The DC Metro Moms and all our sister blogs across the country are talking health care. From New York to California, dozens of women (and a few men) have taken the time to submit excellent text and video posts sharing their personal stories, opinions, questions and ideas on health care reform. You know what? If all of the attendees of town hall meetings across the country were being as thoughtful as my fellow bloggers, I think we'd be having a much more productive discussion about health care in this country right now.
Click here to link to all the posts. Click here to read what I have to say about it.
I hope you'll take some time to read through many of the posts and be part of this important discussion via the comments.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I Believe We Need Health Care Reform Now
I believe health care reform is the critical issue of our generation. Now is our opportunity to take a stand for ourselves, our parents, our children and their children. I believe our current health system is not sustainable: costs are rising and people are losing their insurance at alarming rates. I believe that we need health care reform and we need it now.
And, guess what? I have great health insurance. Always have.
Growing up, money was tight in my family, but my dad worked for our town and was covered under our school district's health insurance plan. It was a great plan. My parents never had to decide between groceries and a visit to the doctor: when we were sick, we went to the doctor. I got new glasses when I needed them. My siblings and I all saw the dentist on a regular basis.
Other than a few month period when I had to pay the exorbitant COBRA rates to keep my health insurance, I've had jobs which provided good insurance. Since getting married, I've been on my husband's insurance. His company pays 100% of our premiums. I realize how rare this is and how lucky we are.
It really hit home last summer when I was hospitalized and underwent surgery. Bills totaling tens of thousands of dollars started rolling in and we were responsible only for the $75 emergency room co-pay. I can only imagine how that would have been different had we not had health insurance.
Would I have ignored my symptoms and not seen my primary care doctor? Maybe. Would I have not had the complete blood work up done that indicated that something was dangerously wrong? Maybe. My platelets (the body's clotting factor) were 3,000 parts per million instead of 300,000 parts per million. Would I have died from a simple cut or spondaneous internal bleeding? Maybe.
But, this isn't about me.
It is about the 150,000 residents of Prince George's County, MD--my home county and the wealthiest minority majority county in the country--who have no health insurance. It is about the Prince George's Hospital Center, less than 1 mile from my home, that has been struggling for years and has practically collapsed under the weight of the uninsured who use it daily as their primary care facility because they have no other option.
It is about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance, the millions more who are under-insured, and the millions beyond that who are struggling to afford rising premiums, deductibles and co-payments.
It is about each and every one of us.
And so even though I am pleased with my family's current health insurance. Even though my parents and siblings and best friends are lucky enough to have good health insurance as well, I believe that we need health insurance reform in our country and we need it now.
Because this is about us--ALL of us.
Original post to DC Metro Moms. Aimee Olivo considers political involvement to be her "me time." When she isn't working on issues as co-chair of her local progressive political organization, she's blogging about life as a mama at Smiling Mama and about great family-friendly activities at Out by Ten.
KC said...
I'm with you, sister. I think it's a defining point in our country. For better or worse.
Sue @ Laundry for Six said...
Excellent post!!
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
And, guess what? I have great health insurance. Always have.
Growing up, money was tight in my family, but my dad worked for our town and was covered under our school district's health insurance plan. It was a great plan. My parents never had to decide between groceries and a visit to the doctor: when we were sick, we went to the doctor. I got new glasses when I needed them. My siblings and I all saw the dentist on a regular basis.
Other than a few month period when I had to pay the exorbitant COBRA rates to keep my health insurance, I've had jobs which provided good insurance. Since getting married, I've been on my husband's insurance. His company pays 100% of our premiums. I realize how rare this is and how lucky we are.
It really hit home last summer when I was hospitalized and underwent surgery. Bills totaling tens of thousands of dollars started rolling in and we were responsible only for the $75 emergency room co-pay. I can only imagine how that would have been different had we not had health insurance.
Would I have ignored my symptoms and not seen my primary care doctor? Maybe. Would I have not had the complete blood work up done that indicated that something was dangerously wrong? Maybe. My platelets (the body's clotting factor) were 3,000 parts per million instead of 300,000 parts per million. Would I have died from a simple cut or spondaneous internal bleeding? Maybe.
But, this isn't about me.
