2006 August « Artificially Sweetened

Quick E

August 9, 2006 at 11:39 am | In Linky Love | 2 Comments

I feel like all I ever do anymore is dash into blogger and breathlessly promise updates that never happen. This summer has been spinning by so fast I’m dizzy. I’m blogging from work b/c Pili’s mom is in town, and I can’t really disappear into the office at home for long stretches of time. For better or worse, she has not (knock wood) imploded from cat dander yet. That’s a cheap shot and I should resist making it (but I didn’t). She’s not the easiest person in the world with whom to spend time, but in her own way I know that she loves us both greatly, and it means a lot for her to make the trip out here.

We went to Niagara Falls with Pili’s mom on Monday, which accounts for my sudden disappearance from the blogosphere when a very special person was off having babies and shit. Welcome to the world Charlotte Jane! While we were in Niagara, we got to meet the fabulous Andrea and Frances. It’s funny, because Andrea and I both just recently posted about blogging personas vs. real-life selves (although she was 100X more thoughtful and eloquent about it). But afterwards, Pili asked me how I thought Andrea’s real life self compared to her blog self, and I said that I thought they were remarkably similar. Thoughtful, funny, kind, and very much in love with her Frances - who is quite possibly the Best Toddler Ever. Due to the presence of said PiliMom, who kept wandering off and making me feel like a frazzled cat herder, and said Frances (who didn’t wander nearly as much) we didn’t really get to Talk with a capitol T much, but I really enjoyed spending time with her.

I very much appreciate all your support on the adoption front. I know things will get done… and I know that I have a posse of folks out there who’d gladly knock their knuckles against those vaseline smeared teeth for me! Muchas gracias, mis amigas.

Now I’m Frustrated

August 6, 2006 at 3:50 pm | In AdoptThis!, Linky Love | 7 Comments

Vaseline Teeth is on vacation for the next week or so.

She did not bother to return calls or emails asking when she might have a draft of the homestudy before she left.

I cannot wait to have the homestudy approved by our agency and get this woman OUT of my life.

If you don’t have anything better to do (and obviously I don’t) go cheer on Julia. She’s in labor! And she has wireless internet in the hospital!

Actually, I do have something to do, I just don’t want to do it.

I am at this moment supposed to be swabbing down the walls, so that my mother-out-law, who is highly allergic to cats - and who called us from the airport this morning to report that she forgot to bring her inhaler - will not die when she steps into our house tonight.

Swabbing down the walls, to remove cat dander. Ahoy Matey.

Diabetes? Why yes, I do have diabetes

August 4, 2006 at 4:58 pm | In The Sweet Life | 11 Comments

Not that you’d know it from my blog posts of late. I have been slacking off a little with Smokey - going back to my old “eh, I think that’s about half a cup” ways as opposed to my newly converted: “did you measure that? Are you trying to kill me? Why didn’t you measure that?” zeal.

But I have one diabetes related victory to report. I am breaking with McClinic. This means leaving behind the world’s nicest pump educator, but also hopefully leaving behind a track record of abysmal customer service and really, quite crappy care. When we moved here, I automatically went for McClinic, thinking that you don’t get to be The Big Name in Diabetes Care for naught. But maybe you do.

In the three years that I’ve been there. I’ve seen three different doctors, two of whom were fellows. The third doctor bitched me out because she had never seen me before and why I was booked for a follow up appointment when she’d never seen me before?

I’ve seen two different nurse-educators, both of whom have left. I’ve had more prescriptions botched than I care to remember. I’ve had a pump-trainer-in-training I’d NEVER MET BEFORE call me back about my faxed in records and frantically ask me why I had suspended my pump three days ago - for about two seconds to cancel a bolus I realized was too large. I wound up explaining to her why one might suspend a pump momentarily and, to be honest, have not bothered sharing any records with them again. Why bother, when I seem to know more about my care then this supposedly world renowned diabetes chain?

Today, the camel’s back broke. I called to reschedule my September appointment with Dr. Hello, Not My Fault Your Receptionist is Rude and Dumb, and was told the next available appointment wasn’t until November. I then politely asked Rude and Dumb Receptionist whether it might not be a good idea to schedule me for a new patient appointment as Dr. HNMFYRD had reproved me last time for being unknown to her. “Well, I can’t do that!” she sniffed. “You’re not a new patient!”

Right. And now I’m not your patient anymore, period.

One of the fellows I saw previously at McClinic has opened up shop in the same office as my internist. I called to make an appointment - and got one for September - with an apology that they couldn’t do anything sooner. “I know you said she’s seen you before,” the receptionist said, “but that was a while ago. I think we should schedule you for at least an hour consultation.”

In my mailbox today

August 3, 2006 at 5:44 pm | In AdoptThis! | 9 Comments

… Orphan Petition Fingerprint Referral Notice

Hooray!

Now all we need is the homestudy from Vaseline Teeth.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Everything and Nothing

August 1, 2006 at 11:30 am | In AdoptThis!, Bringing Home the Bacon, Linky Love | 15 Comments

I apologize for leaving that worrisome headline up there for so long.

Nothing is wrong with the adoption, in fact things are rolling along fairly smoothly (so far). Pili and I had a spat about adoption related things and in a fit of immaturity I decided that the best way to communicate with her was to blog about it. When I came to my senses I realized talking to her was probably a better strategy. Shocking, I know.

I am in an ongoing state of adoptus frustratus just because I am a person who wants to Do Things. And right now all I can do is wait. Wait for the letter so we can go and get fingerprinted. Wait for Vaseline Teeth to write up the homestudy. Wait wait wait wait wait.

Fortunately I have been keeping myself entertained with various work-related soap operas (Dear Exec. Director: Asking the one African American staff member at our organization for suggestions for African-American board members in an all staff meeting does not convince me that you understand why board diversity is important) along with more pleasant endeavors. I got to meet the newly gravid Bri, Mikey & Sophia of Ewok Journeydom and Lo of the Family O. Much fun and food was had.

I am so intrigued by the differences and similarities between people’s online personalities and inperson personalities. Bri seemed a little more gentle in person than her rapier online wit led me to expect… or perhaps it was the lack of caffiene and her newly delicate condition? Sophia was positively bubbly. A nice tall glass of seltzer our Sophia. (I drink about a gallon of the stuff a day, so this is decidely complimentary). She and Mikey are very cute together. And Lo was much quieter than I had expected, given that she wrangles seventh graders for a living! (Perhaps she just recharges all summer long?) I’m very curious to know what you all think. Was I what you expected? How is your online personality different from your real life personality?

Upcoming Updates: Some BlogLove, a Smokey Update, The Return of the Interview Meme (you thought I forgot! Anyone else want to be interviewed?), and the resolution of the Ethical Dilemmas.

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