Guess what I am NOT thankful for? This stupid ass state!

Guess what I am NOT thankful for?  This stupid ass state!

I sat down to follow up on my insurance crap since I keep getting emails that if I don't change it by 12/15, my premium will go from $28 to $108.  So I'm in the marketplace thinking "Why are all of these plans so expensive?  I can't afford any of them!" and I look for the tax help thing.  This is what it says for my income level:

"Below $15,930

Since your state hasn't expanded Medicaid you probably won't qualify for Medicaid based on your income alone. You also won't qualify for savings on a Marketplace insurance plan."

So basically I can't afford insurance for next year.  I'm gonna be crippled up and unable to function by the time winter rolls around.  This is seriously not ok.  I have so much to do, but this stupid backwards state would rather see my crippled and begging for disability than going to school and trying to better my life.  I feel so sad and angry and frustrated right now.  🙁

Happy Birthday to me! I've had a good day! 😃

Happy Birthday to me!  I've had a good day!  😃

I slept in with no guilt, so that's always a good start!  😃  Woke up to presents at my door - thanks to the awesome Mary Beth, who always manages to surprise me with something awesome.  This time it was a Jack Skellington hat - just in time for the cold weather, and some smelly-good hand soap.  😃

After that me and the best Shaun ever trekked to Birmingham to meet my new doctor.  On the way he gave me a card.  I'd told him not to buy me anything else because that dishwasher a few months ago was plenty.  Well, he got me a card... a 32 gig SD card to go in my phone!  And also a really cute card that the SD card was hidden in.  It had a squirrel and a kitten on it.  Who doesn't love that?

So in the waiting room at the doctor I got a coupon code for my birthday to one of the sites that sells awesome nail polish.  I ended up pre-ordering that flaky one that I wanted, plus getting another I'd been eyeing, AND getting them shipped for just $13 total.  SCORE!

Then finally it was time to meet my new doctor.  He seems like a good and smart guy.  He examined me and asked a lot of questions.  He seemed happy with my spreadsheet of medications and dates that I had on my tablet, so heck yes for that!  😃  He is not convinced that I have Psoriatic Arthritis because it usually affects smaller joints like hands and feet, not larger joints like hips and knees.  He's testing me for Rheumatoid, just to make sure.

Since I've been doing mostly fine on the methotrexate he wants to keep me on it for now.  He also wants to see me back in 6 weeks to see how I'm feeling and how my test results turned out.

Also, THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER.  His nurse dude had to get some blood from me, so I'm used to that.  But he had this tube attached to the thing that sticks in your arm, that then lead to the thing where they pop the glass tubes that they fill up off and on.  That means that they are not snatching the needle while it's in your arm!  Most of my blood-takers have been pretty good, but I had one who was straight brutal.  So that just freakin' made my day!  Seriously - it's the little things, but it made a HUGE difference.  I don't have a bruise or anything and my arm isn't even sore.  Woohoo!

After that we ate at Outback.  It was nice to have a date with Shaun.  I "see" him all the time, but it's really different when I'm crazy and busy versus a time when I don't have anything else needing my attention.  Of course, after Outback, we made a quick trip to Ulta.  They didn't have a lot of polish that I was interested in.  Shaun bought me a lip gloss and a dark gray polish that I didn't have, so that was nice.  THEN, we made the long trip home.

Now I'm here.  I see that I have an ass-ton of notifications, so thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes!  I will go through them in a bit when I'm settled in.  Of course, all of the animals need to be checked on and all that first.  And this house is messy and driving me nuts.  After sitting around so much today I have the energy to work on that, so I'm gonna take advantage of it for a while.

Later, friends, and super thank you to everyone who thought of me today!  ❤

Just got home from Munford. It was a fun visit. 😃

Just got home from Munford.  It was a fun visit.  😃

At Dad's he gave me my birthday card early.  Also, a marker, which I was more excited about than he expected.  LOL  He also put anti-freeze in my car, woohoo!  While we were outside I noticed that the sibling of my foster kittens that they kept is, in fact, a female.  I think she's gonna go on the transport at the same time as mine and get fixed.  They are done having a kitten situation over there, for sure.  I am so glad they are willing to do that!

On the way back in his house I noticed that the tire stem valve caps on his blazer type of truck were big and pink.  I was like, "Dad, I like those caps!"  He was like "Really?  Someone gave them to me."  I was like, "So you don't know they're pink, do you?"  Dad:  "Aww, shit, they're pink?  You want 'em?"  LOL  Dad is color blind, so someone pranked him.  We'll be swapping valve caps on Thanksgiving.  It was too cold to bother with it today.

Anyway.  Went by mom's after that.  She gave me some fuzzy pajama pants that I am ALL ABOUT.  One is TMNT and the other is Cookie Monster.  Hell yes.  No complaints there!  I am about to shower and put them on my myself.  😳  It's so chilly today that I'm getting stiff.  My hands don't want to work and I feel like my body is seizing up.  I need a hot shower to get me warmed up.  Thank goodness I get to see my new doctor on Tuesday!  🙂

How is it almost 2 in the morning?!

How is it almost 2 in the morning?!

I slept A LOT today.  Like, 12 hours, no problem.  I REALLY needed it, though.  I've been dragging all week.  I've got a "to do" list a mile long because I just couldn't keep up.  😕

I just finished my Literature that was due, but I need to start thinking about the final, which is a paper and presentation.  I also need to do some history and also some Algebra this week.  We're doing Logarithms in Algebra and I get it and I can do it, but I need practice.  It doesn't come as easily as I'd like.  😕

We don't have class next week, but there's Thanksgiving (meaning I'll be driving everywhere to see family) and also work.  AND, TUESDAY, I get to see my new Rheumy, finally.  😃  So it's a busy week, even without classes.

I don't know why, but we have a week off from school before finals.  I am SO not complaining, though.  I will use that time to study and perfect my paper.  So far I'm doing ok again.  If I can manage to not screw up in the next few weeks I will have all A's, which will put my GPA at 3.59, counting that D from 2001.  Then I will finally be in the running (assuming I can maintain at least a 3.5) for the scholarship to JSU.

Looking back, this year has really flown by.  I've stayed so busy that it just seems like yesterday when I started school.  I'm really enjoying my classes, but juggling everything is really hard.  SUPER hard.  Maybe next year (and the next and the next!) will fly by, too, and I'll be working a rich-making job before I know it.  LOL

Anyway.  I guess I'm off to do something else now.  Goodnight, any of you weirdos who are still awake.  😛

Well hello, little dude!

Well hello, little dude! He's so small. I just noticed him coming up my leg. He left a snot trail, but you can't see it because of the flash. 

I took him back outside. He must have hitched a ride in on my boot.

Look at my sexy little Tort Baby.

Look at my sexy little Tort Baby. This is how he's sleeping tonight. The weather is so mild that he's not even worried about having a blankie or even going all the way in his house. LOL

The weather sounds really scary right now.

The weather sounds really scary right now.  I'm not leaving my house until this lets up.  I hate driving in the rain, but this wind, tho.  😳  Stuff is falling all over my house.  😕