Archive for September, 2011
It’s about social justice, not politics
Throngs of people are crowded onto Wall Street in New York City; thousands more will join in another protest occupation next week in Washington, DC. Around the country, people are planning occupations and demonstrations. The Associated Press, which is where most newspapers get their national news, has written little, if anything, on the topic of these peaceful [...]
Who’s really pro-life?
That was a discussion I had with a “Beevangelist” (an ordained Southern Baptist minister who’s also a beekeeper). The question was whether people were as eager to stop the execution in Texas of Russell Brewer as they were to save Troy Davis? Did I consider one as immoral as the other? I do. Russell Brewer committed one of [...]
Some good news about health insurance rates
In a strong sign that the Affordable Care Act is working already, a Gallup poll this week found that about 1 million more 18-25-year-olds have health coverage than before the provosion allowing parents to keep young adult children on their plans. The percentage of young adults without insurance has fallen from 28 percent to 24.2 [...]
Real health care rationing
Those opposed to health reform tried to warn us that health care rationing would be a result. Well, it’s here, and it’s not caused by reform. In Washington State, as everywhere in this economy, there’s a budget shortfall. So, state officials looked for ways to save money on health care costs. One place they saw [...]
Numbers don’t lie
Official estimates by the US Census Bureau say that 49.9 million americans now are uninsured, an incerase of about a million people from a year ago. Statistics say that translates to about 5,000 more premature deaths every year, bringing the likely total to about 50,000 Americans. “That’s one plane crash every day,” says Dr. Margaret [...]
Ron Paul’s ‘compassion’
Presidential candidate Ron Paul, a Republican with a wide Libertarian streak, said during the GOP debate that people who don’t have insurance should be cared for by churches (as if any church had the money to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for chemo for even one of their members) and compassionate members of the [...]
Cheering death
I have to admit I didn’t watch the GOP debate last night, but as I was checking headlines before I went to bed, I saw the story about people in the audience started cheering after Wolf Blitzer asked what we do with, say, a 30-year-old man who has no insurance. Do we let him die? [...]
Visiting Mike
I went to visit Mike Saturday afternoon. What that really means is that I hiked to where his ashes are scattered and built (another) small cairn to mark the spot. I do this three or four times a year when I need to feel closer to him. I usually sit for a bit and remember him; sometimes [...]
ALEC’s guidebook to overturn reform
The Koch Brothers-funded organization, the Ameican Legislative Exchange Council, has a new publication telling state legislators how to subvert or even overturn the Affordable Care Act, which they refer to as “ObamaCare.” The group proudly proclaims, ” Since 2005, 38 states have enacted model legislation developed by ALEC’s Health and Human Services Task Force.” Once [...]
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.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
To learn more, visit www.startfromseed.org, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.