Since my biopsy came back NO cancer I have a different outlook on things!
Its time to begin living again!
I am so sick of being "the sick one". Im sick of gaining weight due to depression and thinking in the back of my mind "Well, who cares cause who will ever want ME again anyway??"
Why not? Am I the ONLY person in this world not worthy of finding a soulmate? Come on now! that is just stupid right? There has to be someone out there looking for someone like me! I mean there are trillions of ppl in this word aren't there??
Once I have my surgery, my life will be my own again and I have a bit to offer, don't I? Im thinking if there are people who find each other every day there has to be someone out there for me. Im not stupid.....I'm not OLD and shriveled up and ugly! lol (am I??) I work hard and dont need anyone to support me.....whats not l=to like? LOLOLOL
So my new project is this.....concentrate on building my business, getting in shape and finding a soulmate! If you already know him could you please be so kind and point him in my direction? lol Maybe he is saying the same things I am...maybe he is thinking does EVERYONE else get to have someone but me?
Here is what he looks like, in case you are gonna join in the big search......lol
He is a lot like me......... a hard worker and sometimes doesn't realize how much time that goes by when he gets his head up out of "work-mode". He has little time to meet someone but is always hoping that special person will just bump into him in the supermarket or gas station or a night club (the only places he has had time lately to go to!)
He loves to travel. He is sooooo funny and can laugh at himself first! He is sarcastic and will make fun of ME all the time too!. He is very good looking (LOL)
He is loyal and not looking for a bikini clad 18 yr old...he is looking for a grownup! He loves live music (a MUST) and he doesn't have a jealous bone in his body. He will have respect for my crazy job! He might be my age (or at least in the vacinity of my age) but he thinks and acts much younger (same as I do!) He's FUN! And he must love sushi and not like Indian or Mexican food....(kidding!)
He must NOT be on his 12th marraige (sorry but if you cant get it right by 11th time Im thinking you're a lost cause and its IS you!)
Let me know if you've seen him around!
Ok. That. Is. All.
:-)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Let's talk about something else today......
Im going to try and go a full week without even discussing my health or doctor appts or anything like that! Wish me luck cause it seems I have lived, eaten and breathed this for the last 6 months! Time to go back to life as I knew it for a while.....
So "music land" is going well...only one more arrest in the past week by a musician.........Dave Burleigh (National comedian) is coming to Austin and San Antonio in October so that is good news! I saw him on Maui and HAD to get him booked at some of my clubs in Austin!
I have been trying to route a Kevin Chalfant tour (Journey, The Storm) and a Voice of Rock Radio tour as well....amazing talent in that band! Go to:
www.voiceofrockradio.com
and see for yourself......
then there is alway Anton and Fran Cosmo with their Boston show wanting many more dates......I think if I begin to really focus on my job again I will feel better!
Wish me luck as I STOP being the "sick one" for a bit! :)
Im moving Sept 15th to a two bedroom condo here on Maui.....now I will have room for guests as they come visit.....it has been HARD to find a reasonably priced place......finally a great location and complex Im happy about this!
More and pictures later!
So "music land" is going well...only one more arrest in the past week by a musician.........Dave Burleigh (National comedian) is coming to Austin and San Antonio in October so that is good news! I saw him on Maui and HAD to get him booked at some of my clubs in Austin!
I have been trying to route a Kevin Chalfant tour (Journey, The Storm) and a Voice of Rock Radio tour as well....amazing talent in that band! Go to:
www.voiceofrockradio.com
and see for yourself......
then there is alway Anton and Fran Cosmo with their Boston show wanting many more dates......I think if I begin to really focus on my job again I will feel better!
Wish me luck as I STOP being the "sick one" for a bit! :)
Im moving Sept 15th to a two bedroom condo here on Maui.....now I will have room for guests as they come visit.....it has been HARD to find a reasonably priced place......finally a great location and complex Im happy about this!
More and pictures later!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
follow up on yesterday
Turns out I do need a biopsy....nothing is ever simple and easy for me....nothing ....shuld happen this week some time....need Dr Nimnuts to handle referrals for it which is NEVER an easy task here but I do have an appt with him today at 5 pm so I will HAND him her report marked IMMEDIATLY and hope he handles it today......he's not the brightest bulb in the pack.
More tomorrow.....
More tomorrow.....
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Another day another battle....
Life certainly is never dull..well, MY life anyway! Yesterday I had a GREAT doctor visit.....the office was like a serene bedroom complete with candles and really cool decorations...I immediately flt at ease.......it was my big psyche evaluation with the psychiatrist as part of the transplant evaluation and it went wonderfully! He said I am the perfect candidate for transplant and I passed with flying colors . He told me his report to the center would ge a gleaming one to say the least!
He went on to say I have no mental disorders whatsoever and that I am extremely educated in this process and understand perfectly well the situation I am in....now this is NOT saying Im OK with my situation and he said anyone who says they are would be lying and i can tell you are not...
I told him that more then depressed about it Im pretty damn pissed off about the whole thing...not because I feel sorry for myself but because I hate the gaping holes in this country's health care system....I told him that I am probably the biggest supporter of donor education he will meet and he loved it! We spke a lot about the problems this country is facing in that department!
He asked me when this road is finished and I am healthy again he wants concert tickets to my next big show here on Maui! LOL DONE! And we also spoke about my son in laws restaurant and he had heard of it and so I gave him a few free appetizer cards for him and his staff and I know he will be going there!
Then today came.....a simple diagnostic mammo...(the one two months ago showed something but they werent concerned ust said Id need a follow up soon)......long story short I have an ultra sound tomorrow morning at 7 am to tell me whatever the radiologist found...never fun when the radioogist walks in the room to tell you "Now I dont want you to worry BUT....'
So of course Im worried, wont sleep tonight.....but Im sure it'll be fine....the universe could not possibl=y be THAT cruel cause if it is indeed cancer, bye bye transplant opportunity....
Life in Tammy's shoes.....brought to you by SNL's Debbie Downer! heehee
Thanks for reading!
He went on to say I have no mental disorders whatsoever and that I am extremely educated in this process and understand perfectly well the situation I am in....now this is NOT saying Im OK with my situation and he said anyone who says they are would be lying and i can tell you are not...
I told him that more then depressed about it Im pretty damn pissed off about the whole thing...not because I feel sorry for myself but because I hate the gaping holes in this country's health care system....I told him that I am probably the biggest supporter of donor education he will meet and he loved it! We spke a lot about the problems this country is facing in that department!
He asked me when this road is finished and I am healthy again he wants concert tickets to my next big show here on Maui! LOL DONE! And we also spoke about my son in laws restaurant and he had heard of it and so I gave him a few free appetizer cards for him and his staff and I know he will be going there!
Then today came.....a simple diagnostic mammo...(the one two months ago showed something but they werent concerned ust said Id need a follow up soon)......long story short I have an ultra sound tomorrow morning at 7 am to tell me whatever the radiologist found...never fun when the radioogist walks in the room to tell you "Now I dont want you to worry BUT....'
So of course Im worried, wont sleep tonight.....but Im sure it'll be fine....the universe could not possibl=y be THAT cruel cause if it is indeed cancer, bye bye transplant opportunity....
Life in Tammy's shoes.....brought to you by SNL's Debbie Downer! heehee
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Anything but ordinary
If I had one wish it would be that when I die I will be remembered for being "anything but ordinary"......I don't feel ordinary.....I don't feel special in any way but ordinary, no way.........
Yesterday I went to the beach in the morning and spent about 2 hours enjoying the sun and the ocean and the peace and solitude of Maui...it really is a calming, safe and serene place to live......people are so laid back and nice here.....the beach is the one place I really dont mind doing alone.....in fact I like going alone......i prefer going alone......yesterday was an especially nice day...no winds, calm ocean perfect to swim and paddle board (of course the surfers here aren't happy when its like this but I love it!)
So yesterday I sat on the beach all the while knowing that I had to leave at some point and go to the lab..... I have to go for labs every few weeks now.....usually about 12 viles....5 techs.....6 different sticks....why? Who knows why it is so hard to draw blood from me the last several months, but it is certainly no fun. I used to be able to go in for a quick stick and it was finished....now it is a traumatic experience every single time.
