When I Grow Up

That's how I still think in my head, "when I grow up I want to be a ..." and then I realize I am grown up. But even that doesn't really deter me, I like to think about what I would want to do if I could do anything I wanted. If there was nothing holding me back, money was not an issue, and I already possessed the ability/education/talent requirements - what would I do?

When I was three years old I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up- a Fire Fighter, a McDonald's worker, and Strawberry Shortcake. In the bliss that is youth, these seemed like the best jobs in the world, I mean, what could be better than getting to slide down a pole everyday, playing with a hose that shoots out geysers of water AND having a cute spotted dog that would be my best friend? Nothing except working at McDonald's, where I could eat chicken nuggets dipped in honey whenever I wanted and then go to play in the huge ball pit. Of course I was going to do all of this while also being Strawberry Shortcake.

As I got older people would always say to me "I bet you want to grow up and be a famous doctor just like your Dad!" And oh how I did. I wanted to be a neonatologist until I got to high school. By then I realized that science wasn't exactly my strong suit and I loved history and government classes. I never stopped wanting to be a doctor, I just began thinking about doing something different. Even after I applied and had gotten into William and Mary, I was fully planning on majoring in both Government and Biology, that way I could postpone having to make the rest of my life decision for four more years.

Then came that first Bio class... lets just say it left me irrevocably scarred and I never looked back, I was going to be lawyer and that was it. Except it didn't work out like I had thought it would, but I'm fine with that. Even now, that's not what I would want to do if I could do it.
There are so many things I would love to do, it would take multiple lifetimes to accomplish half of them. And they're always changing, well they rotate in importance. So here's my number one, if I could be anything I wanted to be, job. Don't laugh at me!

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Health care reform is something that's very important to me. I'm not saying I agree with or want a national federally run health care program. But so many people are up in arms about not wanting their health care to be regulated, but it already is, it's regulated by insurance companies.

When I got pregnant with Spencer I had the best health insurance available- there were no better policies/plans than the one I had. And I was denied coverage for anything related to my or Spencer's prenatal health. Every single doctor's appointment I went to, I had to pay $500. And here's the real kicker, I was also ineligible for Medicaid and FAMIS because I had health insurance! Even before the astronomical hospital bill covering our 5 nights plus emergency surgery, I had already payed close to $7,000 in medical bills, and those were just routine checkups. Can you even imagine how much it would have cost if there had been any kind of complication?

And once again, I'm not trying to make a partisan statement here, but something needs to be done. Of course I don't have all the answers now, although I'm pretty sure I do (haha). But as the Secretary of DHSS, I would know EVERYTHING and everyone would listen to me and all would be right with the world.

Fantasy Land, how I love thee.

So what would you do, who would you be if could do anything?