It is about the 150,000 residents of Prince George's County, MD--my home county and the wealthiest minority majority county in the country--who have no health insurance. It is about the Prince George's Hospital Center, less than 1 mile from my home, that has been struggling for years and has practically collapsed under the weight of the uninsured who use it daily as their primary care facility because they have no other option.
It is about the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance, the millions more who are under-insured, and the millions beyond that who are struggling to afford rising premiums, deductibles and co-payments.
It is about each and every one of us.
And so even though I am pleased with my family's current health insurance. Even though my parents and siblings and best friends are lucky enough to have good health insurance as well, I believe that we need health insurance reform in our country and we need it now.
Because this is about us--ALL of us.
Original post to DC Metro Moms. Aimee Olivo considers political involvement to be her "me time." When she isn't working on issues as co-chair of her local progressive political organization, she's blogging about life as a mama at Smiling Mama and about great family-friendly activities at Out by Ten.
KC said...
I'm with you, sister. I think it's a defining point in our country. For better or worse.
Sue @ Laundry for Six said...
Excellent post!!
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Pregnant During the Swine Flu Pandemic
We're taking Lucas over to Legoland today. Should be great fun!
In the meantime, I'm over at DC Metro Moms today talking about my concerns about being pregnant during the Swine Flu Pandemic. You can go read it here.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
In the meantime, I'm over at DC Metro Moms today talking about my concerns about being pregnant during the Swine Flu Pandemic. You can go read it here.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Pregnant During the Swine Flu Pandemic
I’ve been following the news of the Swine Flu (aka H1N1) vaccine with added interest this year. I’m pregnant and therefore am in one of the highest risk factor groups and a priority group for the vaccine.
Last year, I didn’t really buy into the Swine Flu hysteria. I didn’t stay home. I didn’t keep my three year old son home. Yeah, maybe we washed our hands a bit more often (I’m a huge proponent of hand washing anyway. OCD? Just a tad.) but we didn’t vary our routines.
I get the flu shot every year. I’ve made sure my son gets it each year as well. (I encourage my husband, but he’s on his own to actually see the doctor!)
But, I’ll be honest, this year it’s all giving me a bit of pause.
A recent study by the Center for Disease Controls found that once pregnant women get Swine Flu, they are more likely to have severe complications. In fact, we're four times more likely to need hospitalization for swine flu. Well, that tells me that I should get the vaccine as soon as possible.
Yet, NPR, my main source of news, reports that the virus being used to grow the H1N1 vaccine is growing more slowly than expected. That means there may not be enough vaccine to go around by October when the pandemic flu comes back around to the northern hemisphere. And, at the same time, the regular ole seasonal flu will be kicking off around then as well.
And, what about the safety? Again, NPR reports that 10,000 volunteers will be given the vaccine. In fact, those trials have already begun at nearby University of Maryland, but with such a tight turnaround between testing and administering the vaccine to the highest-risk groups (raises hand!) will any severe side effects be discovered?
The bottom line is that I will most likely get the vaccine. I'll talk with my doctor and keep reading and listening to all the related studies, recommendations and news reports, but I am pretty sure that the risks will outweigh the benefits. Because the greatest risk of all is to my developing baby, and that's someone I'm not willing to take any chances with.
Original post to DC Metro Moms. When Aimee Olivo isn't listening to NPR or washing her hands, she's writing at Smiling Mama and Out by Ten.
TK Meyers said...
Thanks for your informative post. I definitely will be paying attention as my husband and I are planning to be pregnant in the near future.
This has been very helpful.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to TK Meyers...
Thanks so much, TK. Best of luck to you!
Kelly said...
I am 5 weeks pregnant. I have a 2 year old. And I am driving myself crazy deciding what is best for us. There seems to be no real answer. My main thought is 1% of the popoulations pregnant which is about 3 million people and so far 15 have died from swine flu, which sucks. But that is a small precent. The questions I have are....is the swine flu going to get worse and is that vaccine safe for me and my unborn baby? And there is no answer nor will there be in time for flu season. It is a gamble one way or the other.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to Kelly...
Thanks for your comment, Kelly. I agree that this is a very difficult decision. Since we're pregnant, we're not just making this decision for ourselves but for our unborn babies as well. Not to mention, we have to keep our the health of our toddlers in mind, too.
The study that has captured my attention most is that the US CDC is analyzing the 34 cases of pregnant women in the US who got swine flu last year. Of those, 6 died. That's a pretty high percentage and all were previously healthy.
