Where Do We Draw The Line With Greed ?

I am not sure what to write about these days.  I have been enjoying life despite our strange weather and the not so good evening news.  There is a lot of devastation going on in the world.  I feel like the US is going to float away amidst all the flooding.  So many people without homes and businesses ruined is very disheartening.   Mother nature has no empathy.  We have had one of the rainiest August that I can remember.   The humidity has been with us all month.  It was quite different to open up the blinds in the mornings to find the door steamed up.  The first time it happened I stepped back quickly from the door, as it was a shock to my mind that I could not see out the door.  I thought what the heck is wrong.  Did someone cover up the window as a joke.  No it's just mother nature letting off steam.

We had some bad storms with high winds and unbelievable lightening go through over the weekend and ended up without electricity, cable and Internet for about 24 hours.   We realize how dependent and spoiled we are when our utilities are taken away.  We were spared from the flooding, but eight miles away the city flooded.  There were reports of 20,000 people without electric.  The best thing we can say is that we needed the rain and the yard and flowers look great.  Things seem to be back to normal today with some pleasant sunny skies.

I have been saddened by all the news about the Epipen and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.  I have been following it closely.   I know children who are dependent on this drug.  I also know that sick feeling of fear that a patient gets when they think they can not afford the drug.  That fear will drive a lot of people to pay for the drug even if they can't afford it.  I have listened to people's stories about how they sold their homes, maxed out credit cards, and sacrificed retirements to help pay for medical needs of their loved ones.  I guess you can not understand that feeling when you get a 19.8 million dollar bonus.  The greed has gotten out of hand. 

We received a letter from our insurance company about some drugs that they will no longer cover come October.  The pharmacist told us that the drug prices have tripled since the first of the year.  The insurance company will no longer cover some of the drugs, because they are too costly.  As a consumer you either pay the full price or you find alternative medications.  Pretty soon we will not be able to afford any medication as the list keeps growing.   The greed has gotten out of hand.  We are all going to be faced with some hard decisions about our own health care.  I wonder if the CEO of Mylan would like to make a contribution to our rising cost of medications.  I realize that this is just not a Mylan problem, but a big problem with most of our pharmaceutical companies.   The  Mylan CEO stated in an interview  that the company was in business to make money.  I think that a billion dollars is more than sufficient, but what do I know I am just a consumer.   I will lay my head down tonight and say a prayer for every parent or anybody that has to pay the unreasonable price for an Epipen that contains around three dollars worth of epinephrine.   I'll say a prayer for all of us, as we never know which drug will be on the next list.

Life is beautiful !!!

Elizabeth:)

Be Responsible For Yourself

I am wondering what to say these days as the world we live in has greatly changed.  We are trying to go about living as though every day we are blessed to be alive.  My husband and I have survived a lot in the past ten years.  I am hoping we will stay strong and and continue living a happy and safe life.  We have trust in others that the world will become a better place.  It starts with us individually making changes for a better world. 

We were walking this evening after dark as we do in the summer after the sun goes down and it feels a little cooler.  It has been a very hot summer for us.  It has been too hot for Laney to walk so she stays in the air conditioning.  She is getting older and the heat wears her out.  I also no longer feel safe walking her as we seem to have a lot of people who are not taking responsibility for controlling their dogs.

We were stopped by a neighbor that told us that an elderly gentleman was walking his dog and it was charged by a German Shepard and killed.  It was a heart breaking story and I felt deep symphony for the man and his dog.  He warned us too be careful and I feel very concerned that people are letting their dogs run free.  We have been charged twice this summer by angry dogs and we were fortunate that people called the dogs off.  However we now carry mace and a stick.  I love dogs they are like family members.  However they are very territorial and will attack if not trained and controlled by their owners.

It saddens me that we have to be on guard and worried about being attacked.  I am starting to feel great empathy for the mailman.  I know a few who have been bitten by dogs.  I hope people will be cautious about their four legged friends and keep them on leashes or in a fenced in yard.  We all love our pets and to each of us call them are our babies.  Please remember that our pets are our responsibility and we need to be thoughtful of others and keep our pets from harming others who are walking in public areas.  

Hope everyone has a safe and fun summer and our four legged friends also.  Laney says bow wow and stay cool. 

Those who try to change and fail are winners when they never give up.  They learn from their mistakes.  They keep moving forward and leave the past for a better future. 

Life is beautiful !!!

Elizabeth:)