OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug assistance plan

February 29, 2004

I actually work in two hospitals..emergency department of one...I know what the

disease is like. I see/read about this every day.

I just think it's horrible that money is short for those who want to live and

yet, the emergency department is full of alcoholics, drug addicts and others

with numerous other health problems, usually of their own making, due to

alcohol, drugs and/or other destructive life style, many of them are presently

alcoholics, drug addicts, prostitutes or other life style behaviors that they

continue AND are HIV positive or have full blown. It is obvious that many...if

not most...have no respect for their life at all...even in their present

condition, they just keep doing drugs, drinking their livers into

encephalopathy, they are already HEP C positive, have cirrhosis of the liver,

alcoholic pancreatitis, some have multiple drug overdoses...accidental and

intentional...horrible, severe infections in their arms and other places on

their bodies they've shot a dirty needle into...not to mention numerous issues

related to AIDS that can happen to them are worse, as they don't take care of

themselves at all...you see, usually they are non-compliant on top of all of

this. This means that even though they get the anti-virals, they don't take

them as the should, if they take them at all. In other words, the money is

spent on them, but so what....meds are no where to be found or they just won't

take them...they have multiple other health problems due to their life style,

but will not change it and are living the rest of it on Medicare, Medicaid, and

what other programs might be funding their miserable existence and taking money

from people like you and your son, who love life and want to live. You can

imagine that their health care bills...doctor, prescription...and especially

hospital stays, are exorbitant.

This infuriates me on a daily basis. Well, let's say, infuriates, is a mild way

to state how I feel about this. You see, I am one of the tax payers that helps

fund their alcoholism, their drug abuse and what other MULTIPLE horrible and

chronic health problems they have due to their choices. Everyone makes

mistakes, I am not talking about not helping a person whose made a mistake. I'm

talking about a lifestyle that a person chooses to live, that they are not

willing to change, in fact, refuse to change, and the hard working tax paying

citizens of the United States of America are paying for them to live it. It

would be nice if the funds were given to those that obviously want to live and

don't go to people who don't. And let me tell you, you don't need to call in a

Pysch Screener to determine that. It is most obvious. Yes, I do know what that

sounds like. My question is, when will the money doling stop? When I can't pay

MY BILLS because I'm paying so much in taxes? How much money are we going to

have to keep paying for people to destroy themselves? In my opinion, they are

stealing from Evelyn and her son one way (and they are, no doubt about that) and

from me (and ALL the other tax payers), another. Those are the cold hard facts.

And it's not right.

Evelyn, if you saw what I see every day, you would be sad, angry, what ever, but

you wouldn't be happy to see the money your son needs, going to someone that

doesn't care enough about their body to even brush their teeth, let alone take

those expensive anti-virals they've been given. You would see why the funds are

short and maybe why they are not wanting to put more in. Any doctor can testify

to everything I've said here. It's not a secret. This is where my fight would

be. I don't think the solution is to keep pumping tax payer money into any

program. I think the solution is to find out how the money is being spent

that's already there, and finding out why it isn't effective. I've already

given you BIG MONEY reasons why these programs are probably short. Continually

putting money into a broken program, won't fix it. After a while, they'll only

need more, because there are more and more people, as I've described, in need

all the time. More and more that will be taking money from people like you and

your son, who really want to live a better quality of life and stay healthy.

I'm truly sorry for anyone who is inflicted and wants better, more...as you and

your son. If I ran the program, it would be much different. No anti-virals or

other meds or money to anyone that didn't take care of themselves. Positive

drug test? Out de doe. Drunk how many times this week? Out de doe? I'm sorry

ms. or mr. prostitute, you had a positive gonorrhea test, which means you (HIV

positive) have been having unprotected sex. Out de doe. If I ran the program,

I would do that for you and for the citizens of the United States of America.

