The Pastoral is Political: The Time Has Been Come

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

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