Our family has quite a few food allergies and so it makes eating normal shit like BBQ sauce, Cocktail Sauce and Ketchup a mess.
So, I generally make my own.
Here is our BBQ sauce recipe:
1/2 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
salt
pepper
garlic
onion
chilli pepper
thyme
paprika
The spices I add a dash of this and a dash of that, and I stir it all together in a measuring cup and transfer to jars to keep.
NOW, if you're really lazy, you could get a McCormick BBQ pulled pork seasoning packet and just use the packet in with the ACV, Ketchup and brown sugar.
Tis quite nummy and very easy.
Monday, August 12, 2013
MORE frustration, billing sucks
Today, I called Theraplay to schedule him for his visits.
They schedule a month out, so slots fill up quickly. Well, when I called I was informed that Aetna does not cover for developmental delay. I informed the person on the phone we had an approval and that Aetna would cover it.
I'm guessing you can figure out that this conversation did not go well, because it really fucking didn't.
She went on to tell me that nothing had changed and I was mistaken. I told her I WAS NOT mistaken and three people in my home heard the conversation I had on Saturday verifying that Aetna did give us an approval even though that we don't have an official diagnosis.
She kept trying to tell me I was mistaken.
I fucking was livid. "I'm sorry you're crying. . ." No shit I'm crying!!! I have been trying for a solid MONTH to try and get my son help that he needs and you assholes are causing major frustration.
I can't afford $850!
"Well, ma'am that's for a block of 10 visits, which your chart says he needs 2 visits a week for 12 weeks."
Yeah, so I'd need over $1700 for THREE MONTHS!
"Well, your copay is $50, why can't you pay $200 a week?"
My head just burst at that comment. How dare she. HOW DARE SHE.
I told her we had half reimbursed through my husbands work and that we could not afford another $200 a week to get my son the help he needs.
She then told me to apply for medical assistance and medicaid. At that point I told her to figure it out and call me back. I was really fucking pissed off.
Of course I posted it on facebook and collected my thoughts. I messaged people I knew in the insurance industry. Then, I called corporate. I got a really nice woman who was LIVID that I was talked to the way I was talked to and she encouraged me to write the president of the company and the VP and let them know what is going on and if they can do anything to help us.
She told me that the location I was working with is saying that the person I talked to on Saturday was new and just calling to book people.
I told her I didn't believe that for a second. Then I told her why. I told her that I verified everything with this woman on Saturday, I told her we didn't have a diagnosis code and she even gave me resources to try and get one sooner.
The conversation ended with me, again, voicing my frustration at this, that I'm doing what they told me to do and if someone made a mistake, it's a pretty fucking big one. I finally have the diagnosis codes and the person in billing told me to call my insurance company and find out if they will approve therapy for him under any of these codes. Then I call my pediatrician and see if they will USE one of those diagnosis codes so my son can get treatment.
Essentially, I need everyone to play ball. I'm not going to hold my breath for it.
They schedule a month out, so slots fill up quickly. Well, when I called I was informed that Aetna does not cover for developmental delay. I informed the person on the phone we had an approval and that Aetna would cover it.
I'm guessing you can figure out that this conversation did not go well, because it really fucking didn't.
She went on to tell me that nothing had changed and I was mistaken. I told her I WAS NOT mistaken and three people in my home heard the conversation I had on Saturday verifying that Aetna did give us an approval even though that we don't have an official diagnosis.
She kept trying to tell me I was mistaken.
I fucking was livid. "I'm sorry you're crying. . ." No shit I'm crying!!! I have been trying for a solid MONTH to try and get my son help that he needs and you assholes are causing major frustration.
I can't afford $850!
"Well, ma'am that's for a block of 10 visits, which your chart says he needs 2 visits a week for 12 weeks."
Yeah, so I'd need over $1700 for THREE MONTHS!
"Well, your copay is $50, why can't you pay $200 a week?"
My head just burst at that comment. How dare she. HOW DARE SHE.
