Archive for November, 2009
Alternative gift market
My church held its annual alternative gift market Sunday, featuring handmade items and gifts of nails and tools and kitchen sinks for Habitat for Humanity, fair-trade items from developing countries and art. I brought a shawl, several scarves and earrings, Life o’ Mike T-shirts and car magnets. We made over $200, and the Christian Action [...]
If 200 people stand on a street corner …
… and demonstrate for healthcare, but nobody from the media comes, do they still make noise? You bet. Seniors for Health Care drew people of all ages to Pack Square in downtown Asheville today. No one from the paper or the TV station were there, but we were at the busiest intersection in town and [...]
Is there a difference in state laws? You bet
Here’s the problem with allowing the insurance companies to sell policies nationally: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/16/insurance-runs-out-for-12_n_359920.html Benjamin French, 12, was born with no arm below his right elbow. He needs new prosthetic arms as he grows, but the insurance company in Michigan won’t pay for it because he has used up his lifetime limit of $30,000 for prosthetic devices. As [...]
The word from New Orleans
I don’t know Rich Stockwell, but his mother and his sister are friends of mine. They must be bursting with pride tonight. Rich was the one who suggested to his boss that sponsoring free clinics would be a good idea, and his boss, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann, agreed. Olbermann appealed to his “Countown” audience to donate [...]
Honor our veterans
On Veterans Day, we need to honor those who have served their country. Even in peacetime, serving in the military is a sacrifice — low pay, a lack of control over one’s own life — so most patriotic Americans would agree that they deserve the best ew have to offer. Until this last generation, veterans’ benefits [...]
Representative No
Last February, Carolyn and I met with Rep. Heath Shuler to ask him what his thoughts were on health care reform. I told him Mike’s story and Carolyn told him her nightmarish story of having to battle breast cancer and wonder about whether she would ever be able to find insurance again, let aone afford [...]
Finally, a step in the right direction
The House of Representatives just passed the health care bill. I watched the vote count tick over to 218 and felt a sense of relief. It was a historical moment to be sure. I still don’t know how my representative, Heath Shuler, voted. But it isn’t over yet. We still have to see it through [...]
The best? Really?
Check our Nicholas Kristoff’s column in today’s new York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=1&em He dispells some of the myths about the greatness of the American health care system. We have the potential to have the best system in the world, but because we deny access to so many people, our outcomes are far from the best. Here’s [...]
Happy birthday to me
Yesterday was a lovely birthday. I took the afternoon to go up to the spot where we scattered Mike’s ashes and spend a little time telling him about what we’re doing in his memory. It’s really hard having my birthday to myself after sharing it with him for 33 years and joking about how it [...]
Wow! What a night
We raised about $3,550 at Eat at Mike’s. We had about 70 people and all but four of the auction items sold. The food was fabulous. Thanks to Chris Stockard-Goering (aka The Empanada Guy), Roots Organic Gourmet, Mela, Asheville Pizza & Brew, Mohsin Sayid and Tomato Jam Cafe for the food. And our volunteers: board [...]
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
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.