Prescription Drugs and No Insurance...now what?

I find the greatest challenge in taking care of the family... now that  I'm not employed,  is finding a way to get medications for my wife.  She has Crohn's.
 If you're not familiar with Crohn's disease, it is a disease that effects the bowels. It causes extreme pain, sometime she has been in so much pain she can't talk and will lie on the floor crying. I have learned over the five years we've  been married certain signs she exhibits or talks about and don't wait to call an ambulance now.  It is tied to stress and no one knows what causes it or how to cure it. We are always under extreme stress and though I try not to display mine, she carries a lot.

We have been in the hospital several times in the last year. Each time we couldn't afford it, but the hospital has reviewed our income and covered the cost.  I don't understand who is paying for it, but I assume it is coming from taxpayers or people who give to the hospital. I am very grateful for this and never in my life expected it. I would have just dealt with the debt for the rest of my life.

Drugs are also the next difficult issue. Getting them as samples has been a strategy, but these drugs are very expensive. One called Humera and advertise on TV costs $1500 a month. I don't know how people that need this can afford it. We approached the company that produces it and they sent us an application that asked for our income information. We were sent the shots through the doctor's office at no cost to us. That surprised me too.

We have found another group locally here in Athens, GA that is run by all medical volunteers. It allows us to see a doctor and get prescriptions through their internal pharmacy. Of course they don't have these drugs, the ones for Crohn's because it is a specialized disease. Today though we started pursuing drug company web sites. I also ran a Google search on where to get the medication for free.  There are some sites out there that are scams, but I did track down the company that makes the one drug she takes. They have a program that apparently we could qualify for because of our income.  I hope so.

I guess I want to just write that I am very grateful for these companies and services that help those that are really in the low income bracket. I have been just above it too and never get anywhere, but for now it is a real help. Thank you God!

Unemployment is tough, but you can make it

My wife and I have been living on unemployment now for several months. Each day starts with the checking what web sites we think are valuable. CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com have shown some promise, as the Athenswantedads.com have too, but if you have done this for a while, nothing is working well.

We are going to run out of the weekly payment and we're not sure what will happen next. One argument I have with the current system is that is does not allow me to earn money while I receive the payment. Here is what I mean: I believe that since the formula that determines how much you receive is based on what you have earned before, then the law should allow you to earn that same amount without losing the UI payment. I know the UI is paid into a fund by your employers, but it does not allow you to maintain your past standard of living and it does not reward someone who will take on a part time job to help themselves.

This can be accomplished by a change in the Federal law. That can be changed by our Congressman, so find out who that is and write them to HELP!!  I am going through that now and I know, have served with in the Georgia Legislature, Lynn Westmoreland, Tom Price, Phil Gingrich and have worked with John Lewis.  It is a piece of legislation that would get folks back in to work. Not working is the worst feeling of lack of self worth.  When we get a job there is always a feeling that we are worth something, looking for work can be a real drain on self esteem and confidence.

Living on UI (unemployment Insurance)  means you have to find all the fat in your budget. If you smoke or drink, I'd strongly suggest quiting as that will eat through your food budget. We first negotiated our rent and are thankful we have landlords that did this. When you find you'r going to get be hind on Power and other utilities...CALL them. Go see you power company face to face, because the 800 number folks don't have the authority that the lady behind the glass where you make payments does.

Look at your money coming in each week and pay your bills weekly. Trying to stay with monthly will get you in trouble, because the money can drain out quickly on small stuff. Car gas in unreal, because  it goes up almost every week. This means you have to cut back somewhere else.  The Federal government, especially the White House...Obama, can  help control this. They won't because they get more tax revenue to play with as the cost goes up and they'll like having more of our money to spend.  Complain!!!

When it comes to a food budget join Kroger, WalMart and Publix or Ingles shopping web sites.  If you know you by a product, go to the web site for that product and look for a coupon.  Be sure to use your checking account when you pay. WalMart now uses Automated Cash transfers, which are like a debit card on your checking account.  At WalMArt, even if you use a debit card, after you swipe it, press the RED X button, this will pop up other options. Now choose CREDIT CARD, which will charge your card like the debit, BUT  it won't come out of your account for 2 days, where the debit comes out in 1 Day.  This costs Wal Mart more and that is why they have the card machines set to accept every card as a debit. If you use a check there, remember it will come out the next.

