When I heard that Ted Kennedy had died my first reaction was "finally!" Not so much personally about him, and I never felt satisfaction at his having cancer, but because it may mean that the whole Camelot myth could die a well deserved and belated death along with him.
Now that I've learned more about his life I am glad he's dead, hope it was painful, and wish it had happened a long time ago. I'm certainly don't qualify as a feminist by the modern definition, but the thought of that man walking free because of his power and name after treating so many women like objects throughout his life makes me ill. The only thing worse is that those who do qualify as feminists have no problem with the sexual assaults and general harassment that would have them screaming for any "lesser" being to be fired and preferably jailed for life.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Can't always be brilliant
No scintillating observations today. I do notice that POTUS has taken Air force One out for a little spin around the nation again. Apparently he's hoping personal appearances will convince the rabble that his arguments for changing the medical system are sound. It may help if those arguments extended past "trust me I know what's best for you."
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
To make something perfectly clear - I like Sarah Palin
Not particularly timely I have to admit. It probably would have been more to the point to have mentioned that before elections. I did mention it to the flesh-and-blood real-world types at the time at least.
Sarah is my hero in many ways. I am about the same age she was when she joined her local PTA and decided to become more active in the politics of her community. I have four children, which is the number she had when she got her start. Mostly, it's the fact that in many ways she is an "average" wife, mother, and citizen who decided to do something about the corruption she saw around her. To me that embodies the spirit of our nation's founders. I want to be worthy of their legacy and Sarah both convicts me of my lack of action and gives me hope that if the "average" people take a stand there can be change.
Sarah is my hero in many ways. I am about the same age she was when she joined her local PTA and decided to become more active in the politics of her community. I have four children, which is the number she had when she got her start. Mostly, it's the fact that in many ways she is an "average" wife, mother, and citizen who decided to do something about the corruption she saw around her. To me that embodies the spirit of our nation's founders. I want to be worthy of their legacy and Sarah both convicts me of my lack of action and gives me hope that if the "average" people take a stand there can be change.
Monday, August 10, 2009
#Iamthemob
While it probably is true that everyone has a healthcare/insurance story, I find it difficult to believe that everyone has a nightmare as some members of congress are reported to have said. All I know for sure is the experiences of myself and my family and I'm fairly certain none of us would like to trade our experiences for those of another country's healthcare.
Most particularly, and recently, is the case of my 34 year old tobacco-free, non-drinking, drug-using, or any other health destroying habit doing, being diagnosed with oral cancer on his tongue. The GP who originally examined him, in the course of a different procedure, was concerned with a sore on DH's tongue that hadn't healed in three months. Within a couple of weeks DH was seeing an oral surgeon who figured it was probably an auto-immune issue but was willing to do a biopsy. Because DH wasn't able to relax enough for a biopsy with "laughing-gas" he was sent home with an antibiotic and a steroid as well as an appointment to see the surgeon again in a week if things hadn't cleared up. A week later I took him in, he was put under and the surgeon removed two spots and sent them into a pathologist and asked my husband to come back in a couple of weeks to discuss the results as the surgeon travels between three cities covering about 100 miles. The vast majority of this was covered by our insurance, the exception being that the surgeon, due to a communication breakdown, sent the samples to an out-of-network lab.
Because the schedule of the surgeon and husband didn't work out, DH asked for the results over the phone. Turns out it's really hard to get a doctor to tell you you have cancer on the phone, but it can be done. Naturally, this suddenly made it much easier for DH to find time to meet with the surgeon.
One of the first things we did, besides cry and pray a lot, was to call my sister who is a surgical PA in a practice in Minnesota. Her office was able to recommend someone in the nearest large town for DH's oncologist and she in turn recommended us to Dr. Bruce Smith as ENT surgeon. Both recommendations were very good, and once again they were in network as well. In fact, I've wondered if someone high up in DH's company has had cancer because the insurance and his company worked with us wonderfully every step of the way. By the beginning of February Dr. Smith had operated on DH's tongue and removed a thumb-sized section for further biopsy. In between there were CT scans and scopes checking DH's complete interior due to the strangeness of his having cancer. Everything came back as perfect which was an answer to prayer because given DH's history of stomach and bowel issues we fully expected there to be at least problems if not actual cancer.
The point of all of this is, within four months of a GP shaking his head in concern, my middle-class husband had two surgeries and many expensive tests and I seriously doubt that could have been accomplished by any but the very richest of citizens in any other country. Yes there were out of pocket expenses, but we had done our part by having a flex plan and saving money for emergencies. We also very much believe that God protected DH from further damage and protected our finances as well as we practiced turning to Him in a situation we couldn't control. Between insurance, personal responsibility, and trust in God our situation brought our family closer and greater long-term health to my husband.
