Gridbook Notes

First Haircut

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:11:00 +0000

The first haircut!

Health Insurance Rant

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Allow me to vent some frustration about health insurance. My very healthy son just got turned down for insurance. He has a very mild case of Intestinal Neuronal Dysplasia. For this the insurance underwriter has said he will never be insured –not only for the IND but for any medical care ever.

I could understand this if he had a severe case of cerebral palsy and his care would certainly cost many thousands a year. But this is a healthy toddler who hasn't had a single symptom or treatment for over a year. We stopped treatments when he was 2 months old. When he did need treatments they were only tap water enemas that cost essentially nothing. His physician says that he will likely live his entire life without a another problem. I am a doctor as well. I reviewed every study published on IND and I am certain my son has the mildest form of the condition.

An underwriter probably saw “Intestinal Neuronal Dysplasia” on the application. It is too rare to have good statistical predictions of its risks. He probably googled it and saw it is genetic and can cause problems in severe cases and denied my son flat out. Ignorance caused them to reject a very healthy child that will likely cost not a penny more than any other child. I offered to speak to the underwriter and explain his situation, but the phone operator told me underwriters don't talk consumers.

My son won't be able to purchase insurance his whole life for a diagnosis that hasn't given him trouble since he was two months old. I can never have a private practice, because I will always have to work for an employer that offers group coverage the rest of my career. If my young, healthy family with no active medical problems cannot get insurance, families with sick individuals shouldn't even try.

I care a lot about healthcare. I have worked hard for years to ensure the care I give is affordable for patients. I have given high-quality low-cost care to hundreds of people insured by this very insurance company. For them to reject my healthy son out of what appears to be ignorance feels like a slap in the face. No wonder so many Americans are eager to bring down the insurance industry!

TMD and Bob Dylan

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:03:00 +0000

It's scary how every day my son looks a bit more like a mid-1960's Bob Dylan:

Life Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:26:00 +0000

Sorry I haven't posted much news recently. A lot has happened since I last posted:

I resigned from my position as a Primary Care Doctor at the community clinic in Oglethorpe County. I still love primary care and love the patients I left there, but that clinic wasn't the right place for me. Over the year I worked there it became obvious that I had very fundamental differences with the clinic's management.

Now I am back to working in the Emergency Room. Although it isn't my dream job like primary care, ER certainly does offer excitement. It also has less hours than the clinic, so the added benefit is that I am able to spend more time with the rapidly growing TMD and his beautiful mother. Probably I will be doing ER for a while.

Mamma's Boy

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:35:00 +0000

An older clip of TMD telling me who he loves the most in the whole world:

Bearing Witness -July 4th

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:13:00 +0000

Today as Americans celebrate our liberty, it is proper to consider the plight of those who struggle under oppression:

Over the last few weeks I have closely followed the news out of Iran. The highly suspicious election results spurred large protests throughout the country followed by a media blackout and a violent crackdown. Now most of the public protests have been crushed, and the protesters are being executed or tortured into making false confessions.

I justified spending so much energy on this because I have occasionally helped by passing messages for protesters so they can hide their identities from authorities, but I have wondered how much of my interest was just morbid curiosity for sensational events? For this reason I have hesitated from posting about Iran on my blog.

Last weekend we went to a candlelight vigil with Iranian students here in Georgia. They emphasized that they don't want US government intervention, which would play into the hands of their oppressors. Many Americans asked what they could do. A young Iranian man said, "the people of Iran need your support and praise."

This is Iran's struggle. But many protesters risked their lives to get this documentation of their movement out to the world. Iran needs the world to witness their boldness and suffering. Their love of liberty is deeper than ours.

Therefore this post is to bear witness and respect their courage:

A video about the election aftermath posted 6/19/09:

To show their number those who oppose the government go to rooftops each night and call out "God is great" the same as happened a generation ago during the 1979 Revolution. This is a video taken by a young woman:

Police on roof firing at protesters in the street below:

The death of Neda Soltan, a young woman shot in street on 6/20/09 by militia for protesting for freedom: (Warning: Graphic Video only watch if you feel you are able.)

To read more about Neda Soltan click here.

A protester calling CNN on 6/24/09:

An Iranian propaganda film blaming the West for meddling and justifying rounding up students and intellectuals who espouse democratic ideals:

Today as we celebrate our freedom and liberty, let us not forget those around the world who struggle under oppression, especially our brothers and sisters in Iran.

TMD Bathtime Silliness

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Baby Boy is One!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:04:00 +0000

Today our baby boy TMD turned one. We are so thankful that he is healthy and growing up so well. He is a little bundle of energy and always walking around the house. We recorded this video before putting him to bed:

I'll try to post some video and pictures from the party as well as him toddling soon.

Motherhood

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Baby Boy and I made a video for J on Mother's Day:

Covenant College is in trouble again.

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:50:00 +0000

If you are unfamiliar with my Alma Mater you can ignore this post, but if you care at all about that school read on...

Covenant College is in trouble again! A couple years ago Covenant got in it so deep The Integrator had to come out of retirement to rescue the school. Thankfully this year no cartooning is needed. Wise President Nielson will save the college from the worst menace it has faced in years: Professors!

Professors at Covenant have a long history of distracting young people with tests, lectures, and a whole lot of discussion on books and such. Back when I was a student they seemed to think we should spend a majority of our time learning things. All that learning takes a lot of the fun out of college.

