Owen is not transitioning well to 3rd grade. We are not super fond of his teacher, she is very much about punishing people. He is shy and anxious, his teacher last year really seemed able to bring out the best in him. He is flaky and flighty, and I don't know how to get him more focused. I sent his teacher an email to get suggestions from her, but haven't heard anything back yet. I spent half an hour crafting my email, trying to convey that we are concerned, we aren't blaming her, but also she maybe need to focus on him a bit.
He has been having dreams about us dying, so I know that school is making him upset. He has an ipod touch, and he is allowed to email us and his grandparents, last week he sent me an email from bed saying he keeps having a nightmare about being blind, and he can't hear... and then he dies. So clearly, mother of the year over here.
I am on a committee at his school and my job is to organize the volunteers to sell tickets. I have to coordinate with a mom, who seems determined to not understand what I mean. I explained the days I need volunteers, and gave her a sign up sheet with all the days and times. She made a new sheet with only one day. Then when I asked her about it she said her class would only do one day and I would have to find someone else to do the others. Unfortunately she informed of this a week before I need people. I hate having to talk to people I don't know, then to have them ignore me and have to keep addressing them on it is really stressful.
Also, remember my pharmacy issue? I have to testify to the governing board on Wednesday. Gahhhhh
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Who Knew??
Pickles could be so easy...
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Todays Challenge....
I am going to try and do pickles with the 6 pickling cucumbers. I have never made pickles, so I am excited. Trouble is my dad is in town and then we are leaving for a few days so I don't know how the pickling will work?? Hmm looks like I need to do some research.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Eggplant Update
Let's say you are laying in bed in the morning and you hear your two year old talking. Then you hear a weird, unidentifiable sound, and you and your spouse discuss what is this strange sound?? Hmm well, she isn't crying so leave her be. NO. NO you get up immediately and see what the demon seed is doing:
No idea where she found a pencil but she really gave the wall and bookcase a work out. She will not contain her muse to a piece of paper. She has colored on everything in this house, we hide writing utensils like most people hide matches.
So the eggplant. I have mentioned my Meta Givens cookbook before, I found a recipe for Eggplant En Casserole and had all the ingredients so what the heck. I made some changes because I strongly believe onions are bigger now that they were in 1947.
Eggplant (peeled and diced mine was about 4 cups)
2 tomatoes sliced (peeled, but I didn't because how do you do that?)
1C cheese ( I used cheddar jack also I don't measure cheese I just throw handfuls)
Butter
Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Saute the eggplant and onion is butter until semi cooked about 5 minutes. Then layer eggplant/onion then tomato then cheese then repeat. On the top sprinkle more cheese and some breadcrumbs. Put a few dabs of butter on top. Cook at 375 for about half and hour.
Bud and I both loved this, the tomatoes added a nice bit of freshness. Owen nearly vomited just looking at it, and Ellie liked the first bite but refused anymore. Maddie at three helpings, of course she thinks edamame is a huge treat so she is not your typical kid. Definitely something I will make again. Owen use to eat tons of vegetables but has been more picky since hanging out with more kids, I think since he use to love veggies as a little kid he will eventually get back to them as he gets older. I hope.
I can't wait to see what this Saturday brings.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Trying New Things
For the last few week we have participated in Bountiful Baskets. It is pretty cool, especially since we live in a desert and don't have lovely farm stands like we visit in PA when we are there. Each week we sign up and pay for a basket. Then on Saturday we shlep out the the designated location and pick up the basket. It is $16.50 for a basket, and this week in the basket we got a bag of potatoes, 2 tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, leaf lettuce, a cantaloupe, 5 plums, 5 peaches, a couple pounds of grapes and bananas. Which where I live is way more the $16.50.
So I think I found a recipe, lets see how many I can get to eat eggplant.
Each week there is one item that is "unusual" at least for us. This week it is the eggplant. Last week we got kale, and another week it was swiss chard. I love the opportunity to try something that our family has not tried. I love looking for the recipes, and trying them out. So my project this week is the eggplant.
 |
| Just try to get your children to eat me.... |
So I think I found a recipe, lets see how many I can get to eat eggplant.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
OCD Pays Off Part 2
So pretty much everyone I talked to reacted the same as you guys in the comments. I called my doctor's office, because of the pain medications they don't want you bouncing around pharmacies, to let them know I would be changing to a different pharmacy. When I explained to the first person on the phone, she gasped really loud and told me to hold on. I got the feeling they started passing my call to other people in the office to freak them out. The doctor passed along a message that no way in hell should I go back there, and the nurse said if it was her she would put up a big stink.
We bypassed the store level, because the first person Bud talked to was the manager, so it seemed a bit pointless to complain to her. Also, not only did she screw up, the other pharmacist was also very Wahteva about the whole thing, so it seems as if much of the staff there is a bit indifferent. I filed a complaint on the store website, and ..... crickets chirped. Finally, three weeks later the district manager called and left a message, I called back and he was out. I gave them the best times to reach me, and every time he called it was never when I was home. I would say call after 3 and he would call at 9 am. We did that for two weeks, and he just stopped trying to reach me. But I am sure he was able to write in his report that he tried to contact me.