Of course this is a very personal decision and I'll continue to read as much as I can before making a final decision. Best of luck to you as you make your decision.
L said...
I just spoke with my OB/GYN about this yesterday. I am 25 weeks (due Nov. 30 - right in flu season). He said he wasn't comfortable recommending the swine flu vaccine to me or any of his patients at this time. He said that right now, there is just not enough testing in pregnant women to alleviate his concerns. He said if more testing is done and results look good, he will re-evaluate, but for now, he wouldn't recommend it and won't stock it. I will still get the regular flu shot, but won't get the H1N1 vaccine until my doctor feels it is safe to do so.
I will speak to our pediatrician about my 17 month old daughter and my husband getting the H1N1 shots though...I think more info will be available on the safety for them than for me. Oh, and we will all get the regular flu shot as we normally do.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to L...
Thanks for your comment, L. That is very interesting and good to keep in mind.
Mom said...
I want to also add that aside from handwashing, the CDC recommends that anyone with an elevated temperature not go out in public until they are fever free for 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication). I work in a school and we often see both students and teachers coming to school with "slight" fevers. There is no way of knowing whether that fever is nothing or the beginning of something. All schools, daycare centers, and places of employment need to have a zero tolerance for anyone exhibiting even minor flu symptoms. I understand that it can be a burden to miss work for a child who may or may not be getting sick, but it is the #1 way to prevent unnecessary exposure and spreading of the virus. As a parent, I would make sure that your school or daycare center has a zero tolerance policy and plenty of thermometers and handsoap in stock!
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Last year, I didn’t really buy into the Swine Flu hysteria. I didn’t stay home. I didn’t keep my three year old son home. Yeah, maybe we washed our hands a bit more often (I’m a huge proponent of hand washing anyway. OCD? Just a tad.) but we didn’t vary our routines.
I get the flu shot every year. I’ve made sure my son gets it each year as well. (I encourage my husband, but he’s on his own to actually see the doctor!)
But, I’ll be honest, this year it’s all giving me a bit of pause.
A recent study by the Center for Disease Controls found that once pregnant women get Swine Flu, they are more likely to have severe complications. In fact, we're four times more likely to need hospitalization for swine flu. Well, that tells me that I should get the vaccine as soon as possible.
Yet, NPR, my main source of news, reports that the virus being used to grow the H1N1 vaccine is growing more slowly than expected. That means there may not be enough vaccine to go around by October when the pandemic flu comes back around to the northern hemisphere. And, at the same time, the regular ole seasonal flu will be kicking off around then as well.
And, what about the safety? Again, NPR reports that 10,000 volunteers will be given the vaccine. In fact, those trials have already begun at nearby University of Maryland, but with such a tight turnaround between testing and administering the vaccine to the highest-risk groups (raises hand!) will any severe side effects be discovered?
The bottom line is that I will most likely get the vaccine. I'll talk with my doctor and keep reading and listening to all the related studies, recommendations and news reports, but I am pretty sure that the risks will outweigh the benefits. Because the greatest risk of all is to my developing baby, and that's someone I'm not willing to take any chances with.
Original post to DC Metro Moms. When Aimee Olivo isn't listening to NPR or washing her hands, she's writing at Smiling Mama and Out by Ten.
TK Meyers said...
Thanks for your informative post. I definitely will be paying attention as my husband and I are planning to be pregnant in the near future.
This has been very helpful.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to TK Meyers...
Thanks so much, TK. Best of luck to you!
Kelly said...
I am 5 weeks pregnant. I have a 2 year old. And I am driving myself crazy deciding what is best for us. There seems to be no real answer. My main thought is 1% of the popoulations pregnant which is about 3 million people and so far 15 have died from swine flu, which sucks. But that is a small precent. The questions I have are....is the swine flu going to get worse and is that vaccine safe for me and my unborn baby? And there is no answer nor will there be in time for flu season. It is a gamble one way or the other.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to Kelly...
Thanks for your comment, Kelly. I agree that this is a very difficult decision. Since we're pregnant, we're not just making this decision for ourselves but for our unborn babies as well. Not to mention, we have to keep our the health of our toddlers in mind, too.
The study that has captured my attention most is that the US CDC is analyzing the 34 cases of pregnant women in the US who got swine flu last year. Of those, 6 died. That's a pretty high percentage and all were previously healthy.
