I'm in full on withdrawal. Help.

Thank you so much. I was trying to get in touch with her and couldn't. I am very concerned. I'm so glad you are with her. She needs love right now. Keep us posted.

Thank you so much for saying this today. You are very kind. It was very needed.

I firmly believe that everyone in a hospital should have a 24/7 advocate with them. I know it is not possible for every family, and I feel immense sympathy for those who are not able to make that happen. When anyone in my immediate family (children, spouse, parents, siblings) are in the hospital, all of us get together to move heaven and earth to make sure one of us can be with them at all times. It's just a necessity. This is one of the reasons I decided to stay home with my son. He has several medical conditions and has been in the hospital many, many times. I consider it 100% in my job description to camp up there with him when he is hospitalized, even now that he is beyond legal adult age. We have good hospitals here. All of the medical staff, including the nurses seem to be doing everything then can to make our stay as comfortable as possible, but it's just the nature of things. They have multiple patients to keep track of, and I only have one member of my family in the hospital, so I will be the one who is more attentive. I don't consider asking about medications, treatment plans, reminding about treatment changes, etc. . . to be a deficit in the medical staff's protocol, I consider it to be the responsibility of the patient advocate (me). We've just had too many hospitable experiences to leave a family member's health up to chance.

:seeya: Got my DVR set!!!

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I see. I did a little googling after the Jack in the Box link. It seems like that's what they are doing in San Antonio as well. Here in Texas the TANF (cash assistance) is always put on an EBT card. You can also have child support and SSI/disability payments put on the EBT card in certain situations. That's basically cash and can be used any way the client/recipient seems fit.

That's awesome. I had no idea anything like that existed. I wonder how long Texas will hold out on that one.

I worked at the food stamp office for 10 years before becoming a SAHM. In our office we had two dedicated workers whose only job was interviewing/managing/certifying benefits for people who worked for our agency so they didn't have to stand in line, mix paperwork, etc . . . with the other clients, for their own privacy from the other workers. These are people who have "good" state jobs with "good" benefits and we needed an entire program for them so they wouldn't have to use sick time, etc . . . to get their benefits . . . which they still qualified for even though they were working full time. State jobs. Above minimum wage. Imagine the thousands of people who didn't work in our building. Doing the welfare dance is hazardous to your job security, but starving is hazardous to your life. Not to mention there is always some nosy neighbor threatening to call CPS on you if your kids don't look plump and camera ready at all times. The working poor are in dire straights. Having been on both sides of the desk at the welfare office, I assure you, neither person is having a grand time. One good thing that came out of that job is that I know how to read and understand the policy. Here in Texas, HHSC is required to keep their handbook, including forms, up-to-date online. I routinely help my underpaid friends complete their paperwork and I can work out their budgets beforehand to determine exactly what they qualify for before they even set foot in the office. I wish everyone had an advocate.

They have them at Wal Mart. They are about $20 a panel, but the panels are small. They are worth the investment. I have them on every window in our house. Every. Single. One.

I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been so negative. The words "Texas" and "child support" make me so frustrated on my little sister's behalf. I hope all goes well at your hearing. I know you are in a different county than I am. I hope your judge is much more proactive than my sister's is. Good luck!

If my sister's experience is any indication, as long as he comes to court with a little money and a promise to do better . . . then absolutely nothing will happen. Her ex is in 6 digit arrears. He did lose his driver's license, but drives anyway. He is self employed and lives very well, but that keeps his wages from being garnished. He has all of his new family's assets in his new wife's name and is generally an all around crappy guy. But nothing of any real consequence ever happens in the child support hearings. He gives a sob story. They set another hearing date 3 or 6 months into the future to see if he can do any better, he doesn't do better but brings a new and improved sob story next go round . . . rinse, repeat ad nauseam. She eventually gave up trying to collect. She was losing too much time away from work going to hearings without collecting any child support to make up for the lost wages. Boo. Hiss.