I told her we had half reimbursed through my husbands work and that we could not afford another $200 a week to get my son the help he needs.
She then told me to apply for medical assistance and medicaid. At that point I told her to figure it out and call me back. I was really fucking pissed off.
Of course I posted it on facebook and collected my thoughts. I messaged people I knew in the insurance industry. Then, I called corporate. I got a really nice woman who was LIVID that I was talked to the way I was talked to and she encouraged me to write the president of the company and the VP and let them know what is going on and if they can do anything to help us.
She told me that the location I was working with is saying that the person I talked to on Saturday was new and just calling to book people.
I told her I didn't believe that for a second. Then I told her why. I told her that I verified everything with this woman on Saturday, I told her we didn't have a diagnosis code and she even gave me resources to try and get one sooner.
The conversation ended with me, again, voicing my frustration at this, that I'm doing what they told me to do and if someone made a mistake, it's a pretty fucking big one. I finally have the diagnosis codes and the person in billing told me to call my insurance company and find out if they will approve therapy for him under any of these codes. Then I call my pediatrician and see if they will USE one of those diagnosis codes so my son can get treatment.
Essentially, I need everyone to play ball. I'm not going to hold my breath for it.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Foodie- a quick lunch
I made this with mostly things laying about but it's so good that I have to share.
One breast of chicken, rice noodles, gf soy sauce, brown sugar and a zucchini from our garden.
I cooked all together in a saucepan and instant yum.
Bittersweet
With the sweet comes the bitter.
Today I got a phone call from Theraplay saying that our insurance gave us approval for treatment.
I felt so bad for the woman. I answered the phone and thought it was our peditrician as they are in the same area. She identified herself and I thought it would be a call to check in and ask if we wanted to schedule, blah blah.
Well, it wasn't. "Hi, I'm xyz from Theraplay and I just wanted to let you know your insurance authorised treatment for ....."
I think I said "what?! Seriously?!" And I just cried. The poor woman was taken aback and didn't know what she did wrong and I quickly through tears told her this was good, happy tears, that it was wonderful and I explained the situation.
She also gave me some resources to call to get a hard diagnosis faster and get more resources opened up to us.
While all that awesomeness happened.
Now he's in the bathroom melting down because he needs to go pee pee before getting in the van and he doesn't want to go.
So, poor husband is sitting in there with a melting down child trying to explain why we need to pee before we go anywhere.
This was totally my bad. In my rush to get us out I didn't ask and he had made it to the car before I said in my head "shit. He needs to pee" and I even bargained with him asking him if he would go pee on the tree instead.
Nope. So, it's going on 15 minutes of meltdown because he doesn't want to pee.
And that's ok! I'm focusing on "we have approval and I have help on the way!"
Friday, August 9, 2013
All we need is just a little patience
As I sit here watching the Philadelphia Eagles first preseason game, I totally missed the Cowpunks preseason HOF game (oh, darn!) and I have Guns N Roses playing on youtube, I'm decompressing today.
Today has been a hard day on him. I keep blaming myself because we didn't go anywhere today. We didn't DO anything today. No one came over. Of course he was bored out of his skull and of course if you need stimulation you're going to do anything you can to get it.
This involves pushing the baby off the Train Table.
Now, this is a normal occurrence at our home. Big Brother pushes the baby (who is not a baby anymore, he's a toddler) when he gets frustrated. If the baby takes a toy, nabs food, is screaming or is just being a baby and invading his space.
I get it.
However, I hold him accountable for his actions. I tell him it's okay to be frustrated and it's okay to want to get his anger and frustration out but we can't hurt people. At. All.
This has been a long road for me, because I was brought up in a home that hits. I refuse to use the word 'spank' because, honestly, it's hitting.
I think hitting anyone is wrong. Full stop. Well, unless you're in the UFC or it's your kink, but I digress.