I usually distract myself by texting on the phone. Yesterday one of the techs said 'Please put your phone away" and I said ABSOLUTELY NOT......this helps me get through the torture of this experience. She got it....she nodded....and again she apologized for putting me thru this yet again.....it is certainly not her fault...or the 4 other techs that wander in to "help"
This time they tried to get me to leave after drawing only 3 viles saying maybe I should come back tomorrow for the rest...I said ABSOLUTELY NOT....Im not leaving until we are finished here cause I am NOT spending my tomorrow doing this yet again.....the girls are always so nice to me.....I can see they feel badly every time. And I also see the victory in their eyes when they actually find a vein that works! LOL
I wonder what it must be like to be a lab tech? I wonder how it feels to see sick people all the time. My friend Lisamarie was recently diagnosed with cancer and she is a mere 23 yrs old.....when I think of people who are suffering so much more then i am it makes me feel guilty for complaining. When I hear about young children suffering from cancer I feel so aweful for them and their families....I do what I can to help support them....I try to arrange a good band for their fundraisers, or donate money to their funds.....I try to spread the word to help them raise more funds because I NOW the expenses involved for a person who is sick. The last thing a sick person or their family needs to worry about is money during such a horrific time....
But its not enough....I still feel sorry for myself....I hate admitting that. I hate that so many years of my life were wasted on being sick....I hate the 5 months have elapsed since I heard the dr say those horrible words and I am STILL not on the list yet....but I am hopeful it will be soon.....I finally have more appts lined up over the next two weeks here on Maui ...all part of the eval process.....so things are actually moving along....not at light speed, more like an injured snail fighting his way across the dessert speed but still moving forward.....
Ok enough ramblings from me for today....its a Saturday and Im sure Austin has a LOT more drama in store for me on 6th St (a typlical weekend in my life is at least 3 cancellations, a late band, equipment breaking...you know....the morn...at least 12 texts ranging from GREAT night! to Im gonna shoot myself in the head if I have to hear one more second of this crap! LOLOL.....why did I decide to be in the music business again? Someone quick remind me........ahhh nevermind....Im gonna head to the ocean and read a good book....
Yesterday I went to the beach in the morning and spent about 2 hours enjoying the sun and the ocean and the peace and solitude of Maui...it really is a calming, safe and serene place to live......people are so laid back and nice here.....the beach is the one place I really dont mind doing alone.....in fact I like going alone......i prefer going alone......yesterday was an especially nice day...no winds, calm ocean perfect to swim and paddle board (of course the surfers here aren't happy when its like this but I love it!)
So yesterday I sat on the beach all the while knowing that I had to leave at some point and go to the lab..... I have to go for labs every few weeks now.....usually about 12 viles....5 techs.....6 different sticks....why? Who knows why it is so hard to draw blood from me the last several months, but it is certainly no fun. I used to be able to go in for a quick stick and it was finished....now it is a traumatic experience every single time.
I usually distract myself by texting on the phone. Yesterday one of the techs said 'Please put your phone away" and I said ABSOLUTELY NOT......this helps me get through the torture of this experience. She got it....she nodded....and again she apologized for putting me thru this yet again.....it is certainly not her fault...or the 4 other techs that wander in to "help"
This time they tried to get me to leave after drawing only 3 viles saying maybe I should come back tomorrow for the rest...I said ABSOLUTELY NOT....Im not leaving until we are finished here cause I am NOT spending my tomorrow doing this yet again.....the girls are always so nice to me.....I can see they feel badly every time. And I also see the victory in their eyes when they actually find a vein that works! LOL
I wonder what it must be like to be a lab tech? I wonder how it feels to see sick people all the time. My friend Lisamarie was recently diagnosed with cancer and she is a mere 23 yrs old.....when I think of people who are suffering so much more then i am it makes me feel guilty for complaining. When I hear about young children suffering from cancer I feel so aweful for them and their families....I do what I can to help support them....I try to arrange a good band for their fundraisers, or donate money to their funds.....I try to spread the word to help them raise more funds because I NOW the expenses involved for a person who is sick. The last thing a sick person or their family needs to worry about is money during such a horrific time....
But its not enough....I still feel sorry for myself....I hate admitting that. I hate that so many years of my life were wasted on being sick....I hate the 5 months have elapsed since I heard the dr say those horrible words and I am STILL not on the list yet....but I am hopeful it will be soon.....I finally have more appts lined up over the next two weeks here on Maui ...all part of the eval process.....so things are actually moving along....not at light speed, more like an injured snail fighting his way across the dessert speed but still moving forward.....
Ok enough ramblings from me for today....its a Saturday and Im sure Austin has a LOT more drama in store for me on 6th St (a typlical weekend in my life is at least 3 cancellations, a late band, equipment breaking...you know....the morn...at least 12 texts ranging from GREAT night! to Im gonna shoot myself in the head if I have to hear one more second of this crap! LOLOL.....why did I decide to be in the music business again? Someone quick remind me........ahhh nevermind....Im gonna head to the ocean and read a good book....
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The near ENDLESS wait for a simple answer! Am I worthy of at LEAST an evaluation???
So I got to Maui in April 2011 and am STILL waiting in August 2011 for the insurance company to deem me "worthy" of transplant evaluation!! 4 months! Just for the EVALUATION! What's up with THAT? NOT for the actual TRANSPLANT! Nope Im still waiting to be approved for the EVAL!
First, Dr Wells (who is the doctor in charge of Circa Transplant here in Hawaii....decides he needs 3 months of negative results for Alcohol, drugs, nicotine, HIV, Cancer.....) I get it.....this makes sense to me.....Done! April, May and June....done....even sent over July! Do you want August too? Id be happy to oblige!
Next, he decides wants ALL my records from Baylor X Center in Dallas.....done! (he already had them but ok....lets see if there are MORE) DONE!
.....last week he asked for records from 15 years ago at Medical Mt Sinai in Manhattan!! Yes I said 15 yrs ago!!
Why is that relevent? Im confused? Isn't it WAY more important to see ALL my records from the past 2-3 yrs? Even 5 yrs....ok lets even go back 10 yrs! But 15 yrs??? Seems to me the dreaded Dr. Wells is looking for anything he can to decide on a big NO......why?? Does the insurance company pay him to deny people? Ive seen movies on this very subject....or am I getting paranoid here??
Why am I not worthy of a Transplant "opportunity" here in the USA? How many OTHER people are going through the same red tape processes that I have gone through for the past year? I was denied in Texas 14, count 'em, FOURTEEN TIMES!!
This country is in serious need for change of policies.....if not to benefit ME to benefit the 1000's of OTHER people waiting for health care....for necessary transplants to save their lives. 1000's die EVERY day waiting....not knowing what to do or who to go to or how to make changes.....
ARGH.....don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them HERE! Be a donor, give the gift of life!
First, Dr Wells (who is the doctor in charge of Circa Transplant here in Hawaii....decides he needs 3 months of negative results for Alcohol, drugs, nicotine, HIV, Cancer.....) I get it.....this makes sense to me.....Done! April, May and June....done....even sent over July! Do you want August too? Id be happy to oblige!
Next, he decides wants ALL my records from Baylor X Center in Dallas.....done! (he already had them but ok....lets see if there are MORE) DONE!
.....last week he asked for records from 15 years ago at Medical Mt Sinai in Manhattan!! Yes I said 15 yrs ago!!
Why is that relevent? Im confused? Isn't it WAY more important to see ALL my records from the past 2-3 yrs? Even 5 yrs....ok lets even go back 10 yrs! But 15 yrs??? Seems to me the dreaded Dr. Wells is looking for anything he can to decide on a big NO......why?? Does the insurance company pay him to deny people? Ive seen movies on this very subject....or am I getting paranoid here??
Why am I not worthy of a Transplant "opportunity" here in the USA? How many OTHER people are going through the same red tape processes that I have gone through for the past year? I was denied in Texas 14, count 'em, FOURTEEN TIMES!!
This country is in serious need for change of policies.....if not to benefit ME to benefit the 1000's of OTHER people waiting for health care....for necessary transplants to save their lives. 1000's die EVERY day waiting....not knowing what to do or who to go to or how to make changes.....
