I don't hate doctors. I really don't. But part of me doesn't like to see them because I'd rather tough it out. Why? Because of health insurance.
When I worked for Starbucks, I had awesome health insurance. In fact, great benefits is one thing that Starbucks takes great pride in. $40 of every paycheck went to Aetna, and in return I had $15 doctor co-pays, $75 ER visits, $10-20 prescriptions, and a $250 deductable for having my tonsils removed. I went to the doctor for my annual check-up, I went when I felt sick. All of that changed when I received HISD insurance.
I had quite an insurance culture shock when I became employed with HISD. I tried to pick a plan that was beneficial for emergency visits, since I rarely get sick. I also opted to not go with an HMO because I wanted the freedom to see whomever I wanted. I chose poorly.
Last December, if you recall, I took a nasty spill and busted my knee, causing me to go to the ER. I knew I had a $1000 deductable, so I wanted to limit my cost. I persuaded the doctor to not have my knee x-rayed, I was able to acquire steri-strips instead of stitches on my gashes. I was in the ER for less than an hour and all that was done to me was: temp check, blood pressure check 3 times (since my first two were frighteningly low), the doctor looked at my gashes, made me take a tentative step (ouch), he applied steri-strips to the gashes, wrapped it in gauze and then wrapped it in an ace bandage and sent me on my merry way with two prescriptions (pain killer and muscle relaxer), two ibuprofens and told me to acquire crutches because the hospital didn't have any. No labs, no x-rays, nothing major was done. And the doctor himself saw me for only 20 minutes maximum.
Call me naive, but I assumed that my bill would be no more than $300. Not a lot was done to me.
I finally received my bill(s) today (5 months later). I was billed $205 for the er doctor and $488 for the ER visit, totalling almost $700.
I started crying out of frustration. I understand the $205 doctor fee for examination (about the cost of a doctor's visit). But $488 for everything else? I wasn't even given a detailed invoice, so I called up the hospital requesting one. They didn't have my invoice detailed; my account just said "For moderate services." I had basically nothing done! What the hell does "moderate" mean? What is "minor" - walking in, dancing around the room, and walking out? And THEN the lady I talked to said that "ERs are expensive. Plus you had an ace bandage and gauze, and those things add up."
If she was in front of me, I might've flipped her the bird at that point.
THIS is why I don't go to the doctors anymore. I don't have a copay. I have a $1000 deductable, even on basic doctor visits. When I sprained my ankle in NYC last summer, I didn't go to the hospital because of that $1000 deductable. Thankfully I'm getting different (and slightly better) plans with Clear Creek ISD. Maybe then I can start going for annual physicals again.
But until all of that happens, I will only go to an ER if I'm about to die or be disfigured. If anything like this happens again with me knee (or any other body part), I'm just going to take painkillers until I get a regular doctor's appointment: no more ER for me.
That's just bulls**t.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
It's Over
Tehnically, my summer has begun. In reality, I can't say that until Tuesday.
I'm in my classroom now, finding ways to kill time before graduation. I had no desire to leave school, go home and come right back because traffic on 288 lacks pleasure. So I am sitting in my empty room, feeling like a prisoner with nothing to do. I've checked my e-mail. I've checked cnn.com, tmz.com, chron.com, read Junebug's and Christine's blog (as well as a blog from Christine's sight, someone named Al). I just realized that I haven't read imdb.com yet, so I'll do that after finishing my random thoughts.
My grades are done, my finals are done, my classroom is cleaned, my computer is wiped clean. I am finished with most things - and I'm coming back on Tuesday to work on a grant (finish the grant). I wanted to meet around noon (so that I could sleep in), but I'm back here at 9. Hopefully I'll be done by 11-12. I just want to be done at this point; why drag things out.
I have no idea what I will do this summer. I have no plans to go to NY this year (which sucks, but I need money for my apartment). I'm not working yet (although I might temp... I was kicked off the summer school teaching list because "there are two extra English teachers signed up and [the summer school leader] had to take off the last two to sign up." I am not signed up for any workshops because I'm in between schools (although I am going to Dallas for three days for working - grading essay exams). The Sailor and I broke up a couple of weeks ago and most of my friends live outside the city limits, so my social life will be very small.
