So, I am listening to the news and feeling pretty down about what I am hearing but some analyst assures me "It means it works!".

The analyst was referring to the new study, coming out in a leading journal for dermatologists, that cited a six day average waiting period for botox injections vs an average twenty-six day waiting period for people who have a mole that they think is changing and causes them concern. (a possible sign of malignancy). The botox is pricey and generally paid for out-of-pocket. The mole may net only $50.00, the botox from $400.00 on up. So "it works", people who can afford to pay more can get what they want. Is this new? Oh, the piece ended with a dermatologist saying that anyone concerned by a skin condition should "insist" on being seen in a timely manner. What does this really say about our health care system?  (I hear a scolding voice "Well, if you had only insisted I would have caught this cancer in time...")

There is a pattern to my growth, not linear but circling, circling and then a kick into a slightly altered orbit. An outside force is often needed to make the shift. My only complaint is that it takes so long and I  get older.

More than one family member who has admitted a loved one to a nursing home, particularly a loved one who is severely demented, has told me, in my role as nurse, that they once harbored ill feelings towards those who rarely, if ever, visited the relative once they were placed but now, being in that position, they "understand".  I always say "Yes. It is painful, and you need to take care of yourself." or something to that effect.