May 2010 Lower Family Newsletter

[Chad T. Lower]

 I ended the last newsletter with the following paragraph:

 

In closing, I am eager for April to conclude as we are only 4 days into the month, but have two items I am eager to share with you including a doctor's appointment and a visit to the Crayola factory in Easton, PA.  Until next time...

 

 For some reason, it seems like some of the exciting things happen at the start of the month (this month being no exception), and I have to wait a month to share...  But that month has passed for the two events mentioned above, so let us begin!

 

 On Good Friday, we had an appointment for Bella with Dr. Low at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHoP).  You may remember when we moved to Williamsport, we met with a doctor in Danville who referred us to a doctor in Philly (http://groups.google.com/group/lowerfamilynewsletter/browse_thread/thread/92dfd1c17ae5f0ba).  It was actually Dr. Low to whom we were first referred.  In the March 2008 Newsletter, I wrote:

 

We set up the appointment for Bella to meet with Dr. Low at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia.  The soonest they had was a Friday in June.  Then they called back and had to change it to July.  From what we have heard, most parents make appointments to see him during the winter months and schedule surgeries for the summer.  So they are squeezing us in among a bunch surgeries that he already has lined up.  They said the earliest we would be able to have surgery (if that is the route Dr. Low wants to take) would be between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

 That was the last newsletter I wrote until January 2009 (http://groups.google.com/group/lowerfamilynewsletter/browse_thread/thread/67e307de52fcc758) where I did finish the story about Bella's surgeries.  To sum up, in our research, we found out that Dr. Low is out-of-network and would not be covered by our insurance.  If he did the surgery, we would have to travel once in July for an appointment, then a second time in December for the surgery.  We also found another doctor, Dr. Waner, who is also out-of-network, but would do the appointment and surgery the same week so we would only have to travel once.  Since Dr. Low was a plastic surgeon specializing in cleft palates and Dr. Waner is a hemangioma specialist, we opted for Dr. Waner.  We figured either way, we would have to fight the insurance company to cover the surgery.

 

 Bella's first surgery was in June 2008.  We began the fight with the insurance company shortly after.  Our claim was not denied, but they only covered about $700 of a $15,000 bill claiming that an in-network doctor would have accepted the $700 as payment in full.  We challenged them saying that there was no in-network doctor who would do the surgery due to the magnitude of the depth of her hemangioma.  They denied the appeal, so we appealed again, asking them to give us the name of an in-network doctor who would do the surgery.  No name was given, but our appeal was denied again.  Back and forth we went, until finally last December (2009 -- over a year since we started asking for a name) they gave us the name of an in-network doctor who would do the surgery: Dr. Low at CHoP in Philadelphia.

 

 Of course, that is where we started our search and he wasn't in-network, so I checked their website again for any Dr. Low within 50 miles of Philadelphia and again came up with no doctors listed.  I emailed them back and they finally responded in January saying he was in-network, and saying that we, "used [their] bcnepa website instead of the national BCBSA Blue association website".  Like we are supposed to know!

 

 In any event, the fight is over.  We owe Dr. Waner the equivalent of a new car, and we were able to set up an appointment to meet with Dr. Low over the Easter Break.  He said that Dr. Waner did a good job getting out the bulk of the hemangioma, but because surgeons are never really sure how much the swelling will go down, they often opt to leave in a little more bulk to be safe.  He said he would have been able to do the first surgery and can do the follow-up surgery to get rid of the remaining bulk.  As of now, we are scheduled for July 9.  He said that she would have a small triangle scar like cleft palate patients do.  He would not stitch the outside of the cut, but rather durabond (superglue) the skin to minimize scarring.  He would use disolvable stitches on her lip and inside her mouth.  Isabella is not looking forward to the surgery.  She says that her main reason for not wanting the surgery is because Dr. Low has funny glasses.

 

 For a Christmas present for our kiddos, my momma sent passes to the Crayola factory, which is in Easton, PA, about 2 hours north of Philly.  Since we were already at Philly, rather than drive home that night, we opted to go to my Uncle Roy and Aunt Kathie's house (same relatives we stayed with for her surgeries in NYC), then to the Crayola factory on Saturday.  They were on vacation in Europe, but allowed us use of their house Friday night.  My momma was working at a storage facility close to their house, so she came after she got off work, spent the night with us, then went with us to the Crayola Factory the next day.

 

 If you have never been to the Crayola Factory (http://www.crayola.com/factory/), I would highly recommend it!  You can't actually visit the factory itself (that is north of Easton), but the Crayola Factory is a hands-on discovery center.  The admission fee also includes the National Canal Museum located on the 2nd and 3rd floors.  In the Crayola Factory, the kids were able to color Easter pictures with crayola crayons (no surprise there), but also made a Dinosaur Journal book using Crayola paint and stamps.  They got to see crayons and markers being made and packaged.  There was a slate floor and lots of sidewalk chalk to use.  In the Meltdown, Bella and Chi were able to color (paint) with hot crayon wax.  They were also able to make sculptures with Model Magic (and we brought home extra packs of Model Magic for more fun).  In the Canal Museum, they were able to play with boats and water, and build with different materials.  You were also able to play with trains and harness a mule!  Of course, all play and no learning is no fun, so they were also able to learn about pulleys and levers with hands-on exhibits.

 

 The next weekend, we were travelling again, this time to Greencastle for my cousin Coby Salmon's Eagle Scout Award Ceremony.  I was asked to present part of the ceremony.  Although the ceremony didn't start until Saturday evening, we decided to make a day trip and stopped by my grandmother Lower's house (Mammaw) for lunch and give the kids an opportunity to see her again.  We didn't call and were lucky that she was there.  When we arrived, no one was home, but she arrived shortly from getting her haircut.  She told us that on the next day (Sunday), she was leaving for a trip and would be spending some time in Georgia.  I was glad we were able to see her as she is the only surviving grandparent for both Suzy and I (and therefore the only great-grandparent of our kids).