Why is this important?  You need to manage  your cash flow, holding onto your cash as long as you can. This will allow you write a check, knowing that in 2, 3, 4 days it will clear your account, which may be the day your UI payment is direct deposited in your account.

Speaking of you bank account, be sure to cancel Over Draft protection, this will stop the bank taking your money when a check clears on the same day as your Direct deposit. Meet with your bank and let them know you're receiving UI payments on a weekly basis and sometimes the government is late in depositing them. Ask if you can stay in touch with them if you think this will happen. The bank computer will still charge your account and NSF fee, but now they don;t have a place to take it from and if they banker sees you UI check coming in to the account the same day, they'll usually reverse the cost. With Overdraft Protection, they argue they can do it, but a couple of times. Banking is a relationship business, if the banker does help you, send them a thank you note, Stay in touch with email, before a problem arises!!

Back to food buying. If you buy at Kroger or Ingles or Publix, their checks are process through their main offices and take as many as 4 days to clear.  You can write a check on Friday and it own't clear until the following Wed or Thursday, the day you get you UI deposit.

I know this isn't as good as winning the lotto.

If you spell God backwards you get...dog!

We have two dogs, we lost a great cat about a year ago. We have a male rat terrier named Maxwell and a female Shitzu named Molly.  Molly is an actual Champion, but what that means I don't know. She was a show dog!

My wife got Molly when she, my wife,  was looking for a dog for her son, (now my step-son) and she heard of a lady who raised show dogs. The lady just happened to have a heart attack and her family was trying to place her dogs.  My wife took Molly. She is a lovable quiet dog who lays around, except when she goes out to pee.  I can always tell when she has done her number 2 business, because she runs back to me with great excitement. As if to say, "I have done it again."

Maxwell or Max as we call him is a rat terrier and he is one loyal, but usually scared dog.  We don't know why but if he hears a beep from anything, like a fire alarm, he gets up from wherever he is and hides in the closet. Thunder will do that to them both.  We have never scared him with anything.

When I grew up, I had an Irish setter, but he really wan't my dog, he was a family dog and he was kept on a chain in the back yard. He would go on hikes with my brother Geoff and I though, with no chain.

  We found him or he found us by sitting at an automatic egg machine that the chicken farm had across the road from us.  It was summer and we think he was looking for some shade.  We took him in. He was a well behaved dog. We thought he was someone's bird dog, because he was so well behaved and he always stayed with us when we went on hikes.  We named him Brownie, but like I said I didn't think of him as mine, but then I never thought I really owned anything in our family. We were a family and families share everything.
I mention this because I didn't have a close relationship with him. He was usually out of sight and out of mind in the backyard.  I don't agree with this practice now.

We did get a second Irish Setter when Brownie died. I believe my folks had him put down because of some complications with cancer. The next setter we got we bought and she was the runt of the  litter. Her name was  Ginger and she was very high strung, but then most puppies are.

When we moved from PA to NJ,  my sister, my  brother Geoff and I traveled with my Dad in the station wagon. Ginger road in the back. I don't remember why she would not settle down, (she probably had to go to the bath room) but my Dad stopped the car and he was angry. Because we kept telling Ginger to settle down, I assume making a continuous complaining noise in the car, Dad took it out on Ginger. He hit her several times.  I felt terrible about that and can still remember the hitting.  Puppies and especially Irish Setters are high strung...

Back to Max and Molly. I love them both. Molly is attached to my wife and we understand it is a trait of the dog to attach themselves to the first person they meet. This is why my wife got Max, she wanted a dog for her son.  Max is so lovable and I just enjoy him tremendously.

 I have lost my temper with him a couple of times and jerked him around in his halter.  I don't like that part of me, it is an anger that just spills out when he is being stubborned.  Does that anger sound familiar. It is rare with me, but it has happened a couple of times. I am sorry for it too.

Max has always forgiven me and loved me again. This is where I started thinking that maybe our dogs are God.  I think a dog lover would understand this, but I am not suggesting a new sect of religion.

