Sue's Blog - Some assembly required.

Christmas.

Christmas morning.
Above is a picture of our pressies.
These were the pressies we bought each other.
We are both Christmas nuts and just love the whole thing.
These gifts are not all expensive items. We love unwrapping stuff so we buy each other a couple of good pressies and the rest are lovely, but relatively inexpensive.
We opened these in the morning.
Gary came over and we had dinner about 4pm.
After dinner it is stocking time.
We buy each other lots of little, fun pressies for our stockings.
I always do Gary a stocking too. This year I think I wrapped 28 gifts for his stocking.
It is a lot of fun and is only once a year.

This year my main pressie from Philip was a laptop.
I was thrilled.
I really didn't think I would get one as they are quite expensive. It means I don't always have to sit in the basement if I want to bugger about on Facebook.
I can now sit and watch telly and browse the 'interwebs' at the same time.
How tra la posh is that? I have been a bit envious of people who can just flip open the laptop and see what is going on in the world.
I use Donna's when I am staying with her and it is brill.

Every year I like to get Philip something to totally surprise him.
This year I got him an electric guitar, amplifier and a 'guitar playing for dummies' book.
I knew he had always wished he had learned to play a guitar so it was just right.
He seemed suitably impressed.
As I said, the rest of the gifts were not so grand, but lots of fun to open.

Gary stayed until about 1am. So he must have had a good time. Philip used a vacation day so that he could have Boxing Day off. We didn't do much except eat....:)

Then reality set back in with a bill for about $185 from Philip's doctor.
It was for an x ray he had when his chest was bad a few weeks ago.
What???
At our doctor's office they have a clinic downstairs for blood tests, x rays etc.
So, if anything is needed he will just send you downstairs.......boom...done.
Philip phoned to find out why, when he pays $300 a month insurance, was he being charged AGAIN.
They told him that he hadn't met his $500 deductible.
What???
He has paid in the region of thousands in doctors/hospital/ambulance bills this year due to his kidney stones and chest problems.
How could they say he hadn't the $500 you have to pay before they will pay out anything.
He was told that none of the money he had been billed for came off the $500 so he would have to pay the bill.
They couldn't properly explain this but just expect you to put up with it. He did tell them that it was daylight robbery the way they interpret everything to favour them while we had to pay.
It makes me afraid to get my hand seen to.
It makes me afraid of being poorly.
You can't really change your insurance provider either because the next one wouldn't cover any existing conditions. So, if you have an ongoing health problem you wouldn't be covered for that at all. Imagine the cost.
People lose their houses over health costs. It is bloody ridiculous.

If there is one thing I miss about England, it is the health care system.
At least in the UK you can choose to take private health care if you wish and if you do they don't still expect you to pay.

People who know me will be aware that I don't do New Year.
New Years frighten me as you never know what they hold.
So, I will wish you this..........I hope your new year brings whatever you want it to.
Good health to you all.

posted by Sue Banks @ 12:25 PM