中山秀征が日テレで司会をするそうですね。私この人があまり好きでないんですけどいろんな局で司会等の仕事してますよね。狙ってるのは堺正章か関口宏の路線なので…

My nephew has horrible allergies and uses some expensive medicine. He lost his job around Christmas so he no longer is covered by insurance. His COBRA was just too expensive.

Anyway, the drug company is giving him a year of his medicine for free. If he still is not in a better position by the end of the year, they told him to reapply for it. He had 2 pills left when his year’s worth of medication came in the mail without any notice.

Ask him if he believes in a loving God. You will hear a resounding “yes”.

Hell, Ed, you have connections use them. Ask MM to tell Glenn Beck about this. Call your Rep/Senator and ask for a chance to address Congress. Sunlight /disinfectant.

Elderly man with an ear infection involving his middle ear due to a perforated ear drum (tympanic membrane)…

Unfortunately, the organism is aspergillus, a particular type of fungus which can be difficult to treat…

He cannot tolerate ear drops because of the perforated ear drum -> intense pain… If not treated – there would be concern of progression through the bone and infecting the brain…

Cosequently, we are left with oral or IV (intravenous) therapy – however the standard of care medication is not generic, a second line therapy can exacerbate his congestive heart failure…

Prolonged IV therapy available can increase risk of blood clot. The cheapest therapy (amphotericin) can increase his risk of kidney toxicity – he already has poor renal function. That leaves an alternative active drug – however also not generic…

Add to this that the patient currently is in the Medicare donut… Even if not – because the other FDA approved therapies – voriconazole & caspofungin – are not generic and are considered “Tier 4″ medications – I was told that Medicare wouldn’t cover these medications anyway…

Although he also is an AARP member – his added plan through them would not cover these drugs either. (We have heard where AARP stands with the current gov’t health care proposals…)

If not for Pfizer – that big bad evil pharmaceutical company – which has agreed to provide FREE drug for treatment through the end of the year (if needed) – he would be faced with up to $3000/month (or more) to pay for therapy out of pocket (to get through the donut) – which he cannot afford at this time.

For all politicians out there… fix this type of problem first – instead of reinventing the wheel – and screwing everyone with the currently proposed plan…

I am very fortunate that I have always had medical insurance through my employer(s) that has covered the vast majority of our expenses. But, even with that, I fear that The Worst President in American History cares little about Americans other than the wealthy and the healthy.

Testing

It isn’t going to matter a twit whether you have govn’t mandated insurance. However, you will be asked to pay for it. One by one the qualifications for treatment are going to limit and selectively disqualify many needing it. Only the very healthy between a given age group are going to find themselves covered for treatment and the meds needed to manage it.

An elderly friend is a Type II and was placed on meds – however, due to her age it’s doubtful she’d be in the approved group down the road for much help. What then? Yes, it was life-threatening because her blood pressure was off the chart. Then, this little thyroid problem surfaced..

She is doing much better these days but in the future?

Continued prayers for the First Mate and your family!

As a side note: you can function perfectly well with one kidney. I’ve never been more fit in my life.

I know someone who gave her 10 year old daughter her kidney. Both are doing great. But the daughter almost died before it was discovered that her kidneys never grew from the time of birth.

I have been an organ donor candidate ever since it was possible to place that designation on my driver’s license. I hope everyone has done so.

When my father was in dialysis, he was told by the nurses that folks rarely get a kidney (out of their pool of clients – in Detroit), folks just don’t want to donate. Everyone has family members from which they can test for a match, but I guess people aren’t that willing.

As a side note: you can function perfectly well with one kidney. I’ve never been more fit in my life.

I can envision diabetics being told to just modify their diets, lose some of that fat (that’s all their fault anyway according to ‘Bambi), get some exercise (thus, the reason for the fat, according to ‘Bambi) – and you’ll be fine sweety…meds, you don’t need no stinkin’ meds.

10% of the US population are diabetics. 95% of all diabetics are Type II. Type II can be controlled by diet, weight loss and exercise. In fact, Type II can disappear if a person gets better about their diet, exercise and weight.

It is Type I that cannot be helped signficantly by diet, weight and exercise. In fact, most Type I are very thin and don’t eat a lot of sweets and carbs. Type I is because the body will not create insulin. It is a body defect. Type I is the most deadly and actually is the very expensive diabetes.

Type II is not a body defect. The body will produce insulin, just not enough. Type II diabetics rarely are forced to take medication. It can be deadly if the patient just ignores the warnings, but it is hardly an expense to the US. If Type II want to live long, they just need to lose weight, watch their diet and get more exercise. Not so with Type I.

And yes, I am somewhat educated on diabetes because it is part of my business.

Please keep this in mind when you are Posting Stories on deaths and horrors of Government Run Medicine. (GRM)

I can envision diabetics being told to just modify their diets, lose some of that fat (that’s all their fault anyway according to ‘Bambi), get some exercise (thus, the reason for the fat, according to ‘Bambi) – and you’ll be fine sweety…meds, you don’t need no stinkin’ meds.

What about mental health issues? Will those specializing in that field also be subject to counceling of end of life issues?

You can take it to the bank, any highly objectionable issues that have been taken out will be slipped back in before the final signatures are dry.

To all whose loved ones have heroicly dealt with organ failures and are now facing government failures, my sincerest prayers for your safety in the years ahead.

Not exactly an encouraging sign of Government-Care to come: Government’s cutting off transplant meds is killing people and Congress has refused to address the problem…….

And I’m looking at the calendar now, and realizing that three years for us will come up in March 2010. Will my wife’s Medicare Advantage plan cover the meds? Since that’s going away in ObamaCare, it’s hard to think of that as a comforting thought.

My 23 yo Sarah is on year three of here new kidney. I’m thinking exactly the way you are Ed. What will change with the AR meds she has to take?