Susan Mené

The worst bed didn't sprout a single seed, but sorrel is coming up fine on its own.  I just keep throwing
organic matter and compost and leaves in

Wecome!  Stick around! Come and play with us!
This site is a nice place that is full of information and helpful people
Warning: it can be addicting.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

Susan Mené wrote:      I am a nurse, educated and, more importantly, experienced.  I have been up to my elbows in feces and blood more times than I can count, forearm deep cleaning out cavernous pus-filled wounds while thinking "man, I am so hungry" 'cause in 34 years of nursing I have gotten 5 meal breaks.  I have been punched in the jaw so hard that it knocked me into the wall three feet away (and I  got right back up).  Being called a see-you-next-tuesday doesn't even catch my attention; it's happened too often. Disoriented people and drug addicts, my oh my!
 And I was, and always will be, a nurse who looks every person in the eye and treats them with compassion and respect. Let us begin.

Hey Susan. I can't speak to the politics but I know how much of a difference front-line "soldiers" like you make. So here's a tip of my hat to you. It's a tough gig, and a precious few who can handle it.

Thanks , Doug. I think I was born for it.  I apologize for the bad nurses out there..
There's no need for a medical facility to have your ssn that I know of.
For everyone out there who are asked all those personal questions with just a curtain in between: it's a clear HIPAA violation. Just because I feel the staff shouldn't be yelled at, It doesn't mean the subject shouldn't addressed politely. If enough people speak up, the powers that be will (late rather than sooner) change it.  HIPAA violations are no joke.

Anne Miller wrote:As Douglas suggested, thanks for being there for all of us.

Unfortunately I cant get medical care with out all of that ...

They even took my picture the last time I was there as if my drivers license was not enough ...

Thank you for the thanks and kind words.  I loved being a nurse: all of it.
Why the past tense? I just retired.  LOL, I just can't answer to anyone anymore.  

Things are getting way too intrusive for me.  Now that you mention it, I had my photo taken at an orthopedic visit this year. They said it was to prevent insurance fraud.  Computers have reduced medication errors dramatically, but like I said above, I'm not handing over my SSN.  It's easy enough to steal one's identity, I'm not handing it over.

     I am a nurse, educated and, more importantly, experienced.  I have been up to my elbows in feces and blood more times than I can count, forearm deep cleaning out cavernous pus-filled wounds while thinking "man, I am so hungry" 'cause in 34 years of nursing I have gotten 5 meal breaks.  I have been punched in the jaw so hard that it knocked me into the wall three feet away (and I  got right back up).  Being called a see-you-next-tuesday doesn't even catch my attention; it's happened too often. Disoriented people and drug addicts, my oh my!
 And I was, and always will be, a nurse who looks every person in the eye and treats them with compassion and respect. Let us begin.
      I don't give my social security number, nor my drivers license number on forms.  However, there are time when official picture IDs are crucial.  For example, immunotherapy.  Simplified to a basic level,  immunotherapy treatments use your own body's "stuff" to treat cancer and other diseases. Identifying the patient with picture ID is a must; we keep a copy on the record and must compare it to the patient's face and the physical license every time the treatment is given.
   Those questions? Government required. There were regulations in the past and the Affordable Care Act brought more.  That is a statement of fact, not an opinion about the ACA.  Some information is required before we treat and some you have the right not answer.  I suggest being nice. That lab tech/front desk person/nurse/doctor is just making a living, doing the best they can with what they have.  Should there be HIPPA compliant spaces? Yes.  You should be complaining to the heads of the companies: Solaris, CVS Caremark, Humana, Northwell, Optum etc. and the private equity firms that own them all: that is where  the decisions are made right down to the spaces that are rented. There are very, very, very few private practice physicians anymore.
    A few tid-bits of info about some common misperceptions. There are now evidence-based clinical pathways which determine what test should be ordered, when, and how often, so your provider is not ordering tests just for fun and profit (unless your provider is stupid or completely unethical).  Unless one uses a concierge service, Provider's fees are set by your insurance company, medicare, and medicaid. Co-pays are set by your insurance company as well; a provider is not supposed to waive them and will be in trouble if they do it too often.  Incidentally, inflation has gone up 20% in the past two decades. Medicare payments have gone up 4%.  
   Note that I use "provider", not physician. I'll leave you all to guess why it is so hard to get an appointment with a physician and why it's so easy to get one with a physician extender. Hint: It's not because the Dr. makes more money.

