Seven Quick Crowdsourcing Takes

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Hello!  We’re still alive, in case you were wondering.

I deactivated my facebook account over the summer.  It’s been super freeing!  Here’s a picture from our summer adventures:

After staring at this picture for awhile I realized, “Hey, I have five kids.”  Whoa.  Go me.

Apparently facebook is where I would ask all my life questions, though.  So now I need help with a bunch of life questions and issues.  Can you help?!?!

 

1.  Prayers

Cee has had some swelling and hip pain crop up this week.  This is the chess game we play with SJIA.  SJIA makes a move, we react.  We hold our breath and wait to see if it turns into a full-fledged flare or if it’s just a random blip of nothing.

We went to Mayo in August, and the rheumatologist was still pretty baffled on how Cee is able to function without cartilage in her hips.  It’s hard to believe our whole Cincinnati adventure was almost a year and a half ago.  She still will need a double hip replacement, it’s just a question of when.  If she remains pain-free, we’ll be able to hold off on that surgery for longer.  Woot.

Right now we’re in sort of a tough season, though.  Prayers for our family are appreciated.

Additionally, our little community just lost its second young father to a car accident in nine months.  Two accidents.  Two dads.  Two moms who have to figure out how to keep moving on.  Five babies who will grow up without knowing their fathers.  I can’t begin to understand the pain and grief these families are going through.  Please remember these families in your prayers.

 

2.  Pharmacy Recommendations

Due to Cee and now Mateo’s medical situations we end up on a first name basis with our pharmacist.    We were using a Target pharmacy.  They had a rewards program which was a nice benefit for us as frequent flyers.  Then all the Target pharmacies became CVS.  Several little changes have stacked up so that we want to get a new pharmacy.  Like yesterday.

Here’s what we’re looking for, in order of importance:

– a competent pharmacist who can figure out math
– a rewards program so that we can leverage our long list of prescriptions into savings
– a drive through would be dreamy
– a national chain would be a bonus for when we travel to visit David’s parents

 

3.  Pharmacist Advice

(I tried to find a phamacist costume on Amazon, but this came up instead.  It doesn’t say in the description whether or not you can actually see out of it, which seems like an important detail.  If I’m an adult getting a costume, probably I’m going to a party where I’ll want to see and talk to people.  Or maybe this is the sort of costume you get if you are getting drug (pun intended!) to a party you don’t want to attend. )

Do pharmacists have a “I’m sorry, I messed up and I’m taking responsibility for the situation” override?

We’re working out the exact right dosage for Mateo with one of his medications.   Too much, and he could end up with gallstones or kidney stones.  Not enough, and – seizures.

A month ago he went from a dosage of .13 mL twice a day to .08 mL twice a day.  In theory the same bottle of medication should last us 90 days.  But it hasn’t.  We were baffled when we started getting low at after only a month.

The pharmacy said our insurance wouldn’t cover a refill for another two months.

We realized that when we’re dispensing the medication, a small amount remains in the syringe tip.  There is no way to get it out and back into the prescription bottle.  I did some experimenting with water, and about .05 mL is retained in the syringe with every dose. Giving two doses a day means that every day we lose over a dose of medication.

We explained this to the pharmacist and she said, “I’m sorry, I’ve done all I can do.”  Our only option seems to be paying for two months’ medication out of pocket.

Is it too much to have expected that the pharmacist factor in that administrative waste?

David thinks that CVS should eat the cost.  But they won’t.  Is it a huge deal?  I guess not.  But we meet our maximum out of pocket for medical expenses every year.  Now we’re in the “we’ve met our deductible” honeymoon period where all our medical expenses aren’t so bad.

When I’m writing checks for hundreds of dollars here and thousands of dollars there early in the year to meet our deductible, I get through it by telling myself how great it’s going to be once we’re past.  What’s the point in meeting the deductible if we’re just paying the full-price anyway?!?!  It’s the principle of the thing.

 

 

4.  ISO Veggies

We managed to grow a few tomatoes, which we have eaten up.  With a new baby and a move we just didn’t get much (any) gardening done.  If you’ve got extra produce goodness, we’re happy to find it a home.  The only thing we wouldn’t know what to do with is un-pickley cucumbers.

 

 

5.  ISO Just the Right Cabinet, Cupboard, Armoire, Shelf, or Hutch

I’m embarrassed to admit that the thing I miss most on facebook… is the swap sites.  I looooved scrolling through the local online garage sales.  It’s like a regular garage sale, but you don’t have to make awkward eye contact and small talk with someone as you look at their junk.  Swap sites are ideal for a frugal introvert!

I’m trying to set up systems and routines in our new house to minimize everyone’s frustration.  We’re having a hard time organizing our dining room.  After much furniture moving, I’ve decided it would be nice to find some sort of something for our school materials, which are currently spread out everywhere.  I really need something high for glue and scissors and other stuff Bea likes to get into on her own.

Maybe something like one of these:

Really, I just want a place were I can put confiscated toys that isn’t my closet.  How it looks is a lot less important than how many puzzles I can cram into the bottom cupboard, especially at the price point of “we were just going to set this out on the curb.”  So if you have any leads, please let me know.  I promise to make awkward eye contact and small talk if it works out.

 

6.  Writing

Writing is my only real hobby.  Unfortunately our life situation isn’t conducive to as much writing as I was able to do a couple years ago.  I’m having a hard time getting past the big question:  What should I write about?  If I only have a tiny smidgen of time here and there, should I be writing about library hauls?  Mass experiences?  My extreme lack of gardening abilities and my sun allergy?

My “following” is the four people I know in real life plus a handful of other mom bloggers I’ve gotten to know through the internets.  I’ve always preferred small, close-knit groups to large we’re-just-acquaintances groups, though.  So I’m looking at you, readers, for insight.  Can you help me identify my strengths?  Ultimately, I’m getting to the question:

If I were to write a book, what would it be about?

Maybe you’re giggling.  I feel silly typing it out.  But the benefit of of only have 10 followers and not 10,000 followers is that I don’t get trolled.  I don’t have to worry about imabigmeanie047 telling me that I should go jump off a cliff.  So, I’m asking.

 

7.  Peace in a Dark World

I wrote this piece on peace a week and a half ago, in case you, too, are feeling weighed down with anxiety, fear, and sadness these days.

 

 

Please fill the hole that facebook has left in my life with your advice and recommendations.  Plus, check out more quick takes!