the cost of some of their meds.

I have to wonder if the drug companies stopped paying for meals for physicians and office staff, and quit supplying every office with samples, if the cost of medications for patients would be a little more reasonable.