When I would get really frustrated or angry, I would want to hit. I wanted to vent that anger/frustration/whatever in the way I was TAUGHT. I'm breaking that cycle. I know it's wrong. And with my sons limitations, it's really fucking wrong to hit him. So we do a LOT of 'time in' time. This generally means I take him to a quiet area and we cuddle or I let him scream and cry and be angry in a safe space.
After the second time, it was nap time and he cuddled until he went to sleep. He had a great nap but then woke up insanely upset. Like sobbing hysterically. I ran to him and he was so upset that he woke up in a wet bed. I hugged him and told him it was okay. It was okay that he had an accident. These things happened. Then he started telling me about how he was sad and scared and we just hugged more and more and more.
He helped me bring the sheets down and as soon as he saw Daddy he lost it. He wanted to go outside, he was upset I wouldn't let him bring his Artoo onto the trampoline. Meltdown. Then he wanted Daddy to carry him, which he did until he couldn't any more and then he had another meltdown. Then he asked to go outside and we said of course he could go on the trampoline. Meltdown. He didn't want to go on the trampoline, he wanted to go on the swings. So Daddy took him outside to get on the swings. Meltdown. The swings were wet.
At this point I felt like I was in that blog that has photos of kids crying? Yeah. ANYTHING I did was wrong. It gets frustrating, but this world is frustrating to him and I have more coping mechanisms than he does. I can suck it up.
The current issue is he needs to eat dinner, but he wants to eat peanutbutter cups. DAMN ME AND MY CRAFTY FOODIE SELF. Aaaahhh!
Eventually he will eat his dinner and he can have a peanutbutter cup then. And how about that, he's eating his chicken. Yay. Go me.
That's what is so rewarding about all this for me, I keep telling myself to be patient. To give my son the grace that I wasn't afforded.
Today has been a hard day on him. I keep blaming myself because we didn't go anywhere today. We didn't DO anything today. No one came over. Of course he was bored out of his skull and of course if you need stimulation you're going to do anything you can to get it.
This involves pushing the baby off the Train Table.
Now, this is a normal occurrence at our home. Big Brother pushes the baby (who is not a baby anymore, he's a toddler) when he gets frustrated. If the baby takes a toy, nabs food, is screaming or is just being a baby and invading his space.
I get it.
However, I hold him accountable for his actions. I tell him it's okay to be frustrated and it's okay to want to get his anger and frustration out but we can't hurt people. At. All.
This has been a long road for me, because I was brought up in a home that hits. I refuse to use the word 'spank' because, honestly, it's hitting.
I think hitting anyone is wrong. Full stop. Well, unless you're in the UFC or it's your kink, but I digress.
When I would get really frustrated or angry, I would want to hit. I wanted to vent that anger/frustration/whatever in the way I was TAUGHT. I'm breaking that cycle. I know it's wrong. And with my sons limitations, it's really fucking wrong to hit him. So we do a LOT of 'time in' time. This generally means I take him to a quiet area and we cuddle or I let him scream and cry and be angry in a safe space.
After the second time, it was nap time and he cuddled until he went to sleep. He had a great nap but then woke up insanely upset. Like sobbing hysterically. I ran to him and he was so upset that he woke up in a wet bed. I hugged him and told him it was okay. It was okay that he had an accident. These things happened. Then he started telling me about how he was sad and scared and we just hugged more and more and more.
He helped me bring the sheets down and as soon as he saw Daddy he lost it. He wanted to go outside, he was upset I wouldn't let him bring his Artoo onto the trampoline. Meltdown. Then he wanted Daddy to carry him, which he did until he couldn't any more and then he had another meltdown. Then he asked to go outside and we said of course he could go on the trampoline. Meltdown. He didn't want to go on the trampoline, he wanted to go on the swings. So Daddy took him outside to get on the swings. Meltdown. The swings were wet.
At this point I felt like I was in that blog that has photos of kids crying? Yeah. ANYTHING I did was wrong. It gets frustrating, but this world is frustrating to him and I have more coping mechanisms than he does. I can suck it up.
