Friday, March 24, 2006
Gay Adoption
I caught this story on Pam's House Blend. I am sure it will not get picked up by mainstream media so I will help spread the news by posting it here.
The principal findings of the report, which is entitled "Expanding Resources for Children," are:* Against a backdrop of increasing public acceptance, social science research concludes that children reared by gay and lesbian parents fare comparably to those of children raised by heterosexuals on a range of measures of social and psychological adjustment.* Studies are growing in number and rigor, but the body of research on gay/lesbian parenting is relatively small and has methodological limitations. Still, virtually every valid study reaches the same conclusion: The children of gays and lesbians adjust positively and their families function well. The limited research on gay/lesbian adoption points in the same direction.* Though few states have laws or policies explicitly barring homosexuals from adopting, some individual agencies and workers outside those states discriminate against gay and lesbian applicants based on their own biases or on mistaken beliefs that such prohibitions exist.* Laws and policies that preclude adoption by gay or lesbian parents disadvantage the tens of thousands of children mired in the foster care system who need permanent, loving homes."The bottom line for those of us who advocate for children is clear," said Adam Pertman, the Executive Director of the Adoption Institute. "There's simply no credible research to indicate that children are harmed in any way when they're adopted by gay and lesbian parents, but there's lots of evidence to indicate that they do well in those homes. So, if we as a society believe that kids should be our primary concern, we have to put aside our prejudices and preconceived notions, and do the best we can for them."
This is confirms what we already knew, but it is an important report. The next step, after banning gay marriage, is to ban gay adoption. Catholic Social Services is no longer facilitating adoptions in Massachusetts because the law there says that they have to consider gay people as parents. They would rather keep kids in foster care than place them in gay households. I was raised Catholic. I don't think those in power in the Catholic Church reflect the true values of American Catholic, but that is a different post.
The principal findings of the report, which is entitled "Expanding Resources for Children," are:* Against a backdrop of increasing public acceptance, social science research concludes that children reared by gay and lesbian parents fare comparably to those of children raised by heterosexuals on a range of measures of social and psychological adjustment.* Studies are growing in number and rigor, but the body of research on gay/lesbian parenting is relatively small and has methodological limitations. Still, virtually every valid study reaches the same conclusion: The children of gays and lesbians adjust positively and their families function well. The limited research on gay/lesbian adoption points in the same direction.* Though few states have laws or policies explicitly barring homosexuals from adopting, some individual agencies and workers outside those states discriminate against gay and lesbian applicants based on their own biases or on mistaken beliefs that such prohibitions exist.* Laws and policies that preclude adoption by gay or lesbian parents disadvantage the tens of thousands of children mired in the foster care system who need permanent, loving homes."The bottom line for those of us who advocate for children is clear," said Adam Pertman, the Executive Director of the Adoption Institute. "There's simply no credible research to indicate that children are harmed in any way when they're adopted by gay and lesbian parents, but there's lots of evidence to indicate that they do well in those homes. So, if we as a society believe that kids should be our primary concern, we have to put aside our prejudices and preconceived notions, and do the best we can for them."
This is confirms what we already knew, but it is an important report. The next step, after banning gay marriage, is to ban gay adoption. Catholic Social Services is no longer facilitating adoptions in Massachusetts because the law there says that they have to consider gay people as parents. They would rather keep kids in foster care than place them in gay households. I was raised Catholic. I don't think those in power in the Catholic Church reflect the true values of American Catholic, but that is a different post.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Terrible day
So today has been a pretty terrible day. I woke up to find my business checking account in the negative. Those assholes at my wholesaler took a payment a whole month early. I have a loan which I can use to make payments if necessary, but I was took that this particular draft was coming out on April 15 not March 15. Then, my son had not finished his homework from the night before. That was a huge fight that resulted in me taking him to school and not being able to exercise. I realized about noon that I never fed him breakfast so I felt very guilty for the rest of the day. I was also watching our friend's son today. He didn't really talk to me so I left him upstairs all day. I felt bad that I couldn't spend any time with him.
