They say there will be a reduction in back office staff, “less than 30 people.” I assume that means 29 people. I can’t help but feel stuck in this endless loop of “Will I have a job tomorrow?”
Big business isn’t something I really feel comfortable with. I am not the neck-to-neck competitive sort. I believe in success, but I’ve always had trouble understanding why success equaled both a winner and a clear loser.
I may not have a job tomorrow. If I do, that means someone else lost their job. It is exactly 28 days until Christmas. Perhaps enough time to spend in a rehab, and perhaps enough time for an evil zombie disease to take over and subsequently eradicate most of humankind and in turn themselves (28 days later…) 28 days is not enough time to find the resources to pay a mortgage, car payment, insurance, put food on the table, and lastly cough up some Christmas presents for little (and bigger) ones.
Sometimes losing sucks. I understand that corporate (our new corporate) will have you believe that this is not losing, this is just change. They can even spin it (in however foreboding a manner) and call it “integration”. Because integration is good right?
I really hope I have a job tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Upcoming Events and Fare For All
These next few weeks are pretty full of new opportunities for me. The Parents of Children with Autism Support Group meets this Thursday, and it is my third meeting as co-facilitator. Partners in Policymaking weekend #3 begins this Friday. Next week Gracie begins her IEP evaluations. December 11th I will give my first testimony before legislators concerning Improving Health Care Coverage including Home Care and Therapy. Sandis has an IEP review team meeting the same day as my testimony. There is a lot going on, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the level of involvement I have.
Here is the official flyer for the Legislative Town Forum.
Finally, I found a great resource the other day while waiting in line to sign my kids up for Toys for Tots. Sometimes, you know, that happens. You find a great resource while thinking only of other things. This particular resource is not a resource only for the disabled community, but more a resource for all families. Please take a moment and check out Fare For All . This program is really stinkin’ cool.
Food is a universal need. The cost of food and the limiting factors associated with its cost, especially for working families who do not qualify for federal food assistance, or older adults on fixed incomes that qualify for very limited or no federal food assistance. My family is a working family. We spend approximately 400 dollars per month on food and toiletries (or more depending on the month). Fare For All distributes (for a price, but a hugely reduced price) FRESH fruits and vegetables as well as frozen meats. This program really addresses the highest need for food, because this is just the sort of food you CAN’T get at a food shelf (or most food shelves).
I am going to try this program out and I will share with you the types of food I receive. For $17, how can I afford NOT to?
Here is the official flyer for the Legislative Town Forum.
Finally, I found a great resource the other day while waiting in line to sign my kids up for Toys for Tots. Sometimes, you know, that happens. You find a great resource while thinking only of other things. This particular resource is not a resource only for the disabled community, but more a resource for all families. Please take a moment and check out Fare For All . This program is really stinkin’ cool.
Food is a universal need. The cost of food and the limiting factors associated with its cost, especially for working families who do not qualify for federal food assistance, or older adults on fixed incomes that qualify for very limited or no federal food assistance. My family is a working family. We spend approximately 400 dollars per month on food and toiletries (or more depending on the month). Fare For All distributes (for a price, but a hugely reduced price) FRESH fruits and vegetables as well as frozen meats. This program really addresses the highest need for food, because this is just the sort of food you CAN’T get at a food shelf (or most food shelves).
I am going to try this program out and I will share with you the types of food I receive. For $17, how can I afford NOT to?
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Improving Health Care Coverage Including Home Care and Therapy
I've been asked to testify at a town forum sponsored by ARC and UCP on December 11th in Saint Cloud. I will be talking about Health Care Coverage Including Home Care and Therapy. Districts 14 & 15 policymakers (Sate of MN House Of Rpresentatives) will be present and it will be to them that I will be stating my case. I've put up my first draft. What do you think?
Good evening. My name is Sarah Rittmann and I live in Saint Cloud with my two young children, Sandis and Gracie. I first want to thank all of you for the opportunity you have given me to share with you the need for improvements in health coverage including home health and therapy options.
My son Sandis is seven years old. Sandis LOVES video games, plays hockey in the local youth league, and is excellent at mathematics. My daughter Gracie is four years old. Gracie is persistent, vocal and organized in all of her undertakings. I can understand that it may be hard to imagine a four year old being all of these things, but I also understand that you have not likely had the opportunity to meet my daughter! One thing that my two children have in common, despite their differences, is they both have disabilities and require varying levels of care to help them achieve the same level of independence that other children their age have. Gracie has cerebral palsy and type 1 diabetes and Sandis has an autism spectrum disorder.
