Time Flies

Four years ago Tuesday, August 7, we were in Great Falls, Montana awaiting the arrival of our first great grand child.  Today we celebrated her fourth birthday–time flies!  Not only does it seem as if she were born only a few days ago but that’s the same year we headed across the border into Canada and on to ride the ferries with Larry and Geri up the coast of Alaska.

Lonn along with Katie and family live on a ranch about 10 miles from us as the crow flies–oh, that we could fly! The road trip takes us about 45 minutes–the road is awful–washboards, rocks, deep holes–it’s a terrible road!  We left Tuesday afternoon in plenty of time to arrive for the birthday party–that is until I discovered I had the cake/ice cream but had left the presents sitting on the living room coffee table.  So, we turned around, went back for the presents and were a few minutes late for the party–and I think we were missing some bolts and nuts from jeep–that road is rough!

Laci and Lora–home from Germany for a couple months.

We enjoyed ribs, some awesome potatoes Laci made, a delicious salad and other yummy foods.  Katie baked a colorful cake for the kiddos–I brought the chocolate cake and homemade vanilla ice cream.

Come on Brooks, help me out here!

We did it!

Uncle Mike trying to help Lora with her new earrings–he looks as if he knows what he is doing! 🙂

Millie is 10 months old, pulling up by herself and is walking behind her push toys–won’t be long before she is walking!

 Playing nicely together!

One cute little guy!

I’ve spent lots of time on the phone the last few days dealing with insurance, home health, etc.  I’ve known for a long, long time that the US healthcare system is broken.  Here’s a prime example–Medicare will pay for a registered nurse, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist and a social worker to come to the home of a 96 year old man who is at the end of his life–and Medicare will pay for these disciplines to come to the home several times per week if needed.  Nat needs the care of the registered nurse once a week–he does not want nor does he need the other therapists. The going rate for these services–$165/hour–each!!  Now, whether Medicare actually pays that rate to the home health agency supplying all these services I don’t know.  But here’s the part driving me crazy–while they will pay for those services, Medicare will NOT pay the $104 per DAY fee charged by the agency for Nat’s personal care–these kind women who come to his home and make sure he’s clean, in clean clothes and fed.  They are angels who talk to him, tell him stories and give his other caregivers a break.  Yep, our healthcare system is broken.

Our cool weather left–it’s 90 degrees today–UGH!