2004...More, More, More!

~~~Shelley~~~

There is M~O~R~E for me in 2004!

Manifestation~Order~Restoration~Expectation

March 1, 2004

Shelley,

I agree with you in a lot of ways but there is a bigger problem that no one

addresses anymore and it baffles me somewhat. When I got married there was a

three day waiting period and blood tests required. That for some reason was

done away with and there are diseases being transmitted by people who don't even

know they have the disease. You would think that in this time in our history

when transmitted diseases are running rampant that this would be more important

now then it was then. Then your main concern of having unprotected sex was

things that would make you ill and could kill you if they were untreated but

they were pretty uncomfortable so most people got treated and good old

penicillin was the drug of choice and readily available, or pregnancy. Now, the

real threat is something so invasive and aggressive that if you don't get the

proper treatment, YOU WILL DIE!!!! Well, as this disease began it was labeled

as the gay disease, which is ridiculous, but the statistics show that now there

are more and more cases showing up in the heterosexual community because of

ignorance and the denial that it can and does happen to anyone. Whether through

direct contact with infected blood or body fluids or blood transfusion. I read

a comment in a newspaper letter to the editor once and it said, and I

paraphrase, " Who cares if they die, their just gay people. Who needs them

anyway. " Some attitude. I know that there are probably a lot of people that

feel that way and that is certainly their privilege but put my shoe on your foot

and walk in it a while. (shelley, not speaking to you directly just in general

so don't get mad at me. lol) Since Greg was diagnosed in 1997 he has worked

harder and longer on issues that effect not just himself but others in his

situation than most ever could. I like to think that I instilled in him the

drive and determination to do this as I had to instill it in myself on my own

when my middle son was born in 1972 when there was no support system and

anything that he needed I had to fight and fight hard for. What a blessing that

child was to me and to our family. I lost my dad in 1994, my son, Stephen, in

1995, my beloved fur baby of 15 years in 1996 and Greg was diagnosed with Full

blown Aids in 1997 so you see why I fight so hard and have had to become a

" Steel Magnolia " so to speak. It was get stronger or die. I had no middle of

the road. Geez, I didn't mean to rattle on so, I just got carried away but I

hope you understand why I am so passionate about this. I love ya all for your

help and support. Greg told me that he has be swamped with requests for the

form letter. Blessings from my house to yours and may you all be well.

MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY:

Evelyn

Alternasense Skin Design Products

www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/>

-

~Shelley~<shelleyslife

< >

Sunday, February 29, 2004 8:46 AM

Re: OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug

assistance plan

I actually work in two hospitals..emergency department of one...I know what

the disease is like. I see/read about this every day.

March 1, 2004

Evelyn,

Truly I am sorry. I cannot fathom the pain that you have gone through and won't

pretend to.

The reason that AIDS was touted as the Gay Disease is it was ONLY showing up in

the gay community. That is the way it was. Through blood transfusions (as they

weren't tested then) it began to spread more broad spectrumly. Many gays are

bi-sexual and that is another way it began to spread...also through the use of

sharing dirty needles, etc.

Blood is tested now. If you donate blood, you will get an HIV test and an

assortment of other tests for diseases transmittable by blood. Heck, I recently

had myself tested, since, as you well know, it's something that you can have and

not realize for some time. Syphilis and HEP C can be the same way. You may not

even know you have them. With syphilis, when you get to a Stage 2 infection,

you'll know something is wrong, but if you don't go to the doc and get dx, it

goes on to Stage 3 and at that point, it starts destroying organs. All 3 stages

of syphilis are easily curable, though. You just have to know you have it and

get it treated.

I have a hard time with statistics as I know there are political agendas that

want us to think that this horrible infliction is more main stream than it is.

Yes, more and more it's becoming more main stream. This is true. But you won't

be getting it from a blood transfusion. If you are in an 'on the job' situation

where you have been stabbed in the finger with a blood laden large bore needle

or breaking up a fight and got blood splattered, something like that, you can

get a test immediately, the source patient tested as well of course, to see if

they have anything you don't want, and you can start prophylaxis immediately. I

THINK it has to be within 3 days (not sure). Of course, a blood splattering is

probably going to be considered not a good source of getting the infection, even

from a positive source patient. A large bore puncture with blood on it from a

positive source patient is another story...but I don't think I've seen one of

those at all in the last 3-4 years where I am...and I work in a hospital in an

area full of transients and people with poor life style choices. The chances of

actually getting HIV in these instances are very, very, very, slim. By far the

greatest and most likely cause of getting it is through your behavior choices.

Once again, let me clarify, there are those that innocently slip in here as

victims and get it, aside from a behavior choice, but that is just so very rare

these days.

It is showing up everywhere because people are NOT using barrier methods of

protection in their promiscuous lifestyles, for one, others are as we discussed,

intravenous drug users, etc. They are not going in and getting their

hemorrhoids clipped and coming out HIV positive. It was my understanding that

HIV can pass through a condom, too. Last I heard on this was about 6 or so

years ago, though, and that may be old information.

I personally have had MANY gay men as friends (only 1 or 2 gay women). It was

SHOCKING to me to know they rarely, IF EVER, used protection. And trust me,

they were not shy about telling me every detail of all their MANY liaisons.

This has been different gay men over many years. That was a real eye opener for

me.

As far as the blood tests when you get married, I didn't know they weren't doing

them, but a person doesn't need big brother telling them to do something. They

need to take it upon themselves to do it...and anyway, chances are, if they're

getting married, they're probably already doing the wild thing.

As I said before, I just think there are better ways to spend the money then on

people who don't care about themselves, gay or not. I won't be signing the

petition, because as I said, how much more money are we going to have to cough

up and flush down the drain for people who do not care about themselves. My

question is, when will it stop? This much this year...how much next year and

the next and so on? I think the best fight is held on how to better spend the

money that's there. You are so passionate about this and rightly so. I think

you could make a big difference in this area. I know you probably don't

understand this thinking and I'm sorry about that, but I'm not sorry about how I

feel about this spending thing.

I appreciate your passion and understand it fully. I truly want only the best

for you and yours.

2004...More, More, More!

