Tuesday, February 5, 2008

This makes me CRABBY.......

Though I am very grateful for the health care profession in America.

It also makes me crabby.

Yesterday our Pastor went to go get his full results of a PET/CT scan and surgery schedule date from the surgeon he has been sent to. He's been seeing an Oncologist.

I know I asked for prayer for him last week without going into great details but because we know more I will venture out a bit more now in the details.

Pastor Steve has been told that he has a "tumor" and that it is "Co-rectal Cancer."
He must have this tumor surgically removed. He is nearly 3 pints low in blood at this point as well.

This is sad news because we love him.....but we are trusting God with them through this process.

The good thing is that Steve's spirit is in very good shape and he's kept his great sense of "humor" which is a very strong point of his.

Yesterday he went to the Surgeon at one of the local hospitals and they wouldn't allow him to see the Dr. Even if they paid for the visit. They only deal with insurance.
Amazing isn't it?

Long story short....he and his wife do not have health insurace. The church we attend is small and there isn't any way for them to afford a policy for themselves. No day is really ever a "good day to be crabby"......but this issue is and has been a frustrating thing to me over the years. I have seen how humbling it can be because you feel "second rate" when you have to say....."I don't have insurance."

I know this only because we had two different gap times in our marriage when we were not covered by a health insurance plan. It wasn't the end of the world for us.

But it is harder for some than for others........especially when a person may come down with a major illness....I just can't imagine how badly they must feel. They didn't do anything wrong. There isn't a crime in not having health insurance, yet you are made to feel that way.
I know I was more than once when we didn't have it.

We are very BLESSED to have it right now at this point in our lives. In the times we didn't have it though...... somehow GOD always worked things out for us. I mean "miraclously." And I feel this will happen for Pastor Steve as well.

So I have GREAT compassion on those who haven't any health insurance.
I know that they go through things......

Such as the time recently when "Ms. Mary" at Isabella's Closet went through when her ear drum burst and she had a jaw infection and all these things were happening to her right around Christmas and she didn't go to the Dr. right away because she didn't have health insurance. She ended up going to the Emergency Room. Going to the "E.R." isn't cheap, especially when you DO not have health insurance.

People in these hard places, try to "ride out the storm" because they can't afford the Dr.'s and the drugs and the treatments.

Please pray for Pastor Steve and his wife. They are trying to get him ran through the local "Charity" hospital which is currently ran by LSU so it should be good health care provided there. He's not afraid nor is he against doing this.

Besides he works with the "needy and the homeless and the down and out" every week.
Steve and his wife run a huge "food bank" ministry here in town and are very well known and respected because of their big hearts.

It's just that "time" right now is the essance because of the point he is at.
And we aren't sure "when" he can be seen.

America really needs a revolution in the health care field.

I say this in a nice way. Because I still think we have one of the GREATEST most advanced health care systems in the world.

However...

I have said all of this on behalf of all those "tax paying citizens" that STILL can't afford health care on their own because it's gotten so DASTARDLY expensive that they can't possibly afford it.

Even though I have good health insurance..I know people can mess things up.

Doctors aren't God and they are "practicing medicine" aren't they?

I can say this because I myself have to go see Dr.s on a pretty constant basis.
They have to moniter me pretty regular, do blood tests, etc. because of the injections I must administer to myself weekly. In fact I'm back off to my "Specialist" this week even. It is time for my regular visit. It's okay though......I'm in very good shape I feel. Things could be far worse and I know that.
Actually I am one VERY grateful person.

I just still always feel badly for all those people with the problem of no means of health care and there really are more of "them" out there than you can imagine.

Please forgive any spelling or mistakes I've made.......Blogger isn't working as of late and I am very dependent on it to correct me.

Just like I am dependent on my Heavenly Father to "heal me, correct me or just help me" when I need it and in ALL areas of my life.
Believe me.....I am more reliant on God than I am the health care arena.

9 comments:

a Pocket Angel said...

Joyce, I am so very sorry to read about your Pastor. He will be in my prayers. How sad...
I understand how upset you are about our health care system.
By voting for the right person in this upcoming presidential election we may be able to change things. I hope :-}
God bless you for caring so much ~Mary~

Jan Parrish said...

I will keep him in my prayers. Thanks for stopping over my place. Blessings.

SweetAnnee said...

oh..I need to read THIS again..
My brain is fuzzy
..

I AM praying ...and I KNOW
how expensive it is..catastrophic

lovingly, Deena

SweetAnnee said...

I read it again..and I pray your Pastor get into the hosptial ran by LSU

I asked my hubby the other day
when we saw how much each
treatment was going to be

WHAT do people who don't have insurance do?
do they just die??

tis something we as a Nation NEED to work on..
without compromising the quality of our health care system

Praying hard and willing to give a lil for his care..if a fund is set up..
fondly, Deena

Joyce said...

Deena,
You are WAY too sweet!!!
Thanks for your kind offer....we are just waiting to see what is going to happen...so far the other Dr.'s haven't charged him. He is going to the Charity hospital on Monday at 7:30am....I just got off the phone with his wife and they are just praying for the best!

Shari said...

So sorry for the sad news about your pastor. I've known people who need to find medical help. If you call enough phone numbers and agencies you can usually find some help. Someone, somewhere - knows how to get the help. This is what I know about prescriptions: You can get 360 of the popular prescriptions for $4 each at Walmart. And everyone qualifies. My parents do this, and they even have insurance. It really works. Here is the link http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=546834&fromPageCatId=5431

Shari said...

OK. That link didn't work right. Just go to www.walmart.com and click on the word Prescriptions at the top, if you are interested.

Joyce - I'm Tagging You for 13 Things That I Have Done That Are Pretty Awesome
http://www.onwardchristianwoman.blogspot.com/

Charlotte said...

After reading your posting today I decided you needed a special blessing. I was tagged by Ginger at Enchanting Cottage for a blessing and I'm passing the blessing on to you. You can read about it on my post for today.
Many many blessings to you.

Alice said...

I will keep your Pastor in my prayers. I'll also pray that our country's leaders will see fit to help provide for the health care of our citizens. It isn't fair that someone who steals a car and can't afford an attorney will get one at government expense while people fighting for their lives in illness must wait for proper care.