Ugh, I am so sorry my wonderful people are having such rough times right now.

Also, I love that we are there for each other. This community has shown me people being there for each other for a dozen years now. On crazy stressful days like today, for me, and for others, it is an oasis of comfort. Thank you.

Needed repeating. Yes it did.

Oh, fingers crossed for you Pix! And Aimee, I hope the light of a new day makes things seem less hopeless. I can't imagine, four months to go and you have to quit?

And everyone else too. Big hugs. Or not hugs. As the case may be.

You aren't kidding. It's funny--I was so caught up on the fact that a credit union couldn't get us a refi on an out of state property that it didn't occur to me that a credit union MIGHT actually take a chance on a line of credit for a small business like Drew's. It won't consolidate our bad debt, but it will allow us to pay down that debt a lot faster and take away the massive stress of "will we have enough to make payroll this week?"

Trying not to get my hopes up.

Yay, for Credit Unions!

Fingers crossed for Pix and ND! I lurve credit unions and belong to three. I do have credit cards with Chase and BoA, I should fix that. I just paid off the Chase one and the limit on the BoA is only $500... hmm (my biggest and oldest is with a credit union).

Hey bt! We are so rarely here awake at the same time. It's like you are on the other side of the globe!

One could almost believe it!

How is your MIL? If there was an update on her health concern I missed it. Does she have to go back for treatment or is all okay?

Oh yes, I should give an update. She has a diagnosis, recurring infection. It's no fun, and due to its position, healing is slow; but it doesn't seem to be anything more serious. She has some stuff to apply to it, and hopefully that'll help.

Meanwhile, she's apparently been complaining extensively about the Australian medical system. The doctors, they do not impress her. In China, dentistry covers some other oral medicine too, so this particular ailment is at the very least peripheral to her area of expertise. When she saw the GP, she had an extensive list of questions, all dutifully translated by her daughter.

The doctor apparently got fed up with all the questioning, and apparently attempted to forestall them by suggesting she needs to leave some things up to God. (To the best of my knowledge, Biyi's mother is an atheist.) He even drew a helpful diagram, which Biyi showed to me. It had "PATIENT" written under an arch, a larger arch over that with "DOCTOR" written on it, and then a third arch with "GOD" under that. Biyi explained it to me:

Biyi: "He's trying to say that there are some things under her control, some things under her doctor's control, and other things that are outside anyone's control."
billytea: "It looks to me like he's saying that doctors are just one step below God."
Biyi: "Why must you be so cheeky?"
billytea: "Hey, maybe we should cross out 'GOD' and write in 'THE PARTY'."

So, epic bedside manner fail, but at least Biyi was entertained. (I have more than a faint suspicion that the fact his patient didn't speak English factored into his attitude.) Meanwhile, my jingoisitc side notes that Australia's medical system gives us a life expectancy seven years longer than China's, with an infant mortality rate a third that of China's; but I can't deny that she hasn't had the most positive of experiences.

The good news, though, is that it doesn't look like it's too serious, and they don't need to excise anything.

We are in the process of applying for a business line of credit that would make a HUGE difference in our ability to cope with our finances.

Aw man, I hope that goes through for you.

Wow, bt.

Time for a new doctor!

Hiya, bt, good to see your pixels in almost real time. Except now I have to go to bed. Bye-ya, bt. Continued good wishes for your MiL. And hey - aren't we overdue for some Ryan cuteness? It's the least you can do for us poor people.

Smonster, -ma for your friends. Also a big hug to you because I haven't done it in person in WAY too long.