I might actually be bored. Last summer I was dating, I had many workshops, I took a couple of trips. This summer I might have nothing to do. I have novels to read, but that's nothing major. I could work on my screenplay (again), and maybe actually finish it (after three years). I did sign up for the ballroom dancing lessons, but those are on Sundays. I won't be moving until July and will be packing for only a few days and unpacking for a few more days.
Any suggestions as to how to fill my time?
I'm in my classroom now, finding ways to kill time before graduation. I had no desire to leave school, go home and come right back because traffic on 288 lacks pleasure. So I am sitting in my empty room, feeling like a prisoner with nothing to do. I've checked my e-mail. I've checked cnn.com, tmz.com, chron.com, read Junebug's and Christine's blog (as well as a blog from Christine's sight, someone named Al). I just realized that I haven't read imdb.com yet, so I'll do that after finishing my random thoughts.
My grades are done, my finals are done, my classroom is cleaned, my computer is wiped clean. I am finished with most things - and I'm coming back on Tuesday to work on a grant (finish the grant). I wanted to meet around noon (so that I could sleep in), but I'm back here at 9. Hopefully I'll be done by 11-12. I just want to be done at this point; why drag things out.
I have no idea what I will do this summer. I have no plans to go to NY this year (which sucks, but I need money for my apartment). I'm not working yet (although I might temp... I was kicked off the summer school teaching list because "there are two extra English teachers signed up and [the summer school leader] had to take off the last two to sign up." I am not signed up for any workshops because I'm in between schools (although I am going to Dallas for three days for working - grading essay exams). The Sailor and I broke up a couple of weeks ago and most of my friends live outside the city limits, so my social life will be very small.
I might actually be bored. Last summer I was dating, I had many workshops, I took a couple of trips. This summer I might have nothing to do. I have novels to read, but that's nothing major. I could work on my screenplay (again), and maybe actually finish it (after three years). I did sign up for the ballroom dancing lessons, but those are on Sundays. I won't be moving until July and will be packing for only a few days and unpacking for a few more days.
Any suggestions as to how to fill my time?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Bittersweet
Today was the last day of school for kids. For me, it was the last time I would see some of them. Today was definitely bittersweet.
The decision to leave my current school for a new school wasn't a difficult decision at first. My current school has so many issues that I just grew frustrated and felt abused. I felt horribly selfish, but I wanted out. I felt selfish because a great number of my students were quite upset when they found out. I'm here for the kids, but when the adults can't do things right, the kids suffer. When teachers are treated without courtesy, when the students rule the hallways, when accountability is not held by anyone and hypocrisy is a motif in the school, I can't be a good teacher. I had to decide between a good workplace (for my sanity) and staying with students who needed me (albeit in a harsh workplace). But my heartstrings have been getting tugged at many times since my departure became public knowledge.
When I dropped the ball, many students were unhappy. I knew that I would be missed by some of the kids, but I was extremely surprised today. After the last final exam, my students presented me with a thank-you card. My sophomores signed it all over. Some of the things they wrote were:
"Thanks a lot! I will miss you! Love you!"
"What a fabulous teacher you are even though I didn't pass my class"
"Don't forget us here at ____! We love you! Ms. Smith, you are the best"
"Thanks for all your pushing and making me do better. Don't forget about us"
"I know I wasn't your best student but I loved your class"
"I will really, really miss you"
"I'm your #1 fan!"
"Your class was challenging but you taught me a lot!"
"We're going to miss you Ms. Smith. You taught well! Love ya!"
"We are so gonna miss you!"
Needless to say, I was extremely touched by the card and had to fight back tears as they hugged me. I'm going to frame the card and it will hang proudly in my new classroom.
