Living with MCL

It seems the longer we go, the worse things get.

The fiasco in the gulf is just one of many example.  We’re so busy politicizing this, and trying to place blame and fault (often where it doesn’t belong), little focus is being placed on the real issue, and that is an ecological disaster that will linger on [for uncountable years], creating unimaginable consequences from which the southeastern coast of the US may never recover, and place an undue burden on the rest of the country.

Then there are the customers [at work] who are becoming more stupid by the day, designing systems that are so complicated and convoluted, and change by the minute, they guarantee errors, and non compliance with requirements, forcing suppliers to change procedures that have worked for the past 30+ years [and still work for 99% of all other customers], all in the name of improving quality. But in the end all it really does is create delays in production, and increased costs, without any improvement in quality.

And on top of all this, Edie is going through 10 days of radiation (3 more to go), and my fatigue [or maybe it's just depression] seems to grow worse by the day, forcing me to face the reality, I may not be able to delay treatment much longer.

There just doesn’t seem to be any reason to get out of bed any more, except maybe for a bike ride, the only thing that seems to allow me to maintain my sanity in this insane world.

All I want to know is, when will all this insanity end?

I know I said I was done, but I can’t help it. This morning, I received an email from someone I thought knew better. I couldn’t have been more disappointed, especially when I wasn’t feeling good to begin with.

What the email was about isn’t relevant in my opinion. Some of the facts may even have some validity [albeit exaggerated and old], but what is relevant is it seems too many Americans have become so brainwashed by special interests, they are blind to what is really occurring in this country.

The special interests in this country are so adept at diverting the discussion away from the real issues confronting this country, to areas which admittedly attract strong emotions, but have little or no relevance to the problems facing this nation, and are only meant to inflame and polarize an already divided nation.

If I can’t expect the people I consider intelligent seeing through this facade, is there really any hope left that we might emerge a stronger and more unified nation down the road.

I know I shouldn’t say this, as I fleetingly cling to a belief the vast majority of Americans aren’t that stupid, but it’s times like these I almost feel thankful my days on this planet are numbered.

You know it’s hard being upbeat all the time, especially considering the state of the economy, and the continual partisan bickering by our elected representatives, further evidenced by today’s health care summit [which I turned off after about 10 minutes], who seem to be more concerned with their own well being rather than the well being of the American public.

But that not withstanding, at least the weather has cooperated enough to allow me to get over 500 miles in [on the bike] so far this month, I didn’t get called in for jury duty this week, and my latest blood work continues to show stable disease, if not some slight improvement.

My absolute lymphocyte count still continues on its downward trend [ever so slightly], and it looks like my platelets have finally stabilized, with the latest count coming in at 181 thou/cumm. Hemoglobin has also remained stable at 11.8 g/dl. Not great, but all things considering it could be a lot worse.

So as long as I can continue to avoid the nightly news, and confrontations with ill informed individuals [at least IMO], wishing to engage in political discussion, I may yet be able to keep an upbeat attitude.

Plus a good bottle of wine never hurt either.

Well at least how we pay for it is certainly in question.

Here’s another in the continuing saga of health care woes another person (from one of the many health related message boards I belong to) just encountered in dealing with his health insurance company.

After receiving IVIG monthly for 1 1/2 years and no problems with insurance paying, had 1st treatment this month and denied. No change with insurance company or employer. Called insurance and they stated the drug is one of 6 that my company has chosen to bill under seperate drug benefit and not medical.  Called pharmacy plan and their notes on the drug state to call my company HR department as the drug is not covered.

Great news to find out friday after everyone is gone for the weekend…  This is the first battle that I have come upon since diagnosis and preparing myself to justify this treatment after I speak with the HR department and then whomever heads the committee that might have decided to not cover the drug. Any advise from others who might have run across similar denials.  Any organizations that people have found helpful to help fight such a thing?  Trying to stay optimistic that this will be resolved as I can’t find $6000.00 per month to pay for this as most will understand.

That certainly isn’t great news, and I sure hope he gets it resolved, but as health care costs and insurance premiums continue to rise, expect this to become common place as patients are expected to bare more of the burden of paying for their own health care.

This is just a perfect example of how little people understand their insurance policies. Most people don’t know how under insured they are until they get sick, and need to use it. Then it’s too late.

If we don’t change the way we pay for and deliver health care in this country soon, only the richest among us will be able to afford health care.