My daughter has been involved in physical therapy and occupational therapy. My daughter’s disability is primarily physical so she also has many medical specialist appointments. Gracie, through the help of many interventions, has increased her skills and independence by a huge degree. Because of this she now only requires weekly occupational therapy, orthopedic supports, and her diabetes therapy regimen which consists of testing her blood approximately ten times per day as well as one injection of insulin per day.
My daughter receives Medicaid which is based on my income. In January of 2008 Gracie will lose her secondary Medicaid coverage as our income will no longer qualify her for this coverage. Usually an increase in income is met with happiness in a family. In my family, I have considered asking my job to decrease my pay. My daughter does not qualify for TEFRA coverage as she is not “disabled enough“ as has been determined by the State Medical Review Team. When my daughter loses her Medicaid coverage next year, our family will be forced to make some very difficult decisions regarding Gracie’s care and what therapies and interventions I will be able to continue. I do not believe it is ethical for families of children with type 1 diabetes worrying about how often they can afford to check their child’s blood sugars. I believe that Minnesota needs to take into account the needs of high medical-needs children with pre-existing conditions that may not qualify for a disability determination. Gracie deserves the increased mobility she gains from her orthopedic supplies, the best care possible for her diabetes, and she has a right to the therapies she receives that help increase her fine motor development. Families, also, have a right to these services for their children even if their commercial insurance will not cover them or they can not afford the copays and percentages they are required to pay for them. My daughter should not be denied her maintenance therapy which allows her to NOT be considered disabled simply because I cannot afford them and we are not poor enough to qualify for typical Medicaid
Sandis has a federal determination of disability so he receives Medicaid that is not based on my income. Sandis currently has occupational therapy twice per week. Sandis’s occupational therapy focuses on life skills. Sandis learns how to tie his shoes, how to act in public places, how to maintain focus on an activity he may not like, as well as many self-regulatory techniques that help him deal with frustrations and sensory input. Sandis also receives PCA services daily during the week that further helps him to complete all those things that you or I take for granted. Sandis learns how to clean his room, how to brush his teeth and bathe, how to handle frustrating situations, and how to sit at the table for dinner. All of these things that my son works on both in formal occupational therapy and with his PCA are fundamental to his independence now and also as he grows older.
Sandis’s personal care attendant is a crucial piece of his functional education. Sandis has been receiving PCA services since April of 2007 and in the past 8 months Sandis has had four different personal care attendants. He also was “between” personal care attendants for approximately 6 weeks of the first six months he was eligible for services. This means a few things for Sandis. The first thing it means is that during the time periods that Sandis is without a PCA, Sandis is denied his independence in his home routines. The second thing it means is that through the course of eight months, a child that is very bound to routine, has had to accept a new person approximately every other month into his personal routines and learn to incorporate this person into his life. There is a certain level of privacy and humanity that is lost when a child is submitted to a revolving door of personnel to aid him in things like bathing, toileting, eating, and behavioral regulation. There is also a certain level of trust that each PCA must achieve in order for Sandis to relax enough to allow them to truly help him in his routines.
I believe that it is important to not only ensure that children who need home therapy assistance are assessed and qualified for these benefits, but we also need to focus on and resolve the reasons behind the high-turnover in the direct support workers field. This high turnover intimately affects families, children, and individuals. Minnesota needs to continue to work towards providing optimum reimbursements for direct support services, and we also need to ensure that any increases in reimbursements are being reflected in the wages of the actual direct support workers.
Good evening. My name is Sarah Rittmann and I live in Saint Cloud with my two young children, Sandis and Gracie. I first want to thank all of you for the opportunity you have given me to share with you the need for improvements in health coverage including home health and therapy options.
My son Sandis is seven years old. Sandis LOVES video games, plays hockey in the local youth league, and is excellent at mathematics. My daughter Gracie is four years old. Gracie is persistent, vocal and organized in all of her undertakings. I can understand that it may be hard to imagine a four year old being all of these things, but I also understand that you have not likely had the opportunity to meet my daughter! One thing that my two children have in common, despite their differences, is they both have disabilities and require varying levels of care to help them achieve the same level of independence that other children their age have. Gracie has cerebral palsy and type 1 diabetes and Sandis has an autism spectrum disorder.
