Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat ??“ Dianna Doles Petry

Feb 24, 2006

Today??™s Thoughts

Dianna Doles Petry

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The headlines on our local newspaper this week have been filled with a story about a home town man who was serving in Iraq and got his arm blown to bits when they were hit by a roadside bomb there. He has been through several surgeries and has been honorably discharged because he has lifetime injuries and in fact, is lucky to even be alive. He is twenty-five years old and what does our government do for him? They would not release him from the military until he paid the government $700 for the Kevlar Body Armor he was wearing when he was injured. No one took the time to note what happened to it when they stripped it off of him to fly him out to a hospital. So, we are going to charge our soldiers for their uniforms and dock them for it when they are hurt fighting a war in another land to protect? our country and the rights of civilians all over the world? The whole article just made me irate.

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Then, I went to the post office. I'm still getting bills for the seven days Chris, my son,? was hospitalized. While we were there, they called in four psychiatrists, six different doctors for consults, doctors to read x-rays, anesthesia services, lab work, the primary care doctor, three surgeons and of course, the cost for the hospital room and surgical hall. I am getting bills from all of these different doctors and departments within the hospital. Now, never was I asked about calling in any of the extra doctors and yes, I do have insurance but I have co-pays and an 80/20 split. I cannot sit down and write out twenty-three checks for anywhere from $500 to $900 each. Gee, whiz! So I called the hospital's billing department and asked if we could merge all of these bills and make a sizable payment on the entire balance once a month and get it all taken care of as soon as possible. Wouldn't that make sense to you? "Well," the lady told me, "We just cannot do that! You'll just have to send this in within the next ten days." Yeah, right, and I'll send six weight lifters with the checks to hold them down for you!

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And don't even get me started on the school system. One of the best teachers at the local elementary school is on the chopping block right now. Did she do something seriously wrong? No! Is she not doing her job? The fact is, she is doing it too well! Some children are getting their feelings hurt because they don't have time to do the extra credit offers she gives them and they don't have time to do their homework because they have gymnastics, aerobics, dance recital practice, etc. The parents want the standards in the classroom dropped because, "Their kids have lives outside of school."

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Grrr.....yes, we have all grumbled about homework from time to time but what they learn today is what they will be using tomorrow! They will become our leaders, our doctors, our lawyers and for heaven's sake, the parents of the future! Dropping the Honor rolls and Academic awards is just another way of teaching our children that they DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING they don't want to do! I want more for my children than I have. I'm going to tell you, when I was a youngester, my parents hurt my feelings on purpose if they thought I was becoming arrogant or callus with other people's feelings. They pointed at the names on the Honor Roll and said, "If you work hard and get good grades, your name will be up there too!" That is what motivated me! I wanted to be at the top! I wanted to have my name up there with the elite! Don't children need goals to reach for?

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Anyway, I'll hush now, I never meant to go on a novel writing letter but these things have been on my mind all day. Now, as Paul Harvey would say, you know the rest of the story!

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Love,

Dianna

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?©Dianna Doles Petry

01/04/2006

dianna59@charter.net

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http://diannapetry.tripod.com

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I am a coal miner's daughter, a coal miner's granddaughter and a product of the Applachian Mountains where mining touches every life in some way. The tragic explosion in WV this week brought back the memories of my childhood when we went to the mine anytime the whistle blew that signaled a slate fall or explosion in the mine. I wrote this for the thirteen miners in that explosion and in honor of my father and all of the other miners who kept mining alive.