After school, and many meetings, I found myself sitting in the main hallway with Carlton, a math teacher at my school. We met at the job hiring fair and he bragged about me to the school and they hired us both on the spot. For 8 weeks last year, we were next door neighbors (at school). Even after I was moved across the building, we were still close. We'd hang out after school and after our night class. I'd meet his girlfriends, he'd meet my boyfriends (we had to have each other's approval). As we sat alone in the empty hallway, we realized that we'd see each other a lot less next year. We just sat companionably next to each other, and I realized that this would be one of my last times (if not the last time) to just relax in the hallway. As we walked out to our cars, I was almost expecting a sad theme music to be playing. I was actually hesitant to leave the school. Even though I'll be back tomorrow to close out my classroom, it already felt like the end.
Today was also probably one of the last days I'd hang out with Mack in our hallway. He's been my hallway buddy all year. We're pretty much inseparable at the school. In fact, my 6th period told me that I couldn't leave because "Who'd be Mr. Davis' friend next year?" :)
I hope that my new school is a good place for me; I hope that I'll have friends like Mack and Carlton. I hope that I'll be able to adjust quickly, and that my students will be accepting. I hope that my administrators are strict and caring at the same time. I hope that most of my students will care about school, instead of just a small percentage. I hope that my current students succeed and I hope that I did them well as a teacher.
I almost feel as though I'm a teenager going to a new school. :)
The decision to leave my current school for a new school wasn't a difficult decision at first. My current school has so many issues that I just grew frustrated and felt abused. I felt horribly selfish, but I wanted out. I felt selfish because a great number of my students were quite upset when they found out. I'm here for the kids, but when the adults can't do things right, the kids suffer. When teachers are treated without courtesy, when the students rule the hallways, when accountability is not held by anyone and hypocrisy is a motif in the school, I can't be a good teacher. I had to decide between a good workplace (for my sanity) and staying with students who needed me (albeit in a harsh workplace). But my heartstrings have been getting tugged at many times since my departure became public knowledge.
When I dropped the ball, many students were unhappy. I knew that I would be missed by some of the kids, but I was extremely surprised today. After the last final exam, my students presented me with a thank-you card. My sophomores signed it all over. Some of the things they wrote were:
"Thanks a lot! I will miss you! Love you!"
"What a fabulous teacher you are even though I didn't pass my class"
"Don't forget us here at ____! We love you! Ms. Smith, you are the best"
"Thanks for all your pushing and making me do better. Don't forget about us"
"I know I wasn't your best student but I loved your class"
"I will really, really miss you"
"I'm your #1 fan!"
"Your class was challenging but you taught me a lot!"
"We're going to miss you Ms. Smith. You taught well! Love ya!"
"We are so gonna miss you!"
Needless to say, I was extremely touched by the card and had to fight back tears as they hugged me. I'm going to frame the card and it will hang proudly in my new classroom.
After school, and many meetings, I found myself sitting in the main hallway with Carlton, a math teacher at my school. We met at the job hiring fair and he bragged about me to the school and they hired us both on the spot. For 8 weeks last year, we were next door neighbors (at school). Even after I was moved across the building, we were still close. We'd hang out after school and after our night class. I'd meet his girlfriends, he'd meet my boyfriends (we had to have each other's approval). As we sat alone in the empty hallway, we realized that we'd see each other a lot less next year. We just sat companionably next to each other, and I realized that this would be one of my last times (if not the last time) to just relax in the hallway. As we walked out to our cars, I was almost expecting a sad theme music to be playing. I was actually hesitant to leave the school. Even though I'll be back tomorrow to close out my classroom, it already felt like the end.
Today was also probably one of the last days I'd hang out with Mack in our hallway. He's been my hallway buddy all year. We're pretty much inseparable at the school. In fact, my 6th period told me that I couldn't leave because "Who'd be Mr. Davis' friend next year?" :)
I hope that my new school is a good place for me; I hope that I'll have friends like Mack and Carlton. I hope that I'll be able to adjust quickly, and that my students will be accepting. I hope that my administrators are strict and caring at the same time. I hope that most of my students will care about school, instead of just a small percentage. I hope that my current students succeed and I hope that I did them well as a teacher.
I almost feel as though I'm a teenager going to a new school. :)
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Breaking Out of the Cocoon... Maybe
It's no secret that I've been in a slump for a while now. Mark it down to frustration, mark it down to depression, mark it down to nboredom, who knows (not me!).
