Remember this debacle? I got that straightened out and the ordered tests completed. (The only unanswered question remaining is whether the exams are fully covered… waiting).

Because of an inconclusive result on one test, our Doc’s nurse called me to tell us Doc had ordered another one – a CAT scan – be done. Because I had asked that WK’s file be flagged to show any such orders be faxed directly for medical insurance pre-certification, and because Doc’s nurse told me she would send the prescription right after she got off the phone with me, I thought all was copacetic and again waited for the call from the pre-cert company telling me when and where to take The Boy…. that was Monday morning.

Today, Wednesday! I called the pre-cert 800-number to find out the status of the appointment since I hadn’t heard from them. [Insert elevator music]

Once back on the phone with a live person (and I do know who I was talking with this time ’round), The pre-cert chick told me that ‘yes, they had received the fax, but…’ now here’s the kicker… it was inadvertently dated 2009 instead of 2010 and the order couldn’t be used.

Did they call me to tell me this so I could contact our doctor? No. Did they call our doctor so the order could be resubmitted? No.

I called our doctor and I asked that the order be resubmitted. And, again I wait.

Is it just me? Is it out of the realm of common sense that a simple courtesy call be made to point out the date faux pas. It would have taken all of two minutes, at most. If I hadn’t called to check on the status, how long would it have taken to correct the error?

Instead is it all on the doctor’s office for making the mistake in the first place? Should the follow-up have been their responsibility? Does the pre-cert company have any responsibility to follow-up on these sorts of incidents, or are they only limited to scheduling and nothing more?

Let there be no doubt, once I get the appointment set, I will be asking these questions. It made no sense to get all spider monkey with the pre-cert people today, but there is clearly a breakdown in communication. I want to know why nothing was done by the pre-cert company to let our doctor know her order was invalid.

Where does the responsibility lie? Am I upset at the wrong people?

While watching an amateur-style racing show with my men folk, I noticed one drag racer had a ‘Jesus’ tag on the front of his car.

A rather blasphemous tirade ensued, particularly with me ranting about how much I hate such automobile embellishments, and especially the bumper sticker that declares “God is my co-pilot.”

Me: I’d rather God be the pilot, know what I mean?

The Boy: I’d rather have Capt. ‘Sully‘ as my co-pilot. He has a résumé.

There may be a time in life when one is tired of everything and feels as if all one does is wrong, and there maybe some truth in it – do you think this is a feeling one must try to forget and to banish, or is it ‘the longing for God,’ which one must not fear, but cherish to see if it may bring us some good? Is it ‘the longing for God’ which leads us to make a choice which we never regret? Let us keep courage and try to be patient and gentle. And not mind being eccentric, and make distinction between good and evil.”

~ Vincent van Gogh (Dutch post-Impressionist, 1853-1890)

I want my choices to matter and not simply be the easy thing to do, and not really a choice at all, but a default. When the day is done, there should be a sense of accomplishment and not of feeling of ennui.

If I can’t remember what I did, or where the time flew, then I’m not living at all, only taking up air and space. That’s not good for anyone. I have so much to do, so much I can do, but won’t expend the energy to act on those possibilities.

Is that depression, apathy, futility, or indifference, indecision, lethargy, fear, or a mélange of all of these?

My choice – to be a part of this life, or to watch it slip by me, to simply slip under.

(image inspired by a poster at my son’s doctor’s office, click on image to enlarge)

I’ve been reading with interests all the promises being made across the aetherland for the coming year and second decade of the 21st century. Apparently the ushering in of a double-digit millennial suffix has inspired a host of wannabe do-gooders, or at least do-betterers.

I refuse to even discuss the ‘R’ word… yet even through my denial I have obliquely done the very thing I sought to avoid. The idea of making a blanket pledge for the entire year is a sure set up for failure. I have enough working against me to add to any pending disasters. The best you’ll get from me is my half-ass proposal to ‘try to do better, to be better.’

By ‘try’ I mean that more days than not my goal is to take a shower and change out of my PJs… before noon… into clean clothes that aren’t sweats. I might even brush my hair and teeth… using different brushes too. There will be no makeup, and rarely shoes, but hey! you get clean, what more can you ask for??

Random factoid #1 – It’s been a week since my sudden trip to the ER and subsequent surgery, and only now do I wonder if I had on clean underwear when I was admitted. I guess at this juncture it’s a moot point.

I also deny the existence of the ‘D’ word. The simple act of thinking about changing my eating habits creates in me an almost insatiable craving for any and all carbohydrates in my house. Again, I can only try… no clarification on this one.

I’m still no closer to being gainfully employed than I was two months ago. I have been researching the possibility of opening an Etsy-type site, if not an Etsy page of my own, to pander my photographs, but have no idea how to set prices, print copies or ship said copies. I’ll give you a topic – ‘how best to start an at-home business?’ Talk amongst yourselves…

Random factoid #2 – I seem to be losing hair on the top of my head at a commensurate rate to finding it on my chin. Within the half-year I should be bald, but may have solved my jobless status by running away with the circus as the Bearded Lady.

Living in a small town, I’m quickly running out of locations to photograph. I can only capture the same image so many times before it becomes a joke. I need to get out more. Here’s where that showering and clean clothes things comes in, but leaving the house will require shoes! It’s always something, dammit!!

I think, and I stress the word ‘think,’ I finally got our medical insurance confusion straightened out. Regardless, The Boy went through half a day of non-invasive body scanning, and sugar-coated blood-letting. It remains to be seen if the exorbitant cost of this tomographical and phlebotomical wizardry will be completely covered, but I took names and will be kicking ass if not. As for WK, we wait on the results and every thing else was made all better with a lunch of pecan pancakes at The Crack.

