Something wrong... ?? Maybe?
As most people who read my journal know, I'm an insulin dependent diabetic. I tried to get some insulin from my pharmacy in Oregon, but the prescription "expired" after a few months. This is because they want people to see a doctor every 3 months to keep their prescriptions going, and prescriptions aren't normally given for longer duration. I had a bottle left on my prescription, but I didn't fill it before it expired (cash issues) despite several attempts to do so.
Now I attempted to get my prescription refilled. The doctor simply didn't respond, and I don't have a prescription. As soon as I could, I ordered insulin from Canada rather than go through this process. NAFTA says that the US needs to allow imports, and the US companies overcharge Americans (insurance scam involved). The US drug companies appealed to the Bush administration, which decided in their infinite... wisdom... to simply seize all incoming shipments of prescriptions in violation of NAFTA, and likely the WTO. As a ... conciliatory plan... the Bush administration allowed the Canadian companies to import to the US (same brand, same package) but now they have a long delay and must use normal post mail. I have to wait 8-13 days shipping time for my insulin, which goes bad in the heat. They know this. The system moves to protect the system, not the people.
It gets better of course, as many tales of mine often do. Otherwise they don't become tales right? So I had issues with bank transfers and being double charged by an automated system. I had all of the money in the account before the double charge, after the double charge I had a negative balance before the insulin order went through. That was... stressful. I got the double charge rescinded after 8 hours on the phone. One particularly frustrating time was when I called the bank, entered my account info 3 times only to have the person ask me for it again, got sent to the wrong department, transfered to another automated system, entered my account information again, talk to a second person, give my account information again, validate my account again (I did it before they asked so they couldn't use the information I gave them - the law requires that the information to verify the account be a 'surprise'), then explain the situation as fast as possible (3 minutes, I got better at it) and then I'm told that the group I *actually* need to speak with closed at 10pm. It was 10:01pm.
At that point, I had no insulin going to arrive before I died. Scott used my magic Costco card to go buy the insulin I need. I wrote down the exact type, called and got the price, etc. This is an Over The Counter insulin because it sucks horribly. If it is bad, it is the same price but accessible! Anyway, I wrote down the exact name, and he tried to buy the wrong kind using information that was in his head and not at all on the piece of paper. He called thankfully, and the pharmacist gave him the right kind.
So now I have insulin to live. I take these shots at 8am, 4pm, 12am. I also take 3-5 hour insulin at meals, which are 8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm. I hug the wall in order to walk very feebly, at about half speed and I look like slow motion. I don't eat carbohydrates at any time other than emergencies or scheduled meals. I am supposed to sleep between 12am and 8am. Hard to do that with the massive amount of screaming from Arianna (age 3) about how she wants to stay up beyond 2am. Misty will only request she goes to bed, and lets her have her way when Arianna starts screaming. Reads her a story, more crying, then sometimes she sleeps. Then I can sleep. Sometimes. Now the appropriate way to do that: read her a story at 12am. If she isn't in bed by 12am, she misses her story and they (because of their other mistakes) should close the door and she should put herself to bed. It might be hard for a week, but I've seen studies about getting small kids to bed. Reasonable expectation for improvement: 2-3 days.
One thing about Arianna and myself. I ask her to do things, we clean the house together. She has fun and laughs. I give her firm guidelines and she follows them happily. She has never once screamed at me, never once threw a tantrum at me, never once argued with me. A few times, following the example of her family, she said things like "don't ever move my stool" when I was in the kitchen and needed to get to a cupboard while making people food. The stool is in there so she can climb up on the counters, eat food while people are cooking, etc. I told her immediately and in a matching tone, while making eye contact, "don't ever put it in the way." She looked away, and the battle of wills was over.
I could get a gun much faster, cheaper, and without so many restrictions. I could visit the customs office, the post office, the bank, the pharmacy and the doctor and still have time to spare before my insulin arrived. I think there is something wrong with this country. Maybe... ???? Why is medication necessary to life harder to get than the means to kill at a distance and easily?
