maven&meddler

“having a great time, wish you were here!”

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. All the family is here in Florida for the wedding and it’s all day, all evening visiting, eating, laughing and the usual chaos of family. The weather is great and I’d forgotten how great it is to take an early morning swim everyday. They’re all complaining about the ‘cold water’. Ha! I swim in Lake Tahoe. Let’s get real.

Really, being close to swimming pools and the ocean is what I miss most about Florida. It makes me feel like a kid again, growing up in Miami. I can do without the rest of it, however. But that’s another story.

Last night we had a huge meal for about 20 of us at my sister-in-law’s home… cooked and served by my Culinary Institute of America graduate nephew who is now an executive chef for R&D in Dallas, Texas, and his equally talented brother. What a pair. The pork roast was the most succulent and tender that I’ve ever wrapped a lip around. He even let’s me help as sous chef. I got plenty of photos, but they’ll get uploaded in good time.

Niece, Theresa, is here, too. As one of the key forces behind the astounding growth of the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Foundation, she was instrumental in the following spot. I hope you are as impressed with it as I am. This is an example of what can be ‘right’ about healthcare in America.

Gosh, I have some amazing relatives!

“As a non-profit hospital, we provide the care kids need, not just the care they can afford. Your support provides children and their families with a comfortable place to heal regardless of their resources.Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is the seventh-largest pediatric health care organization in the nation, with two hospital locations including Childrens - St. Paul and Childrens - Minneapolis.

Children’s of Minnesota is the only Minnesota hospital system to providing comprehensive care exclusively to children.

Last year, we did great things to heal sick kids:
—Welcomed over 115,000 patients from the 5-state region representing 99% of MN counties AND 65% of counties in WI, ND, SD and IA
—Embraced 14,000 kids and their families for inpatient visits
—Treated over 200,000 children in our emergency room and other outpatient visits
—Hospitalized 238 children every day (on average)
—Helped 40% of children in our system who receive Medicaid cover — at a cost of $13,000,000
—Spent $53,000,000 toward the health and well-being of kids”