Want to know why the leading causes of death in this country are illness related to smoking and obesity?

I’ll tell ya why… because insurance companies will not cover or pay for preventative prescriptions!

After turning 39 in October, I decided that it was time to start taking better care of myself.  I made up my mind that I was going to try and quit smoking and lose that last 20 of 44 pounds that I’d been trying to lose since last April.

So, last week, after way too long, I went and got a physical.  Afterwards, I ask my doc to prescribe me something to help me lose some weight.  And, while I was at it – and since I decided I wanted to try and quit smoking after 20 years, I asked for one of those new quit smoking prescriptions.

Okay – so my doc gives me a prescription for Xenical (weight loss) and one for Chantix (quit smoking pills) and I feel like I’m on my way to a healthier new me! I skipped all the way out to my car.

I go to the pharmacy to fill these only to have all my new hopes and dreams squashed!  Since I have BlueCross and BlueShield Insurance and my prescription co-pays are $25 for brand-name and $10 for generic, I thought I was looking at having to spend $50 for new prescriptions – right?  WRONG!

Come to find out – which I didn’t know (probably since my son and I are pretty healthy and rarely need medical care or prescriptions) is that my insurance doesn’t cover either of these drugs.

So now, if I want the Xenical I’ll have to pay $239.00 and another $117 for the Chantix — that’s $356!!!  And, by-the-way, each of these is only a 30 day supply.  Being as how that was $306 more than I could afford, I had to leave my prescriptions at the pharmacy.

So there you have it!  What a pisser, huh?

The good news, if I wait — my insurance will cover all care, treatment, hospitalizations and prescriptions caused by my obesity-related heart disease and smoking-related emphysema.

Go figure… what morons!

I’ve been driving (legally) for 23 years now and I still forget and never remember which side of my vehicle the gas tank is on.  I always have to stick my head out the window or ask the other people that are in the vehicle with me.

Well, after getting a forwarded email regarding this matter from my mom this morning – I sure felt stupid!

Get this — When you look at your gas gage, you’ll see a small icon of a gas pump.  The handle of the gas pump will extend out on either the left or right side.  And…daaaaa…. if the handle extends to the left – your gas tank is on the left and vice versa.  See photo:

Can you believe this!?

No man, mechanic, auto dealership or drivers ed teacher ever told me this!

Although I was born and raised in Minnesota, I’ve spent the past 18 years living in Florida.  Even in Florida my feet were always cold.  I was the only Floridian walking around in full-fluffy slippers and socks in the middle of summer.

Since moving to Wisconsin this past summer, dealing with my cold-ass feet has now taken over my life and it’s only December! 

Lucky for my husband that I left him this past summer because I think it would’ve been a neat trick to see how fast he could’ve jumped out of bed after being poked with my frozen phalanges.

Anyways, I’ve tried slippers, socks, layers of socks and slippers, adhesive heating pads, electric heating pads, charcoal pads and so-on and so-forth!  None of these things help for very long. 

It’s going to be a long and cold winter!  I already have to be careful not to bump any of my frozen toes on any furniture, else I might chip one off!

Short of moving back to Florida, how am I going to keep my feet warm?!

You think you’re downloading popular songs – but look closer!

The only songs they have on eMusic with well-known names are misleading.  Say, like – Toby Keith.  They list his music like this:  Toby Keith – Pickin on Toby Keith.

These downloads are bluegrass – fiddling – no word – versions of his songs.  And, it’s like this with most all popular songs and artists.

Don’t waste your time and/or money – unless you’re looking for a bunch of b.s. music that noone’s ever heard of.