The medical morass

Yesterday I decided to get my eyes checked so I could get a prescription for new contacts. We were shopping in a major discount store which offers optical service and an optomologist in store. I chatted with the service attendant regarding time for exam and other things and told him that I had vision insurance, giving him the name and he assured me that there would be "no problem" and that the procedure would take about 20 minutes. Well there began the "ordeal" of getting the end result. I filled out the proper forms and was soon attended by the doctor. The exam went fine. Then the doctor put in the drops to dilate the pupils and told me to wait up to 20 minutes before completing the exam. There was twice the time indicated by the attendant. Once the procedure was completed the doctor handed me a bill that was owed by check or cash. Well, I mentioned the insurance and she said she didn't handle insurance and knew nothing about. About that time one of the women attendants walked in. The doctor mentioned the insurance payment so I was passed off to the woman. We went out to another desk and she took my insurance card and attempted to call the insurance provider with little luck. She received a fax from them which indicated that we didn't have vision insurance which was different from what my card had listed. Another attendant got involved in the situation and was finally able to locate the correct insurance information and told me that my part of the doctor's bill was $22. Then I inquired about the insurance coverage for the contacts. Despite what the big sign on the wall read, the store will not accept that carrier because it requires that they give more of a discounted price. So I finally (after almost two hours) left the store without the contacts but with a smaller doctor's bill. I continue to have to readjust my thinking to the American culture of medical bills, etc. In Argentina, I just walked into the store and requested the contacts or a doctor's exam and all was taken care of. Maybe I will soon be back into the American culture and understand how things work here.

Getting out of the emotional fog

Getting out of the emotional fog!

It has been three months since I have written here. There has just been too much going on, for one reason. There have also been other factors.

Clayton and I had been searching for a house to buy and made an offer on a patio home Thanksgiving week which was accepted. However, the woman changed her mind and decided not to sell it. Our real estate agent found another patio home in the same subdivision which we decided to buy and our offer was eventually accepted.

On December 8th my father was admitted to the local hospital’s ICU with hemorrhaging. It didn’t look like he would survive the night. However, he did and improved a little after receiving blood. He had ups and downs and finally on the 19th he died after going into complete renal failure. Clayton and I had the privilege of being by his bedside along with my mother and others when he passed.

On December 21st we closed on the house. Then on December 23rd we attended Daddy’s funeral in Barbourville. We came back to Louisville later that day to celebrate Christmas with Kimberly and Craig.

In addition to the personal events, we continued to advocate for missions in various places including a week in Missouri in mid-February. Those events demonstrate the willingness of so many to support missions on all levels – praying, giving and going.

On January 21st we received the keys to our new “to us” home. After that we had to do some serious shopping. On February 15th our crates from Argentina were unpacked in our driveway with all the boxes stacked up in the garage. That same day some furniture was delivered, my brother and his wife brought a table that we had bought at an antique store in Paris. After they left the appliances were delivered and connected.

Jonathan arrived from Phoenix on the morning of the 16th to spend four days with us. Kimberly and Craig came from Southgate that evening. It was a fun time as we spent some nice days together. We drove to Barbourville for the day on Sunday to see my mother and for Jonathan to have a nice visit with her. On Monday Kimberly, Craig, Clayton and I helped Jonathan celebrate his 33rd birthday. Then on Tuesday we drove to Hodgenville for him to visit his grandmother Rock. He flew out that afternoon to return to Phoenix.

The next day (Feb 21st) the telephone, cable and internet were connected so we moved in that day and slept in our bed that night. It took a while to get all our stuff moved out of the mission house. David, Clayton’s brother, helped us one full day.

Now we continue in the process of unpacking and getting the house in order. I feel as though I am now out of the “emotional fog” of so many different and major events in our lives. We determined that the “stress test” number has been very high for us.

We look forward to this coming weekend of another missions event as we continue to share about the way that the Lord is working in the lives of people in Argentina and South America.

Thanksgiving Day 2006

This is what I wrote on Thanksgiving Day and haven’t written anything since then. (Now I am going to get caught up!

Thanksgiving Day 2006

November 23, 2006

It all began when I was awakened at 6:45 a.m. by the smell of baking turkey. Mother had gotten up at three o’clock to put the turkey in the oven! She had gone back to bed after putting the turkey in. She likes to get a head start to the cooking. After breakfast we began the rest of the preparation for the dinner. After the turkey was done, the ham was put in the oven. Last night we made the Watergate salad and fruit salad last night. Mother made the pumpkin pies, jam cake and molasses stack cake before we arrived. It is incredible the energy my mother has at the age of 90.

We fixed green bean casserole, slaw, mashed potatoes, dressing, candied sweet potatoes, other vegetables and rolls. What a feast. My cousin and her husband arrived around one. Later on my sister and all of her family arrived. There were 18 people in all who helped eat the food.

Daddy seemed to enjoy the day but he did say that he was tired of just sitting around with nothing that he could do but watch television and sleep. He is able to walk with the aid of the walker, more for balance. He says that he is “ready to go” and wonders why the Lord doesn’t call him home.

Mother is amazing in all that she can still do, does things for their neighbors and keeps house, etc. It is a blessing that she has so much energy despite some of her medical problems.

It was truly a day of thanksgiving for the blessings of the year. We are especially thankful that Mother and Daddy were able to celebrate yet another year with us.