They love us always, the forgive us always and are always excited to see us, even if we just went our the door and had to run back in to get something we forgot.  In all fairness, the cats I have had in my life we like that. They always were glad to see me and they waited for me to come home.  But they never sat with me, in my lap.

Dogs require walking, which at first I found to be a burden, because I never had to walk my cats.  But no they are my friends and I enjoy the time alone with them. I actually walk with them or they walk me. I do an early walk at 6:30 AM and I do the evening walk, 10:00 PM with two in between, which usually my wife does, though I also go on most of those too.

With us both being unemployed, (remember that is why I blog now) the walks give us time out of the house and time to be with each other and our dogs.  If you don't have a dog, consider getting one. They are a friend and like I said you may find some similarities to the teachings of what God is like.

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"We're walking and walking...Oh look it's the Chief of Staff, what an honor for you"

My wife and I have been walking every day now for about two weeks.  We decided to start for health reasons and it seems to be working. We are walking now three miles in the neighborhood. It is not a fast pace as we take almost an hour to make the trip.

I have never been a big fan of running and because I am now over 200 pounds it would be a killer on my sixty year old knees. When I am down to 190, I think I will start to jog and make it a faster pace.

She an I decided to find a 5 K walk in the area and set  that event as our goal.  I thought I'd let everyone know we are walking and see if anyone else will join with us. I'll let you know what 5K we find. We are in Athens, Georgia so if you know of one and want to make it an event please add your comments.

On a separate note:

       I am planning on meeting the owner of some property that would be a possible location of the modular home plant I have spoken about earlier. As I mentioned before I believe it is the future of housing.  I wan to give it a good try to get a plant up and running and selling homes.  I ideas are welcomed!

See you in the neighborhood as we walk!!

(The title is a quote from a movie, do you know the name of it? )

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Education for today's children...Cost and Government's failure

It is always  easy to blame the Government for public school failures, but if we look in the mirror we'll see the real reason we are failing our children.  We first set around when President Carter, a liberal religious fanatic, established the Education department.

Of course from his small perspective of Plains, Georgia he grew up believing that  the best way to fix anything is to give it to the government. You can see this was a failed program and it would take a strong President to un-fund and not appoint a Cabinet position. The problem with this is we now have federal bureaucrats telling local schools how to educate and even feed our children. Of course the Agriculture Department dictates the  food diet for our children now. Watch the new TV show, Jamie's Food Revolution and you'll see how ridiculousness the bureaucracy has made the lunch hour.

Further problems  have been created by consolidating the schools into larger schools.  This was another 60's brain child, ...economies of scale.  It did create a new level of managers and with larger schools, now small cities, it has created disciplinary problems that needed to be solved by School Police forces.

Let's see what else can we easily identify as a problem with the large area schools, oh yea...busing.  This is a real joke.  Go to schools and see how many parent drive their children to school. Why?  The buses aren't safe  for the children because there is nor way for a driver...one person, to monitor the bus and drive.

So we see a large mass issue reflects unsafe environment for buses, school time in general, diet problems and a larger cost of management.  I haven't even mentioned the quality of the education.  In a word, it SUCKS.

This year we received a letter form the Clarke County School board that told us the school where our son (my step son)  goes to school has not performed to the level of "the no child left behind program."  This program worked well in Texas so President Bush moved it to the national level...Wrong move!!!  Keep it local.  The  liberals got their hands on the program...Teddy Kennedy (remember him, letting the young female aid die in his car at Chappiqudic and he never went to court Kennedy)  this assured it would get passed, but the value of the program was lost.  Remember to keep it local and eliminate the National bureaucracy.

Well ,we got the letter and it told us we could take our son to any other middle school in the county, this according to the Federal law. BUT all the other schools had also failed!!!  Let me say that again, all the other middle schools, four in total, have failed as well.   I felt terrible.

I married my wife, planning on taking care of her and her son and I can't find him a decent school.  The only answer was to see if I could get him into a private school that has a way to help poor families. I say poor because that is where I am. POOR.  I was making a strong salary when the company that wanted me to manage this office, Palm Harbor Homes, but after sales continued to disappear because of the economy, I was moved to a sale person. I was actually making less on their salary that I receive now from Unemployment.

