In Transplant News This Past Week...

This past week has been filled with appalling headlines. Both of which I'd known about earlier on. But one thing has become "official", whereas the other news of noting is still "in the works". In the end, both stories go against ethics of humanity and ethics within the Transplant world.

First of all, let's talk about the (ahem) 'lovely' Janet Brewer, Governor of Arizona and her cuts that SHE passed in to affect.

I'd written a piece about her and what her plans were a while back in regards to those that are waiting on organs and are served by the state's Medicaid Assistance. To read that post, CLICK HERE.

Now, these "Death Panels" have been officially put in to place. The cards are all laid out. And HUNDREDS of Arizona citizens that are waiting on a LIFE SAVING organ transplant will NOT live long enough to get it.

Why? Because the worst of the worst will be removed from the Waiting List, and are on Medicaid Assistance in the state of Arizona.

Governor Brewer signed in to affect, budget cuts to "save money" in her state. One of those slashes were to Medicaid. And primarily those waiting on an Organ Transplant.

To read the latest article on it, CLICK HERE. This is an older article, yes, But now Janet Brewer has set in to motion, a wave of death.

Now, as for the other article that has been capturing my attention, and has for some time now, as the story has been unfolding is the story of the two sisters from Mississippi who were sentenced to LIFE in prison for their crimes, but were RELEASED after serving sixteen years, on ONE condition... That one sister IS to donate a kidney to the other, who's own kidney is failing.

Apparently, the judge that ordered this "new sentence" is not very well versed in the rules, regulations, ethics and overall practices of Organ Donation. Because if the idiot was, he would KNOW that to FORCE anyone to be an organ donor (especially when it's NOT known at the time if indeed the sisters are an actual match) is considered unlawful and goes against EVERYTHING that UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) stands for and has laid out as the procedures to give and receive organs.

To read the article in reference to the criminal sisters who got off on a strange "technicality", CLICK HERE.

They were ALLOWED to move out of state (which normally is a no-no with Probation). But the transplant cannot take place until they BOTH lose weight. And hey, they get a PERSONAL TRAINER for that, and Gastric Bypass Surgery. Then of course, the Organ Transplant Surgery.

Like the doctors, I'd REALLY love to know WHO is going to pay for this? It's obvious that neither of them have medical insurance. And by my understanding of practice, the patient MUST have some kind of medical insurance to be approved as a Recipient.

Plus the Judge who ordered this weird release states that the transplant MUST happen within a year, or (hypothetically) they will be sent BACK to prison. WTF?? I say that they should have NEVER left on these types of terms.

Maybe I should have been imprisoned BEFORE my transplant that I had for my eye. Then all MY bills would be paid FOR me. Instead, I have pretty good insurance, but still stuck with on-going bills for the REST OF MY LIFE for the transplant its self and for the lifelong, on-going care I will need (and possibly ANOTHER Corneal Transplant down the road). Because apparently, it PAYS to be in prison these days, instead of a "punishment".

Monkey In The Middle (A Divorce Post)

Monkey In The Middle is a game that my husband and I play with our youngest, Skyler, who is six years old. If he and I are sitting on the couch or the floor, or laying in the bed and she wants to "snuggle-buggle", then she always says she is the "monkey in the middle". Skyler sometimes is, and other times is not the proverbial monkey. Sometimes, just to get her goat Scott or myself would be the monkey.

Sadly, I have had my oldest playing this game as well. She is the monkey in the middle that must go between her two parent's homes. I have full physical cusody, and always have. Her father gets visitations every other weekend and we alternate (major) holidays. Plus I personally set out three week blocks where she stays with him in one-week increments during the summer while school is out.

Plus, I give extra time even on their "off" weekends where I can and feel it's appropriate (to go to the movies, park, etc.).

No matter how bad he has been known to talk about me, cuss me and even go as far as calling me a slave driver (because in MY home she has chores, rules and consequences, whereas in HIS home, they don't exist), I still bend over backwards to give him more time with our daughter. Even when it is NOT stipulated to do so in our still-standing court order.

How Hayley has grown in to the young lady she has thus far, without resentment towards either of us has just blown me away.

For one thing, I NEVER talk ill of her father in front of her or to her.

Two, I don't make her go on those "off" days unless SHE wants to (at 11, she can now make her own mind up about extended stays and other 'extra' days to spend time with him).

Thirdly, she knows clearly what her expectations are in MY home.

Fourth, I don't pick fights with her father (in person or over the phone) over trivial things (i.e. the having/not having a TV in the bedroom debacle over the phone..I do *not* allow one in my kids' rooms, he says she has one there and that I am a bitchy, mean mom {in so many words} for not letting the kids, including HIS "kid" to have one in their rooms in *MY* home).

Fifth, I do my very best (most of the time) to be civil towards her father. Especially when Hayley is present.

Children of divorce are fragile on some levels. But are much more thick-skinned than most people realize and give these kids credit for. Look at all that THEY must put up with. Especially if the parents, for whatever reason cannot seem to get along on ANY level.

She's been going between myself and my ex-husband like this (for the most part over the years) since she was about two years old (was one-day visits from infancy until two years due to some legal issues and other things I cannot get in to here; maybe a later post).

We split (as in I walked out with a few things we needed in hand and never looked back) when she was five months old. By then I had a "friend" in my life that treated me RIGHT, the way I should have been treated all along and this person cared enough about me and my daughter that the sister even helped me get out and let me and my then-five-month old daughter stay with her and her family.