ARGH.....don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them HERE! Be a donor, give the gift of life!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
How you can possibly make more money and have a better experience at your shows on 6th St
Please:
1. Go to the club about a week prior to your gig and hang some posters, While you're there you might as well introduce yourself to the staff and confirm load in times and PA situation.
2.Make sure you know whether or not you need to bring your PA.
3.Make sure I have all of your contact phone information in case of any last minute details.
4.Post bulletins advertising your show on myspace, facebook, websites, and all free online sites available to you (ex: Chronicle, gignaustin.com, do512, ect....)....send texts to your friends...post something funny in your bulletin like"say the word Fartington at my show and I will give you a free sticker!" or "bring in a cowbell and I'll buy you a shot!"
5. Go to Chronicles online site and submit your show free of charge.
6. Post the event on www.Eventful.com
7. Call KLBJ and ask them to put your show on the daily shout out advertising your show at 7:20 pm every day..
8. Bring a tip jar in case the venue doesn't have one. And bring someone to walk it around for you. Preferably a pretty girl! If you can't find anyone ask the cocktail waitress and tip her for doing it for you!
9 Show up early enough to be set up , onstage and hitting that first note at your contracted start time.
10.Gather your merchandise to sell at your show. Koozies, t-shirts, cd's...display them nicely (say in a lit up guitar case)
11. Factor in the sometimes complicated parking situation downtown when deciding on the time you need to arrive.
12. Announce the name of your band often , especially if you have no sign or banner hanging up behind you (which you should have)
13. Bring a mailing list clipboard so you can take down email addresses to let your fans know where and when you'll be playing next.
14. Talk to the audience between songs often! Smile! Laugh! Thank them for being there! Thank the staff!
15. Pay your commission DAY AFTER GIG ON PAYPAL if you want to be rebooked. I'm not a volunteer. I work hard too.
16. Have a good time! It shows and makes a HUGE difference in your performance!
17. Thank the staff nd mention the barstaff by name on the mic.
18. If you sweat perfusely bring a change of shirt!
19. Dont wear flipflops!
20. Shorts are for the beach not the stage
21. Keep your equipment in good repair and bring extra strings since you KNOW one can break!
22. If load in time is 7 and onstage time is 9 / load in at 7 and be onstage at 9.
23. use deodorant
24. dress the part (the visual is as important as the sound)
25. be UPBEAT! remember the audience is out to have a good time and drink and dance...they could care less about being at your "concert" if you get my drift.
26. AND DO NOT DRINK ON THE JOB...IF YOU WORED AT WALMART YOU COULDNT GET DRUNK.....BE A PROFESSIONAL!
26. AND DO NOT DRINK ON THE JOB...IF YOU WORED AT WALMART YOU COULDNT GET DRUNK.....BE A PROFESSIONAL!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
As it is happening.....real life Organ Donor situation as it unfolds
I have been screaming to the top of my lungs forever (it seems) abut the need for Organ Donor Education and policy changes in this country....
This example has fallen into my lap quite suddenly and I have my sisters consent to blog about it....thank you Dawn.....I hope it will serve to educate at least one person.....
My sister Dawn is married to Geoff who has a sister named Karen. Karen lives in Maryland......Karen suddenly without any warning whatsoever collapsed the other day .......they took her to the hosptial where it was determined she had a cerebral hemmorage and her famiy was told she had 48 hrs to live......she was immediately placed on life support. (was this possibly what happened to John Ritter...I cant remember)
I have been speaking to Dawn about how Geoff is going, how his family is handling this sad event and I asked Dan "Was karen an Organ Donor" and her response was this" I want to know the same thing but I am afraid to ask"
Turns out the family is quite undertandably upset and dealing with HUGE loss in their lives. Karen was ony in her early 50's.
A few hours later Dawn called to say she asked the question and was told yes that Karen was a donor and that she has been left on life support as her body is being evaluated for donation.
Now remember not everyone is a candidate for donation....and not all deaths allow for major organ donation.....sudden head trauma/ brain death is one of the deaths that generally work.
The reason I am writing this is to generate the discussion of awareness....have you told your family your wishes? Time of accident or death especially sudden death is NOT the time to discuss this for the very first time....people are way too confused, upset and in grief......
If families are made aware of your wishes and UNOS comes in to ask the question everyone will be well prpared and although thieir grief is still the same, the answer is clear....
Now everything is still being done to evaluate Karen since a small amount of brain activity was just discovered.......I will keep you posted on her sad situation.....but a huge thank you to this wonderful person for speaking to her family in advance and letting them know she is an organ donor.....
This example has fallen into my lap quite suddenly and I have my sisters consent to blog about it....thank you Dawn.....I hope it will serve to educate at least one person.....
My sister Dawn is married to Geoff who has a sister named Karen. Karen lives in Maryland......Karen suddenly without any warning whatsoever collapsed the other day .......they took her to the hosptial where it was determined she had a cerebral hemmorage and her famiy was told she had 48 hrs to live......she was immediately placed on life support. (was this possibly what happened to John Ritter...I cant remember)
I have been speaking to Dawn about how Geoff is going, how his family is handling this sad event and I asked Dan "Was karen an Organ Donor" and her response was this" I want to know the same thing but I am afraid to ask"
Turns out the family is quite undertandably upset and dealing with HUGE loss in their lives. Karen was ony in her early 50's.
A few hours later Dawn called to say she asked the question and was told yes that Karen was a donor and that she has been left on life support as her body is being evaluated for donation.
Now remember not everyone is a candidate for donation....and not all deaths allow for major organ donation.....sudden head trauma/ brain death is one of the deaths that generally work.
The reason I am writing this is to generate the discussion of awareness....have you told your family your wishes? Time of accident or death especially sudden death is NOT the time to discuss this for the very first time....people are way too confused, upset and in grief......
If families are made aware of your wishes and UNOS comes in to ask the question everyone will be well prpared and although thieir grief is still the same, the answer is clear....
Now everything is still being done to evaluate Karen since a small amount of brain activity was just discovered.......I will keep you posted on her sad situation.....but a huge thank you to this wonderful person for speaking to her family in advance and letting them know she is an organ donor.....
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Hospital Stays Tammy Style
First allow me to say I am an expert of "Hospital Stays 1-0-1"
I believe my family would back me up on my count of approximately 30-40 hospital stays over the last 15 yrs.....probably more.....I stopped counting a long time ago.....
My stories of in hosptial care should be co- written by Miranda and Marissa....as they have both been to almost every one of them.....they tell it best.....starting with the stories of falling asleep midst card games......waxing off eyebrows the day I gt discharged....dyng my hair crazy colors before drugs wear offf.....the stories are endless and we can laugh at them all now......you HAVE to laugh!
Given the condition of my liver and the stent that lives in it, lets just say that heavy drugs are not a really wise choice for me....yet I get to the ER...usually quite upset...usually having nausea, abdominal pain and lately much confusion with high ammonia levels (encepholopathy) so the drugs begin....
First its always the shot of morphine along with phenergan( or zophran) and then adderal to callm me down....on to the dilauded and ambien.......the rest is quite a blur.....a dribbling, drooling, not so pretty blur...
So guess where I was found in the middle of the night THIS TIME the VERY first night???
Seems I either fell or just decided to go to sleep on the floor! (my vote is for just going to sleep since I had no injurys from any type of "fall")
The charge nurse looked for me at about 1 am and when I wasn't in my bed she assumed I was in the restroom...an hour later she came back and checked the restroom (which was empty) and then spotted my feet sticking out from the far side of the bed. I woke up to five people yelling "Tammy! Dont move! Are you OK? Did you fall???"
The rest again is a big blur.
When I finally became coherant again I discovered I had a person assigned to my bedside 24 hrs a day! Yep! If I got up, she got up...if I went the the restroom she went to the restroom! LOL
My daughters both took care of explaining the the staff and doctor that someone in my condition cannot and should not be given heavy narcotics as it is not processed through my scarred liver and goes right to my head along with the high levels of ammonia. ONly making matters worse.....
