Gary’s story
Gary Mitchell is a musician — a gifted choral director and tenor. He’s the music director at my church, which is a part-time job and doesn’t carry insurance.
Gary’s spouse is a minister and has insurance, but the policy doesn’t cover domestic partners, and in North Carolina, Gary can’t marry his domestic partner, the Rev. David Eck, so he lives in fear of getting sick.
Gary and David have raised two adopted children. They’re both good, kind people. They have a modest home here in Asheville, which they likely would lose if Gary got sick.
Because he has had medical issues in the past, private insurance would cost him $1,300 a month. He bought a policy that will cover up to $50,000 in a catastrophic event. In other words, one major surgery. Chemo costs more than that.
Gary worked for the school system as a high school teacher and choral director for many years, so once he turns 62 — well over a decade from now — he can get coverage again under the state plan.
“My health plan right now is to pray I stay healthy,” he says.
Second annual Eat at Mike’s
Reserve now
Life o' Mike sponsors its second annual Eat at Mike's, an evening of good food prepared by local chefs, at Tingles Cafe in downtown Asheville. The event also features silent and live auctions with items from Highlands Brewing, artist Angela C. Alexander and more.
Tickets to the dinner are $25; $20 for children 3-12 and free for children under 3.
To reserve, e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com. For more information, call 828-243-6712.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a new peer support program for people newly diagnosed with chronic or serious illness or with a new disability and their caregivers.
Patient Pals are people who have experience with various illnesses and disabilities, who can help someone newly diagnosed or with a new disability work through the fear, frustration, confusion and grief often experienced in the first few months.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
People with new illness or disability fare better when they have a role model -- someone who can help them negotiate their new path in life.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
I\’m an RN at a local hospital here in NC. It seems that every time I go into work, I hear stories from my patients about how their health insurance is lacking. I\’ve taken care of a grandmother after a hip replacement whose insurance wouldn\’t pay for her to go to rehab — she was the sole caregiver for her 3 school-aged grandchildren and had to go home, on her own, to recover. I cared for a gentleman who, after several extensive surgeries, was left with large, gaping wounds and several skin grafts on his abdomen. He told me that his insurance would not pay for the dressing supplies he needed for his wounds, unless he had a home health nurse, which he didn\’t need. There was also a woman whose insurance would not pay for the medication she needed to battle a severe infection of a foot wound after she had recovered from a blood clot in her leg. It was $1600 for a one-month supply — the insurance company said it was unnecessary.
As a healthcare worker, I strive to provide the best care I can for my patients every day. Unfortunately, our healthcare system in America can\’t say the same.