Archive for February, 2010
When people deny the facts …
I had an op-ed piece published in the Citizen-Times today (http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100228/OPINION03/100226027/1006). I talked about the fact that 47,000 people die every year because they don’t have health insurance — one every 12 minutes — and I got an e-mail from a person who believes every American has access to quality health care. He didn’t believe [...]
Oh good. It’s covered.
We got a letter from the insurance company today telling us that the insurance company has approved Rob’s hospitalization for heart surgery. What a relief. I was afraid they might refuse it because they hadn’t pre-approved it. You never know. I know a woman whose insurance refused to cover her breast cancer because they said [...]
Anniversary syndrome
It was two years ago today that I got the news Mike’s cancer was back. The doctors had hoped to give him another year, but the cancer didn’t respond to chemo and he died six weeks later, on April 1. I got the call on my way into work, and Rob and I dropped everything [...]
There ought to be a law
It ought to be illegal for an insurance company to stall a vital medical test for 36 hours. Rob came incredibly close to dying because Blue Cross/ Blue Shield insisted on pre-approving a heart stress test for 36 hours. Rob’s doctor had done an EKG that showed irregularities. That meant there was something wrong with [...]
A nearly fatal delay
Turns out Rob didn’t need to come so close to dying last night. His family doctor wanted him to have the stress test Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning, but Blue Cross/Blue Shield wanted to review the decision of a doctor who had found a dangerous irregularity in Rob’s EKG. When it comes to heart problems, [...]
A day of (bad) surprises and one big miracle
We started out before daybreak today, going to the cardioloist for a stress test for Rob and talking about going to Tomato Jam Cafe for lunch. Rob had been having shortness of breath and a tight feeling in his chest, so his doctor did an EKG Tuesday and didn’t like what she saw, so she [...]
COBRA ia about to become unaffordable again
Anyone who has been laid off a job in the last year has gotten some help in paying health insurance premiums through COBRA, the law that allows employees who are covered by insurance at work to continue getting coverage by paying their own premiums for up to 18 months. The problem is that those premiums [...]
The office — not the comedy
We moved most of our stuff into the office Saturday, despite the snow and ice. The desk is one heavy piece of furniture, but we got it in and set up. I still have to put together the bookcase and hang [...]
Charity care in North Carolina
The NC Health Care Coalition, part of the NC Justice Center, released a report today on charity care in the state’s hospitals. The executive summary is at http://www.ncjustice.org/?q=node/446, and that page has a link to the full report. In fiscal year 2008, the state’s hospitals provided almost $700 million in free care. That’s good news [...]
We can’t leave mental health reform behind
As a newspaper reporter, I followed North Carolina’s mental health reform since its inception. It was like watching a multi-car pileup on an icy highway in slow motion. The “reform” began by closing down the existing system. Mental health centers that served people with psychiatric illnesses, people with developmental disabilities and addiction, were closed. These [...]
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.