My daughter has been involved in physical therapy and occupational therapy. My daughter’s disability is primarily physical so she also has many medical specialist appointments. Gracie, through the help of many interventions, has increased her skills and independence by a huge degree. Because of this she now only requires weekly occupational therapy, orthopedic supports, and her diabetes therapy regimen which consists of testing her blood approximately ten times per day as well as one injection of insulin per day.
My daughter receives Medicaid which is based on my income. In January of 2008 Gracie will lose her secondary Medicaid coverage as our income will no longer qualify her for this coverage. Usually an increase in income is met with happiness in a family. In my family, I have considered asking my job to decrease my pay. My daughter does not qualify for TEFRA coverage as she is not “disabled enough“ as has been determined by the State Medical Review Team. When my daughter loses her Medicaid coverage next year, our family will be forced to make some very difficult decisions regarding Gracie’s care and what therapies and interventions I will be able to continue. I do not believe it is ethical for families of children with type 1 diabetes worrying about how often they can afford to check their child’s blood sugars. I believe that Minnesota needs to take into account the needs of high medical-needs children with pre-existing conditions that may not qualify for a disability determination. Gracie deserves the increased mobility she gains from her orthopedic supplies, the best care possible for her diabetes, and she has a right to the therapies she receives that help increase her fine motor development. Families, also, have a right to these services for their children even if their commercial insurance will not cover them or they can not afford the copays and percentages they are required to pay for them. My daughter should not be denied her maintenance therapy which allows her to NOT be considered disabled simply because I cannot afford them and we are not poor enough to qualify for typical Medicaid
Sandis has a federal determination of disability so he receives Medicaid that is not based on my income. Sandis currently has occupational therapy twice per week. Sandis’s occupational therapy focuses on life skills. Sandis learns how to tie his shoes, how to act in public places, how to maintain focus on an activity he may not like, as well as many self-regulatory techniques that help him deal with frustrations and sensory input. Sandis also receives PCA services daily during the week that further helps him to complete all those things that you or I take for granted. Sandis learns how to clean his room, how to brush his teeth and bathe, how to handle frustrating situations, and how to sit at the table for dinner. All of these things that my son works on both in formal occupational therapy and with his PCA are fundamental to his independence now and also as he grows older.
Sandis’s personal care attendant is a crucial piece of his functional education. Sandis has been receiving PCA services since April of 2007 and in the past 8 months Sandis has had four different personal care attendants. He also was “between” personal care attendants for approximately 6 weeks of the first six months he was eligible for services. This means a few things for Sandis. The first thing it means is that during the time periods that Sandis is without a PCA, Sandis is denied his independence in his home routines. The second thing it means is that through the course of eight months, a child that is very bound to routine, has had to accept a new person approximately every other month into his personal routines and learn to incorporate this person into his life. There is a certain level of privacy and humanity that is lost when a child is submitted to a revolving door of personnel to aid him in things like bathing, toileting, eating, and behavioral regulation. There is also a certain level of trust that each PCA must achieve in order for Sandis to relax enough to allow them to truly help him in his routines.
I believe that it is important to not only ensure that children who need home therapy assistance are assessed and qualified for these benefits, but we also need to focus on and resolve the reasons behind the high-turnover in the direct support workers field. This high turnover intimately affects families, children, and individuals. Minnesota needs to continue to work towards providing optimum reimbursements for direct support services, and we also need to ensure that any increases in reimbursements are being reflected in the wages of the actual direct support workers.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tagged!
I’ve been tagged! This doesn’t happen all that often in my parts, so thanks for the thought Vivian!
The rules:
1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post. (I’m probably not going to do this. I have trouble NOT following rules, but I’m not big on tagging folk.)
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (please see above)
7 Things About me
1. I am a drug addict. I went to treatment in 2004 for fentanyl & benzodiazepine drug addiction. The experience gave me the peace and strength that has helped me move mountains since then for my family. Sometimes it takes being at the bottom to realize what it takes to get to the top, or even if you still want to get to the top.
2. I am a perfectionist and have trouble breaking the rules. I seriously get a gut ache thinking about lying.
3. My SO is named Bob. Just so you know
4. I read. I read A.LOT. In October of 2006 we canned the cable, and I began a new reading career. We have no TV stations. We do have some DVDs though.
