The Practical Paraplegic

“The health care systems in those countries work and the people we talked with are very satisfied.” — Evan Bell outside the Icardo Center

Congressman McCarthy’s Town Hall Meeting, August 26.

by Sofiea Clerico

Wednesday: Senator Ted Kennedy has left us. He will be sorely missed by many. His efforts to get quality health-care for all U. S. citizens was needed. He contribued considerable bargaining skills to the Senate, and was the most effective Senator we’ve ever had.

It is my hope Congressman Kevin McCarthy will open his health-care town hall this evening with a few words honoring Senator Kennedy’s lifetime of public service He worked hard to give us The American Disabilities Act, for which we, the disabled, are grateful.

He has earned his rest. God bless Senator Kennedy.

by Sofiea Clerico
Tuesday afternoon. Today I telephoned Senator Diane Feinstein’s office in Fresno, California  to register my opinion on health care. This time I got a machine. Again I stated I wanted the Senator to know I back one-payer insurance but would accept the public option.

Then I called Barbara Boxer at her Fresno office. A lovely young woman who identified herself as Bobbie answered the phone. I passed along my “want one-payer but will settle for public option” message. They both had easy-to read websites and the phone number was easy to read on the site.

From now on I intend to be quick to register my opinion, especially on this matter. Now I can claim I’m a good American who stays up on current events and speaks out when an issue hits close to home.

P. S. Receiving scary e-mails? Read this from Politifact.

by Sofiea Clerico

On Monday morning (August 24) I took my own advice to call U. S. Representative Kevin McCarthy at his local office. A pleasant sounnding young woman took the call. I briefly told her I wouldn’t be able to attend the Congressman’s public event slated for Wednesday evening.

However, I wanted him to know I am strongly in favor of one-payer health care, but would settle for the public option. She didn’t ask, but I gave her my age and explained that while I am elderly … was certain the health-care bill would not disturb my Medicare.

She asked for the spelling of my last name, thanked me and said good-bye. She sounded rushed throughout the conversation. I am sure she was.  Best to write out your remarks in advance.

To get the Congressman’s number I called information (with certain disabilities, this can be free. Check with the phone company). When I tried his website, I had considerable difficulty reading it. (Whille I am elderly, I still possess 20/40 vision.)

The website was created with white lettering on a blue background in too-small type. Even with my glasses on, I couldn’t see anything on the first page which appeared to be a telephone number. This was disappointing.

Also, I was a little disappointed she did not assure me Congressman McCarthy would be informed of my call. It left me with a good feeling that at least someone at the Congressman’s office knows I am in favor of changing the public health care system.

Almost any disabled person has learned of the the shortcomings of the present system. As a frequent patient in the hospital or at my physician’s office I know costs are rising and the people paid to care for me have more to do and less time to do it in.

If we all had one-payer health insurance, we would need only go to the doctor’s office or the health clinic, present our card and see the doctor or other health professional. Everyone would be treated the same as everyone would have the same insurance. Your doctor would no longer have to haggle with the insurance company to get permission to do a particular procedure.

With one-payer, about 30 percent of the cost of health insurance would be eliminated. The insurance clerk would no longer have to determine which type of insurance you have with which insurance company. This alone would be worth a huge amount of time and money.

Once the health-care system was acting in a illness-prevention system as well as a place to go for help when you were ill or injured, costs would drop radically. For example, think of the growing prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes, which can be prevented through a regimen of healthy eating and regular exercise. This would be a huge savings to the system.

With certain directives to avoid duplication of tests we could save even more. We could have a health system which would be as easy and efficient as any in the modern world.

Our system must be changed now! The more we wait, the more it will cost.

One last question: Do I trust the government to provide excellent health care? Answer: Yes, I do. I trust government much more than I trust the insurance companies, whether they are for-profit or not. Medicare has taken excellent care of me for 38 years. I’ve had Medi-Cal (Medicaid) for 10 years. My brother endured a long battle with cancer. He found the service given him by the Veteran’s Administration to be first-rate.