~~~Shelley~~~

There is M~O~R~E for me in 2004!

Manifestation~Order~Restoration~Expectation

March 1, 2004

Shelley,

I don't agree with your reasoning but I respect your right to it. The problems

I have with it are below:

I can't and don't believe that any life is wasted or should be thrown away

because of some bad choices that were made. I don't think anyone with any

mentality at all wakes up one bright morning and decides I'll become a drug

addict or Gee, I think it would be fun to be gay, I think I'll give it a try.

You as a medical professional should know that sometimes you are a product of

your environment. Greg worked within the justice system with young people.

Everything from drug offences to murderers. These young people did very well,

most of them, within the structured system. But when sent back home and into

the same environment that they came from fell right back into the same old rut.

It's very difficult to be strong when you are virtually alone in your struggle.

My younger brother is addicted to prescription drugs. How did that happen???

Medical professionals pumped him full of them for his Hep C. Now he is in such

pain without them that he will steal, and has lied and anything he can to get

them. Don't ask me how I know because it is a long and painful story. Who is to

blame for that?

I read recently that an organization was given a huge *government* grant. Do

you know what it was for?? To determine which of five different varieties of

apples were the sweetest. This grant was in the millions. I think if I was

going to get upset about where my tax dollars are going that would certainly

strike a nerve.

I'm not just fighting for my son. I'm fighting for all the ones that are

afflicted and don't have anyone to fight for them because they have no family

support. Their families are so embarrassed or just don't give a hoot what

happens to them. God, I hope I never grow that callused that I can't see the

forest for the trees. Basically, what this says is that because someone is Gay

or made a bad choice in life and are going to die anyway why should our

government bother with them and waste the taxpayers money. If that sounds harsh

and judgmental, I'm sorry but in one breath you say you are sorry for what we

are going through but in the next you say you don't want the government wasting

your money because of a choice, (your word not mine) that my son made as to his

lifestyle so that he can stay alive. Well, that is your right and privilege but

I say this in all sincerity . I hope that your words never come back to bite

you in the butt and one of your family or friends find themselves in a similar

situation. Don't EVER say you can't get it through a blood transfusion.

Mistakes can and do happen. You are adding the human factor when this blood is

tested and people do make mistakes. We can only hope that when we have to have

blood that this is the one batch that was tested very well.