Of course this is a very personal decision and I'll continue to read as much as I can before making a final decision. Best of luck to you as you make your decision.
L said...
I just spoke with my OB/GYN about this yesterday. I am 25 weeks (due Nov. 30 - right in flu season). He said he wasn't comfortable recommending the swine flu vaccine to me or any of his patients at this time. He said that right now, there is just not enough testing in pregnant women to alleviate his concerns. He said if more testing is done and results look good, he will re-evaluate, but for now, he wouldn't recommend it and won't stock it. I will still get the regular flu shot, but won't get the H1N1 vaccine until my doctor feels it is safe to do so.
I will speak to our pediatrician about my 17 month old daughter and my husband getting the H1N1 shots though...I think more info will be available on the safety for them than for me. Oh, and we will all get the regular flu shot as we normally do.
Aimee Olivo said in reply to L...
Thanks for your comment, L. That is very interesting and good to keep in mind.
Mom said...
I want to also add that aside from handwashing, the CDC recommends that anyone with an elevated temperature not go out in public until they are fever free for 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication). I work in a school and we often see both students and teachers coming to school with "slight" fevers. There is no way of knowing whether that fever is nothing or the beginning of something. All schools, daycare centers, and places of employment need to have a zero tolerance for anyone exhibiting even minor flu symptoms. I understand that it can be a burden to miss work for a child who may or may not be getting sick, but it is the #1 way to prevent unnecessary exposure and spreading of the virus. As a parent, I would make sure that your school or daycare center has a zero tolerance policy and plenty of thermometers and handsoap in stock!
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Travel Update
- Have been up since 2:45am.
- May dislocate jaw due to the size of yawns.
- Mental capacity limits blogging to bullet form.
- Lucas did not inherit his parents' non-morning-person gene.
- He was a delight.
- Large children's play area in JFK JetBlue terminal a little disappointing.
- Still, kudos to them for the fact that it exists.
- More kudos to Abel for loading up two ipods, one iphone and one laptop with tons of kid-friendly media.
- 7.5 hours to go before reaching destination.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Favorite Things Friday: Sebastian Shaper Plus Hairspray
Based on photos of my middle school years, and clear memories of freaking out in the mornings that my bangs just weren't high enough, I'm certain that there was a time in my life when I used a great deal of hairspray. Later, and perhaps in rebellion to the years of styling my bangs into "the claw" there were many years when I eschewed all hair products for my long straight hair. It wasn't even until college that I understood how to actually dry my hair using a brush!
Over the past decade, however, I've slowly come to realize that hairspray doesn't (always!) = helmet head and that the right products, used in the right way, will help give my hair some nice volume and movement.
Despite trying many different salon and drugstore brands, my absolute favorite hairspray is Sebastian Shaper Plus. I truly love it! That's why it's my feature for this week's Favorite Things Friday.
Just a reminder: all my FTF posts are things I truly love. Sebastian hasn't sent me any samples and they certainly haven't paid me for this post.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
To Do in San Diego
As our vacation approaches, I'm getting less stressed about our travel and my lack of clothes and more and more excited about the things I want do to in sunny San Diego. Here's a little list, in no particular order.
What do you think, Sar, can we fit this all in?
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
- Float in the backyard pool in the early morning and at night after Lucas goes to bed.
- Take Lucas to LEGOLAND.
- Swim in the Pacific Ocean (on previous visits, we've only gone in up to our knees because it was so chilly; I'm hopeful that it will be warm enough to actually swim this time!).
- Eat some fish tacos.
- Eat some In-n-Out burger.
- Play at the neighborhood playground--it is really awesome!
- Of course, enjoy some quality time hanging out with my sister and her hubby.
- Visit a Trader Joe's (silly, right? Some how TJ's seems even better and more authentic in California!)
- Spend a day exploring Balboa Park (we haven't had time for this on previous visits).
- Take Lucas to see some real helicopters and airplanes at Miramir.
- Strap Lucas (and his car seat!) into Uncle Mike's fast car for a not-too-fast (hear me Uncle Mike?) drive.
- Enjoy a night out either alone with Abel or with Sarah and Mike (if they can secure a babysitter!) in a swanky neighborhood like the Gaslamp Quarter.
What do you think, Sar, can we fit this all in?
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
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