So once again , I remember very little about my hosptial stay this time......except to be shown funny pictures my daughter took and reading some of the embarrassing texts i sent out in my drug crazed frame of mind.
So note to self and all surrounding my bizarre existence......NO NARCOTICS POR FAVOR......
That's 4 days Ill never get back!
I believe my family would back me up on my count of approximately 30-40 hospital stays over the last 15 yrs.....probably more.....I stopped counting a long time ago.....
My stories of in hosptial care should be co- written by Miranda and Marissa....as they have both been to almost every one of them.....they tell it best.....starting with the stories of falling asleep midst card games......waxing off eyebrows the day I gt discharged....dyng my hair crazy colors before drugs wear offf.....the stories are endless and we can laugh at them all now......you HAVE to laugh!
Given the condition of my liver and the stent that lives in it, lets just say that heavy drugs are not a really wise choice for me....yet I get to the ER...usually quite upset...usually having nausea, abdominal pain and lately much confusion with high ammonia levels (encepholopathy) so the drugs begin....
First its always the shot of morphine along with phenergan( or zophran) and then adderal to callm me down....on to the dilauded and ambien.......the rest is quite a blur.....a dribbling, drooling, not so pretty blur...
So guess where I was found in the middle of the night THIS TIME the VERY first night???
Seems I either fell or just decided to go to sleep on the floor! (my vote is for just going to sleep since I had no injurys from any type of "fall")
The charge nurse looked for me at about 1 am and when I wasn't in my bed she assumed I was in the restroom...an hour later she came back and checked the restroom (which was empty) and then spotted my feet sticking out from the far side of the bed. I woke up to five people yelling "Tammy! Dont move! Are you OK? Did you fall???"
The rest again is a big blur.
When I finally became coherant again I discovered I had a person assigned to my bedside 24 hrs a day! Yep! If I got up, she got up...if I went the the restroom she went to the restroom! LOL
My daughters both took care of explaining the the staff and doctor that someone in my condition cannot and should not be given heavy narcotics as it is not processed through my scarred liver and goes right to my head along with the high levels of ammonia. ONly making matters worse.....
So once again , I remember very little about my hosptial stay this time......except to be shown funny pictures my daughter took and reading some of the embarrassing texts i sent out in my drug crazed frame of mind.
So note to self and all surrounding my bizarre existence......NO NARCOTICS POR FAVOR......
That's 4 days Ill never get back!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
MY experience with insurance in this country
Well, let's see...where do I begin.....this blog will be about the insurance nightmare that has become my life...and my lovely ex husbands contribution to it all :)
When I was married, we both had good insurance through our jobs...his was through the prison system in Texas (he was a teacher in a jail when we moved to Texas, hence his sparkling personality) and my insurance was through the school district I worked for for 5 yrs.
When I left the school (I had to go out on disability cause I ended up yet again in the hospital) we had a choice....which insurance should we continue to use? We weighed the pros and cons of each and decided that HIS insurance was less expensive in the long run, so that is the one we kept. The specialists were on both of our plans.
Now, please keep in mind that when you are married for twenty years there is no YOURS or MINE....everything is OURS....unless you live in my ex-husband's head....and THAT trainwreck of a mind will never be figured out by anyone......
As soon as I left him in 2006, we went right to court, and the judge wouldn't grant us a divorce stating she was afraid he would try to cancel my health and life insurance and that he was not allowed to do that since I had such a serious illness....she got a very clear view into his personality when the man would not shut up and rambled on and on and on.....my lawyers just whispered in my ear, do NOT say a word, we are winning big time since he cant shut his mouth.......h sunds like a complete lunatic!!
The judge stopped him finally and said we would be legally seperated and could live as a divorced couple, but in order to have continuation of health insurance we would revisit the plan in a year.....and then she granted me child support AND alimony (VERY RARE in the state of Texas and you would have thought someone killed his puppy the way he carried on complaining! The judge said to him " it sounds like you"re so much more worried about how you will afford to live, but honestly I'M more worried about HER living at ALL.....ect...) We walked out of that court room with DOUBLE what I asked for....THIS should tell you something about my ex husband!! DOUBLE!!!
So what was the very first thing I did when we left court?
I stopped him on the front steps and told him he didn't need to pay the alimony but to please pay the child support...subsequently, he made ONE payment and never EVER paid again! Dirtbag....and no I didn't take him back to court, I decided I could support my own child and didn't need his money to do it anyway and it simply wasn't worth my time or effort to try to get Texas to MAKE him pay....now I wish I had banked all of that money he owes me and put it in a transplant fund!!
What was the first thing HE did upon leaving court???
He spitefully canceled my life insurance.....keep in mind someone with MY illness is not elidgable for life insurance and the policy we held together was a universal policy that was completely paid off....we bought it 20 yrs prior when we first got married! Ill never forget the day he called me laughing telling me my life insurance was gone and he knew I could never buy another policy!
Whe I told my daughter, she flipped out and called him immediately "Thanks DAD.....this didn't hurt MOM, it hurt ME since MOMS insurance was going to ME to handle her funeral expenses and such" His dumbass response was something unintelligable like" oh derr ummmm...." Lets just say not the brightest bulb in the pack. Since 2006 my daughter has seen him maybe 15 times.....when I left him he decided he would hurt ME through HER,,,,,,karma.....I believe in karma and one day he will get his......till then, I don't give him a second thought (unless I am blogging about my past! LOL) And it makes me proud knowing that when my daughter needs something she can and always does come to ME never him cause she knows he wont help......for hr 18th birthday he gave a a card a few days late and in it was a letter explaining why he would not give her a present.....he said he had to think of himself and his retirement and that giving her a present wold interfere with that plan....he said this would help her to grow...then he signed his name with his firt name.....to this day it still breaks my heart for her whenever I think of the things he has done to hurt her......he is an ass.....
Oooops back to my insurance story......
so....
I ended up in the hospital again and I missed a court appearance, I was considered a "no show" (I was in the hospital in a freakin COMA for God's Sake during that time!) and he was granted the divorce...different judge...... and the very next thing HE does is........ready???
He quit his job so he would LOSE our health insurance.......he told my daughter this was very funny to him...he said things like "now she has no health insurance either!!" How many ways can we say CRAZY??
and the word COBRA came into my life.
Anyone know how expensive Cobra is? VERY!
I cobra'd the insurance for as long as I could and moved to Hawaii to be near my daughter and brand new granddaughter.........when Cobra was gone I applied for insurance in Hawaii and they said yes......Hawaii has it right....they mandate all of the employers give full coverage to their employees that work a min of 20 hrs a week and their state insurance is there for everyone else....they feel in this state that everyone should be covered under insurance. Wouldn't it be nice if the rest of the country followed suit!?
I applied for EVERY private insurance there is and was denied by each and every one of them.....they all said the same thing....you are TOO sick so we do NOT have to take you on......it is what is called a "Catostrophic Clause" in private health insurance companies......
Remember don't ever get TOO sick for insurance....that'll fuck ya every time! lol (not funny )
So, I had since moved back to Texas for my job and kept applying for insurance in the state of Texas....they said no every single time....no....no...declined...declined.....why? They said since I earned more then $800 month that I made too much money......THIS is why people are forced to hide money in this country......not me! Im afraid of the IRS and pay every dime due on my taxes so that was never an option for me.......
A friend helped me with some information and I went to Congress and immediatly "Congressional urgency" was placed on my file to try and push through the Texas insurance......The Congressman's office saw the media attention I was getting and decided to help me.....even with his offices help the answer just came quicker.....it was still a no....
they said if i dropped my Hawaii insurance then they might consider it....I said NO WAY IN HELL am I dropping the only insurance I have in the hopes that MAYBE Texas might approve my application after being denied over 14 times!! Even the rep on the phone said she didn't blame me that if it were her she wouldn't drop the only insurance she had. And that was a smart decision because once again I was even turned down for the "buy in" program!!
So the decision was made ....I had to move back to Hawaii and be a full time resident (no longer the dual residency I had held)......this is where I am now, living in Hawaii.....hoping the Hawaii insurance will transfer over to what is called Circa (insurance co that heads transplant in Hawaii) and approve me for Transplant Evaluation.....