That said and off my chest, I will leave this subject alone. I am too

emotionally involved in it to be objective and I apologize for using this list

as a mother's forum. It was not my intent. As far as signing the letter to

your congressman. That you do only if you want to. It was not an order it was

a request.

Blessings to all.

MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY:

Evelyn

Alternasense Skin Design Products

www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/>

-

~Shelley~<shelleyslife

< >

Monday, March 01, 2004 6:35 AM

Re: OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug

assistance plan

Evelyn,

Truly I am sorry. I cannot fathom the pain that you have gone through and

won't pretend to.

March 2, 2004

I didn't say this:

I can't and don't believe that any life is wasted or should be thrown away

because of some bad choices that were made.

I clarified this in the e-mail to Marge. Didn't even insinuate this.

I didn't say this:

I don't think anyone with any mentality at all wakes up one bright

morning and decides I'll become a drug addict or Gee, I think it would be fun to

be gay, I think I'll give it a try.

I clarified this in the e-mail to Marge. Didn't even insinuate this.

I didn't say this:

I'm sorry but in one breath you say you are sorry for what we are going

through but in the next you say you don't want the government wasting your money

because of a choice,

I said, we shouldn't have to pay for people who don't care enough about

themselves to brush their teeth, let alone, take their meds. It's them you

should be upset with. Their getting tons of money spent on them and destroying

themselves on a daily basis.

I didn't say this:

Don't EVER say you can't get it through a blood transfusion.

I said, that isn't where people are getting it, I didn't say it could NEVER

happen. The likely hood is slim...very slim.

No, I didn't say those things...I didn't say anything of the sort, and in fact,

made myself quite clear to the contrary. We must agree to disagree. Agreed.

It appears you have totally missed my very articulate point.

2004...More, More, More!

~~~Shelley~~~

There is M~O~R~E for me in 2004!

Manifestation~Order~Restoration~Expectation

March 2, 2004

I guess your point must have been lost in the shuffle!!! Sorry about that. But

that is the way it read to me. If I misconstrued what you said then I apologize

but when you punish some by not asking for funding for programs such as ADAP

then you punish them all. It isn't a matter of spending the money it's a matter

of the drug companies pricing these medications so high that they are

unattainable. My son works, he doesn't just sit on his butt and feel sorry for

himself nor should he but his medication costs in excess of 20,000 per month and

that is for two shots self injected daily not counting the meds in pill form

that he takes. Thank God and research that they are working and working

amazingly well. But should this funding be cut, many not only could but WILL

die because of unavailability of the lifesaving medications.

I really didn't even want to get into this discussion. I asked Chris's

permission to post this request. You could have just ignored it and have been

done with it. I sorry if I sound mean but this is my son's life we're talking

about so you'll just have to forgive me if I'm a little testy when someone says

they don't want the government to waste their money. It's wasted on a lot less

than this. There will always be slackers no matter what the funding is for and

people will ride the coat tails of any legislation to get all they can but lets

not push the ones who truly need it aside just so the others don't benefit

also. Now, on that note. I'm DONE with this topic. This is not the place nor

did I intend it to be. No more. If you want to talk to me off list fine but I

won't respond to any more emails on list on this subject. It isn't fair to the

list or to Chris who was kind enough to allow this message to be posted.

Blessings to you all.

MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY:

Evelyn

Alternasense Skin Design Products

www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/>

-

~Shelley~<shelleyslife

< >

Monday, March 01, 2004 7:15 PM

Re: OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug

assistance plan

I didn't say this:

I can't and don't believe that any life is wasted or should be thrown

away because of some bad choices that were made.

I clarified this in the e-mail to Marge. Didn't even insinuate this.

I didn't say this:

I don't think anyone with any mentality at all wakes up one bright

morning and decides I'll become a drug addict or Gee, I think it would be fun to

be gay, I think I'll give it a try.

I clarified this in the e-mail to Marge. Didn't even insinuate this.

I didn't say this:

I'm sorry but in one breath you say you are sorry for what we are

going through but in the next you say you don't want the government wasting your

money because of a choice,

I said, we shouldn't have to pay for people who don't care enough about

themselves to brush their teeth, let alone, take their meds. It's them you

should be upset with. Their getting tons of money spent on them and destroying

themselves on a daily basis.

I didn't say this:

Don't EVER say you can't get it through a blood transfusion.

I said, that isn't where people are getting it, I didn't say it could

NEVER happen. The likely hood is slim...very slim.

No, I didn't say those things...I didn't say anything of the sort, and in

fact, made myself quite clear to the contrary. We must agree to disagree.

Agreed.

It appears you have totally missed my very articulate point.

2004...More, More, More!

