I hope Will Pitt's wife gets the help she needs.
Other than that, I'm glad I tuned in late to DU tonight.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Long story short, I was in ICU for 3 months following an emergency colon resection, after which I developed a MRSA infection, pneumonia and septicemia. Since I was unconscious most of the time, I was personally spared the mental anguish Will and his wife are undergoing, but my then 75 year-old aunt-- my only living relative and next-of-kin-- was not. Fortunately for me, my Aunt Norma was fearless, stubborn and ferociously determined to not stand idly by and watch me die. She and my physicians fought and won a heroic battle with both my insurance company and the hospital to see that I obtained the ONLY medications that might save my life. She NEVER gave up and, thanks be to God for blessing me with such a loving,'other mother', she won and I survived.
Aunt Norma, my doctors and the nurses eventually told me the story, and I want to point out something with which I'm sure Will would concur: it was NOT my doctors' decision to deny me the medicines I needed, nor did the hospital WANT TO deny them to me, but they HAD TO, in order to fulfill their 'contractual obligations' with my insurance company. The initial denial was 100% my insurance company's decision, made by some button sorters and bean counters whose job it was to take care of 'the bottom line'-- ensuring that decisions contributed to the company's profitability and payment of dividends to its shareholders.
No one should have the life or well-being held hostage by the almighty god of 'profit'! That decision belongs to the patient and his or her physician(s), period, end of sentence.
Way to go, Will! NEVER give up!
