I can't take it anymore!

I just can't hold back anymore!!! I've tried to be good, look on the bright side, and not get too emotional about a few things but I just can't keep quiet any longer. I'm about to burst!!!

First, how many times is it humanly possible to watch "Memo" and "Cookeee" (aka Nemo and Monsters, Inc)? Pearl has been sick for over a week now and the only thing she wants to do is watch movies. I never thought this busy little girl would turn into a couch potato and I'm still trying to figure out what triggered this movie obsession. After watching these movies at least 3 times EACH per day, I'm just about ready to pull my hair out. But how can I say no to a runny nose, messy haired, bags under her eyes pip-squeak? She's so cute when she tilts her head to one side and says "Mom, MEMO?!" I'm just hoping she starts to get back to her normal self soon. I'm a bit worried about her first day back to daycare (it's been almost 2 weeks) because she's been biting a lot lately. I have no clue why but when you bite your teacher, yikes! No mom wants "the biter".

Second, does anyone else bicker with their husband, constantly? Jeff and I don't really fight, just bicker. We've always bickered and for the most part it keeps us real and it's just the way we work. Most of the time it even makes us laugh. It seems to go in cycles where we have a few months of joyful bliss then constant bickering about everything from having to share a bed (no this is not what you're thinking, just sharing the same sleeping quarters is all - Jeff thinks I should sleep in the spare bedroom) to how we squeeze the toothpaste. On Sunday we made a goal to be nice to each other for 2 hours. Seems funny and yes, we both laughed but we did make it the whole 2 hours without bickering. And before anyone gets too harsh on either of us, just know that Jeff brought this on himself. He says I never blog about him so here ya go sweets!

Third, how long will I continue to torture myself by watching and reading the news? This economic crisis has seriously sent me into ulcers at times. Not so much the national news now, but the local news about our state budget. Being a state employee I admit I'm a bit sensitive to all the media attention and proposed cuts. After all, my job may be on the line. I really don't want to lose my job for a number of reasons, mainly for health insurance (yet what legislator is willing to cut their LIFETIME health benefits after their service or in reality job is over) and paying our mortgage, but I've worked hard and really want to help people have healthy and happy lives. We don't live extravagantly, as is evident from an earlier post on Jeff's shirts, have little debt compared to the majority of Americans, and yet we constantly worry about what would happen if the gas bill continues to go up, food keeps getting more expensive, or we lost our jobs. But an even bigger worry is the lack of understanding and appreciation for public health in our state. Please, please if you're taking the time to read my blog and made it this far into this monstrous post, read "A Day in the Life of Public Health" (I tried to find the Utah specific one but Colorado's will do for now). I know public health is a beastly thing to grasp and us public health professionals don't do promote ourselves like we should but if public health disappeared, trust me everyone would demand it back. Some of our hair-brained legislators have proposed completely dissolving the state health department not just the massive budget cuts already proposed. Brilliant, just brilliant! Has anyone stopped to think what would happen if there wasn't restaurant inspections, childcare licensing, responses for a bioterrorism attack or better yet, pandemic flu or bird flu, tools to track disease outbreaks and then prevent them - remember the crypto outbreak in swimming pools or the current peanut butter salmonella outbreak, mosquito abatement for west nile virus, air quality, no prevention for the spiraling obesity/diabetes/chronic disease crisis, no services for children with autism or other special health care needs, oversight over hospitals, prenatal care for low-income women, health care for the poor and disabled, safety laws like seat belts, not having smoke free places to go, and let's not forget the millions of dollars in federal matches the state gets with public health programs. Probably not, why? Because when public health is doing what it's supposed to, people don't see, recognize, or value it. I mean really, who needs help quitting tobacco or clean water, right? I'm all for eliminating waste in EVERY sector of our society, public and private, but I hope we all remember what President Obama said in his inauguration speech..."The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end." Public health is not just a "wasteful state agency" as our elected officials portray but in the majority of cases, providing those who need help the most with the resources and services essential to happy and healthy lives. Without our health, we are nothing. While my concern is admittedly selfish in some regard, I truly hope that we can all see the value in a healthy society and public health is the keystone to making this happen. Plus my back up plan if I lose my job and public health disappears...to stay home and have lots of babies...was soundly rejected by Jeff (not to mention the fact that barfing 24/7 for 6 months doesn't sound too appealing either).