My instincts have always been to flee. I'm unhappy, I run away. I can't face something, I run away. I hide. I create an Erica cacoon, an Erica cave, usually just my bedroom without talking to anyone or going out in pubic looking as unattractive as possible so I can go around unnoticed. I feel safe in my cocoon, my cave, because no one can hurt me there. There I can be me and not worry what others think. There I can become involved in all sorts of stories (since I usually read in my cocoon). There I can spend way too much time thinking and dwelling.
So much is on my mind that I don't know what/how to say. Maybe I'm in denial, not wanting to see it actually written down. I hope I get out of the funk soon. It's lonely and tiresome.
I started retreating into this coccon probably about a month or two ago. I don't want to stay in here long - I'm almost 29, I can't afford to stay in here long. So what did I do? I signed up for dance lessons. Every Sunday in June I will be learning the tango, the cha-cha and swing. One reason I am in a funk is because of my knee - I still feel like such a failure because of it and I need/want to do something new and physical. I love music and will dance around my house when noone is watching, so I figured I'd learn how to do the correct steps.
And then there's the apartment. Last week I purchased furniture. Today I hired a moving company. I'm not spending ay more money until summer school paychecks roll in. I discovered a paycheck gap - there is one month between my last HISD paycheck and my first CCISD paycheck. I will be a miser for the next two months (starting Monday, for this weekend I'm in Louisiana).
Here's to the future. May it bring good things my way.
My instincts have always been to flee. I'm unhappy, I run away. I can't face something, I run away. I hide. I create an Erica cacoon, an Erica cave, usually just my bedroom without talking to anyone or going out in pubic looking as unattractive as possible so I can go around unnoticed. I feel safe in my cocoon, my cave, because no one can hurt me there. There I can be me and not worry what others think. There I can become involved in all sorts of stories (since I usually read in my cocoon). There I can spend way too much time thinking and dwelling.
So much is on my mind that I don't know what/how to say. Maybe I'm in denial, not wanting to see it actually written down. I hope I get out of the funk soon. It's lonely and tiresome.
I started retreating into this coccon probably about a month or two ago. I don't want to stay in here long - I'm almost 29, I can't afford to stay in here long. So what did I do? I signed up for dance lessons. Every Sunday in June I will be learning the tango, the cha-cha and swing. One reason I am in a funk is because of my knee - I still feel like such a failure because of it and I need/want to do something new and physical. I love music and will dance around my house when noone is watching, so I figured I'd learn how to do the correct steps.
And then there's the apartment. Last week I purchased furniture. Today I hired a moving company. I'm not spending ay more money until summer school paychecks roll in. I discovered a paycheck gap - there is one month between my last HISD paycheck and my first CCISD paycheck. I will be a miser for the next two months (starting Monday, for this weekend I'm in Louisiana).
Here's to the future. May it bring good things my way.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Finishing... and Starting
This has been a rough week. Amongst other things, I've been overloaded with work. It's now 11pm, and I've just finished the last research paper. It's taken me almost two weeks to grade them because they're long and I had to check for plagiarism (about 20 kids plagiarised). Overall, they were disappointing, but I did have many a good ones in there. But the research paper has ended.
Mom and I went to furniture shopping today. We both spent an ungodly amount (an amount that I've rarely spent in one or two sittings) and I think I am just now starting to breath again. But I now have a fantastic new couch and a fantastic new dining set for my new apartment - all I need now is a new mattress and maybe a coffee table and/or end table. Even though I've lived in many new apartments and have moved from Houston to BR and BR to Houston, I almost feel like this is a new beginning. New school, new area of town, new apartment, new furniture.
But the important thing is that my grading is caught up, I've written 2/3 of my finals (I have to finish my 11th grade final, and I'll do that Monday morning), I've written my final exam reviews, and I'm ready for this upcoming week. Tomorrow I'm going to re-read act 4 of Hamlet, and maybe get to spend a little time for my own personal writing.
Cheers!