Then, I had a couple of patients who I suspect of drug abuse. One person may be taking another person's medication. The other has seen 4 different doctors in 2 weeks. I like these people, but it is my job to deal with drug diversion and doctor shopping. It fills me with anxiety. Next, I called the president of the wholesaler on the advise of a colleague. Wow. Apparently, they think I am going to fail after 4.5 months. I called to address the withdrawal of the money from my account. He told me that he had stuck his neck out for me, that they would have never helped me open if they had known I did not have the working capital loan, and that I was not ordering enough to stay open. Okay. These may be issues that we need to talk about, but I called about the mistake that THEY made. He insinuated that I had not been honest about my loan situation. I told everyone that would listen to me. I told A, my sales rep, repeatly that I had no money. I am probably stuck with them for 2 more years, but I may start shopping for someone to buy my loans from them. I feel like the abused girlfriend of a cop. Everyone else thinks this company is great, but they keep kicking me while I am down.
On a positive note, they offered to payment bank charges. I still love this job and this community. I will succeed.
Then, I had a couple of patients who I suspect of drug abuse. One person may be taking another person's medication. The other has seen 4 different doctors in 2 weeks. I like these people, but it is my job to deal with drug diversion and doctor shopping. It fills me with anxiety. Next, I called the president of the wholesaler on the advise of a colleague. Wow. Apparently, they think I am going to fail after 4.5 months. I called to address the withdrawal of the money from my account. He told me that he had stuck his neck out for me, that they would have never helped me open if they had known I did not have the working capital loan, and that I was not ordering enough to stay open. Okay. These may be issues that we need to talk about, but I called about the mistake that THEY made. He insinuated that I had not been honest about my loan situation. I told everyone that would listen to me. I told A, my sales rep, repeatly that I had no money. I am probably stuck with them for 2 more years, but I may start shopping for someone to buy my loans from them. I feel like the abused girlfriend of a cop. Everyone else thinks this company is great, but they keep kicking me while I am down.
On a positive note, they offered to payment bank charges. I still love this job and this community. I will succeed.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Pharmacy rant
I am irritated. I don't understand why people who are angry at pharmacist for so-called "conscience clauses" must demean or insult my profession. I used to watch Bill Maher on HBO until he compared pharmacist to tree surgeons. Not that I know anything about tree surgeons, but the point he was making was that my job does not require much skill or education. Today, I was reading about the proposal in Washington State to allow pharmacist to refuse to dispense prescriptions for moral objections on Pam's House Blend. The writer, Radical Russ, posted this rant:
"A pharmacist's job is to follow the orders of a doctor. We purposefully separated the doctors from the drugs so they couldn't abuse their own stash. You are little more than the security guard who loads the piles of cash into the ATM -- you don't get to decide how the ATM customers spend the money, your job is to simply load the money. Likewise, as a pharmacist, your job is to dispense the pills. You don't get to decide who gets the pills, the doctor and the patient do."
So, again the insinuation is that my job requires little skill or education. Then, why did I go to school for 6+ years and acquire $65,000 in student loans. Shit according to Bill and Russ, I could have gone to technical school. Why didn't someone clue me in years ago? So, I wrote this response to Russ:
"You are absolutely right about everything expect the role of the pharmacist. We are much more than "the security guard who loads the piles of cash into the ATM". We deal with your insurance companies for you. We make sure that the medications you are getting from 3 different doctors are not going to kill you. We make sure that you are not getting a medication that you are allergic to. We help you decide whether or not you should go to the doctor for that rash on your foot. We are medical professionals. I received a Doctor of Pharmacy after going to school for more than 6 years. I hate that few pharmacist have decided to make this a new front in the "culture" war, but I also hate it when our side diminishes my profession."
