Cancer, Senior Care and Nursing Homes

On July 4, I left on my trip to California and left my sister in charge of mom and her health issues. When I left, we knew she would be going to a nursing home, but we didn't know when or which one. So as I'm winding through the mountains in Arizona and California, my sister is winding hr way through the paperwork needed to get my mother placed in a nursing home.

My mom has nothing but her Social Security check, so the paperwork does simplify when “poor”. But that wasn't the hardest part. That was finding a nursing home.

Senior living, assisted living and nursing homes have all sorts of acronyms on who they will take. The best ones are “private pay”--they don't take Medicare or Medicaid patients so they pick and choose who they take and how much work there will be. They are usually better staffed(but not necessarily so) because they charge the insurance companies and patients. This is the type of situations that Long Term Insurance pay and also any and all finances that the senior may have. We didn't bother looking into these nursing homes.

I even knew the nursing homes on the NFW! list(No F*&%!ng Way), there are many of them in Joliet as well as other towns. These are the ones that normally are largely state subsidized and have a minimal level of care. They are usually underfunded and under staffed, we've probably all heard the horror stories of these.

And then there are the ones in the middle, like the nursing home attached to St. Joe's Hospital which my mother was at. Now, this one requires you to make an appointment, 24 hours in advance to check it out, will only allow you at certain hours without an appointment—not when you want to come, not something you want to hear when trying to place your mother! Before my sister actually made an appointment, she found out some other information from people who had family at this nursing home and said not interested.

So....there's Lakewood in Plainfield. Our great uncle had been placed there in the 90's and it seemed to be a decent place. Sister went and interviewed, toured the place, submitted request through there and Medicare/Medicaid and mom was no longer homeless. Due to the constraints on Medicare, she could not keep her apartment and get placed in a nursing home. Also, the nursing home receives all but $30 of her Social Security check to pay for the nursing home which doesn't leave much for her living expenses so if she is released from nursing care, we have to find her another place to live.

Lakewood, is ok. Just ok. Although the staff is good, and attentive, there aren't enough of them. This means that patients might have to wait. It also means that sometimes the midnight staff wake my mom up at 5 or 5:30 a.m. to take a bath cuz they have to get 6 rooms cleaned before the day shift comes in. What do the patients then do? Sit around until breakfast gets there at 7:30 or 8...in other words, not much! This is the nature of the “beast”. That and because my mother is on the “medicare” ward, that means they are only receiving about $1100 a month to care for her(that's about what she received from Social Security—I don't know what type of reimbursement they receive from the state and federal gov't.), there are limited beds and she gets moved around a lot...what's a lot? She was placed there the second week in July and has been moved 4 times.

Because of some of these shortcomings, we try to make sure that one of us is with her during the day, we can make sure she's cared for, she gets her meds on time(which can sometimes be a problem due to the nurses are also responsible for the intake interviews of new patients instead of having other staff handle the paperwork) and that if she's uncomfortable, we can hurry things along.

Then there is also transportation to her chemo and radiation appointments. That is done by an ambulance company in the area and usually she gets the medvan—this can be used with her wheel chair rather than the full blown ambulance. But this costs her about $65 per ride...and she has one appointment for chemo weekly and 5 for radiation...$30 a month for expenses just doesn't go too far, does it? We think we've got it covered now under the Medi-plans, but not certain.

“Growing old ain't for sissies”...or those that have no family or friends to fight the health care system.

19 minutes to live...

I'm being overly dramatic. Its 19 minutes before midnight...and at midnight, I cannot eat or drink any more because I'm having knee replacement surgery in the morning. I have to be at the hospital before 7:30a.m. for a 9:30 a.m. surgery.

Last week, we went to a "total joint replacement" class at the hospital. It spoke about what we should expect(like being made to walk on the same day as the surgery), discussion about the 2 types of meds people would be on(cumodin or Lovenox--both have good and bad things about them, I will be on lovenox which means I may need to learn how to give myself injections) and some excercises that I will be expected to do while in bed.

I am taking my laptop--as I did the last time I was in the hospital, since the hospital does have wi-fi. The biggest issue is after the hospital stay, I will be going into rehab for a week--and the rehab doesn't have wi-fi!!!  I'm not dead or anything!

So, that's my news for this week. I'm hoping that with this procedure, I'll be able to get back to walking and bicycling again and get rid of some of this extra weight I've been carrying around!

