Good News and More Good News

1. We got the results of the biopsy on those polyps that they removed from LittleBit’s stomach week before last. No sign of malignancy. They want to scope her again in six to nine months. I need to find out how long after graduation she will be covered on my insurance, and under what conditions.

2. I saw my sleep doctor yesterday morning, and the numbers on my sleepiness scale were just barely outside the “not sleepy” range. I asked if she needed to see me on a yearly basis, and she said I wouldn’t need to come back unless I gain 20 pounds or more, or I start having symptoms.

“Gain 20 lbs” is not on my short-list of things to accomplish next year. So barring a new medication or situation that makes me retain water or other forms of avoirdupois-age, or the binge-eating of a Mini Cooper, I think I’m good to go. Or not go, as the case may be.

3. I asked her how often I need to replace the various components on my C-PAP. I finally got a straight answer – Tuesday – from the company that provided the equipment, on how much each component would cost to replace, and I made an Excel spreadsheet so I could estimate how much to put into my medical reimbursement fund next year. They told me when I was fitted for my C-PAP that while insurance covered the testing and initial prescription 100%, it would not cover replacement parts.

By their calculations I would be handing over $720 of my hard-won dollars!!! That would buy a whole lot of yarn, people! [On a less creative level, that’s the equivalent of three car payments.]

The doctor said I didn’t need to replace anything unless and until it stopped working, that the replacement schedule was based upon Medicare’s very generous coverage and was conservatively calculated to take into account the good folks who live in Florida and have mold growing on their walls. Needless to say, they would need to replace tubing and masks and such, far more often than I.

So I have one more reason to be breathing easier. Though I’m sure the medical supply company will not be happy to hear me say “no thank you, I’m just looking”. My doctor also told me about some websites where I may be able to get the parts I need at a non-insurance-inflated price.

4. The parent-taught driver education packet arrived safely. Naturally, it did so about an hour and a half after I sent this:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Early last month I mailed my application and check for a packet to teach my daughter to drive. My check, #9999, cleared on the 17th.

Your website said to allow 2-3 weeks for the packet to arrive, but I have not yet received my packet. Was that 2-3 weeks after I mailed the check to you on the 3rd, or 2-3 weeks after my check cleared?

I’m getting nervous, because she turns 18 at the end of next month, and I want to have sufficient time to teach her properly so that we will qualify for a discount on car insurance.

Do you have a record of if or when the packet was mailed? I believe that I asked you to mail it to my work address: [which I then gave]

Our new home address, as of mid-September, is: [yadda yadda]. Our prior address was: [old yadda]. Did you perhaps send the packet to either of those addresses?

My email address at home is [given], and I would appreciate your sending a copy of your response to that address as well.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Very truly yours,

Ms. Ravelled Sleave

Which I followed three hours later with:

My daughter just called from home; the packet arrived in today's mail. Apparently it was “three weeks after the check cleared”.

Thank you, and may all your problems and challenges be resolved as easily as mine just was. Happy Thanksgiving, too, while I’m at it!

Ms. Ravelled Sleave

I have been a swatching fool the past couple of days. Also got some real knitting done on Sabbath Scarf II.

First swatch was the heart-lace pattern from the link I posted earlier. I like the pattern, and I can tell that I would like it much better in a more traditional yarn and a solid or near-solid color. This ribbon yarn is just too floppy to make a good lace fabric. Or at least that particular lace fabric.

Second swatch is Muir from the new Knitty. It reminds me of some of the larger-scale tatted pieces I did about 20 years ago when teaching tatting. The ribbon yarn makes a very sturdy cobweb, reminiscent of this Annie Modesitt post. The picture you want is of the real estate sign. This swatch is close enough to what I’m looking for, and I am rapidly learning enough, that I am encouraged to try designing a bit of lace.

And in the meantime, when I remembered those old tatting samples worked with clothesline and macrame cord, I realized that I could take the short bits that used to be triangles at the hem of the Elann Crop Cardie and do some finger-tatting and see if I liked it. So I did. And I do. But probably not enough to tat an entire cardigan. Maybe for trim around the buttonholes, if I end up with buttonholes.

Swatching has always had a high PITA [Pain In The Neck] factor for me; it was something I did, when I couldn’t avoid it, so I could get to the fun part. Which was, obviously, knitting something fabulous. Or at least presentable. This is the first time I can even remotely claim to be enjoying the process.

And if you will all excuse me, I need to go put together a half-hour lesson from the drivers ed packet. LittleBit and I agreed that no matter how tired we might be after a day of work and school and who knows what else, we could both manage half an hour. She is working again tonight. I have no idea why they have given her so many hours this week, but after the tiny check she got last payday, she is in no mood to complain.

I am expecting a “please come get me” call from her at any moment. In a few short weeks, those will be a thing of the past.