Regarding recent "economic news" - Watch "Money Masters" on Google Video, I prefer the 2 part video since it has more info on the Czar of Russia and Lincoln. The only real news to me is that they waited over a year to announce it.
Now I attempted to get my prescription refilled. The doctor simply didn't respond, and I don't have a prescription. As soon as I could, I ordered insulin from Canada rather than go through this process. NAFTA says that the US needs to allow imports, and the US companies overcharge Americans (insurance scam involved). The US drug companies appealed to the Bush administration, which decided in their infinite... wisdom... to simply seize all incoming shipments of prescriptions in violation of NAFTA, and likely the WTO. As a ... conciliatory plan... the Bush administration allowed the Canadian companies to import to the US (same brand, same package) but now they have a long delay and must use normal post mail. I have to wait 8-13 days shipping time for my insulin, which goes bad in the heat. They know this. The system moves to protect the system, not the people.
It gets better of course, as many tales of mine often do. Otherwise they don't become tales right? So I had issues with bank transfers and being double charged by an automated system. I had all of the money in the account before the double charge, after the double charge I had a negative balance before the insulin order went through. That was... stressful. I got the double charge rescinded after 8 hours on the phone. One particularly frustrating time was when I called the bank, entered my account info 3 times only to have the person ask me for it again, got sent to the wrong department, transfered to another automated system, entered my account information again, talk to a second person, give my account information again, validate my account again (I did it before they asked so they couldn't use the information I gave them - the law requires that the information to verify the account be a 'surprise'), then explain the situation as fast as possible (3 minutes, I got better at it) and then I'm told that the group I *actually* need to speak with closed at 10pm. It was 10:01pm.
At that point, I had no insulin going to arrive before I died. Scott used my magic Costco card to go buy the insulin I need. I wrote down the exact type, called and got the price, etc. This is an Over The Counter insulin because it sucks horribly. If it is bad, it is the same price but accessible! Anyway, I wrote down the exact name, and he tried to buy the wrong kind using information that was in his head and not at all on the piece of paper. He called thankfully, and the pharmacist gave him the right kind.
So now I have insulin to live. I take these shots at 8am, 4pm, 12am. I also take 3-5 hour insulin at meals, which are 8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm. I hug the wall in order to walk very feebly, at about half speed and I look like slow motion. I don't eat carbohydrates at any time other than emergencies or scheduled meals. I am supposed to sleep between 12am and 8am. Hard to do that with the massive amount of screaming from Arianna (age 3) about how she wants to stay up beyond 2am. Misty will only request she goes to bed, and lets her have her way when Arianna starts screaming. Reads her a story, more crying, then sometimes she sleeps. Then I can sleep. Sometimes. Now the appropriate way to do that: read her a story at 12am. If she isn't in bed by 12am, she misses her story and they (because of their other mistakes) should close the door and she should put herself to bed. It might be hard for a week, but I've seen studies about getting small kids to bed. Reasonable expectation for improvement: 2-3 days.
One thing about Arianna and myself. I ask her to do things, we clean the house together. She has fun and laughs. I give her firm guidelines and she follows them happily. She has never once screamed at me, never once threw a tantrum at me, never once argued with me. A few times, following the example of her family, she said things like "don't ever move my stool" when I was in the kitchen and needed to get to a cupboard while making people food. The stool is in there so she can climb up on the counters, eat food while people are cooking, etc. I told her immediately and in a matching tone, while making eye contact, "don't ever put it in the way." She looked away, and the battle of wills was over.
I could get a gun much faster, cheaper, and without so many restrictions. I could visit the customs office, the post office, the bank, the pharmacy and the doctor and still have time to spare before my insulin arrived. I think there is something wrong with this country. Maybe... ???? Why is medication necessary to life harder to get than the means to kill at a distance and easily?
Regarding recent "economic news" - Watch "Money Masters" on Google Video, I prefer the 2 part video since it has more info on the Czar of Russia and Lincoln. The only real news to me is that they waited over a year to announce it.