Needless to say we were fortunate to get Josh into the Athens Academy, but we still had to come up with $4700 for the year. I believed I could do that in a year as I believed work would turn around.  Today I am owed $6500 in consulting fees from a non profit I have been helping for a year and a half and I am still expecting to start the construction ASAP.  But I have heard that for a year.  If I don't get the funds to AA by April 30, Josh may not show up in school on May 1st.  

This has been a tough year. The last  eight have been tough financially. I wish God would tell me what I am missing or doing wrong.

I have digressed from the education issue.  The poor education in this county, the very county that houses the flag ship of Colleges in the State, UGA; has driven us to a private school and we are on the hook for more money.  Hey if you're reading this, send money!!  :-)

Mother and her passing

My children lost both of their Grand Mothers in a two week period. Their mother's mother passed the first week of February of colon cancer, after a long period of  suffering.  My mother passed February 19 and I was there. I learned from my daughter that it is OK to tell your dieing family member that it is alright to go, so they don't worry about you being alright on your own.  I did that and about an hour my Mother left. When she was dieing she looked like no one I ever knew. I guess our death changes us as we decide to move on to the next world.

I know both of those ladies are in heaven. They worked tirelessly for their families. My Mother raised five children and I don't know how she maintained her sanity. She was a saint to deal with five children and her husband. I know I am a handful for my my wife and we only have one boy, hers.  I have raised two children on my own and they kept me running all the time. God bless you Mother. As I continue this blog, I am sure I'll have stories to share of my antics as a boy.

At her funeral I spoke of a song I sang as a boy in the church choir on Mother's day. I had one letter to sing and I was very excited and nervous to sing my letter. As my part was coming up, I looked up from the song sheet and saw my mother in the second row crying.  There are not many things that make me cry but seeing her cry made my eyes well up and I couldn't see the song sheet. To this day I don't even remember if I got my letter out.  The song was written by a man in WWI;

This is the poem: MOTHER

M is for the million things she gave me,

O means that she's only growing old,

T is for the tears she shed to save me,

H is for her heart of pure gold,

E is for her eyes of love sweet shining and

 R means right and right she'll always be,

put them all together  they spell MOTHER 

 a word that means the world to me.

I will always miss our early morning coffees!

It's been weeks since my last blog...My Mother, my health, my family and the car

I know it has been weeks since I last made any comments and for that I apologize because I really want to make this a habit. Not for  you the reader, but for me. I want to type better and I want to be a better writer.  If you actually read this, thanks.

My wife Kristy went out to her folks in OK a month ago. She and her brother drove to Wagner OK. She was there for 8 days and came home a day early. While she was there she told me she was having fun meeting her parents and other family. It sounded like she was having a great time.

She didn't know that I was having one of my worst colds in a years. I was taking a medication that had an exporate in it and it was making me cough uncontrollably. It was terrible and when she would call I would keep it together and usually listen, but later in the week she started hearing me cough. I knew she would come home early if she thought I was sick and sure enough she decided to come home a day early.

All this week I had been taking care of Josh, her son, my step son and was doing OK remembering all the little things she does for him. The Friday when she had decided to come home I called her after dropping Josh off at school just to see where she was.  A few minutes after that call I received a call from my sister who informed me that out Mother had had a stroke and was not expected to live.

Being alone was an odd feeling to take this news, especially when you are used to having a family. I told her I would call our Dad and brothers, all of whom would be alone too. Except Geoff in Dallas. All of us took the news in stride. I double checked with Dad to make sure there was a DNR order in her living will.

The hospital told my sister and brother in law (Chuck)  that they did not feel it ethical to keep her on a machine and after telling my sister, Lori that I was sure there was a DNR order, she told the doctor to take her off. At least that was the sequence I thought happened, I believe in retrospect Lori told them to take her off on her own. This bothered her, but when she told me of it, I told her she did the right thing. It is a tough thing to do telling folks to let you parent die.

I should explain that Lori and Chuck had taken care of Mother for about a year as she had Alzheimer's disease and had fallen, thus breaking her leg. This did not allow her to stay in any senior homes, so Lori and Chuck took care of her.

I want to take a break here and write more tomorrow.