So my Mom has gone crazy. Raz on the March!

[Caliga]

On, the plus side, this has made me more conservative.  At this rate I'll support Gov Walker's crackdown on unions soon.

Well, that's how it always works.  People pretend to be one party or the other because they subscribe to that party's lofty ideals, but really they just support the party that promises to do the most shit in their best interest.  Notable exception: many Teabaggers.

[Martinus]

Why wouldn't they be able to, as long as they follow HIPAA regulations?  Even if you're not subject to HIPAA in your local area you could abide by the regulations if your client required it.

Well India has poor privacy protection laws so it would be difficult to protect confidential medical data.  I thought this was one of the big reasons fields associated with medicine are gradually becoming the best jobs around: because they are risky to outsource.  But there is big money to be saved here so I guess people will find a way.

Yeah. Dunno about the US, but at least in Europe, you can't transfer personal data to countries that do not offer the same personal data protection that the EU. For this reason, you cannot actually outsource some data collection/processing to the US.

[Malthus]

Here, there is all sorts of nonsense stirred up by overblown fears about the Patriot Act enabling the US gov't to get its mitts on that info. In at least two provinces, if the info is held by a public institution, you need express informed consent from the person to transfer it to the US - which causes all sorts of silly problems (remembering that hospitals and universities are generally public institutions).

[garbon]

On, the plus side, this has made me more conservative.  At this rate I'll support Gov Walker's crackdown on unions soon.

Well, that's how it always works.  People pretend to be one party or the other because they subscribe to that party's lofty ideals, but really they just support the party that promises to do the most shit in their best interest.  Notable exception: many Teabaggers.

Why would one agree with lofty ideals against one's best interests?

[Martinus]

On, the plus side, this has made me more conservative.  At this rate I'll support Gov Walker's crackdown on unions soon.

Well, that's how it always works.  People pretend to be one party or the other because they subscribe to that party's lofty ideals, but really they just support the party that promises to do the most shit in their best interest.  Notable exception: many Teabaggers.

Why would one agree with lofty ideals against one's best interests?

Indeed. I never understand the "accusation" of someone voting for a politician that promises to do most for the voter. :|

[Eddie Teach]

I think the problem is that many voters and politicians are only thinking about what's in their short-term interests.

[Ideologue]

She would answer with a facial expression, not in words, to any such approach. I'll leave it to your imagination which one.

?

Not your imagination. 

How about my imagination?

[Ed Anger]

Only dinosaur doctors use transcription services anymore. It's a buggywhip industry.

Might as well open a video rental store also.

[Malthus]

She would answer with a facial expression, not in words, to any such approach. I'll leave it to your imagination which one.

?

Not your imagination. 

How about my imagination?

Even worse! 

[CountDeMoney]

I know I'm going to get lynched for this, but so be it.

Raz, your mother has a right to live her life to the fullest, and staying home to take care of two people who will never not need her is hard. It's incredibly, incredibly hard. And yes, it does "hold her back". It means she can't do a lot of the things she wants to do - like move, travel, just breath in her own house without someone wanting/needing something.

For 30 years, I watched my mom go through this. Guilt kept her there taking care of my dad through decades of ill health. He was never not ill, and in fact, was constantly being told that he probably only has five or ten years left... for 30 years. My mom dealt with it. She took care of him. She stayed a job she didn't like for the insurance, and worked well past retirement age in order to keep the insurance. She rarely traveled, and when she did it was a huge ordeal. (She had to find someone to check on Dad, she had to make sure he knew where she was at all times, and the entire time she was gone he was calling to tell her all about what was wrong with him and why her being gone was bad for him.) She never had sex, was never romanced, was never taken out dancing. Her life revolved around taking care of my dad. When he finally died, the world opened up for my mom, but by then it was too late. She didn't know what to do with it. She was 65 years old, lonely, and alone.

It's been four years now, and Mom is finally dating. She refuses to have much to do with any man who won't go out and do stuff. She's finally figured out what life can be and is doing her best to live it. Unfortunately for her, she's broke because she spent her life paying for my dad's illness, but she's figuring things out anyway. Of course, now she's 69 and with a little luck she may get one decade of her life to live just for her. Can you imagine? One decade out of eight where she gets to be her own person, doing what she wants, when she wants, with whom she wants... And what happens? My sister decides to move back to Iowa with her kids in tow so she can be there for Mom (translated: Free Babysitting).

So yeah... your mom's kids are grown. She's 55 years old, and she wants to live her life for her. Maybe it's selfish, but since it seems no one else is looking out for her or trying to figure out how to make life better for her, she has no choice but to be a little selfish. I'm sorry you're hurting, but deal with it. She has a right to a life, too.

Merithyn: Defender of the PsychoSoccerMom

[DGuller]

I believe the fee to enter Illinois politics is more than $500.

I was about to make more or less the same joke in response to the Beeb.

Ouch. 

[garbon]

Merithyn: Defender of the PsychoSoccerMom

Right? Raz's mom has seemed to take the childish route on every part of this path of "self-discovery and enlightenment" and Meri still defends her.  Running away...wtf?!

[DGuller]

Merithyn: Defender of the PsychoSoccerMom

Right? Raz's mom has seemed to take the childish route on every part of this path of "self-discovery and enlightenment" and Meri still defends her.  Running away...wtf?!

She deserves some slack.  Now, if she killed Raz Sr. and Raz Jr., and cut them up into pieces, then it starts getting borderline.

[merithyn]

Merithyn: Defender of the PsychoSoccerMom

Right? Raz's mom has seemed to take the childish route on every part of this path of "self-discovery and enlightenment" and Meri still defends her.  Running away...wtf?!

If that's what you've been reading, then your reading comprehension is failing you. What I've "defended" is the right to leave the situation. What I have NOT defended is the way Raz's mom is handling this. Nonetheless, I understand how badly depression can affect a person's ability to function sanely and am therefore willing to give her a little slack on that.

Surely it hurts no one to be understanding of people going through a difficult time.

[garbon]

If that's what you've been reading, then your reading comprehension is failing you. What I've "defended" is the right to leave the situation. What I have NOT defended is the way Raz's mom is handling this. Nonetheless, I understand how badly depression can affect a person's ability to function sanely and am therefore willing to give her a little slack on that.

Surely it hurts no one to be understanding of people going through a difficult time.

I'd like to think that I can understand how major depressive disorder can affect a person as well.  If said person is unwilling to be understanding of how their actions will affect those around them, I don't really see why they should be afforded such understanding. Selfish behavior is selfish regardless of mitigating circumstances and disabilities.