Republicans never made it out of Toddler stage

Since President Obama took office, the republicons made a determination that they would vote no on any legislation placed in front of them during session. This includes any bills that were sponsored by republicons in the past, such as the bill that gave tax breaks to small businesses(jobs bill), would open up loans to small businesses by giving local banks access to funds(unlike Bush's TARP bill which only helped large global banks). But many bills that assist middle and working class, besides veterans have been dashed and then the 'cons go on TV, screaming about "the deficit" or how the Dems are a "do-nothing congress". Well, lets see about the Dem's bills:

Senator Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill - Makes it so that women raped overseas while working for foreign contractors have the right to have their case heard in an American court instead of having their case mediated by the company they work for.Only Republican men voted against this, but it passed. So, rape is just fine as long as XE(Blackwater renamed), Haliburton and other republicon contributors aren't affected by silly little laws.

Benefits for Homeless Veterans- Would have expanded benefits to homeless veterans and homeless veterans with children. Republicans blocked this. Well, these cannon fodders made it back--and we're supposed to support them NOW?!?!!?  Just cuz they fought a way for this country???? How silly.

Health Care- Prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you on the basis of "pre-existing conditions". Requires that insurance companies spend 85 cents of every dollar that you pay on your actual health care. Limits health insurance companies profit margins.Republicans blocked this for months before it finally passed. Oh, I know, I know--its just horrible that this bill addresses the doughnut hole that insurers have been raping seniors since the republicons kept that bill open until 3 a.m. to get enough votes, addresses Medicare fraud and republicon friends and contributors will have to be legal to get funds...and this also keeps Medicare solvent for an extra 9 years, without changing any other laws, but its horrible that Americans will have to have health insurance like every other industrialized nation.

Health Care for the 9/11 First Responders who got sick from being at Ground Zero- Would provide billions of dollars in health care to help the 9/11 First Responders who were at Ground Zero on 9/11 and are now sick because of it. Republicans blocked this. You know, its ok to use the 9/11 first responders to keep people scared enough to vote against their best interest....and vote republicon--be skeered! be skeered! Vote us in so we can bomb the rest of the world(and line our pockets with millions while doing it).

The Jobs Bill- Offsets the payroll tax for 1 year for companies that higher new employees, or people receiving unemployment insurance. Also gives other tax incentives to companies hiring new employees. Republicans attempted to block this. Its a bad idea to give tax incentives to hire people....the middle class may come back and we need them poor and stupid!!!!

Small business lending bill- would give LOCAL, community banks access to billions of dollars to loan to small businesses. Republicans blocked this.

Financial reform- Puts stricter regulations on the banks, preventing them from becoming "too big to fail". Curbs reckless spending practices that caused the banking crisis. Republicans attempted to block this.
Why should we regulate banks? They've been doing just fine and if we make them pay attention to laws(like the rest of us have to), they might not be able to line our campaign funds as much! It would be horrible if our banksters didn't make 400 times as much as their employees, unlike other industrialized countries(think Europe, Japan) whose CEO's only make....oh.....40 times what the employees make.

Stimulus Bill- Pumped billions of dollars into state and local Governments to prevent us from sinking into a second Great Depression. Republicans opposed this but now want to take credit for the parts of it that we know are successful.

Oil Spill Liability- Raises the liability on what companies can be made to pay to clean up after an oil spill. Republicans blocked this. Cuz, why again would we want to hold Oil companies liable for their poor performance? Their bad decisions?

Political Ad disclosure bill- Would have required all donors to political campaigns to reveal themselves. Republicans blocked this. Again, why would we want the public to know who is funding the negative ads? I don't think it'd make too much of a difference, because Americans, in general, don't actually research the lies, but it'd still be nice for us thinking people to know where the money's coming from and, it would be up-front--what's wrong with being honest? Oh. yeah. That'd mean when The Chamber of Commerce or one of Rove's or Army's fronts, they'd have to admit their lies.

Immigration- Republican suggested comprehensive immigration reform until Obama supported it. Now they're rabidly opposed to it and even voted against their own legislation. Republicans blocked this. Remember, King Ronnie was the amnesty giant...and he also changed the laws to make it easier for businesses not to be charged with hiring undocumented workers.

Unemployment Extension- Would provide additional aid to the millions of Americans still on unemployment who are just trying to support themselves and their familes. Republicans blocked this bill for 8 weeks before it finally passed. Republicans blocked this for 8 weeks before it finally passed.

This is just horrendous that people feel its ok to let others lose so much due to the Bush Recession--and the business deals that allowed CA. candidate Fiorina and MI candidate Snyder to outsource tens of thousands of hi-tech American jobs to China.

