what's a mom to do?

[Erica on left]

Last night five students from Georgetown Medical School had been selected to participate in a special taping at the White House of an ABC News t.v. program–Primetime’s “Questions for the President: Prescription for America.” Our Erica was one of the five. Here's the question she posed:

I am interested in providing medical care to all patients in need regardless of their ability to pay, but I will graduate medical school next year with over $200,000 in loans and I worry about how I will fulfill my professional and personal goals as well as meet my financial obligations. How do you plan to extend quality medical coverage to the growing number of un- or under-insured Americans while protecting health care provider compensation in light of the soaring cost of tuition? I come from working class roots in Idaho, and getting to (and through!) medical school has been both a personal and financial struggle for me. I have a congenital heart condition for which I underwent open heart surgery in the year I started medical school. Although I have always been insured, the uncovered portion of the medical expenses has always been burdensome for me, especially as a student living on loans without parental support. I forgo regular follow-up examinations, and have in the past chosen between getting an echocardiogram and buying books. Despite the hardships I have experienced related to the high cost of healthcare, I am fortunate to even have a degree of insurance. Many people close to me, particularly younger friends and family, have no coverage at all. This means that they do not receive regular life-saving screenings or preventive health care measures, and are one medical emergency away from financial collapse. The problem extends beyond my immediate circle, and requires urgent action by those in healthcare and the government. Throughout my career I hope to contribute to the extension of quality healthcare to all in need.

Unfortunately she wasn't able to ask President Obama during the program...let's just say it was a very media-oriented agenda designed for Diane Sawyer & Charlie Gibson to pimp the President using the most general issues in the shortest amount of time with way too many commercials. You can read all the students' questions concerning health care reform in a letter written by the School of Medicine's class president and later given to Obama here.

[Erica second on left]

To say Dave and I were ecstatically proud of her would be an understatement. She was excited to be in the White House, meet the President and since she is committed to health care change we were glad she was able to participate.

Chicago rojo!

For Mother's Day Dave sent me to Chicago to visit with Audrey. I had a delightful visit which included a lot of walking in her neighborhood of Pilsen. This was originally a Polish area and now is Hispanic with gentrification inching its way in on the fringes. Every block is colorful with great panaderias, churches and random Mariachi band members walking down the street.

See more red at Mary's Ruby Tuesday meme.

I try to be as honest about what I see and to speak rather than be silent, especially if it means I can save lives, or serve humanity.

Sandra Cisneros

V is for veg

from the local Tuesday farmer's market. Right now there are lettuces, spring onions, snap peas, new potatoes for sale plus these small, vibrant Swiss Chard and their Asian cousins, baby Bok Choy who came home with me. Together with. . .

a box of fruit!

See many more V words at Mrs Nesbitt's meme, ABC Wednesday, now heading toward the finish line of Round 4.

Its an annual thing

Two of my favorite summer colors: yellow and blue. This buttery yellow rose bush is reminiscent of those on Birch Street in my neighborhood growing up and a new find below, a midnight blue Salvia. Finding a blue annual to plant always makes me smile.

Summer's on its way in Minnesota! For free smile, check out more summertime at Today's Flowers here.

'Best In Sky'

I took this lofty sky view in Owatonna in southern Minnesota a couple of Sundays ago. In a perfect blue sky, cottony clouds floated above the fairground buildings. The fairgrounds itself has an interesting history:

The first fair in Steele County was held on October 17, 1860. Premiums were awarded in categories such as "best 6 yoke of working oxen", "best butter churn", and "best wagon made in county".After the start of the Civil War the fair was not held again until 1871. That year it was held on a pasture on Main Street, and until 1917 was held at various locations in the community. In 1883 to 1927 the Minnesota State Fair was held in town; special trains brought crowds from the rest of the state. By 1927 the fair became a "free fair" with no admission charged.The 1930's brought auto racing and grandstand stage shows with chorus lines. [Wikipedia]

See more local sky views from all over the world at Skywatch Friday.

Today's Flowers with a donut on the side

Its Monday and you know what that means? More rain. . .not enough sleep. . . Today's Flowers? Yeah, that's it! A much nicer way to start the week. Hosted by Luiz and his flower shop crew Denise, Laerte and Valkyrien. Stop by, share and be glad for another Monday to wake up to.

These are flowers I've seen most recently in the neighborhood (Allium & Iris) and what I've planted for the pretend cottage garden on my patio slab (Pansies, et al.) Sadly I made this collage last Thursday for Blue's True Colours Thursday Meme but thanks to a finicky computer I wasn't able to download and missed the whole day!

“This donut has purple in the middle, purple is a fruit."

Happy Monday!