I realize that there are probably many others who can say that their situation didn't work out so well but all I can say to that is "this country and this system, while undeniably imperfect, gives the vast majority the best chance of a good outcome." I don't want it broken to try to help a small number when there are other ways to be tried first.
Most particularly, and recently, is the case of my 34 year old tobacco-free, non-drinking, drug-using, or any other health destroying habit doing, being diagnosed with oral cancer on his tongue. The GP who originally examined him, in the course of a different procedure, was concerned with a sore on DH's tongue that hadn't healed in three months. Within a couple of weeks DH was seeing an oral surgeon who figured it was probably an auto-immune issue but was willing to do a biopsy. Because DH wasn't able to relax enough for a biopsy with "laughing-gas" he was sent home with an antibiotic and a steroid as well as an appointment to see the surgeon again in a week if things hadn't cleared up. A week later I took him in, he was put under and the surgeon removed two spots and sent them into a pathologist and asked my husband to come back in a couple of weeks to discuss the results as the surgeon travels between three cities covering about 100 miles. The vast majority of this was covered by our insurance, the exception being that the surgeon, due to a communication breakdown, sent the samples to an out-of-network lab.
Because the schedule of the surgeon and husband didn't work out, DH asked for the results over the phone. Turns out it's really hard to get a doctor to tell you you have cancer on the phone, but it can be done. Naturally, this suddenly made it much easier for DH to find time to meet with the surgeon.
One of the first things we did, besides cry and pray a lot, was to call my sister who is a surgical PA in a practice in Minnesota. Her office was able to recommend someone in the nearest large town for DH's oncologist and she in turn recommended us to Dr. Bruce Smith as ENT surgeon. Both recommendations were very good, and once again they were in network as well. In fact, I've wondered if someone high up in DH's company has had cancer because the insurance and his company worked with us wonderfully every step of the way. By the beginning of February Dr. Smith had operated on DH's tongue and removed a thumb-sized section for further biopsy. In between there were CT scans and scopes checking DH's complete interior due to the strangeness of his having cancer. Everything came back as perfect which was an answer to prayer because given DH's history of stomach and bowel issues we fully expected there to be at least problems if not actual cancer.
The point of all of this is, within four months of a GP shaking his head in concern, my middle-class husband had two surgeries and many expensive tests and I seriously doubt that could have been accomplished by any but the very richest of citizens in any other country. Yes there were out of pocket expenses, but we had done our part by having a flex plan and saving money for emergencies. We also very much believe that God protected DH from further damage and protected our finances as well as we practiced turning to Him in a situation we couldn't control. Between insurance, personal responsibility, and trust in God our situation brought our family closer and greater long-term health to my husband.
I realize that there are probably many others who can say that their situation didn't work out so well but all I can say to that is "this country and this system, while undeniably imperfect, gives the vast majority the best chance of a good outcome." I don't want it broken to try to help a small number when there are other ways to be tried first.
"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." -- Arthur Koestler
This is the banner for a blog known as The Other McCain http://rsmccain.blogspot.com/and has been convicting me of cowardice since I saw it about a week ago. Another item I read in the same time-frame, I don't recall the source, mentioned that in general women seemed to avoid blogging on subjects that they felt would cause confrontation because the average women was much less comfortable in a confrontational situation than a man. I know that in my specific case this is true as I have wanted to keep politics out of my general blog for fear of the potential trolls that might be drawn to an otherwise practically unread blog.
As an intermediate step I had considered writing the whole truth of my observations and thoughts in my brand new, beautiful, magnetic closure, journal with my equally new, totally awesome, fountain pen that I love to write with. There was only one tiny problem. How is it any more bold and honest to write to myself in my very own private journal that might, if I am very very lucky, someday be read by someone else but will more likely end up in the trash at some future date? How does the fact that I support the people of Iran in their quest for more open and responsive government, or that I applaud the people of Honduras for apparently being the first in history to see the danger to their republic and do something legal about it make a difference when it is locked between the covers of my journal, no matter how pretty it may be? This is particularly the case as I don't know of any concrete help I can offer either people except to pray that justice prevails and they not grow weary in fighting for the truth to be known. How can I remain silent in the face of true heroism against real oppression?
As an intermediate step I had considered writing the whole truth of my observations and thoughts in my brand new, beautiful, magnetic closure, journal with my equally new, totally awesome, fountain pen that I love to write with. There was only one tiny problem. How is it any more bold and honest to write to myself in my very own private journal that might, if I am very very lucky, someday be read by someone else but will more likely end up in the trash at some future date? How does the fact that I support the people of Iran in their quest for more open and responsive government, or that I applaud the people of Honduras for apparently being the first in history to see the danger to their republic and do something legal about it make a difference when it is locked between the covers of my journal, no matter how pretty it may be? This is particularly the case as I don't know of any concrete help I can offer either people except to pray that justice prevails and they not grow weary in fighting for the truth to be known. How can I remain silent in the face of true heroism against real oppression?
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