AJ and a LATTE

Life has been so fast!  I look up and it has been months since I’ve posted.  

My verse for the year is Philippians 2:14–”Do everything without arguing and complaining.”  

I have worked very hard to live by this, but I am going to take a time-out from it for just a minute.  I am sickened by the way insurance can manipulate the healthcare of our elderly!  My father-in-law broke his ankle in a vehicle accident on January 18.  It took us until February 6 to get him in a skilled nursing facility (not one that we had in the top five of our list!)!!!  When they were trying to check him out of the hospital, it occurred to them that an orthopedic doctor had not yet checked on his ankle.  He had been in the hospital 18 days when they figured this out.  So, they kept him one more day so a doc could see him.  Then he was moved the next day to the care facility without letting the family know he was about to move.  He got to the facility and the ambulance did not look close enough and took his bag with all of his belongings with them in the ambulance.  He couldn’t call anyone because his cell phone was in his bag!  His medications were not in the order so he went all day today with nothing but his thyroid pill and tylenol for pain.  HIS MEDS DID NOT FOLLOW HIM OVER HERE!  They will arrive tonight between 2-3 am!!!  I am so frustrated.  And nothing, NOTHING is anyone’s fault.  No one will stand up and take responsibility.  My f-i-l worked his entire life to be treated like he doesn’t matter.  I don’t know what people do who don’t have active advocates!  

The facility has very kind people.  They have been helpful.  They did work around and FINALLY get him pain meds about 4:00 this afternoon.  It is dated, but they do seem to care what happens to him.  I’m just worried that he is simply another patient.  I want him to be treated like a man who will get to go home, not placed here to die.  That is yet to be determined.  Spouse was judging out of town this weekend, so f-i-l and I have done it together.  I’ve really had to work to not be a bulldog.  I don’t want them to give him a reputation because the daughter in law is obnoxious.  

In other news, my dad is doing great!….enter shingles!  He has them on his face.  How painful.  It seems like when it rains it pours.  

Age is cruel.  These are two of the best men I know and they have spent the last several years fighting one thing or another. I know God doesn’t cause bad things to happen.  I know good will come of all of these situations.  I just don’t understand.  They have worked so hard their entire lives starting as young teens.  They have worked like dogs throughout the years.  They strove to not miss anything their children or grandchild did. They have provided for their families. They have not been men to rattle the cage or rock the boat…yet last year we had to fight the system for my dad and this year we’re doing the same thing for Matt’s dad.  It is such a broken system.  I don’t know what the answer is, but “this ain’t it”!  

Now I’ll let you return to regular scheduled programming.  I’ll return to working on my attitude and a Phil. 2:14 lifestyle.  If you’ve got an urge to say a prayer, pray for my father-in-law with his rehab and pray for a system that doesn’t work.  Pray for those caught in the system and those trying to navigate.  May God’s hand be in it all….

Until next time….