Collectively Wise

Health Care on the Ballot. Will you vote Yes, or No?

[By Kirsten]

Today is election day, November 2nd, 2010. 

In Santa Clara County, CA there are a variety of measures on the ballot, a Senate race, US House and State representatives, a gubernatorial race and contests for a number of other state positions.

For Democratic supporters, today is forcasted to be a difficult day, the depth of which will be measured by how deep the losses in Washington go.  It's not surprising, with the slow economic recovery continuing to impact countless people, in all aspects of life, from housing and education to jobs and healthcare. Many voters will not support the incumbent in hopes of bringing something better to bear.

On a national level, shifts in power in the house and/or Senate will mean less support for affordable healthcare through the 2009 Health Care Reform Act.  It will also mean less support for choice, through the continued erosion of public funding, support of abstinence only education, as well as non-secular legislation and shifts in supreme court confirmations.

Who's in Charge -- Patient or Doctor?

“Why are you people asking so many questions?”

The query was made with a high level of hostility that caught the elderly patient and her family by surprise.

They were asking questions out of concern that the shingles she’d contracted more than a year earlier were not responding to treatment. They were asking questions because of their concerns about the patient’s mental acuity and the amount of pain-killing drugs she was taking.

They were asking questions because they wanted to make informed decisions about the choices facing her.

And it sounded to them like the doctor didn’t want the family to involve themselves. He’d had complete control of the patient’s treatment for more than a year, and apparently wanted it to stay that way.

What would you do in this situation-- quit asking questions, or find a new doctor, like my friends did?

Mother's Day

How was your Mother's Day? 

As a mom, a caregiver, a daughter, a son, a husband or father, what did you do to recognize yourself and/or those you care about?

Did you need to speak up for yourself?  Did you give generously?  Did you have a nice day?

Introducing Jessica and Adrienne

Please welcome Jessica and Adrienne, who have both posted recently.

Jessica is a full time student, studying Christian counseling. She is a widowed mother of three and lives with her mother in rural Ohio.  She also experienced her father's struggle and decline with Alzheimer's.  She wrote about connecting with your children though everyday things, and about the similar connection she made with her parents.  See Common Ground.

Adrienne is a graphic designer and small business owner, living in Southern California.  She works from home, is a step parent of two teens and is also knowledgeable about insurance for self employed families. She wrote about working at home when the school district is on holiday.  See Surviving Spring Break When You Work at Home.