patience, hell...

... feeling much like that buzzard. My cats have fleas. We are on our SECOND season of Lovebugs this summer.

(Wikipedia--that fount of accuracy--states there are two "flights" per year, but I don't recall having any but the late summer flight in past years. Oh well... you think you are driving in black flurries of snow, or through tiny dark hail pellets as you speed down the interstate.)

And I had to call the insurance company today... Great. Now I'm so upset I can't think straight. Heaven only knows what kind of cataloging will result today... Dealing with our insurance company has been a surprisingly easy process every since Alcoa bought Eastalco and we began dealing directly with the insurer rather than the local company insurance handler. That is, until today. Both my sons and I have been dropped from health insurance coverage retroactive to May 2008. I am required to provide birth certificates, marriage license, tax return and enrollment verification for all three of us. NOTHING has changed with the insurance company or our status. We have been married for nearly 30 years, all of it while DH has been employed or retired with the same company; our sons are 24 years old, and still eligible for coverage. Or so I've been told every time I talked with them -- under 25 and full-time students. Until today. Now the smart-a$$ed ("You don't tell me, I'm telling you!") customer rep (and I use the term very loosely) tells me they also have to be claimed on our income tax. (Nevermind that they are, it's the point of never knowing that before.) I am just SO mad I feel like I'm going to explode. Her attitude, the whole inconvenience to me based solely upon the fact that THEY did a "retiree audit" in April. And most all the information is right there in their files! Marriage licenses and birth certificates!

sponsor me!

I'm trying something to gain sponsorship for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi's Walk for Diabetes to be held October 26th, 2008: using Paypal's donation button. You'll see it there to the right in the sidebar. For every $5.00 donation, I will enter my sponsors in a drawing for two skeins of sock yarn (see center of photo below). I'm also gathering other yarn prizes, as well as beads/beading projects, and/or other needlework prizes than knitting.

click photo for larger image
The two skeins of sock yarn (center) are ArtYarns UltramMerino4, 50g each in color 132. Also pictured are three additional yarn prizes: Classic Elite Yarns' Alpaca Sox Hand Dyes, 100g in color Peacock (top) Trekking XXL, 100g in color 100 (left) Brown Sheep Company's Wildefoote Luxury Sock Yarn, 50g in color Columbine, SY-16 (bottom) ... more prizes to come!I am lucky. Though I have Type II Diabetus Mellitus, at this point in my life I am able to control it with diet, exercise, and oral medication. It may not always be so. More to the point, I have excellent insurance which provides my medication at no cost and my testing supplies for a small co-pay. Many, in fact, I should probably say most diabetics are not so fortunate, and supplies are expensive! Testing strips are about $1.00 each, and many people must test multiple times a day!
The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi's goal for the Hattiesburg walk this year is $50,000.00. Here's some information from a DFM flyer about how donation monies are used:

Insulin for patients in need ($25)
Educational information for parents of newly diagnosed children with diabetes ($25)
Blood glucose testing strips for patients in need ($50)
Sending a family to Camp Kandu ($75)
Diabetic shoes for adult patients in need ($100)
WE Care 2 backpack for newly diagnosed child and family ($125)
Diabetes emergency box for a school ($150)
Screening supplies for 100 people ($250)
Diabetes Camp for one child ($400)

"Here's how your donations from Walk 2007 made a difference in many Mississippians lives:

518 patients have received meters/strips, insulin, oral medication
98 schools and school districts received the teacher education training and emergency boxes
45 children received camp scholarships to attend summer diabetes camp

"Putting your donations to work. Our patient assistance program is our largest program in the state. Children and adults alike have benefited from timely donations of lifesaving insulin, oral medications, insulin pump and blood glucose testing supplies.

"It is so important to have immediate help available when you or a family member has diabetes. Things happen--emergencies spring up when you least expect them; someone gets laid off from work or has a visit to the ER, and bills start piling up. The $200 pharmacy bill that the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi pays for a child or adult with diabetes means a family can get through a month without missing their insulin or test strips. Or the $400 that we give to the two summer camps in Mississippi means a child can have a carefree week at summer camp without breaking the family bank. Many families in Mississippi are just making it every month with no room for added expenses. Every dollar counts--all donations stay in Mississippi to help Mississippians live with diabetes here and now!"

I feel very strongly that because I am able to treat my condition easily that I have a responsibility to help those who are not so fortunate economically. And really, it doesn't matter whether you help me do so or you help in your own state, or even if you don't donate at all... my primary goal is to raise awareness of diabetes epidemic occurring in our country.