 

 From there, we went to Greencastle for the ceremony which was nicely done.  Coby and his parents (Kay and Britt) worked hard and put together a nice gathering.  I was also able to see an old scoutmaster CQ (aka Charles Smith) who was also presenting that day.  Although never a member of CQ's troop, I would always go to Boy Scout camp with them during the summer since my troop always went over the 4th of July, and I was always camping with my family over the 4th.  I did not know this when I jined them that first summer, but CQ has been a friend of the Baldassari's for a while, and really good friends with my Uncle Roy.  As we parted, CQ offered his hand for a handshake.  I gave him a bear hug instead.  While we were embraced, he told me that he would have loved to have a troop of Boy Scouts that were just like me.  Although I am far from perfect, I appreciated the comment he made.

 

 The next weekend didn't allow for any rest time as the Motorcycle Safety Program has started their classes.  For the first two classes of the season (one Saturday, the other Sunday), we had 23 people train and 23 people pass the class and get their license.  Yesterday (May 3), I opened the fifth and sisxth classes of the season.  We are well underway.

 

 Malachi has been busy with his school as well.  During April, they took a field trip to the local library where they met an author/illustrator who read them books and played games with them.  On another day, they went to the Montoursville Duck Pond to go fishing.  They made fishing rods in school (dowel rod and fishing line with a real hook on the end and a rubber worm) and tried to catch a fish.  According to the teachers, no one has ever caught a fish on their previous outings and this one was no exception.  Malachi was sad that he didn't catch a fish, but was glad he could go.  They even made a rod for Ali to use since she went on the filed trips too.

 

 Bella has been having some difficulties at school.  You may remember from past newsletters that she was having difficulty in kindergarten and first grade.  So far in second grade, she has had many successes.  Still trying to catch up to be at grade level, but her behavior and listening skills have improved greatly this year.  With that said, in April, she received 5 discipline referrals!  In one week!  On the next, she will get Saturday detention, but she has gone a week and a half and has not received another referral.  She did have her last Girl Scout meeting of the year.  They will have off the summer, then start back up next fall.

 

 Suzy is still writing.  I mentioned last newsletter than she was getting ready to participate in a challenge called Script Frenzy.  The goal is to write a 100 page screenplay during the month of April.  Last year, she made 71 pages by the end of the month.  This year, she did reach 100 pages, and it only took her until April 22 to do it.  (This is in addition to all her weekend activities away from a computer as mentioned above.)  To give a little perspective, a 100 page screenplay converts to about a 2 hours movie.  She has mentioned sending her manuscript to Sherwood Pictures (the same company who made Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof).  Whether they use it or not, we will see.

 

 We also mentioned last newsletter about the Romance Writer's of America conference (RWA) in Nashville that she is scheduled to go.  With all the flooding in Nashville, the hotel has closed and cancelled all events for the next 90 days--which includes the RWA conference.  RWA is currently considering where to have the conference instead, so we are also waiting to see how we have to change our plans.

 

 Suzy had been writing for eHow for over a year.  All of her articles can be found at http://www.ehow.com/members/mrschadt.html.  eHow was just bought by another company who is making major changes to the site and requirements for writers.  As such, Suzy probably won't be writing for them much longer.  This is sort of a blessing in disguise as she will now have more time for writing her fiction books, which is really her passion anyway.

 

 Moving to a different book, in Paul's definition of love (I Corinthians 13), we have covered the first 8 parts over the last 8 months.  The next part reads love, "keeps no record of wrongs."

 

 To keep no records means we are to first forgive any wrongs that happen.  In Galatians 6:1, Paul writes, "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself."  Note that we are to forgive sins whether they happen directly to us or in general.  But not only are we to forgive others, we must also watch that we don't fall into sin ourselves--the same sin or another sin.  Humans are sinful by nature.  We constantly fail one another (sin) and fail God.  We are to forgive others for a host of reasons, but most importantly, forgive because we will be in need of forgiveness before too long as well.  If we love someone, all the more reason to forgive them quickly!

 

 In fact, when someone asked Jesus how to pray, part of the prayer he mentions Matthew 6:12, "and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."  We are called to ask God to forgive us like we have forgiven others.  If/When we don't forgive, we cannot ask God to forgive us!

 

 One of the greatest examples of forgiveness can be found in John.  At the beginning of chapter 8, the religious leaders brought Jesus an adulteress.  They asked what should be done with her; if they could stone her as the Law of Moses requires.  He told them to go ahead, but for the person who has never sinned to throw the first stone.  One by one, they left until it was just Jesus and the woman.  He asked, "Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  The woman replied, “No, Lord.”  Then Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”  I came across a quote today during my morning devotionals.  A. W. Tozer said, “The word of God was not given to us to make us intelligent sinners, but obedient and authentic saints.”  God forgives us, not so that we can keep sinning, "But [so we can] be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

 

 In this part of the Love definition, Paul tells us to keep no record of wrongs, but I think it would be equally valid to "remember the rights."  When people do things that are the opposite of sin, remember and hold fast to those occurrences.  Jesus tells us (Matthew 7:11), "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."  I have discussed the "Golden Rule in an earlier newsletter, so I won't belabor the point this time.  However, do remember the rights!

 

 Until next month... 

Chad T. Lower
a.k.a. Chopper
http://chadtlower.tripod.com/

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Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.
Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
                              Philippians 2:3-4

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