Mom and I went to furniture shopping today. We both spent an ungodly amount (an amount that I've rarely spent in one or two sittings) and I think I am just now starting to breath again. But I now have a fantastic new couch and a fantastic new dining set for my new apartment - all I need now is a new mattress and maybe a coffee table and/or end table. Even though I've lived in many new apartments and have moved from Houston to BR and BR to Houston, I almost feel like this is a new beginning. New school, new area of town, new apartment, new furniture.
But the important thing is that my grading is caught up, I've written 2/3 of my finals (I have to finish my 11th grade final, and I'll do that Monday morning), I've written my final exam reviews, and I'm ready for this upcoming week. Tomorrow I'm going to re-read act 4 of Hamlet, and maybe get to spend a little time for my own personal writing.
Cheers!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
And the Thunder Rolls...
As I type this, I am NOT grading plagiaristic research papers, but am trying to catch up on my quiz/test grading.
This is what I have to do between tomorrow afternoon and Sunday evening:
1) Make 3 final exams - one for each of my preps. The 11th grade final will be difficult to make. Hopefully most of my kids will be exempt from it.
2)Make 3 final exam review guides - one for each of my preps.
3) Finish grading the 25 research papers that I have left.
4) Catch up on my test/quiz grades for the week.
I have my work cut out for me. Each one of those takes at least 2-3 hours to do (the research paper will take longer). Argh. The end of the school year is usually the most hectic.
So I'm trying to stop feeling guilty. Work keeps me VERY busy, the Rodeo kept me busy, the running kept me busy (when I did run), I'm in the process of switching schools and moving. What I have time left for I try to use some of it on myself: working out, reading, relaxing, etc. because I don't always like to have people around me. And let's not forget to mention my dreams of being a writer. In the past 10 months, I have picked up my writing twice. Twice!
Hopefully I'll be able to relax a bit during the summer. After summer school I'll have about 5-6 weeks to myself. I plan on making little (if any) plans. I might even summer hibernate (except for my birthday, of course... it'll be my last birthday in my 20s).
Time to go back to work. Yuck. But at least Grey's Anatomy comes on soon.
This is what I have to do between tomorrow afternoon and Sunday evening:
1) Make 3 final exams - one for each of my preps. The 11th grade final will be difficult to make. Hopefully most of my kids will be exempt from it.
2)Make 3 final exam review guides - one for each of my preps.
3) Finish grading the 25 research papers that I have left.
4) Catch up on my test/quiz grades for the week.
I have my work cut out for me. Each one of those takes at least 2-3 hours to do (the research paper will take longer). Argh. The end of the school year is usually the most hectic.
So I'm trying to stop feeling guilty. Work keeps me VERY busy, the Rodeo kept me busy, the running kept me busy (when I did run), I'm in the process of switching schools and moving. What I have time left for I try to use some of it on myself: working out, reading, relaxing, etc. because I don't always like to have people around me. And let's not forget to mention my dreams of being a writer. In the past 10 months, I have picked up my writing twice. Twice!
Hopefully I'll be able to relax a bit during the summer. After summer school I'll have about 5-6 weeks to myself. I plan on making little (if any) plans. I might even summer hibernate (except for my birthday, of course... it'll be my last birthday in my 20s).
Time to go back to work. Yuck. But at least Grey's Anatomy comes on soon.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Come To Your Senses...
I'm currently listening to the Broadway cast recording to "Tick...Tick...Boom" and that song is playing. The song is also a great title to today's entry.
I realize that it's been a while since I've given anyone a glimpse into the world of Erica, but I didn't realize that it had been THAT long ago since I graced the world wide web with my thoughts and daily doings.
I've stopped running. I've "come to my senses" so to speak. My knee isn't getting better. It's not getting worse, but running will only exacerbate the feelings of soreness, so I'm going to stop. Hopefully I won't stop forever, but I'm stopping for now. I miss it. I still read Runner's World, but more with nostalgia now than true excitement. What I won't miss, however, is running in the summer heat. Hopefully no running for 4 months or so will do the trick and I can train for the Houston and Surfside halves beginning in the fall.