The good news? I am living very near my oldest daughter and granddaughter....my youngest is moving here in few weeks to help me through impending evaluation and surgery......and it is gorgeous paradise here every single day.....I am counting my blessings.....
Remember these words.....life is not fair...no one EVER promised you fair....you take what God gives you and you make the best of things.....
Thanks Mom.....you are right about that!
And I taught MY kids these words:
Never be Ordinary.....
When I was married, we both had good insurance through our jobs...his was through the prison system in Texas (he was a teacher in a jail when we moved to Texas, hence his sparkling personality) and my insurance was through the school district I worked for for 5 yrs.
When I left the school (I had to go out on disability cause I ended up yet again in the hospital) we had a choice....which insurance should we continue to use? We weighed the pros and cons of each and decided that HIS insurance was less expensive in the long run, so that is the one we kept. The specialists were on both of our plans.
Now, please keep in mind that when you are married for twenty years there is no YOURS or MINE....everything is OURS....unless you live in my ex-husband's head....and THAT trainwreck of a mind will never be figured out by anyone......
As soon as I left him in 2006, we went right to court, and the judge wouldn't grant us a divorce stating she was afraid he would try to cancel my health and life insurance and that he was not allowed to do that since I had such a serious illness....she got a very clear view into his personality when the man would not shut up and rambled on and on and on.....my lawyers just whispered in my ear, do NOT say a word, we are winning big time since he cant shut his mouth.......h sunds like a complete lunatic!!
The judge stopped him finally and said we would be legally seperated and could live as a divorced couple, but in order to have continuation of health insurance we would revisit the plan in a year.....and then she granted me child support AND alimony (VERY RARE in the state of Texas and you would have thought someone killed his puppy the way he carried on complaining! The judge said to him " it sounds like you"re so much more worried about how you will afford to live, but honestly I'M more worried about HER living at ALL.....ect...) We walked out of that court room with DOUBLE what I asked for....THIS should tell you something about my ex husband!! DOUBLE!!!
So what was the very first thing I did when we left court?
I stopped him on the front steps and told him he didn't need to pay the alimony but to please pay the child support...subsequently, he made ONE payment and never EVER paid again! Dirtbag....and no I didn't take him back to court, I decided I could support my own child and didn't need his money to do it anyway and it simply wasn't worth my time or effort to try to get Texas to MAKE him pay....now I wish I had banked all of that money he owes me and put it in a transplant fund!!
What was the first thing HE did upon leaving court???
He spitefully canceled my life insurance.....keep in mind someone with MY illness is not elidgable for life insurance and the policy we held together was a universal policy that was completely paid off....we bought it 20 yrs prior when we first got married! Ill never forget the day he called me laughing telling me my life insurance was gone and he knew I could never buy another policy!
Whe I told my daughter, she flipped out and called him immediately "Thanks DAD.....this didn't hurt MOM, it hurt ME since MOMS insurance was going to ME to handle her funeral expenses and such" His dumbass response was something unintelligable like" oh derr ummmm...." Lets just say not the brightest bulb in the pack. Since 2006 my daughter has seen him maybe 15 times.....when I left him he decided he would hurt ME through HER,,,,,,karma.....I believe in karma and one day he will get his......till then, I don't give him a second thought (unless I am blogging about my past! LOL) And it makes me proud knowing that when my daughter needs something she can and always does come to ME never him cause she knows he wont help......for hr 18th birthday he gave a a card a few days late and in it was a letter explaining why he would not give her a present.....he said he had to think of himself and his retirement and that giving her a present wold interfere with that plan....he said this would help her to grow...then he signed his name with his firt name.....to this day it still breaks my heart for her whenever I think of the things he has done to hurt her......he is an ass.....
Oooops back to my insurance story......
so....
I ended up in the hospital again and I missed a court appearance, I was considered a "no show" (I was in the hospital in a freakin COMA for God's Sake during that time!) and he was granted the divorce...different judge...... and the very next thing HE does is........ready???
He quit his job so he would LOSE our health insurance.......he told my daughter this was very funny to him...he said things like "now she has no health insurance either!!" How many ways can we say CRAZY??
and the word COBRA came into my life.
Anyone know how expensive Cobra is? VERY!
I cobra'd the insurance for as long as I could and moved to Hawaii to be near my daughter and brand new granddaughter.........when Cobra was gone I applied for insurance in Hawaii and they said yes......Hawaii has it right....they mandate all of the employers give full coverage to their employees that work a min of 20 hrs a week and their state insurance is there for everyone else....they feel in this state that everyone should be covered under insurance. Wouldn't it be nice if the rest of the country followed suit!?
I applied for EVERY private insurance there is and was denied by each and every one of them.....they all said the same thing....you are TOO sick so we do NOT have to take you on......it is what is called a "Catostrophic Clause" in private health insurance companies......
Remember don't ever get TOO sick for insurance....that'll fuck ya every time! lol (not funny )
So, I had since moved back to Texas for my job and kept applying for insurance in the state of Texas....they said no every single time....no....no...declined...declined.....why? They said since I earned more then $800 month that I made too much money......THIS is why people are forced to hide money in this country......not me! Im afraid of the IRS and pay every dime due on my taxes so that was never an option for me.......
A friend helped me with some information and I went to Congress and immediatly "Congressional urgency" was placed on my file to try and push through the Texas insurance......The Congressman's office saw the media attention I was getting and decided to help me.....even with his offices help the answer just came quicker.....it was still a no....
they said if i dropped my Hawaii insurance then they might consider it....I said NO WAY IN HELL am I dropping the only insurance I have in the hopes that MAYBE Texas might approve my application after being denied over 14 times!! Even the rep on the phone said she didn't blame me that if it were her she wouldn't drop the only insurance she had. And that was a smart decision because once again I was even turned down for the "buy in" program!!
So the decision was made ....I had to move back to Hawaii and be a full time resident (no longer the dual residency I had held)......this is where I am now, living in Hawaii.....hoping the Hawaii insurance will transfer over to what is called Circa (insurance co that heads transplant in Hawaii) and approve me for Transplant Evaluation.....
The good news? I am living very near my oldest daughter and granddaughter....my youngest is moving here in few weeks to help me through impending evaluation and surgery......and it is gorgeous paradise here every single day.....I am counting my blessings.....
Remember these words.....life is not fair...no one EVER promised you fair....you take what God gives you and you make the best of things.....
Thanks Mom.....you are right about that!
And I taught MY kids these words:
Never be Ordinary.....
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My job in music...lol
I get asked a lot how I came to work in the music business.....the story is actually kind of funny and a bit sad as well...
My ex husband decided at age 39 (we are exactly the same age) that he was going to be a "rock star"....of course he didn't bother to share this information with me....it was only in his head......so he packed us up and sold our house in NY and his business in NY and told us we were going because I "needed to live near my family in Austin".....little did I know, the REAL reason was because he knew that Austin was the Live Music Capital of the World and he could try his hand at being the next Neil Purt....lol.....to this day in MY head every time I envision him playing those drums I am screaming "LESS IS MORE, NIMROD, LESS IS MORE" a concept way lost on him I tell you!
So there were were in January of 2011 in Leander Texas in the first house we bought in Texas while we searched for land so we could build our dream house......
That part was wonderful! We built a 4300 sq ft custom built home on 5 acres in Leander Texas and I was the General Contractor! This included a three car garage and a gorgeous wrap around porch......I searched for and ordered the blue prints, tweeked them to my specs and interviewed and hired everyone from the foundation crew to the framer to the last finisher.....and boy was it fun picking out appliances and carpeting and ceramic tiles.....even my light switches, ceiling fans, insulation.....every nail and blade of grass was carefully chosen! lol
I am proud to say while my ex husband showed up each day to drink beer with the workers, I built a house from start to finish in 4 months time! And it was gorgeous! I will forever miss that home ......he swears he helped build the house....I beg to differ! Drinking beer and slowing down every crew is not building a house....its annoying the workers! LOL
But on to the music thing...
