CN: Child illness, cancer, late-stage capitalism 84 days ago, we learned about my daughter’s brain tumor- a craniophryngioma- a very rare diagnosis. As of today, this diagnosis has cost $167,000+ dollars. At one hospital. Since diagnosis, we’ve been to four. She’s had four MRIs, two CAT scans, multiple endocrinology visits (with their attendant blood draws),… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Butt out Donald
Dear Donald, may I call you Donald? You don’t seem to mind getting familiar with people…just excuse me if I don’t get too close… You have an awful lot to say about an awful lot of things, not much of which makes sense, if I may say so. This last week you attended the NRA… Read More
Pastoral is Political: Who Will Pay?
Without subsidies, they will not be able to afford to keep him at home. His daughter shrugged and said that it will end up costing the government more to put him in a nursing home, because he has no financial resources. “What’s the sense in that?” she asks me. “If we keep him at home, it will cost one-third to a half of the monthly cost of a facility.”
I have no answers. Read More
Right to Remain Silent
We spent a lovely week in Colorado Springs with family for Thanksgiving. Friday morning, while we were sitting around in our pajamas playing bridge (I would have heeded REI’s call to “opt outside” if it had been warmer than 10 degrees) I started getting texts from concerned friends, asking if I was okay, wanting to… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Personal Health Condition
Since my last experience trying to phone my primary care doctor’s office and get a refill amounted to a series of voice mails left by me, which received no answer and led to no renewed prescription, I took the doctor’s advice and today registered for their Internet portal. I looked over my records online and… Read More