I wish my students would "come to their senses." I'm grading research papers, and I am growing frustrated and sick. I've given these kids assignment sheets with directions. I've gone over them in class many times. I've even given them yet another sheet with "Mistakes Most Commonly Seen" after they turned in their rough drafts. I've harped on the evils of plagairism. I've stressed that they need a works cited page. I've gone on and on about the minimum page length of 6 pages and the minimum number of sources as 4. They've had 6-7 weeks to write this paper. Most of the papers turned in thus far are failing. They don't have 6 pages. They don't have a works cited page. They didn't use parenthetical citations with their quotes. They didn't use 4 sources. They plagiarized. Now I have to call parents and tell them that their child didn't follow the directions and will not only most likely fail my class this term, but they'll fail their science class (since this was a joint assignment). It's times like this that I can't tell if I did my job as a teacher wrong, or my students are just lazy. Knowing my students, I'm opting for the latter, especially considering the amount of classtime spent on this paper.
Ok. Enough about school. Well, almost enough. This is my last year at my current school. I have been accepted at another school district, one outside of the city and one that I've wanted to work at since earlier this year. Yes, I am moving. Technically my address will still be Houston, but I'll be in the Clear Lake/Webster/Friendswood/League City area. I'm excited. I've been slowly buying new apartment stuff and all I need now is a couch, a new dining set (I'm not fond of my other one), a new mattress set and new curtains. A new apartment means new changes, new colors, new stuff. I move in July, and will spend an entire month decorating and relaxing (I'm teaching summer school to afford new apartment stuff).
I'm off to Louisiana in a couple of weeks. I need this weekend trip. I need to spend time with my Louisiana buddy, I need to get out of Houston for a weekend, I need to be on LSU's campus again for a partial day. I need to do very little school work that weekend. I need to have fun, and fun is already promised to me.
Time to grade more papers. I hope they get better than this.
I realize that it's been a while since I've given anyone a glimpse into the world of Erica, but I didn't realize that it had been THAT long ago since I graced the world wide web with my thoughts and daily doings.
I've stopped running. I've "come to my senses" so to speak. My knee isn't getting better. It's not getting worse, but running will only exacerbate the feelings of soreness, so I'm going to stop. Hopefully I won't stop forever, but I'm stopping for now. I miss it. I still read Runner's World, but more with nostalgia now than true excitement. What I won't miss, however, is running in the summer heat. Hopefully no running for 4 months or so will do the trick and I can train for the Houston and Surfside halves beginning in the fall.
I wish my students would "come to their senses." I'm grading research papers, and I am growing frustrated and sick. I've given these kids assignment sheets with directions. I've gone over them in class many times. I've even given them yet another sheet with "Mistakes Most Commonly Seen" after they turned in their rough drafts. I've harped on the evils of plagairism. I've stressed that they need a works cited page. I've gone on and on about the minimum page length of 6 pages and the minimum number of sources as 4. They've had 6-7 weeks to write this paper. Most of the papers turned in thus far are failing. They don't have 6 pages. They don't have a works cited page. They didn't use parenthetical citations with their quotes. They didn't use 4 sources. They plagiarized. Now I have to call parents and tell them that their child didn't follow the directions and will not only most likely fail my class this term, but they'll fail their science class (since this was a joint assignment). It's times like this that I can't tell if I did my job as a teacher wrong, or my students are just lazy. Knowing my students, I'm opting for the latter, especially considering the amount of classtime spent on this paper.
Ok. Enough about school. Well, almost enough. This is my last year at my current school. I have been accepted at another school district, one outside of the city and one that I've wanted to work at since earlier this year. Yes, I am moving. Technically my address will still be Houston, but I'll be in the Clear Lake/Webster/Friendswood/League City area. I'm excited. I've been slowly buying new apartment stuff and all I need now is a couch, a new dining set (I'm not fond of my other one), a new mattress set and new curtains. A new apartment means new changes, new colors, new stuff. I move in July, and will spend an entire month decorating and relaxing (I'm teaching summer school to afford new apartment stuff).
I'm off to Louisiana in a couple of weeks. I need this weekend trip. I need to spend time with my Louisiana buddy, I need to get out of Houston for a weekend, I need to be on LSU's campus again for a partial day. I need to do very little school work that weekend. I need to have fun, and fun is already promised to me.
Time to grade more papers. I hope they get better than this.
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