I also found the state agency that oversees the pharmacies, and filed a complaint with them. I was afraid that was a bit of overkill. I had to write a long statement, and actually mail it, with a stamp! I got a call from a guy there to tell me that he would talk to me in length the next week, but just wanted me to know that I was going to be addressed, and set up a time to talk with me. I thought that was nice, also he had given me his cell number, so when I called, he answered not a receptionist ( one less person to talk to on the phone WIN).
So the next week he called, and asked me to talk him through the whole thing. I had taken pictures of the two different pills with the prescription bottle in the picture as well. He said that was really helpful, as Swistle said, he was able to determine from that who filled the prescription, who was suppose to check it and so on. He said he was very impressed with my organization, and attention to detail. I am a super dork, so that made me happy. Anyway, he will finish his investigation and then take it to the pharmacy board later this month. He said he would call me to let me know what happens, which could range from a letter in a file, to fines, suspensions and revocations of licenses. He was most disturbed that we had brought it back and were told it was fine.
He asked me what did I want for an outcome, and I told him I didn't want to hear in the news about someone dying because of them. (A few weeks later there was a mix up at the same chain in a different state with a 2 year olds medicine) He told me his job is not just disciplinary action, but to find out why the mistake happened and rectify the situation so it doesn't happen again. I will say, he was very nice, informative, and reassuring. I am sure the local news would be shocked that a state employee was helpful and nice.
Of course, two weeks after this happened all the kids got sick. We had to fill 7 or 8 prescriptions for them in the next 8 weeks. We changed to a pharmacy in the grocery store, which is nice, because you always need something at the store. Also the people there are so nice, they remember our names! They asked why we switched and I told them the story. When I had spoken with my doctor's office, everyone was appalled that there were two different pills in the same bottle. Well, the new pharmacist explained, if they have to fill a prescription with two different manufacturer's pills, they have to be in different bottles and the pharmacist has to speak to the customer, apparently it is a law.
So, as Ma Ingalls would say "all's well that ends well".
We bypassed the store level, because the first person Bud talked to was the manager, so it seemed a bit pointless to complain to her. Also, not only did she screw up, the other pharmacist was also very Wahteva about the whole thing, so it seems as if much of the staff there is a bit indifferent. I filed a complaint on the store website, and ..... crickets chirped. Finally, three weeks later the district manager called and left a message, I called back and he was out. I gave them the best times to reach me, and every time he called it was never when I was home. I would say call after 3 and he would call at 9 am. We did that for two weeks, and he just stopped trying to reach me. But I am sure he was able to write in his report that he tried to contact me.
I also found the state agency that oversees the pharmacies, and filed a complaint with them. I was afraid that was a bit of overkill. I had to write a long statement, and actually mail it, with a stamp! I got a call from a guy there to tell me that he would talk to me in length the next week, but just wanted me to know that I was going to be addressed, and set up a time to talk with me. I thought that was nice, also he had given me his cell number, so when I called, he answered not a receptionist ( one less person to talk to on the phone WIN).
So the next week he called, and asked me to talk him through the whole thing. I had taken pictures of the two different pills with the prescription bottle in the picture as well. He said that was really helpful, as Swistle said, he was able to determine from that who filled the prescription, who was suppose to check it and so on. He said he was very impressed with my organization, and attention to detail. I am a super dork, so that made me happy. Anyway, he will finish his investigation and then take it to the pharmacy board later this month. He said he would call me to let me know what happens, which could range from a letter in a file, to fines, suspensions and revocations of licenses. He was most disturbed that we had brought it back and were told it was fine.
He asked me what did I want for an outcome, and I told him I didn't want to hear in the news about someone dying because of them. (A few weeks later there was a mix up at the same chain in a different state with a 2 year olds medicine) He told me his job is not just disciplinary action, but to find out why the mistake happened and rectify the situation so it doesn't happen again. I will say, he was very nice, informative, and reassuring. I am sure the local news would be shocked that a state employee was helpful and nice.
Of course, two weeks after this happened all the kids got sick. We had to fill 7 or 8 prescriptions for them in the next 8 weeks. We changed to a pharmacy in the grocery store, which is nice, because you always need something at the store. Also the people there are so nice, they remember our names! They asked why we switched and I told them the story. When I had spoken with my doctor's office, everyone was appalled that there were two different pills in the same bottle. Well, the new pharmacist explained, if they have to fill a prescription with two different manufacturer's pills, they have to be in different bottles and the pharmacist has to speak to the customer, apparently it is a law.
So, as Ma Ingalls would say "all's well that ends well".
Friday, June 24, 2011
OCD Pays Off, Eventually, Sort of... Part 1
As I have mention many time I have neck and back issues. I had injections last year, but still use muscle relaxants, arthritis medication daily and pain meds occasionally. We were filling our prescriptions across the street at the large national chain we will call WalBlue.
