tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post148265608441442614..comments2024-03-10T11:29:12.088-07:00Comments on Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness: The Hunger Strike That Wasn'tAdvocacy for Patientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05587406553911123626noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post-78578668059800533402011-04-30T17:54:45.560-07:002011-04-30T17:54:45.560-07:00The thing is - our brightest and best Advocate was...The thing is - our brightest and best Advocate was about to embark on a HUNGER STRIKE to do something HUGE to get some awareness. We are preaching to the choir with each other. Jennifer cannot take a radical stance like a hunger strike or it will kill her faster than her illnesses will. IDEAS for LARGE NEON GONZO ON ALL NEWS RADAR is what she needs our help with. Money to sustain her organization more than she herself can continue to do. She is fried on fund-raising and running a business, while giving LOVE, mad skills and energy to a case load that would keep a 10 person law partnership busy. She is running on FUMES, folks. IDEAS to MAKE BOLD BIG PR STATEMENTS TO HIGHLIGHT THE PLIGHT OF THE CHRONIC PATIENTS required NOW! We are sick, but we are smart and from all walks of life. Generate ideas we can build a buzz upon so Jennifer does not have to resort to a Hunger Strike. Or ... someone healthy can surrogate her idea and live to tell our stories. A Mike Moore type documentary of the Chronically Ill Battle for Health Care that makes it into all the theaters would be really cool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post-28007209448141407822011-04-29T12:47:49.644-07:002011-04-29T12:47:49.644-07:00My husband has Crohns Disease as well as a few oth...My husband has Crohns Disease as well as a few other chronic illnesses. On Tuesday night he was in such a flare that he could not make it to the toilet. It is heart breaking to see him so sick.<br />It took us over a year and 4 Dr.s to get him approved for his double dose of Cimzia. They finally approved it in February. His health insurance company is now giving him the run around for his next prescription.<br />He has been on every other available medication and at this time there is nothing left.<br />The insurance companies (health and disability) make us feel as if we are hostages to their constant antics.<br />These illnesses are real. What is wrong with our society that we do not take care of the ill?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post-70555452415746856472011-04-29T06:07:30.910-07:002011-04-29T06:07:30.910-07:00Great thoughts, and I too feel the pain for the ch...Great thoughts, and I too feel the pain for the chronically ill. - SASAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post-67424865378672199002011-04-29T06:07:04.994-07:002011-04-29T06:07:04.994-07:00I don't think people get it until it hits home...I don't think people get it until it hits home--either to themselves or to a close friend or relative. There are--what?--50M Americans without health insurance, and still we have the highest per capita health care costs and rank 40th or 50th in outcomes such as infant mortality and life expectancy. As the economy deteriorates and more people lose their insurance or get kicked off their existing insurance policy, it will affect more and more people. But by then we'll be broke and only the wealthy 1% or 10% will be able to afford any kind of care.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6909222850906563288.post-25816470410599511832011-04-29T05:26:36.662-07:002011-04-29T05:26:36.662-07:00My heart aches Jennifer. For you, for them, for u...My heart aches Jennifer. For you, for them, for us. xoxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com