Tales From an Exhausted Medical Mama

The new Tyler Perry movie on Netflix, Straw, is 500 stars. ⭐ TRIGGER WARNING:  To all the medical 🩺💉🩹🧪🩻🌡 Moms out there, it can definitely put you in your feels. I was still crying an hour after the movie ended. I will also say, if you have lost, nearly lost, or been at risk of losing a child, it can be extremely triggering as well. As a medical Mama, it was heartbreaking for me to watch because of the relatable aspects but I still say it is an incredible movie .  It is real. It is raw. It is genius. It is heavy. It is sad. It is triggering. It is superb.  I think it is the best movie that Tyler Perry has ever made.  The entire cast is great but the three characters that stood out for me are: Taraji P. Henson deserves all of the awards for her portrayal of the Mom, Janiya. She totally elevated her character in the movie to a whole new level and brought it to life, real life. As you watch, you really feel the weight of her personal struggles. She ...

Mini Mayhem is nearly an entire adult in height. Obviously, she does NOT get that from me. She has had a twin sized Sleep Safe bed since she was 2 years old and it has been a lifesaver. Potentially, literally a life saver. We tried the toddler, mesh bed rails for a bit and because she is as strong as an ox, she moved them down toward the foot of her bed. One day she moved it enough, scooted up to the top of her bed, and had worked herself partially off the side! Thankfully, she didn't completely fall out of the bed. To not sit up, crawl, or walk, she can sure get to where she wants to go in her bed or in the floor. #mayhemonthemove She has gotten so tall that she has started kicking and throwing things in her bed. She also rolls herself over with her face touching the side of the bed. The sides are padded but she smooshes her face against the side and falls asleep. Although her breathing is SO much better since having her tonsils out last year, it still makes me nervousssssssssss f...

                                                      Despite the negative reputation that politicians receive, it's important to remember that there are indeed good people in politics. These are the ones who enter the political arena not for personal gain or power trips, but out of a genuine desire to serve their communities and make a positive impact. These individuals may not always make headlines or grab attention, but they work tirelessly behind the scenes to make positive changes and advocate for those who are marginalized or disadvantaged. These good people in politics are driven by a genuine desire to serve their constituents. May their integrity shine brightly amidst all the chaos of Capitol Hill. My previous post was about the absurdity I was experiencing with Medicaid and my unsuccessful attempt to get answers relating to Mini Mayhem. After th...

Is there a veil of secrecy purposely draped over Medicaid?  I believe the government-run bureaucracy delights in making things as complicated as possible. It’s like trying to translate hieroglyphics wearing a blindfold and using a broken calculator. Need to know if a specific service is covered? Good luck navigating through a maze of automated phone menus, hang ups, conflicting websites, and unhelpful employees who seem to have all graduated from the School of That’s Not My Department. I have looked at countless websites and read numerous brochures and PDFs to the point that my eyes have glazed over. The lack of transparency and clear communication from Medicaid only adds insult to injury. After 3 days of grappling for even the most basic information that should be readily available and no returned calls; I waved my white flag, gave up, and emailed 2 State Senators. There is a myriad of waivers and programs that cover specific services, some that cover several of the same services ...

No, it is NOT so EPIC at Le Bonheur. While I did take a break from all of the nonsense spewed from people passing me from one place to another, I do believe that TODAY I was able to complete what I needed to access Mini Mayhem's patient portal/medical records at Le Bonheur. Now mind you, I was passed from one MyChart tech person to medical records and then back to MyChart tech support because nahhhhhhhhhhh, it just can't be easy. I even asked the MyChart support person why she was sending me to medical records. Actually, I asked, "what is medical records going to be able to do?", and she just said she couldn't add physicians to the portal. Guess what? Medical records can't add them either so she was passing me off! I swear they want me to flip tables. The second support person had me sign up for access like I never had before,  using a different log-in and complete the proxy form again since I am not Mini Mayhem herself. Only time will tell (72 hours to be sp...

  Honey Butter Skillet Corn Ingredients: 2 TBSP butter 2 TBSP honey 1 16oz bag frozen corn 2oz cream cheese cut into chunks 1/4 t salt 1/4 t black pepper Directions: In a skillet, melt butter and honey over medium high heat.  Once meltes, add corn and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the corn is cooked through.  Add cream cheese chunks, salt and pepper, stirring together and cook 3-5 minutes. Stir to mix the cream cheese until it is melted and the mixture is well combined. Serve immediately. 

  Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese 8 oz sour cream 2.5 lbs of rotisserie chicken - shredded 1 small onion - chopped 1C shredded cheddar cheese (1.5C if you like things cheesey) 2 jalapenos - diced or 1 4oz can  (Optional: add one more sliced for garnish) 6 slices of bacon (or 2 packets of real bacon pieces) 1 26 oz bag frozen hash browns Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees If using sliced bacon, cook, crumble and set aside. Add onion to bacon grease (or 1 TBS olive oil if not using sliced bacon) and cook for 5 minutes Mix all ingredients together saving 1/2C of cheese.  Add to casserole dish and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes. Add remaining cheese to top in the last 10 minutes of backing.

Freezer friendly chicken marinades.  Fajita Marinade: 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade: 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves minced 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 1 tablespoon fresh dill 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt BBQ Chicken Marinade: 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup BBQ sauce 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 cloves garlic minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Honey Mustard Chicken Marinade: 1 – 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp honey 1 Tbsp dijon mustard 3...