Fair Pay Act of 2009- Also called the Lily Ledbetter bill. Requires that women receive equal compensation to men for doing the same work. Republicans attempted to block this.

So, the next time someone tells you that the Republicans care about the American people, give them this list of all the bills Republicans voted against, most of which assist middle class -- and we're the ones that have been hurt the most.

http://www.facebook.com/republicansareidiots

How Seniors benefit from the New Health Care Law

From the Ohio Alliance for Retired Amercians:

As the above says, this is how that evul health care plan is going to hurt seniors....

Reduces drug costs by phasing out Shrub's doughnut hole:
Provides a $250 rebate in 2010 for seniors who fall in donut hole. Next year, seniors receive a 50% discount on perscription drugs when stuck in donut hole and by 2020, it will be eliminated.

Covers Preventive Services:
Next year, seniors who participate in Medicare will receive annual check ups. This law also eliminates co-pays/cost-sharing for mammograms, colonoscopies and other preventive screenings.

Supports Early Retiree Coverage:
Provides financial assistance to employer helath plans that cover early retirees, bringing down health costs and premiums by as much as $1200 per family, per year in some plans.

Encourages Doctors to coordinate care and improve quality:
Creates incentives for providers to work together to better serve patients and reduce wasteful care like repeated tests.

Removes Obstacles to Changing Part D Plan:
Allows Part D enrollees to make a mid-year change in their enrollment if current plan unexpectedly changes the plan and makes them pay a higher cost in perscriptions.

Significantly lowers Cost for Struggling Seniors:
Expands the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy, which will dramatically help struggling seniors afford their health care costs.

Enacts CLASS Act creating a anew option for long-term assistance for seniors and the disabled:
Creates a new, voluntary self-insured insurance program to help families pay for the costs of long-term supports and services if a loved one develops a disability. Also creates new options for states to provide home and community based services in Medicaid, enabling more people with disabilities to access long-term services in the setting in which they choose.

Enacts the Elder Justice Act:
Authorizes new criminal background checks on long-term care workers who have access to residents or patients and requires greater transparency of nursing homes, including public disclosure of the entities that own, govern, operate and profit from nursing homes. The law also requires better information about the quality of nursing care and improves complaint process.

Saves Medicare funds:
By eliminating wasteful over-payments to Medicare Advantage p[lans and by creating new incentives for coordinated high quality care across the health care spectrum, the law extends the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by 9 years and improves Medicare for generations to come.

Just Say No doesn't work for sex either.

During our dark ages, aka Geedubya term, teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseasess increased dramatically under Bush's evangically motivated education policy according to the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control released a report, stating that after years of falling rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease infections under the Bush I, Clinton administrations was reversed or stalled in the Bush years. According to the CDC, birth rates among teenagers aged 15 or older that had been decllining since 1991 have jumped sharply in more than half of American states since 2005. The study also revealed that syphilis has increased by nearly 50% in teenage females after a significant decrease and a 20 year fall in the gonorrhea infection rate has also risen. Aids cases in teen boys has nearly doubled.

The CDC also shows that southern states, where the emphasis on abstinence and religion is much greater, also have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and STDs. In addition, the younger group (10 - 14 year olds) reported about 16,000 pregnancies in 2004 and a corresponding number of young people in this age group reported an STD; again with a much higher degree in the southern states.

OK, so what does this mean? The supporters of abstinence-based sex ed(just say no to sex) have decided that even tho the states with more evangelical leaning have a much higher level of teen pregnancies, even tho the schools that only teach abstinence-based have the higher level of teen STDs, even tho all research has shown that teens that know about birth control and STDs and have an easier access to birth control have higher sense of control over their bodies and actually have less sex, what do these ABS supporters say? Its the evil libruls:

Kristi Hamrick, a spokeswoman for American Values, which describes itself as a supporter of traditional marriage and "against liberal education and cultural forces", said the abstinence message is overwhelmed by a culture obsessed with sex.

"It is ridiculous to say that a program we nominally invest in has failed when it fails to overcome the most sexualised culture in world history. Education that emphasises abstinence as the best option for teens makes up a minuscule part of overall sex education in the United States," she said.

Only problem with Ms. Hamrick's alleged reasoning? Europe has a much lower teen pregnancy rate--and they also have a much lower evangelical takeover of the schools. In most schools in Europe, Canada, teens do not get pregnant at the rate of American teens...and they live their life without evangelical mythology....seems like a plan to me, realistic, intelligent learning, rathen than God is gonna punish you!