5. I am a firm believer that you are what you DO. Try tracking your time, all of your time, for a week. See if your values are reflected in what you are choosing to do each day. I learned that in treatment, and it changed my life and my perception of what I am capable of.
6. I can’t stand to have my feet touch eachother. Especially not at night. I need to wrap my feet up in blankets so they can’t physically touch, which in turn drives Bob right up the wall.
7. I am convinced that apathy is a contagious disease. I am also convinced that should you catch this contagion, you must work twice as hard as any other to rid yourself of its taint. But hey, that’s politics…..and seriously, politics doesn’t discriminate. Not if you have a good enough lawyer.
If you read this and you feel like sharing some seven things about you with your reader base, please do. Oh, and consider yourself tagged. But if you DO tag yourself from me, just send me a note, so I can read YOUR seven things.
The rules:
1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post. (I’m probably not going to do this. I have trouble NOT following rules, but I’m not big on tagging folk.)
5. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (please see above)
7 Things About me
1. I am a drug addict. I went to treatment in 2004 for fentanyl & benzodiazepine drug addiction. The experience gave me the peace and strength that has helped me move mountains since then for my family. Sometimes it takes being at the bottom to realize what it takes to get to the top, or even if you still want to get to the top.
2. I am a perfectionist and have trouble breaking the rules. I seriously get a gut ache thinking about lying.
3. My SO is named Bob. Just so you know
4. I read. I read A.LOT. In October of 2006 we canned the cable, and I began a new reading career. We have no TV stations. We do have some DVDs though.
5. I am a firm believer that you are what you DO. Try tracking your time, all of your time, for a week. See if your values are reflected in what you are choosing to do each day. I learned that in treatment, and it changed my life and my perception of what I am capable of.
6. I can’t stand to have my feet touch eachother. Especially not at night. I need to wrap my feet up in blankets so they can’t physically touch, which in turn drives Bob right up the wall.
7. I am convinced that apathy is a contagious disease. I am also convinced that should you catch this contagion, you must work twice as hard as any other to rid yourself of its taint. But hey, that’s politics…..and seriously, politics doesn’t discriminate. Not if you have a good enough lawyer.
If you read this and you feel like sharing some seven things about you with your reader base, please do. Oh, and consider yourself tagged. But if you DO tag yourself from me, just send me a note, so I can read YOUR seven things.
Monday, November 19, 2007
THRIVE
This evening I am attending a meeting for parents of young children for whom they have mental health and behavioral concerns. I have attached a flier that details what THRIVE is about and how it is intended to help families in my area.
My personal focus is not on early childhood, as my youngest is fast approaching no longer fitting in this category. But….You better believe that if I have an opportunity to effect the standards of care and assistance available to children and families I will be there….Raising my voice and my concerns.
My personal focus is not on early childhood, as my youngest is fast approaching no longer fitting in this category. But….You better believe that if I have an opportunity to effect the standards of care and assistance available to children and families I will be there….Raising my voice and my concerns.
Friday, November 16, 2007
My Diabetes in Review, and on My Front Page
So take a moment to take a look at the small text excerpt I have inserted below my TuDiabetes video.
This is my attempt to bring my diabetes care more to the forefront of my mind even while primarily addressing disability advocacy issues everywhere else. I scrupulously track my blood sugars and calories and carbohydrate intake. I intend to record my blood sugar averages for the week, my high, my low, and my exercise minutes throughout the week and enter the information into this small sidebar.
I hope to illuminate my very humanity by this (My numbers will always be far from perfect) but also to keep my numbers, and their meanings, closer to the front of my mind. Every. Single. Day.
Please feel free to comment anytime on what you see!
I’m thinking about adding these things:
Average daily carb intake
Average daily calorie intake
Weight
What do you think?
This is my attempt to bring my diabetes care more to the forefront of my mind even while primarily addressing disability advocacy issues everywhere else. I scrupulously track my blood sugars and calories and carbohydrate intake. I intend to record my blood sugar averages for the week, my high, my low, and my exercise minutes throughout the week and enter the information into this small sidebar.
I hope to illuminate my very humanity by this (My numbers will always be far from perfect) but also to keep my numbers, and their meanings, closer to the front of my mind. Every. Single. Day.
Please feel free to comment anytime on what you see!
I’m thinking about adding these things:
Average daily carb intake
Average daily calorie intake
Weight
What do you think?
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