So Bud went and picked up my refills that I had called in, when he got home I opened the muscle relaxant immediately, and noticed that the pills were not the same as usual. They looked similar, so I dumped out the bottle and realized there were two types of pills in the bottle, one that was what I was familiar with, and one that was a bit larger and had different markings. So like any reasonable person, I consulted google. And google told me it was a diabetes medication, not a muscle relaxant. Bud immediately went back to the pharmacist and showed her the problem. She poked around on the computer, looked in a few bottles, and on a few shelves then told Bud it was a new generic that they were changing to. I kept feeling skeptical, but if it is new, maybe it just isn't online yet? I mean who do you trust, the pharmacist who went to school forever or a website possibly updated by crazy Uncle Joe?
At first I avoided the new pills, but my insurance won't pay for more until a month has gone by, and more than half are the new pills. So I finally took a few, I can take up to 4 a day, but usually just take 2. Then I came down with a bug, of the intestinal sort. I don't have the kind of job where I can just run to the bathroom whenever I want. I was also woozy, light-headed and nauseous and shaky. I eventually set up lessons for a sub, figuring I caught a bug from my students.
Anyway, this went on for a few days, I was ready to take a sick day when WalBlue calls and asks us to bring in the bottle of medication. They wanted to replace it with all the same pill. Bud kept asking if they gave me the wrong meds and they just said it was the wrong dosage. We took it back (first I took pictures and kept a few of the wrong pill) and got the prescription fixed. Bud spoke to a different pharmacist, explained the situation and she responded with "these things happen all the time, we are doing our best". (and there is only one dosage for my prescription and one generic, there is no new generic)
So to me, yes mistakes happen HOWEVER
1) we noticed and brought it back ASAP, and the pharmacy manager didn't know it was wrong.
2) giving the wrong meds could cause a reaction with the other crap I am taking.
3) the diabetes stuff was extended release 1 every 24 hours I was taking 2 each day and by doctors directions could have been quadrupling the dosage.
4) My dad has bad eyesight and would never have noticed the difference. My mom may have noticed but would have assumed everything was fine. How many people don't match the description on the bottle with the pill in the bottle. I am super obsessive about that, drug interactions scare the bejesus out of me.
Oh, and the side effects of the wrong medicine they gave me? Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, light-headedness I wasn't sick, I was having side effects of a medicine I shouldn't have been taking. As soon as I stopped taking it I felt better.
So how do you proceed from here? Do we let it go?
To be continued...
So Bud went and picked up my refills that I had called in, when he got home I opened the muscle relaxant immediately, and noticed that the pills were not the same as usual. They looked similar, so I dumped out the bottle and realized there were two types of pills in the bottle, one that was what I was familiar with, and one that was a bit larger and had different markings. So like any reasonable person, I consulted google. And google told me it was a diabetes medication, not a muscle relaxant. Bud immediately went back to the pharmacist and showed her the problem. She poked around on the computer, looked in a few bottles, and on a few shelves then told Bud it was a new generic that they were changing to. I kept feeling skeptical, but if it is new, maybe it just isn't online yet? I mean who do you trust, the pharmacist who went to school forever or a website possibly updated by crazy Uncle Joe?
At first I avoided the new pills, but my insurance won't pay for more until a month has gone by, and more than half are the new pills. So I finally took a few, I can take up to 4 a day, but usually just take 2. Then I came down with a bug, of the intestinal sort. I don't have the kind of job where I can just run to the bathroom whenever I want. I was also woozy, light-headed and nauseous and shaky. I eventually set up lessons for a sub, figuring I caught a bug from my students.
Anyway, this went on for a few days, I was ready to take a sick day when WalBlue calls and asks us to bring in the bottle of medication. They wanted to replace it with all the same pill. Bud kept asking if they gave me the wrong meds and they just said it was the wrong dosage. We took it back (first I took pictures and kept a few of the wrong pill) and got the prescription fixed. Bud spoke to a different pharmacist, explained the situation and she responded with "these things happen all the time, we are doing our best". (and there is only one dosage for my prescription and one generic, there is no new generic)
So to me, yes mistakes happen HOWEVER
1) we noticed and brought it back ASAP, and the pharmacy manager didn't know it was wrong.
2) giving the wrong meds could cause a reaction with the other crap I am taking.
3) the diabetes stuff was extended release 1 every 24 hours I was taking 2 each day and by doctors directions could have been quadrupling the dosage.
4) My dad has bad eyesight and would never have noticed the difference. My mom may have noticed but would have assumed everything was fine. How many people don't match the description on the bottle with the pill in the bottle. I am super obsessive about that, drug interactions scare the bejesus out of me.
Oh, and the side effects of the wrong medicine they gave me? Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, light-headedness I wasn't sick, I was having side effects of a medicine I shouldn't have been taking. As soon as I stopped taking it I felt better.
So how do you proceed from here? Do we let it go?
To be continued...
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