 
     

Congrats to you all!
I wish there were a "whole-pie-in-the-face" option to throw at groups;  I'd cover you all with pie!

Welcome! This is so exciting!  Permies.com is the place to be for information, advice, and camaraderie.

Here, in no particular order, is some stuff that helps me.

    Walk your land.  Walk it again and again.  Learn the scents, the sunshine, the shade.  What critters and bugs and birds like living there?  Flowers? Are there wet areas?  Burrows or dens?  Moss? Invasive species?  
     In my experience, learning about soil is essential and a top priority.  There is so much information here that I will get some advice on where to learn concise basics and will pass it on to you later    
    When something is failing, diseased, or just not thriving, it is telling me something.  What is thriving?

   Glad you're here.  This is a solid place to learn.







     
     

I didn't like the way I expressed my thoughts previously (pompous?), so I have edited for clarity and niceness:
   
    I am walking my path.  Others are walking their own; they do not need to be the same.  I love the concept of a community with core values but with respect or tolerance for others' choices.  I find it stunningly beautiful that we all have different needs and purposes in this world, based on both nature and nurture (or lack of it.). My background is that of a mostly feral child who, as an adult, had 2 children that I fiercely bonded with as soon as I knew they were conceived.  There is no force on earth like a sane, loving mother who fears for her child.
    From my window, one-size-fits-all solutions tend to crush more spirits than they help, so when I read "I-know-what's-right-for-the-world" posts I get a feeling of foreboding (except for Paul Wheaton. . . Holla of respect for our leader).
     I don't ponder what the human race as a whole "should" do about procreation.  For me, this is a hard "MYOB" topic; some things are personal decisions and not for the community or (especially) the government to decide.  
    Whatever my opinions are, I like to hear what other people have to say.  

Barbara Simoes wrote:One year (probably about thirty years ago) I was entranced (and still kind of am) by hanging, braided garlic and strands of peppers.  Mind you, I live in Vermont, so we don't really have a dry climate, especially now, but I was able to air dry my hot peppers by just stringing them up.  I don't know where you live and if this would be possible, but it is pretty and pretty easy!

It's encouraging to hear that you were able to dry them.  I live on Long Island in NY for now, blooming while I'm planted.  The humidity has been crazy here.    

Calais, Vermont had an important formative influence on me as a child, so Vermont and its people hold a special place in my heart.

Wynne Kelch wrote:

Susan Mené wrote:Has anyone had success in pressure/water bath canning (have to check which one is appropriate)?  Do they get mushy and do they lose their heat?

The other thing I do might be the most fun: cheese-stuffed jalapeños. I slice the jalapeños in half and seed them, and then pipe in a mixture of sautéed onion, cream cheese, grated cheddar, and an egg. If you like spicier you could add the seeds to the piping mixture. I dip the cheesy top in buttered breadcrumbs and bake at 425 until browned and bubbly. Or, freeze on a sheet pan, store, and bake from frozen some other day.  

Wow! that sounds great!  I have a lazier methods for busy days:  I halve the peppers, remove the seeds (not too carefully for extra heat), add garlic powder or minced garlic to softened cream cheese, and bake.
The ones you freeze--how does the filling hold up? I was afraid to freeze because cream cheese can get a little grainy after being frozen, although that is not a deal-breaker. I bet the egg, cheddar, etc.  stabilizes the filling.  

Thanks!