I am happy to say that I did get an apology. I think these instances point out the need for pharmacy to educate the public on our role in the health care system. For people who get medicines once or twice a year, we must seem like robots. For people on two or more monthly medication, we are often the only medical person they can easily talk to. I will continue to speak out for pharmacy on this blog and any other forum I can.
"A pharmacist's job is to follow the orders of a doctor. We purposefully separated the doctors from the drugs so they couldn't abuse their own stash. You are little more than the security guard who loads the piles of cash into the ATM -- you don't get to decide how the ATM customers spend the money, your job is to simply load the money. Likewise, as a pharmacist, your job is to dispense the pills. You don't get to decide who gets the pills, the doctor and the patient do."
So, again the insinuation is that my job requires little skill or education. Then, why did I go to school for 6+ years and acquire $65,000 in student loans. Shit according to Bill and Russ, I could have gone to technical school. Why didn't someone clue me in years ago? So, I wrote this response to Russ:
"You are absolutely right about everything expect the role of the pharmacist. We are much more than "the security guard who loads the piles of cash into the ATM". We deal with your insurance companies for you. We make sure that the medications you are getting from 3 different doctors are not going to kill you. We make sure that you are not getting a medication that you are allergic to. We help you decide whether or not you should go to the doctor for that rash on your foot. We are medical professionals. I received a Doctor of Pharmacy after going to school for more than 6 years. I hate that few pharmacist have decided to make this a new front in the "culture" war, but I also hate it when our side diminishes my profession."
I am happy to say that I did get an apology. I think these instances point out the need for pharmacy to educate the public on our role in the health care system. For people who get medicines once or twice a year, we must seem like robots. For people on two or more monthly medication, we are often the only medical person they can easily talk to. I will continue to speak out for pharmacy on this blog and any other forum I can.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Haircut
S went home on Sunday with her baby. She is still moving slow from the surgery. When I talked to her today, she was very stressed. She was worried that the baby was not eating enough and that there was something wrong with her. I think all new parents get worried. Z must have cried all morning too. She gave her some simethicone drops for gas and it seemed to help. I told her that she could talk to the doctor about all these issues. They had an appointment at 3:30.
I got my hair cut today. It was bittersweet. You see, I love my former stylist. He is the definition of a metrosexual man. He wears awesome long, pointy-toed shoes and patterned shirts and pants (that don't match). I would sit in his chair and he would decide what he was going to do with my hair. He would ask me if I wanted longer, shorter, or the same length. Then, he would cut. I never had a bad cut. In fact, my hair looked pretty good today even after not have a haircut for 7 1/2 months. He was also great at reading the mood or the temperament of his clients. He would chat with me the entire appointment or leave me alone depending on my mood.
So, I went to the salon located in Pleasantville. I was not sure what to expect since I had not met my stylist. I asked the owner of the salon to match me with a stylist. He described her as "young and artistic". I knew I was going to be happy when I saw her. She was young and gothic. I loved her clothes, her hair, and her makeup. Most importantly, I love my new haircut.
I got my hair cut today. It was bittersweet. You see, I love my former stylist. He is the definition of a metrosexual man. He wears awesome long, pointy-toed shoes and patterned shirts and pants (that don't match). I would sit in his chair and he would decide what he was going to do with my hair. He would ask me if I wanted longer, shorter, or the same length. Then, he would cut. I never had a bad cut. In fact, my hair looked pretty good today even after not have a haircut for 7 1/2 months. He was also great at reading the mood or the temperament of his clients. He would chat with me the entire appointment or leave me alone depending on my mood.
So, I went to the salon located in Pleasantville. I was not sure what to expect since I had not met my stylist. I asked the owner of the salon to match me with a stylist. He described her as "young and artistic". I knew I was going to be happy when I saw her. She was young and gothic. I loved her clothes, her hair, and her makeup. Most importantly, I love my new haircut.