The current issue is he needs to eat dinner, but he wants to eat peanutbutter cups. DAMN ME AND MY CRAFTY FOODIE SELF. Aaaahhh!
Eventually he will eat his dinner and he can have a peanutbutter cup then. And how about that, he's eating his chicken. Yay. Go me.
That's what is so rewarding about all this for me, I keep telling myself to be patient. To give my son the grace that I wasn't afforded.
Foodie- GF/DF Peanutbutter cups!
Am I the only person in the world who hears this guy when someone says 'peanutbutter cups?' No? Oh, good.
Anyway, finding gluten free AND dairy free peanut butter cups has been a bit frustrating. Not like we eat them on a daily basis, but sometimes, you just need a peanutbutter cup.
I found this recipe and it looked easily adaptable to Gluten and Dairy free. My notes will be in BLUE.
Anyway, finding gluten free AND dairy free peanut butter cups has been a bit frustrating. Not like we eat them on a daily basis, but sometimes, you just need a peanutbutter cup.
I found this recipe and it looked easily adaptable to Gluten and Dairy free. My notes will be in BLUE.
16 oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
I used Kirkland semisweet chocolate chips. (it's not certified GF/DF so FYI.)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
I used REFINED coconut oil. (WHY refined? Because peanutbutter and coconut isn't big on my palate.)
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions:
In a small glass bowl, heat half of the chocolate in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the microwave once the chips begin to slightly melt. Use a fork to stir until smooth, using the heat of the chocolate to melt the remaining chips entirely. If needed, re-heat in 10 second intervals until smooth. DO NOT over heat the chocolate, as it will burn and seize.
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions:
In a small glass bowl, heat half of the chocolate in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the microwave once the chips begin to slightly melt. Use a fork to stir until smooth, using the heat of the chocolate to melt the remaining chips entirely. If needed, re-heat in 10 second intervals until smooth. DO NOT over heat the chocolate, as it will burn and seize.
This is pretty accurate. It took us a full 60 seconds to get it melted, I wouldn't do it in a full shot, make sure to stop half way and stir to prevent burning.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spoon a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of chocolate into the bottom of each paper. Tap the pan on your counter top to help smooth and spread the chocolate. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spoon a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of chocolate into the bottom of each paper. Tap the pan on your counter top to help smooth and spread the chocolate. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter.
When I read 'tap it on the counter' I was all 'foreals!?' Totally worked. Totally.
In a small bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter and confectioners sugar until smooth and fluffy. Remove the pan from the freezer, and spoon a small amount of peanut butter on to the chocolate layer. Again, tap on counter top to level and spread the peanut butter. Return the pan to the freezer and allow to harden for about 15 minutes.
Repeat the first step and melt the remaining chocolate in the same manner. Spoon the top chocolate layer over the peanut butter and return to freezer.
Serve very cold, and enjoy!
Recipe Source: Adapted from Fifteen Spatulas
In a small bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter and confectioners sugar until smooth and fluffy. Remove the pan from the freezer, and spoon a small amount of peanut butter on to the chocolate layer. Again, tap on counter top to level and spread the peanut butter. Return the pan to the freezer and allow to harden for about 15 minutes.
Repeat the first step and melt the remaining chocolate in the same manner. Spoon the top chocolate layer over the peanut butter and return to freezer.
Serve very cold, and enjoy!
Recipe Source: Adapted from Fifteen Spatulas
All in all this is really easy and I made it WHILE cleaning up dinner. I haven't pulled one out yet, but I will and I'll update when I do.
Ok, these are pretty AH-MAZ-ING.
Foodie- grilled salmon
I used this recipe for the marinated salmon we are eating tonight. It has a simple sweet and salty flavor and baby, husband and I really enjoy it!
It's a very simple recipe:
Salmon, brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, salt, garlic and water.
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/12720/grilled-salmon-i
If you're gluten free, make sure to use gluten free ingredients! Soy sauce has wheat in it, make sure to get gluten free soy sauce!
And yes, those are my legs.
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