I must be dense. I can't comprehend exactly how it works. I see you can get as many books (that are in the program) as you want for $10 a month. Do you have to stay on forever to keep use of the books/audiobooks? If you decide to cancel, do they go *pouf* away or are they yours to keep even after you cancel? That's what I really want to know.

I use the Sally Hansen nail strips that are about $8 for a box. You can usually get them at the Ulta Store for BOGO 1/2 off plus use their $3.50 off coupons. They work great and I haven't noticed any damage. I wear my nails short so I can get either 2 manicures or a mani-pedi set out of the $8 box. They last FOREVER. Sometimes I have to soak them off just because I get tired of wearing the same design for too long. I've seen and heard about the Jamberry nail strips, but just can't make myself spring for them. Glad to hear I'm not missing anything.

WOW!!! Yah!!!

Hoping that's all it is. I was at the vet with my doggy today, so I'm all cried out. It looks like he'll be fine, but I am beyond exhausted. I can't even imagine what you're going through. I really hope it all turns out well.

Oh, my. I'm so sorry. I hope Diego turns up soon. I would be beyond devastated if something happened to my dog. He's my baby.

He was probably 13 or 14 when he started driving. He's 21 now so it's been a while and I can't remember exactly. We lived rural at the time and frankly kids began driving whenever their parents began giving them car keys, legal or not. Now we live in town, but he's been fully licensed since he was 16 so no worries. Also at the time he got his license, parent taught (home schooled) kids didn't even have to take a driver's test to get a license, the parents just signed a paper saying that they had been taught to drive. With that info in mind, I was hyper vigilant that he be able to drive defensively in many different conditions because there are literally people on the road with licenses who do. not. know. how. to. drive. Anyway, I guess I'm just free range. When I was young, driving meant freedom. I wanted him to experience that freedom. He felt incredibly accomplished after the trip. He went on and on about it for weeks. He still loves to drive.

When our 16 at the time son wanted to leave early from a vacation to see some out of town friends that were going to be in our hometown, we let him follow us up there in his car and drive back by himself. It was a 6 hour drive. We had him stop and gas up and give us a call at the halfway point and of course call when he made it there. I was really nervous, but there honestly wasn't a good reason not to let him. He'd been driving for about 3 years, mostly with me in the passenger seat. He's a good son. He did fine. He's done quite a few long drives since then, but he had to start somewhere.

I was specifically responding to the post I quoted which stated that a 3 AM text is not adequate communication. I actually do feel that texting, even late texting, is communication. I expect my adult children (both those who live with me and those that don't but leave their children in my care), to keep me semi-informed. I just don't insist that I be wide awake to receive their communication, we are different people on different biological clocks. That's all. The OP seems to have some other issues going on, which I don't understand but am not in the mood to debate. They are her house rules, so whatever.

What about fluid plans? I know when I was young, we'd just go "out" and see where the evening took us. I may have planned on being home, but then someone mentioned an after hours club, or decided to go out to eat, or just decided I didn't feel like driving so crashed with a friend. At 21, I certainly didn't have every moment of my life planned out. If they text you at 2 or 3, is that truly unacceptable? Wouldn't you prefer that to not being communicated with at all. I turn my ringer off when I'm ready to go to sleep, but if I wake up for the restroom or anything, I just check for texts. Usually my son will text "I'm home" when he gets here because I sleep through him coming in, but when I wake up I can know if he's in or not. He also may text "staying with ___." I appreciate it and certainly don't give him a hard time. I had LOTS of great fun when I was young, and don't begrudge my kids that same experience. You only live once.

Mine does seem to count when I do a walk aerobics dvd, which is basically walking in place. Also instead of walking right in place, I try to do a little "salsa walk" basically walking forward a couple of steps then back a couple of steps.

I love my dog. He's like a child to me. He's much better behaved and shows his love for me way more than my people children.

*SIGH* I just love him. I'm very sad to hear this. We were so very very fortunate to have him on our board, even just for a short time.

I do the same thing. I can't watch by myself, I have to watch with my spouse. That way she can tell me when it's safe to uncover my eyes. Left to my own devices, I'd miss the whole darn show!