ncc -- update

[Guest guest]

Hi Gang!!

It's been a while, and a lot has been happening here!

First off, it' has been a year since Nina's last VP shunt revision and 6

months since her last hospital stay (SSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! KNOCK ON

WOOD!!). She is doing well in school -- as a matter of fact she LOVES it

(got really cranky over Thanksgiving break cuz she didn't go to school for a

week!). We had to drop her off our insurance (the one thru hubby;s work) due

to a 59% increase in the premium! Thankfully, she is on the waivered

Medicaid, so she has it " permanently " (unless she wins a million $$ -- haha),

so they will be covering her 100%. We are also fortunate as to the HMO we

chose for the Medicaid (they make you pick one here) since it covers more ( &

allows more) than other HMO's (it is United MedChoice -- part of United

Health Care).

When we met our new home health nurse (didn't think we would get one since

most Medicaid HMO's don't allow it) she mentioned that in her paperwork one

of the diagnoses was something called " Mallory-Weiss Syndrome. " I have never

been told this, so I looked it up on the Web -- it turns out that it is a

condition where lesions form int he esophagus/stomach that scar up -- due to

a lot of vomitting! I need to check this out --not that there is anything to

do aobut it at this time, but I want to KNOW.

Other medical news in our house -- hubby has an ulcer (jsut what we need!)

mostly due to the stress he is under at work (and long hours and not eating

right). I was a real KLUTZ a couple weeks ago -- tripped on a part of

sidewalk that was sticking up and took a " header " -- whacked the side of my

face on the sidewalk! No stitches, but had to get a tetanus shot!

Better news: I finally got a job!! I start on Monday and we only JUST got

someone to watch Nina after school and on Fridays (had 2 people flake out on

us). I will be doing customer service for Holiday Inn (they have their

reservations center here in UT, just 10 min from my house) -- working for

their " Priority Club " (frequent guest program). They know all aobut Nina and

have no problem with my taking time off for her appts and if I have to leave

due to an emergency!! They are even nice enough to let Nina's bus pick her

up there (so I can be at work ontime!). And they are a NICE bunch of

people!! What can you say when they pull a " prank " on you in your

interview?? LOL

Hubby is sticking with his job, regardless of the stress at the moment -- he

is looking forward to his next " out-of-town " job, which happens to be in the

UK -- then the one after that is in Italy!! Boy, do I wish I could go!!

We are sort of ready for Xmas -- although we can't really afford much of one

this year. What is really nice is that our former home health nurse (and she

is only " former " cuz her company isn't a provider for Medicaid) put our name

in for the " Sub for Santa " program -- so we will have a little bit of a Xmas

(they provide the dinner and some gifts -- will let you know how it turns

out). My hubby was so touched that he told the Sub people that if they

needed help delivering (that is where they are usually short-handed) he would

help out.

Well, I better run -- have to take Nina to the dr -- she may have yet another

UTI

TTYL

Kris

Nina's mom