(no subject)

[stonebender]

I told you all that I'd lost my morning attendant awhile ago. She had been having some continuing health problems for awhile now. She'd work when she felt up to it. she'd needed to be hospitalized every now and then because of the pain she was in. Her doctor never seemed to find out what was actually going on, he would just discharge her after a while with new pain meds. I felt like they were not treating her properly. Another middle aged African American woman not being treated right by the medical profession, but she had faith in her doctor and I didn't know what to do. About two weeks ago she told me she'd have to quit, she just couldn't deal until she got her health problems taken care of.

I got a call from her this evening. loracs talked to her. They finally gave her a diagnosis. Its cancer, very advanced. Terminal. They are keeping her in the hospital to find the best drugs to handle her pain and then she'll probably move to hospice. I'll spare you all the rant building in me about the health care system in this country and what I'd like to do to her doctor specifically. The bastards!

I've known Stacy for about 8 years. In all that time she was late to work maybe once. Every morning as my Grandfather's clock chimed eight times, I'd hear Stacy's key enter the lock at the front door right on time. She took care of her disabled mother. Raised her adopted son to be a fine young man who has been accepted to go to college. She's one of the kindest, people I know. A faithful christian who took comfort in her religion, but never judged others. She doesn't deserve this kind of end.

Comments

[saluqi.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry, this is very unfair.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

I'll pray for a peaceful, pain-free end to her suffering.

As for the doctors -- you know the rant as well as I do.

[okoshun.livejournal.com]

That makes me angry. A medical system with the means to diagnose this much earlier than this yet treating it (repeatedly) with just pain meds? *grr*

[tracytreefrog.livejournal.com]

Shit Shit and damn it all to hell! That is just so unfair!

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

*speechless sorrow*

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

oh, hell.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

MOTHERFUCKERS!

[tiger-spot.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry.

[ljgeoff.livejournal.com]

Damn. There's nothing to say about something like this. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help.

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Will do.

[waywardcats.livejournal.com]

I'm torn between anger and sadness, what a terrible thing!

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel about the same. I'm just better at expressing anger I guess.

[leback.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. :-(

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

This is not the first time I've heard this kind of story, and I'm confident it won't be the last. I hate that confidence.

And I seriously doubt the suits who make the decisions to withhold serious healthcare from people will ever, ever have to see the consequences of their own actions. *They* have real healthcare coverage.

Or, as Debbie said, "MOTHERFUCKERS!"

[light-of-summer.livejournal.com]

What hellish news for everyone concerned! I'm sorry that you'll be losing someone so important to you, and that the world will be losing such a good person.

So many people don't deserve the kinds of deaths they get ... both good people with hard or early deaths and bad people who get far longer than I think they should.

If it were up to us, we'd run it differently, eh?

*mourns with you*

[clever-doberman.livejournal.com]

good fucking grief, this wasn't supposed to be the result of her finally finding out what was wrong.

I hate how callous our healthcare system is, I hate how hard I sometimes have to work just to get a little bit of decent care for the very few people I am paid to advocate for and I wanted so badly for Stacy to get more opinions but felt helpless to know how to make it happen.........

and, for all her pain and uncertainty, she was steadfast until she just couldn't be about coming to your house and remaining a member of the team and the family.

my heart goes out to you and loracs and bubley for your loss, as I know how much you love her.

[firecat]

Fuck.

[hugs]

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

[phoenixpdx.livejournal.com]

Aw crud. <> if they help. Woman in pain? probably nothing serious. Pat her on the head and send her on her way. ARGH.

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

This is such sad news. I am so sorry for her and family and you and your family.

My grandmother was very ill with stomach and pancreatic cancer and it wasn't diagnosed until it was stage IV and she died a few months later. Similar situation. It is rage-inducing.

Again, I am so sorry to hear this. So sad.

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry -- she sounds like a wonderful person, and it's criminal that anyone gets that kind of treatment.

[clawfoot.livejournal.com]

How awful, on so many fronts. :(

[baratron.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely awful. I hope that she has, at least, a comfortable end.

I hate the American "health care" system so much. I hope Obama gets it sorted out.