Random factoid #3 – Forget Nietzsche, my new motto should be: ‘In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer.’ (Mark Twain)

More Weekly Winners photo galleries can be found at Sarcastic Mom. While you’re there, please leave our hostess Lotus some comment love.

For Dec. 21 – Jan. 2, 2010

(Shot with a Nikon D60, using an 18-55mm, 55-200mm, or 55mm f/1.8 prime lens)

I’m recovering quickly, but still moving slow, so I didn’t get out much this week to get photos, deciding instead to stay close to home. I wish I could get better pix of the furkids, but this collage is about all they would tolerate. The pets are worse than me about getting their photos taken. As soon as they see the camera they either run, or try to get an extreme close up. What is it ‘they’ say about not working with kids and animals?

Click on collage to enlarge

Best wishes for a Happy New Year

May God give you…For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”

~ Irish Blessing

For more skyscape photography from around the world, visit SkyWatch Fridays.

Your Skywatch Team includes:

Klaus |Sandy |Wren |Fishing Guy|Louise |Sylvia

Scary Mommy, Jill, is hosting a lovely party for favorite posts of 2009. She’s brilliant and I wanna be her when I grow up, so I’m joining in the fun. Going through my last 12 months of writing, I had a difficult time picking a few. Not because there were so many, but because there were often none I wanted to offer up again.

I really hope that the coming year is better than the last. Something I have to actively participate in making happen.

In 2010, there will be many more photos, but I also want to do more meaningful writing. More than just filler and posts that read like bad Mad-Libs. That will be my only New Year’s resolution – to write with more purpose and not to only see black marks on a white screen.

For better and worse, these were my favorites from 2009:

January – Kicked to the curb (a story of tough love)

February – One day… (a mother’s plea)

March – Tanqueray and diet black cherry soda (in memory of Spring Break)

April – You have a great kid… (give a mom a hug)

May – Skank, beach, ho (a scientific debate)

June – First kiss… (where was yours?)

July – Reunion (going home)

August – Button flys (sharing clothes with your teen)

September – Clay jars (remembering mistakes)

October – Gestures of love (no words are needed)

November – Mingled yard, good and ill… (calming a troubled mind)

December – Reality of an empty nest (when your babies grow up)

For part of my Christmas, I received a new Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 prime lens for my Nikon D60. There is no auto focus, no zoom in/out, and no built-in vibration damper. It’s going to be like starting all over again learning how to take photos. I am so excited about this lens.

I will be ‘guinea-pigging’ a lot of shots here, and I ask for patience while I get the hang of it.

The first subject here, a Terrys dark chocolate orange, is a Christmas tradition in our family. These must be included in stockings or angry customer service letters are faxed to Santa ASAP. Fortunately for my peeps (or Santa), I had already filled stockings before my holiday adventure began.

For more Wordful Wednesday photos please visit Seven Clown Circus, or check out more Wordless Wednesday pix.

‘Thank you’ to everyone for all your ‘Get Well’ wishes. Being the Attention ‘Ho that I am, that’s been great. I’m recovering well, but am still very tired and sore, so I’m going to rest today.

If you miss me, I’ll be hanging out at Indie Ink, where I’m the featured artist for one of my photographs. (Thank you Stacy for the shout out.)

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and thanks again for all your concern, it really means a lot.

Maybe a couple days late, but I wanted to share a few of the goodies I received for Christmas… don’t be jealous.

A girl always loves getting jewelry. This is my new bracelet. Considering how much it will inevitably cost, I think it’s probably platinum.

Here, I opted out of the new tat I was considering and instead went with a body piercing. A controversial location for sure, but I was feeling a little rebellious.

Check out the classy footwear. I got two pair – one night, one day. I call this color ‘Chai Latte.’ That sounds so much better than ‘Baby Poop’ brown. The leg cuffs? My own private spa treatment. Individual leg massages every 10 seconds.

While maybe not for everyone, my weekend also included an intensive diet plan. Having only IV fluids, a cup or two of juice and some clear chicken broth in two days is very effective.

Not exactly what I had in mind for spending some time away, alone, with Hubs, but he only left my side when I was wheeled into the OR.

JM postponed her trip to visit the BF so she could stay home to help out with her brother and care for the pets. She also had a beautiful vase of flowers on my night stand when I got home.

Backstory and TMI:

Thursday night I went to bed early, not feeling well. I didn’t sleep more than a few minutes. By 4 am the 12-hour puking marathon started. It felt like the hangover from hell, but without any drinking.

Christmas morning was spent watching the kids open their presents and rushing to the bathroom. The rest of the day passed with me lying prostrate on my bed or on the floor hugging the toilet.

That afternoon when the red-hot poker jabbing in my right side began, Hubs took me to the Emergency Room.

An initial exam and CT scan showed my appendix as the likely culprit and I was admitted to the hospital.

FYI – throwing up that long can dehydrate you, making inserting an IV needle difficult, the nurse might blow a vein. And, morphine can leave a lemony taste in your mouth… just in case you ever wanted to know.

Saturday morning I was scheduled for surgery. Fortunately the little b’otch wasn’t perforated and the operation went smoothly. I was feeling so much better, I was released later that night.

I’m still extremely sore, but I am very glad to finally be home.

(Unfortunately, these were the only photos I have for the week – not exactly my normal Weekly Winner fare.)

More photo galleries can be found at Sarcastic Mom.

For Dec. 20-26