Waiting

The scanned photo above is something that screamed out at me yesterday when I looked through my mail. It was part of a larger dental postcard -- besides wondering who responds to dental advertisements, I had to laugh out loud at the idea of free IV sedation. I'm wondering if I could get some -- without the dental implant surgery, of course.

It's been over three weeks since Sophie received the diagnosis of ESES and was prescribed the treatment of IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin).

We are still waiting for our insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, to approve the treatment. Since the diagnosis, I'd estimate Sophie's seizure frequency as anywhere from one large one to five large ones each day, accompanied by the usual small clusters throughout each day. Extreme fatigue, weight loss and excessive drooling are hallmarks of ESES for Sophie, and these continue. Please don't comment with suggestions to get the doctor to expedite this process. We're doing everything we should be doing and THIS IS THE WAY OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WORKS.

I read in the paper today that villagers in Afghanistan with medical problems are being helped, in extraordinary ways, by our soldiers. It's all part of the Hearts and Minds program. So while we're busy spending billions of dollars bombing the hell out of an insane and evil regime, as well as thousands of innocent people, we're picking up the pieces by helping them with their medical issues. At best, this is wonderful; at worst, it's absurd.

Conservative bloggers are going at it with the Al Gore/massage scandal because we have time for that, here in the greatest country on earth. The governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour (hailed during Katrina as an effective manager of the disaster and an avowed supporter of the federal government run by his political colleague Bush), is ragging on the Obama administration's response to the oil spill as its greasy claws begin gripping the Mississippi coast. The Supreme Court gave another boost to the ridiculous right to bear arms amendment of our constitution.

I am looking for encouragement -- anyone? -- to not just throw up my arms at this silly, sad country of ours?

I'm waiting.