Yes, there are times that Hayley does the "I want to live with my daddy!" routine. As soon as I say that I know it's because he is the "no-rules-do whatever you want-without consequences" parent, she hushes up and walks off.

I guess he has yet to learn, especially now that she is a preteen (or shall we say Tween, seeing that's the 'norm' these days), he cannot be her friend. Not now. She needs PARENTS that will lay down the law and set those morals and values to solidly cement within before it's too late.

Sure! She will at some point (more than likely) try to experiment with drugs and alcohol, or even cigarettes. And (God forbid) seriously think of having sex. But all I can do now is try my best up until those years NOW to lay the foundation to keep away from those types of things and avoid problems down the road with them.

But then again, when you are the "Monkey In The Middle" with two parenting styles within two different home environments, it can get confusing of which way to turn. So I am planning to just keep doing what I'm doing and hope for the best down the road.

No one said being the parent of a "divorce" child was easy!

Some People Make Me Want To Bang My Head On The Desk...(Blog Hop Stuff)

What part(s) of the following do people apparently NOT get when I post this??...

"The *ONLY* stipulation I have is to please LEAVE A *GENUINE* COMMENT here on my page to show that you have read it. Not a copy/paste thing or a "I followed you/follow me back" comment... I am okay with people stating if they came from another blog hop and found me. But I don't play the "followed you/follow me back" game.

**If you cannot abide by that one simple rule for linking on my page, I wish for you to NOT link it at all. I hope you understand. Thanks.."

You will find this one my posts that I add my Linky Tools link up button to. And that is only maybe (now) twice a week to run in time with For The Love Of Blogs as to give them more exposure and to further help out my fellow bloggers from that community and other places within the blogosphere.

I don't "have to" add the tool to any of my blogs. I do it because I want to and I like helping others to gain more readers. Not just myself.

Thanks to "link and run" types of "users and abusers" of the link up ability to my page, I removed it. Then decided to bring it back here and there. Then, I felt that I wanted to help Vic and Ashley at FLOB by also doing a link up capability on the posts I run to show case them and two of their blog hops I'm involved with.

So now, I will say it this way from now on in ALL FUTURE blog hop posts that I provide a link up tool for others to add to...

"The *ONLY* stipulation I have is to please LEAVE A *GENUINE* COMMENT here on my page to show that you have read it. Not a copy/paste thing or a "I followed you/follow me back" comment... I am okay with people stating if they came from another blog hop and found me. But I don't play the "followed you/follow me back" game.

**If you cannot abide by that one simple rule for linking on my page, I wish for you to NOT link it at all, nor even leave a COMMENT on my page.

If *anyone* is caught breaking the rules for MY BLOG PAGE and the way I wish to run MY blog hop/link up, then the comment and/or blog link and button will be DELETED.

I hope you understand. Thanks.."...

Now, do you all think that THIS will make it clear? Especially if you have actually READ FTLOB's "rules" about blog hopping and leaving comments on other's blogs. They also *DO NOT CONDONE* copy/paste comments or the "followed you/follow me back" comments and also feel it is TACKY as well as RUDE.

If these things keep happening on my blog, then I will put an END TO PROVIDING a link up/blog hop on my blog page.

Blog Hop Linky Tool On My Page... BE SURE TO READ ME!!

I'm sorry, but I have closed up the current Linky Tool Blog Hop linking area. I started seeing that most of those that were linking up to my page were not even "reading" my stuff. Let alone following the blog, or even leaving a note of ANY kind.

And I did in fact give fair warning in a previous post (refer to Blog Hop Tool Rules) that in the event that something like this happened, what the consequences would be.

If that makes me a mean and/or bitchy blogger, then so be it. I am not a "tool" for others to gain by. I wouldn't allow this on any of my other sites, or in my life. So know it certainly won't be tolerated here.

I'd opened an on-going "Blog Hop" to HELP other bloggers. Not to be taken advantage of.

So, from here on out, at my discretion, and *WITHOUT* prior notice, I will open the Hopping Tool again as I feel ready to do so.

RE: My New Linky Tool (rules)

Yes! I finally figured it out. I now have a "Blog Hopping" link-up capability for both my blogs.

Now, readers can leave their blog link-ups on my page when they stop by. But!!..Yes, another 'but'. Sorry, gotta do this though.

There WILL be some ground rules for linking with my blog. This way it's fair for everyone.

1)*I don't want my page to be "used" and "abused".* In other words if you link your blog to my page, then be sure to leave a comment on the post you had read.

2)*Be sure to leave a comment on any others you read as well.* I'm doing this to not only make more traffic for my blog, but to also help out my fellow bloggers as well.

3)*For respectfulness among the masses, do *not* say "Please follow me back".* Personally, I find it tacky and disrespectful. If readers like your content, they WILL follow without your "begging". In fact, I did touch on this last week. Blog Hop Do's/Don'ts...

If there is apparent "abuse" of the link (as in link up, but don't say anything about reading my work), then I MAY REMOVE IT. And then, I may only let others link up say on my Sunday Sunrise meme/carnival posts.

Now, with all of that said, be on the lookout for another post later today of a memory brought back by a kid on the radio and a "kids say the darnedest things/chew it over with Twix moment".