So one day as I was sitting on the couch in my beuatiful new home, wishing my life was different and my ex husband was out in the backyard in the sound studio we built for his latest band to practice in, I decided if I didnt find a way to be part of this music thing, i would end up alone and lonlier then being in that arraige, so I picked up the phone....and I started to get his REALLY bad band booked in some of the premier places in Austin......turns out I was good at this.....
Enter Nuno and Angie......Nuno kept letting me and Angie rebook this God Aweful Band at his club and came to me one day and said "Tammy, do you know this band is the lowest ringing band ever to play in my club? yet I keep rebooking the cause I like YOU so much! Imagine if you had some real talent.......lets start a production company and you work for me!"
And so I did......Nuno sent a moving truck to move me out of that unhappy marraige and we called the production company "Handshake Productions".......Jo Hell was one of our very first clients.....and then it was Kayla Reeves (who is now touring with the Trans Siberian Orchestra all over the world!) then Sonny Wolf.....JT Coldfire...the list just goes on and on and on.....Wes Jeans! Alan Haynes......so many wonderful artists....I learned all about Blues from a guy I was dating at the time by watching the beginnings of Antones DVD and listening to stories as he and Nuno introduced me to greats like Erik Johnson, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, WC Clark, Hubert Sumlin, Billie Gibbons and the late GREAT Pinetop Perkins...Mr Joe Willie! We even went to Clarksdale Mississippi to see where Pinetop lived......
We went on trips to Nashville to the ICP and I learned every day about music.....
I spent every single day working for Nuno and building that company up......for 6 months......I don't think I spent one whole day away from Angie and Nuno....they wanted to fill my life with work and friendship so I wouldn't go back to that miserable marraige.....and it worked....they are two of my best friends in the orld and I would do anything for them and thier family.
Eventually Nuno and I decided that I should be off on my own so he could concentrate on his other businesses......like so many before me (and after) Nuno had done his job...he gave me a brand new life...a new beginning.....thank you so much Nuno Vasconsellos.....
So my work was cut out for me......it started off with one club on 6th st.....Blind Pig Pub...Ill never foret Ben was the GM there and asked me to hire all the bands............then the Womacks came into my life through word of mouth from Ben.......and I took on all of their clubs.....word began to spread on 6th St and today I book many of the clubs on that famous strip in Austin Texas......some weeks juggling 60 shows.......
When I moved to Maui in 2008 I was contacted by an old friend, Sonya who was working with the Boston guys.....she asked me if i would promote a concert in Hawaii for them...i said NO WAY.....i book bands iI am NOT a concert promoter! So she put me in contact with Anthony Cosmo.....and from that very first phone conversation we became like family and now I tour his band (along with Fran Cosmo) and many others contact me each day.....(oh and their shows here in Hawaii were so much fun to promote!! I plan to bring them back soon!)
My life is never dull and my illness is just a minor bump in the road....I guess I was born to love the drama......if you ever hear me complain about my job, know in my heart I am loving every second of it.....musicians remind me of those kids in middle school that I worked with for five years....remember the ones I told you about sent down on discipline?? THOSE are the ones I get along with the best! The creative ones who think outside the box.......I admire the talent.....and I love hearing their stories!
One day I hope to get somehow involved in the film industry....now THAT sounds like fun no?
My ex husband decided at age 39 (we are exactly the same age) that he was going to be a "rock star"....of course he didn't bother to share this information with me....it was only in his head......so he packed us up and sold our house in NY and his business in NY and told us we were going because I "needed to live near my family in Austin".....little did I know, the REAL reason was because he knew that Austin was the Live Music Capital of the World and he could try his hand at being the next Neil Purt....lol.....to this day in MY head every time I envision him playing those drums I am screaming "LESS IS MORE, NIMROD, LESS IS MORE" a concept way lost on him I tell you!
So there were were in January of 2011 in Leander Texas in the first house we bought in Texas while we searched for land so we could build our dream house......
That part was wonderful! We built a 4300 sq ft custom built home on 5 acres in Leander Texas and I was the General Contractor! This included a three car garage and a gorgeous wrap around porch......I searched for and ordered the blue prints, tweeked them to my specs and interviewed and hired everyone from the foundation crew to the framer to the last finisher.....and boy was it fun picking out appliances and carpeting and ceramic tiles.....even my light switches, ceiling fans, insulation.....every nail and blade of grass was carefully chosen! lol
I am proud to say while my ex husband showed up each day to drink beer with the workers, I built a house from start to finish in 4 months time! And it was gorgeous! I will forever miss that home ......he swears he helped build the house....I beg to differ! Drinking beer and slowing down every crew is not building a house....its annoying the workers! LOL
But on to the music thing...
So one day as I was sitting on the couch in my beuatiful new home, wishing my life was different and my ex husband was out in the backyard in the sound studio we built for his latest band to practice in, I decided if I didnt find a way to be part of this music thing, i would end up alone and lonlier then being in that arraige, so I picked up the phone....and I started to get his REALLY bad band booked in some of the premier places in Austin......turns out I was good at this.....
Enter Nuno and Angie......Nuno kept letting me and Angie rebook this God Aweful Band at his club and came to me one day and said "Tammy, do you know this band is the lowest ringing band ever to play in my club? yet I keep rebooking the cause I like YOU so much! Imagine if you had some real talent.......lets start a production company and you work for me!"
And so I did......Nuno sent a moving truck to move me out of that unhappy marraige and we called the production company "Handshake Productions".......Jo Hell was one of our very first clients.....and then it was Kayla Reeves (who is now touring with the Trans Siberian Orchestra all over the world!) then Sonny Wolf.....JT Coldfire...the list just goes on and on and on.....Wes Jeans! Alan Haynes......so many wonderful artists....I learned all about Blues from a guy I was dating at the time by watching the beginnings of Antones DVD and listening to stories as he and Nuno introduced me to greats like Erik Johnson, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, WC Clark, Hubert Sumlin, Billie Gibbons and the late GREAT Pinetop Perkins...Mr Joe Willie! We even went to Clarksdale Mississippi to see where Pinetop lived......
We went on trips to Nashville to the ICP and I learned every day about music.....
I spent every single day working for Nuno and building that company up......for 6 months......I don't think I spent one whole day away from Angie and Nuno....they wanted to fill my life with work and friendship so I wouldn't go back to that miserable marraige.....and it worked....they are two of my best friends in the orld and I would do anything for them and thier family.
Eventually Nuno and I decided that I should be off on my own so he could concentrate on his other businesses......like so many before me (and after) Nuno had done his job...he gave me a brand new life...a new beginning.....thank you so much Nuno Vasconsellos.....
So my work was cut out for me......it started off with one club on 6th st.....Blind Pig Pub...Ill never foret Ben was the GM there and asked me to hire all the bands............then the Womacks came into my life through word of mouth from Ben.......and I took on all of their clubs.....word began to spread on 6th St and today I book many of the clubs on that famous strip in Austin Texas......some weeks juggling 60 shows.......
When I moved to Maui in 2008 I was contacted by an old friend, Sonya who was working with the Boston guys.....she asked me if i would promote a concert in Hawaii for them...i said NO WAY.....i book bands iI am NOT a concert promoter! So she put me in contact with Anthony Cosmo.....and from that very first phone conversation we became like family and now I tour his band (along with Fran Cosmo) and many others contact me each day.....(oh and their shows here in Hawaii were so much fun to promote!! I plan to bring them back soon!)
My life is never dull and my illness is just a minor bump in the road....I guess I was born to love the drama......if you ever hear me complain about my job, know in my heart I am loving every second of it.....musicians remind me of those kids in middle school that I worked with for five years....remember the ones I told you about sent down on discipline?? THOSE are the ones I get along with the best! The creative ones who think outside the box.......I admire the talent.....and I love hearing their stories!
One day I hope to get somehow involved in the film industry....now THAT sounds like fun no?
Monday, July 11, 2011
My idea to bring to Congress......who's in?
Sometimes "The Fix" is so simple it gets easily overlooked.....to ME anyway....... it seems simple enough.....
(of course the other side of the coin is someone , or groups of someones, are getting extremely wealthy keeping "The Fix" from being implemented...you tell me)
Ponder these thoughts...
We, in this country, are suffering from a severe and utterly shameful lack of available organs for hundreds of thousands of people that are dying needlessly every year, correct?
