Red Tape

Well I took a slow body day. About the only thing I can say that I truly accomplished was starting the process for Eric's new wheelchair yet again. I hope the third time is the charm.  Apparently it is not enough to have a valid prescription from the doctor, but you have to be evaluated by a qualified therapist to see if you really need the chair. With all the insurance fraud that has been going on around wheelchairs, the company's have added extra layers, which of course add to the over all price of the chair. It did not seem to matter that Eric got his first chair at age 3 so he could take the bus to preschool. It also does not matter that in my humble opinion that Eric will not be learning to walk anytime soon. Or that he has worn out the chair he got when he was 17 or 18. Did I mention that he grew 5 inches since we got his last chair? With all the phone calls going back and forth it took 2 hours just to get the information I needed to give the doctor so that she could write the request.  That is 2 hours that I am not going to get back. Now to wait for an opening for the evaluation. Then another 2 to 3 months for the new chair.

Did you know it was easier to get Eric a new placard for special parking permit when his was stolen. All we needed was the MVD* Supervisors signature on the form. She said that since it was a replacement and that Eric was still in the chair no doctors letter was needed. We did not even have to go wait in a long line.

I think that the system is totally screwed up when it is easier to deal with the MVD then the insurance company's rules and regulations. I am hoping that we can get measured for the new chair very soon. Well I think that it is time to put this to rest for the night.

*MVD is the Arizona Motor Vehicle Department

Eric's Day Off

Eric had a day off do to the holiday today. So we took the day to do a charity run to Goodwill, the whole back of my car was full. We then became a very long train at Target. I pushed Eric in his chair and pulled the shopping cart behind us. As I recall this used to be a much shorter train when Eric was 3 and using his Kirschall chair, back when he was much younger. I did manage to fill the cart and make it as heavy as Eric and his chair. The thing that did surprise me at Target was that they did not provide carry out help with the very full basket. Most other stores in Tucson provide carry out help when I am shopping alone with Eric. Even if I don't buy as much.

We made our way home and I put the grocery's away under Eric's careful "supervision". While Eric took his afternoon nap, I managed to finish his 2nd quilt. Talk to my mom, start another Charity box, clean the guest/craft room some more. I also got laundry done, cooked and cleaned up the mess for dinner.

While Eric was thumping I managed to get some of the boxes from the craft room out to the garage. I also decided to skip folding laundry tonight.And I almost finished another hat. I am at the decrease rows on the dpn's. Well it has been a very long day and I have a very busy day tomorrow.

Sick Child Day 7 and Counting

We are at day 7 and counting with Eric home sick with a cold, no it is not H1N1 because you get a fever with that. This is just a runny nose and a cough.

So you might wonder what I do for an entire week at home with a sick child. First and foremost I do an incredible amount of laundry. Last night I was up with Eric most of the night so at midnight I threw in a load of laundry and by 5 am the last load of the night was in the dryer. I am told by the local electric company that this has a positive impact on the environment by doing laundry in off peak hours. I really believe it was a female employee trying to convince her husband that it is really OK to run the washer and dryer in the middle of the night when she was up with sick children. So she started a environmental campaign and probably got a bonus for it too.


There is also taking care of Eric. Which basically means that when ever there is a noise coming from his room day or night I go running. I tend to give him lunch in bed, because I find it to hard to get Eric out of bed and into his wheelchair. I also try to keep him amused with his music, DVDs and TV. I try to change his position every so often because he is in bed for so long.

Yesterday I also re-took all the pictures of the items in my Art Fire Studio and listed a bunch of new items. I will also list more items today.

Then there is the paper work that seems to go by the wayside when I have a chance to get out of the house. I have no idea when I will get to the post office but I will have a bag of mail ready to go. This of course leads to cleaning and a neater house. I try to do odds and ends chores that can be put down at any time to go take care of Eric. There are also regular chores such as running rumba and scooba. And once the counters and tables are cleared I might just try to organize the house a bit. There are dinners to cook although John is absolutely great when it comes to knowing when to bring home take away for dinner. The dishwasher to run and empty.

Some days I get a lot of knitting done, especially when Eric wants me to sit with him for hours at a time. All the knitting leads to a basket full of finishing work that needs to be done. Which will lead to more pictures and listings on Art Fire.

I also sneak away to Twitter and Face book to check to see if the world outside of these 4 walls is really still there. I try to find a few minutes for myself and today I am going to make a pan of brownies, because I really need the chocolate.

I know that I am getting tired of being home because I am planning some retail therapy and a lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. I printed out the lunch coupon and have decided with my new hair style that the first time in years I need a blow dryer for my hair.

So to sum up what it is like to be home with Eric sick for the week it is basically a busy week.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy your families.

Hard to be Cheerful

It is hard to be cheerful on a day like today that went through the blender called life with Eric. I had a nice leisurely day planned out a little knitting, getting caught up on some of my shows, errands and a quite lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.

10 am. the call came from the wheelchair clinic, silly me I thought that they were confirming his appointment for tomorrow morning, but no they had to see him today. They could see him at 10:30, now try making it to the high school and then to their office in mid town in 30 minutes, do they think I drive "Chitty-Chitty,Bang-Bang"? When I said I could not make that one they said that they had a 1:00 pm slot, that I could make and and even had time to cram lunch down in the parking lot before the appointment.

They were reluctant to help me get Eric from the chair, but I stood my ground and the tech finally figure he would not get the chair for the modifications till he helped get Eric out. That is when Eric's Mickey Button popped out. Eric has had a g-tube for over 7 years and this has not happened once. I did manage to get it back in, but had to change it when I got home. And then Eric managed to knock down my drink and there was that to clean up. At least the supply company was nice about it and could not believe that this has not happened before. Cross your fingers with me to hope everything will be OK till the spare button comes later in the week.

The new Sunflower Market at River and Orange Grove is very nice. We stopped by because I needed a little sane serenity dippity in my life to today. Did I mention that it was the grand opening today, definitely not sane but the staff was well trained and very nice. The Representatives from Harris Ranch Beef also gave a good tri-tip recipe. Use a salt and pepper rub. heat the grill to 350 cook the meat for 45 minutes turning every 5 minutes, Boy do those guys know how to cook a mean tri-tip roast.

The snow birds came out in droves for the grand opening and defiantly do not like to give the van accessible spaces to people with wheel chairs. There is nothing worse then waiting for a space and having a snow bird block access and practice hand jesters that they deserve time outs for. Where are their children when we need them?

Here to a quite evening. Sorry dad there was no way that this day was going to turn out "somewhere between great and fantastic" I really tried. Should I offer a bonus to Eric if he goes to sleep on time?

The comments and opinions in this blog are mine. I have not received compensation from Sunflower Market or Harris Ranch Beef.

Have an wonderful evening and enjoy your families.