Medicare covers approximately 55 percvent of the total amount of money spent on health care now. You choose the doctor you want, the hospital or whatever other service required. Medicare pays for your choice.  The rules and regulations are sent to you every year in a booklet which is easy to read and understand. In fact, all publications should be this user-friendly.

Medicaid is subject to the political whims of the state, which are not as reliable year-to-year as is Medicare  or other program run by the federal government.

The federal government has a proven track record with health care. They can deliver excellent care without forcing anyone to do anything.

by Sofiea Clerico

Recent events have caused me to think long and hard about the plight of the disabled. We now find ourselves in a country which is clearly showing hostility to the poor.

Far-right propaganda forces such as Fox News and Rush Limbaugh keep telling us the poor deserve their fate.

It appears they have never fought poverty from a wheelchair. The whole world is stacked against you. Other severe disabling conditions have the same repercussions. People suffering severe disability run into one roadblock after another.

Until recently our state government (California) showed us some compassion. We could be productive individuals within the boundaries of our disability.

The help we received from the state at least kept us from being a complete liability to our families and loved ones.

Certain political forces have worked against us. As I see it, the Republicans (allegedly inspired by the infamous Grover Norquist) want little or no help to go to the severely or catastrophically disabled. Or to our schools.

To battle back, we need to make some phone calls. Or many phone calls. We, the disabled, and those who care for us must do the same.

Let your voice be heard! What your state assembly person or state senator doesn’t know can hurt you.

Look up your state assembly person or state senator by name online and give them a phone call soon!

If we pull together, we can overcome these bad times.

Send e-mails, send postcards, send letters, make telephone calls to your legislators. .

Let them know in the halls of power that we are here, we vote and we remember what is being done to us.

The service dog program has worked out well for clients of the Christopher Reeve center. Orginally started with the hope of solving mobility issues. It was learned it can also help with rebuilding emotional and social links for the disabled. READ MORE

VA clients have the best system in the United States, according to several sources. Glad to know there is good health care somewhere in the U. S. “Doctors say VA care is a model of efficiency” from MPR News, states, “Minneapolis — One argument against a public insurance option in the current debate over health care is that government typically isn’t as efficient or proficient as the private sector. But some say that the Department of Veteran Affairs medical care is actually an excellent example of how the government is leading on health care quality and cost.”

Recently, I discovered the pain I struggle with as a T-4 SCI is often similar to fibromyalgia. Since then I’ve been reading all I can on this condition. Found this in an excellent article recently:
“Those of us who have fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) are all in this together, right? No one else really understands what we go through, and I truly believe that the best thing we can do is learn from each other.

That’s why it really bothers me when I see someone with FMS or ME/CFS take a defensive attitude toward other people with it. I see it most when someone who’s severely disabled starts to question whether someone not as badly disabled really has the condition. I’ve seen biting comments like, “I certainly can’t do all those things! Are you sure you have FMS?” or “If you’re not bedridden, I don’t think you really have ME/CFS.”  READ MORE

Paraplegia brings a lack of exercise in many cases. Lack of exercise leads to weight gain and that to diabetes. Personal experience brought me to an awareness of the dangers. — Sofiea Clerico

U.S. News and World Report says, “Exploring Misconceptions About Diabetes” When given a new diagnosis of diabetes, a person can have a hard time deciphering fact from fiction in terms of the best ways to handle the condition. Whether about which foods are OK to eat or which medications are appropriate for diabetes treatment, conflicting advice can make getting a handle on diabetes overwhelming. READ MORE

It’s a chilling thought. In the coming year, 130,000 people worldwide will suffer spinal-cord injuries—in a car crash, perhaps, or a fall. More than 90 percent of them will endure at least partial paralysis. There is no cure. But after a decade of hype and controversy over research on embryonic stem cells—cells that could, among other things, potentially repair injured spinal cords—the world’s first clinical trial is about to begin. READ MORE