Well lets FIX the problem...and here is my idea to make that happen!
Every child born in this country gets issued a birth certificate correct? We've all seen it...the team marches in after your glorious event and hands you a bunch of papers that you, as a responsible parent must fill out expediantely to get your child into "the system"...the social security system...the birth certificate...hell, they even give you that Gerber Life Insurance paperwork so for a mere dollar a month your child can be insured from the moment you walk out of that hospital door!
Everything is centrally computerized.....everything....the government can monitor our whereabouts with little effort....and if a draft was to be reinstituted, they would be completely prepared with the names and ages of all who qualify!
So, why not add some paperwork to that folder? The team can carry two or three extra pcs of paper I am quite sure.........Why not have the team bring in organ donor education pamphlets and give every new set of proud parents a 30 day window of time to read up on and get educated and make the big decision "Is your child going to be an organ donor??"
Simple.
Why?
Because the time to educate the misinformed American is NOT when their loved one is laying on life support and the family is so grief stricken that the last thing they want to discuss is donating their loved ones organs.....if it were ME and I had never even learned about organ donation and my child was brain dead after a massive auto accident I think I would be so unbelievably upset that I could not possibly make a rational decision....in fact, knowing me, as I do so well, I am quite sure the team would be sent out of my childs' room with such force they would need a week off to recuperate from the experience of the wrath of Tammy........
So here is my answer!
Force every American to become educated. LEARN the facts and make a decision with every child born. You will always have the right to say no at the end of that 30 days for whatever reason you deem viable....but I PROMISE you, many, many MANY people would choose YES......the shortage in this country would dissappear and like France NO ONE would be dying waiting for a transplant that didn't come to be....the time to educate is duing the happy time..the time when parents can sit together and discuss the pros and cons. The only thing mandated of them is that they make that decision by the end of 30 days and if they do NOT, the decision is made for them.....it gives a window of time for parents to object for whatever reasons they choose after reading the facts.....and I am ALL for people deciding against organ donation if that is indeed an informed , educated decision.....
(I was once told "Tammy if you have never tried Sushi, how can you possibly say you don't like it?? If you TRY the sushi and tell me you don't like the sushi then I will respect your decision and never ask again"......long story short I tried the sushi and it is now my favorite food in the world! Not quite sure how I got to be 44 yrs old never ever having eaten sushi!)
On to the next part of The Fix
Then when the child turns 18 or applies for their drivers licence, it would become their responsibility as an American to make that decision for themselves.
Again, they can decide NO.....but don't you all think this would really spread awareness and educate people on the facts, the needs, the shortage....?? I do.
Remember YOU or YOUR loved one could end up in the situation at any time where THEY are the one that needs a life saving organ......
How many people die that could have gone on to do GREAT things with their lives?
Ok off my soap box......just my idea....seems simple enough to me.....
(of course the other side of the coin is someone , or groups of someones, are getting extremely wealthy keeping "The Fix" from being implemented...you tell me)
Ponder these thoughts...
We, in this country, are suffering from a severe and utterly shameful lack of available organs for hundreds of thousands of people that are dying needlessly every year, correct?
Well lets FIX the problem...and here is my idea to make that happen!
Every child born in this country gets issued a birth certificate correct? We've all seen it...the team marches in after your glorious event and hands you a bunch of papers that you, as a responsible parent must fill out expediantely to get your child into "the system"...the social security system...the birth certificate...hell, they even give you that Gerber Life Insurance paperwork so for a mere dollar a month your child can be insured from the moment you walk out of that hospital door!
Everything is centrally computerized.....everything....the government can monitor our whereabouts with little effort....and if a draft was to be reinstituted, they would be completely prepared with the names and ages of all who qualify!
So, why not add some paperwork to that folder? The team can carry two or three extra pcs of paper I am quite sure.........Why not have the team bring in organ donor education pamphlets and give every new set of proud parents a 30 day window of time to read up on and get educated and make the big decision "Is your child going to be an organ donor??"
Simple.
Why?
Because the time to educate the misinformed American is NOT when their loved one is laying on life support and the family is so grief stricken that the last thing they want to discuss is donating their loved ones organs.....if it were ME and I had never even learned about organ donation and my child was brain dead after a massive auto accident I think I would be so unbelievably upset that I could not possibly make a rational decision....in fact, knowing me, as I do so well, I am quite sure the team would be sent out of my childs' room with such force they would need a week off to recuperate from the experience of the wrath of Tammy........
So here is my answer!
Force every American to become educated. LEARN the facts and make a decision with every child born. You will always have the right to say no at the end of that 30 days for whatever reason you deem viable....but I PROMISE you, many, many MANY people would choose YES......the shortage in this country would dissappear and like France NO ONE would be dying waiting for a transplant that didn't come to be....the time to educate is duing the happy time..the time when parents can sit together and discuss the pros and cons. The only thing mandated of them is that they make that decision by the end of 30 days and if they do NOT, the decision is made for them.....it gives a window of time for parents to object for whatever reasons they choose after reading the facts.....and I am ALL for people deciding against organ donation if that is indeed an informed , educated decision.....
(I was once told "Tammy if you have never tried Sushi, how can you possibly say you don't like it?? If you TRY the sushi and tell me you don't like the sushi then I will respect your decision and never ask again"......long story short I tried the sushi and it is now my favorite food in the world! Not quite sure how I got to be 44 yrs old never ever having eaten sushi!)
On to the next part of The Fix
Then when the child turns 18 or applies for their drivers licence, it would become their responsibility as an American to make that decision for themselves.
Again, they can decide NO.....but don't you all think this would really spread awareness and educate people on the facts, the needs, the shortage....?? I do.
Remember YOU or YOUR loved one could end up in the situation at any time where THEY are the one that needs a life saving organ......
How many people die that could have gone on to do GREAT things with their lives?
Ok off my soap box......just my idea....seems simple enough to me.....
Dont take your organs to heaven, heaven KNOWS we need them here!
Some facts about Organ Donation:
Organ Donation and Transplant
At this moment, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ. Four thousand more people are added to the national waiting list each day.
Each of these people is in desperate need of a kidney, liver, heart, or other organ. More than 6,500 people a year -- about 18 a day -- die before that organ ever becomes available.
Organ donors are always in short supply. There are far more people in need of a transplant than there are people willing to donate an organ.
Most of the organs that are available come from deceased donors. When you fill out an organ donor card with your driver's license, you're agreeing to donate all or some of your organs if you die.
A smaller number of organs come from healthy people. About 6,000 transplantsfrom living donors are performed each year.
You might have wondered about donating an organ -- either to a friend or relative who needs an organ right now, or by filling out an organ donor card. Before you decide to become an organ donor, here is some important information you need to consider.
Organ Donation: The Facts
Here are a few questions you might be asking if you're considering organ donation:
Who can donate an organ?
Just about anyone, at any age, can become an organ donor. Anyone younger than 18 needs to have the consent of a parent or guardian.
For organ donation after death, a medical assessment will be done to determine what organs can be donated. Certain conditions, such as having HIV, actively spreading cancer, or severe infection would exclude organ donation..
Do my blood and tissue type have to match the recipient's?
It's easier to transplant an organ if the donor and recipient are a good match. The transplant team will put you through a series of tests to determine whether your blood and tissue types are compatible with the recipient's.
Some medical centers can transplant an organ even if the donor's and recipient's blood and tissue types don't match. In that case, the recipient will receive special treatments to prevent his or her body from rejecting the new organ.
How can I become an organ donor?
To donate your organs after death, you can either register with your state's donor registry (visit OrganDonor.gov), or fill out an organ donor card when you get or renew your driver's license.
To become a living donor, you can either work directly with your family member or friend's transplant team, or contact a transplant center in your area to find out who's in need of an organ
If I donate an organ, will I have health problems in the future?
Not necessarily. There are some organs you can give up all or part of without having long-term health issues. You can donate a whole kidney, or part of thepancreas, intestine, liver, or lung. Your body will compensate for the missing organ or organ part. If it is determined that donating an organ would put your health at risk in the short term or long term, then you would not be able to donate.
Will I be paid for donating an organ?