Friday, March 10, 2006
My niece
Well, I must say she is pretty cute. I am not a huge fan of babies, but I think I am going to like this one. She looks like I did when I was born. She was only about 37 weeks along and already 9 lbs. S checked in the hospital on Wednesday night. They started inducing her at 8 am. When I got there around 8 pm, she had only dilated to 3 cm. Her doctor, Dr. Perky, decided at 8:45 to do a caesarian section. My mom was not very happy, but now that it is over I think she agrees that it was the best decision.
Dr. Perky is the most awesome OB/GYN I have met. She was so positive the whole time and super nice to S. When she was done with S, she came and found my mom and updated her. She still looked as cute and perky as she did when I met her at her office. I had several suck-ass experiences with doctors with my son. I am so glad that S had such a good experience. She is in a good bit of pain and is not sure she ever wants to have another c-section, but had an overall good experience. I will share a bit about my experiences during pregnancy and childbirth in a future post. Now, I must get some rest.
Too tired to post
My sister gave birth last night at 9:22 pm to a 9 lb 3 oz baby girl. I will post a picture as soon as I can. I was at the hospital past 1 am the past 2 nights. If I don't spend the night with her tomorrow, I will post more.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Weekly update
Things are busy. We had a record setting 26 prescriptions yesterday. I also sold my first pair of shoes. I hired D this week to replace S during her maternity leave. She began training on Monday. It was great timing because S's blood pressure is elevated. She went to the doctor's this morning and then went home to rest. She is going to be induced on Thursday. I will be a proud, new aunt to a baby girl next week. I am excited, but also sad because I don't think I will be able to be there during the delivery. My mom will be in town for the delivery. I invited her to stay here on Wednesday night, but she hasn't called me back. Whatever. J would be happy if she decides not to stay.
We participated in a mini-health fair last weekend in Pleasantville. We took blood pressures and educated people on our line of shoes. Hopefully, this will translate into new patients. We averaged 15.7 prescriptions per day during February. Our sales continued to climb. I am still stressed about money. I am not making enough to cover our drug costs. I am very conservative in ordering medication, but we are spending ~$14,000 a month on drugs. I have spent the last 2 weeks sending stuff back that we haven't used the first 4 months. We get an order in every day so I don't have to stock every medication, but I try to keep the stuff my patients are taking on hand.
I am going to a GLBT networking happy hour with D. Mingling is not my strong point, but D knows most of the lesbians in town. I have determined that there are at least 3 gay women who use the pharmacy that live here. J thinks I should ask the women. I mean how does that come up in conversation.
"Hi, Ms. X. How are you today? Are you gay?" (Think: Margaret Cho imitating her mom)
Well, that made me laugh.
We participated in a mini-health fair last weekend in Pleasantville. We took blood pressures and educated people on our line of shoes. Hopefully, this will translate into new patients. We averaged 15.7 prescriptions per day during February. Our sales continued to climb. I am still stressed about money. I am not making enough to cover our drug costs. I am very conservative in ordering medication, but we are spending ~$14,000 a month on drugs. I have spent the last 2 weeks sending stuff back that we haven't used the first 4 months. We get an order in every day so I don't have to stock every medication, but I try to keep the stuff my patients are taking on hand.
I am going to a GLBT networking happy hour with D. Mingling is not my strong point, but D knows most of the lesbians in town. I have determined that there are at least 3 gay women who use the pharmacy that live here. J thinks I should ask the women. I mean how does that come up in conversation.
"Hi, Ms. X. How are you today? Are you gay?" (Think: Margaret Cho imitating her mom)
Well, that made me laugh.
Parody
I think I am going to start referring to myself as an "ex-straight"
Original billboard
I am slowly learning how to use the photo hosting. I ran across this story at Pam's House Blend. Apparently, this is a real billboard in Orlando. This blogger, http://justinsomnia.org/, created the other image using photo shop. He is been sent a cease-and-desist letter by Liberty Counsel who was hired by Exodus, an "ex-gay" ministry. They claim that this is copyright infringement because the Exodus logo is in the right hand corner of the billboard. So, I am doing my part to break the law.