It's about time the President stood up to those professors! Out of 70 professors he's firing 10 of them. They call it "right sizing" but the other 60 professors will get the message: stop bothering the kids with all that book learning! An added benefit is this frees up some cash for what really makes a college great: competitive athletics!

If we could fire 30 or 40 more worthless professors we might be able to produce an athletics program capable of losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament! Just think how much pride that would bring to Covenant and the PCA!

Let's face it: graduating year after year of intelligent, Christian liberal arts graduates was getting dull. It is time the college stopped being so hung up on education and moved on to bigger and better things. Thanks to the visionary leadership of Neil Neilson Covenant can become what God intended it to be: the world's greatest Presbyterian Sports Camp!

*If you happen to sympathize with those backwards-minded students and alumni that still want Covenant to give liberal arts education you can oppose President Neilson's brilliant plan by working with others on Facebook, Twitter, or write a letter directly to him.

First Steps!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:40:00 +0000

10 Months Old!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Jonathan showing off his kid.

Johnny Cash "Hurt"

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:18:00 +0000

Johnny Cash was the coolest old man who ever lived. What other man in his 70's could reinterpret Nine Inch Nails so beautifully?

6 years ago today

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:20:00 +0000

8 Month Brithday

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:01:00 +0000

The tricky thing about trying to shoot a birthday video on an 8 month old is that he is either crawling out of the frame or pushing buttons to stop the video. We still love our little drooling bundle of energy. He says "Hi" to all his relatives and friends!

New Years 2009

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:02:00 +0000

On New Years we took TMD to visit his Great Grandma Davis. She is his last great grandparent since Pop Brit passed. Although she is 90 years older than he, TMD really enjoyed visiting his grandmother, and she loved having him visit.

Here are some more photos of our family over the holidays:

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:09:00 +0000

Merry Christmas everyone! Here are some photos and videos of TMD's first Christmas:

Birthdays!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:34:00 +0000

Today TMD turned 7 months, and his dad turned 31 years. We both grew up so fast!

William Britt: 1922-2008

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:38:00 +0000

Last night William Britt went to bed and he didn't wake up this morning. He was 86 years old. Pop Britt was an amazing man and he will be deeply missed.

He was the grandson of a slave, who was only allowed to cook food for white soldiers when he volunteered to serve his country, but he lived to vote for the first black president. He was always proud that he worked hard his whole life and took good care of his family. I am proud to have known Pop during these later years as he welcomed me to the family with his booming voice and firm hug. I married his beautiful granddaughter and am the father of his newest great grandson.

He is now with his dear savior Jesus and his beloved wife Sarah who went a few years before him. We all wish he could have stayed longer, but are happy for the bold and loving impact he had on this world.

Crossing the Equator!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:43:00 +0000

After a month in Ecuador the Davis family has crossed the equator (the yellow line) and returned home to the US!

We had some silly fun returning to our own hemisphere:

We didn't leave TMD on the line too long. We don't want him the grow up thinking the world revolves around him:

Sometimes baby boy's parents are so different it's like they're coming from two different sides of the world!

Okay enough ridiculous photos from the equatorial line. We are glad to be home. We missed you all.

Ecuador Photos

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:40:00 +0000

We have finished a week of language school and a week of clinic volunteering. Here are some photos to give you a feel for what we see here in Ecuador.

(Click here to view full-sized photo album on-line)

5 Months!

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Our little man, TMD turned 5 months old today. We are loving this kid and are thankful for his health. Here are some recent photos:

Things go well here in Ecuador. I started working at a free clinic yesterday. It is good to finally get to medical care. I wish I could say we are progressing quickly in Spanish but those verb conjugations have our tongues tied, but things are going well. We are staying with a wonderful family and loving being here and learning about Ecuador and the Andes.

Talk to you later.

Baby Boy's International Travels

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:40:00 +0000

Greetings from Ecuador. Little TMD just wanted to say "Hola" and let you know what fun he is having here in Cuenca.

He also wants to show you his new friend, Romina.

We Have Arrived

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:55:00 +0000

Hello Everyone. After brave little TMD endured 3 plane trips we arrived in Cuenca, Ecuador yesterday afternoon. We landed in Quito Saturday night and spent the night with a wonderful family Ramiro, Vicky, and David Granada. The next morning we had a dramatic flight through the Andes mountains to Cuenca. Here we are staying with the Cabera family in their beautiful home near the middle of Cuenca. Senior Cabera is an opthomologist who often volunteers at the clinic where I will be working starting next week. This afternoon we start Spanish Classes. I am studying frantically but we still have a long way to go to actually be able to speak the language with any efficiency.

Cuenca is a beautiful old city and we can walk to most places from the Cabera´s house. We will update you more soon.

Ecuador

noreply@blogger.com (John Whittemore) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:08:00 +0000

This morning we are going to Ecuador for a month. We will be in the city of Cuenca. We hope to learn a lot of Spanish by immersion as well as volunteer at a hospital for the poor there. For us it will be an excellent chance to learn a language that is increasingly important as we serve in America, as well as an opportunity as a family to take a while and serve in a new environment and have a chance to reflect on what the impact of our lives should be.

Hopefully we will have a lot of interesting stories and thoughts when we return.

For the next month The Gridbook Blog will be silent. I don't know if we will be able to get much internet access but if we do we will try to post updates here. Keep us in your prayers.

PS: Posted Gridbook Blog presidential endorsement yesterday. Click here to read.