No. It's illegal to pay someone for an organ. The transplant program, recipient's insurance, or recipient should cover your expenses from tests and hospital costs related to a living organ donation. The transplant program can go over what coverage is available for additional medical services. Some or all of your travel costs may also be covered.
Will organ donation after death mean I can't have an open-casket funeral?
No. The surgical incisions used for organ donation will all be closed.
Will my organ donation after death incur any costs to my family?
No. The costs of the tests and surgery related to the donation will be covered by the recipient -- most often by the recipient's insurance. Your medical care and funeral costs are paid for by your family.
Does signing a donor card have an impact on the quality of medical care I get at a hospital?
No. When you are in a life-threatening situation, the medical team that is treating you is separate from the transplant team. A maximum effort to save your life will be made before an organ donation is considered.
Pros and Cons of Organ Donation
When you're considering becoming a living organ donor, think very carefully about these pros and cons:
Pros. Probably the greatest benefit of organ donation is knowing that you're saving a life. That life might be your spouse, child, parent, brother or sister, a close friend, or a very grateful stranger.
Cons. Organ donation is major surgery. All surgery comes with risks such as bleeding, infection, blood clots, allergic reactions, or damage to nearby organs and tissues.
Although you will have anesthesia during the surgery as a living donor, you can have pain while you recover from surgery. Your pain and discomfort will vary depending on the type of surgery. And you may have visible, lasting scars from your surgery.
It will take some time for your body to recover from the surgery. You might have to miss work until you're fully healed.
Although the recipient's insurance will cover the costs of the surgery, any medical problems that develop from the transplant in the future won't be covered. Even your own health insurance policy might not cover these complications.
Should You Become an Organ Donor? Making Your Decision
As you decide whether to donate an organ as a living donor, weigh very seriously the benefits and risks of organ donation.
It's important for you to get as much information as you can before making your decision. The transplant center should fully explain the organ donation process to you. You should also be assigned an independent donor advocate who will promote your medical rights.
Make sure you ask a lot of questions throughout this process. It's important for you to fully understand the surgery and how becoming an organ donor might affect your future health.
Finally, remember that this is your decision -- yours alone. Don't let anyone sway that decision. Even if a friend or loved one is very sick, you have to consider how donating an organ might affect your own life. Remember that even though the donation process has started, you have the right to stop it at any time if you change your mind.
Understanding organ donation can make you feel better about your choice. If you've delayed your decision to be a donor because of possibly inaccurate information, here are answers to some common organ donation myths and concerns.
Why you should consider organ donation
Now that you have the facts, you can see that being an organ donor can make a big difference, and not just to one person. By donating your organs after you die, you can save or improve as many as 50 lives. And many families say that knowing their loved one helped save other lives helped them cope with their loss.
It's especially important to consider becoming an organ donor if you belong to an ethnic minority. Minorities including African-Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Hispanics are more likely than whites to have certain chronic conditions that affect the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas and liver. Certain blood types are more prevalent in ethnic minority populations. Because matching blood type is necessary for transplants, the need for minority donor organs is especially high.
25 Facts About Organ Donation and Transplantation
The success rates of transplant surgery have improved remarkably, but growing shortages exist in the supply of organs and tissues available for transplantation. Many Americans who need transplants cannot get them because of these shortages. The result: some of these people die while waiting for that "Gift of Life."
Each year, the National Kidney Foundation develops special public education programs aimed at increasing public awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation. Learning more about organ and tissue donation will help every American to make an informed decision about this important issue. Here are some facts everyone should know:
- 104,748 U.S. patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant; more than 4,000 new patients are added to the waiting list each month.
- Every day, 18 people die while waiting for a transplant of a vital organ, such as a heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung or bone marrow.
- Because of the lack of available donors in this country, 4,573 kidney patients, 1,506 liver patients, 371 heart patients and 234 lung patients died in 2008 while waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
- Nearly 10 percent of the patients currently waiting for heart transplants are young people under 18 years of age.
- Acceptable organ donors can range in age from newborn to 65 years or more. People who are 65 years of age or older may be acceptable donors, particularly of corneas, skin, bone and for total body donation.
- An estimated 12,000 people who die each year meet the criteria for organ donation, but less than half of that number become actual organ donors.
- Donor organs are matched to waiting recipients by a national computer registry, called the National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). This computer registry is operated by an organization known as the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which is located in Richmond, Virginia.
- Currently there are 58 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) across the country, which provide organ procurement services to 250 transplant centers.
- All hospitals are required by law to have a "Required Referral" system in place. Under this system, the hospital must notify the local Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) of all patient deaths. If the OPO determines that organ and/or tissue donation is appropriate in a particular case, they will have a representative contact the deceased patient’s family to offer them the option of donating their loved one’s organs and tissues.
- By signing a Uniform Donor Card, an individual indicates his or her wish to be a donor. However, at the time of death, the person's next-of-kin will still be asked to sign a consent form for donation. It is important for people who wish to be organ and tissue donors to tell their family about this decision so that their wishes will be honored at the time of death.
- All costs related to the donation of organs and tissues are paid for by the donor program. A family who receives a bill by mistake should contact the hospital or procurement agency immediately.
- Tissue donation can enhance the lives of more than 50 people. Donated heart valves, bone, skin, corneas and connective tissues can be used in vital medical procedures such as heart valve replacements, limb reconstruction following tumor surgery, hip and knee joint reconstruction and in correcting curvature of the spine.
- In 2008, a total of 14,208 organ donors were recovered in the U.S. Of these, 7,990 were cadaveric donors, which represented a decrease over the total of 8,019 in 2006. Living donors decreased from 6,732 in 2006 to 6,218 in 2008.
- Donor organs and tissues are removed surgically, and the donor’s body is closed, as in any surgery. There are no outward signs of organ donation and open casket funerals are still possible.
- Acceptable organ donors are those who are "brain dead" (whose brain function has ceased permanently) but whose heart and lungs continue to function with the use of ventilators. Brain dead is a legal definition of death.
- Organ transplant recipients are selected on the basis of medical urgency, as well as compatibility of body size and blood chemistries, and not race, sex or creed.
- Advances in surgical technique and organ preservation and the development of more effective drugs to prevent rejection have improved the success rates of all types of organ and tissue transplants.
- About 94.4 percent of the kidneys transplanted from cadavers (persons who died recently) are still functioning well at one year after surgery.
- The results are even better for kidneys transplanted from living donors. One year after surgery, 97.96 percent of these kidneys were still functioning well.
- Following are one-year patient and organ graft survival rates:
- Following is a comparison of the numbers of organ transplants done in 2008 and the numbers of individuals who are on the national waiting list as of November 2009.
- Of the 13,156 single kidney transplants performed in 2008, 5,968 were from living donors and the rest were from cadaveric donors. In addition, 837 kidneys were transplanted in combination with pancreas transplants.
- Over 2,500 bone marrow transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2004. Marrow is collected from a pelvic bone using a special needle while the volunteer donor is under anesthesia. The majority of bone marrow transplants are done for leukemia.
- In the United States fewer than 2.5% of patients with end-stage kidney disease undergo transplantation as their first treatment or therapy. The National Kidney Foundation is dedicated to educating kidney patients about the benefits of pre-emptive transplantation - when a person is able to go straight to transplant without dialysis they usually have good health outcomes.
- 2008 was the first time in 20 years that there was a decline in the number of deceased donors used for transplants. Living donors in 2008 were at their lowest numbers since 2001.
- Virtually all religious denominations approve of organ and tissue donation as representing the highest humanitarian ideals and the ultimate charitable act
| Organ |  | Patient Survival Rate | | Graft Survival Rate |
| Kidney (cadaveric) Kidney (live donor) Liver | 94.4% 97.9% 90.1% | 89.0% 95.1% 82.0% |
| Organ | | Number of Transplants in 2008 | | Number of Patients on Waiting List* (of November 2009) |
| Kidney Kidney/Pancreas Pancreas Liver Heart Heart/lung Lung Intestine Total: | 16,520 837 436 6,319 2,163 27 1,478 185 27,965 | 82,364 2,220 1,488 15,915 2,884 83 1,863 229 107,046 |
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