~~~Shelley~~~

There is M~O~R~E for me in 2004!

Manifestation~Order~Restoration~Expectation

March 2, 2004

And my sweet little, " Mrs. Arizona of 1957, " 79 year-old mother lives

on $900 a month, and her health insurance takes $300 of it. Amazing

perspective.

Jonee

" his medication costs in excess of 20,000 per month and that is for

two shots self injected daily not counting the meds in pill form that

he takes. "

March 2, 2004

Just my 2 cents! Evelyn, I'm so proud of Greg, with all he is

doing, not just for himself, but for every man, woman & child that

has no chance at life without these programs!! God bless him, and

you, for being the wonderful people you are!! Don't you answer this,

now!!! LOL!!

RJ )

March 2, 2004

Isn't it amazing. I know my mom is 84 and in very poor health and is now living

with us since my dad passed away. Her medication is outrageous and she even has

supplemental coverage through AARP and it still costs an arm and a leg. `She

takes one medication that is $254.00 a month and that is with a discount.

That doesn't include the other 4 medications she has to take for her congestive

heart failure.

When my middle son Stephen was born there was an organization called crippled

children. They along with our health insurance paid for most of his treatments

and his wheelchairs and such because they all had to be special made. I don't

know if it is still in existence anymore. He died in 1995. If it isn't it is

a shame because there is a great need for this especially with so many companies

going to part time status so they don't have to pay any medical benefits. You

learn a lot when you live with a physically and mentally challenged child.

MAKE A HAPPY MEMORY EVERY DAY:

Evelyn

Alternasense Skin Design Products

www.alternasense.com<http://www.alternasense.com/>

-

Jonee<jonee

< >

Monday, March 01, 2004 11:46 PM

Re: OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug

assistance plan

And my sweet little, " Mrs. Arizona of 1957, " 79 year-old mother lives

on $900 a month, and her health insurance takes $300 of it. Amazing

perspective.

Jonee

" his medication costs in excess of 20,000 per month and that is for

two shots self injected daily not counting the meds in pill form that

he takes. "

Step By Step Instructions On Making Rose Petal Preserves:

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To adjust your group settings (i.e. go no mail) see the following link:

/join<\

/join>

March 2, 2004

Evelyn wrote:

You could have just ignored it and have been done with it.

Evelyn,

I can't ignore this....MY children may have to pay for it if I do. If someone

doesn't stand up and say, enough...when is it going to stop? Fix the broken

program. If we don't fix broken programs, instead of taking the easy way out by

throwing more money in them...more tax payer money...then it won't stop. It

will be more and more and more costly. It won't stop. It won't stop. Those

people spending our...mine...my children's money, will continue to do it if we

don't say, Hey, what are you doing with all that you already take from me???

All I'm saying is, they could AND SHOULD better spend what they already have.

That's it. It's so much easier to get a petition up and say, get more money

(which is my money...my children's money), then fix what's broken. No. No. No.

I can't ignore that. And I won't apologize for that.

All I'm saying is WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE MONEY THEY ALREADY GET FROM ME

OUT OF EVERY ONE OF MY PAYCHECKS? When you get to spend other people's money,

it's very easy to spend more, as opposed to budgeting what you have more

efficiently.

2004...More, More, More!

~~~Shelley~~~

There is M~O~R~E for me in 2004!

Manifestation~Order~Restoration~Expectation

-

Evelyn Millican

Monday, March 01, 2004 11:11 PM

Re: OT sort of and very long copy of Aids Drug

assistance plan

I guess your point must have been lost in the shuffle!!! Sorry about that.

But that is the way it read to me. If I misconstrued what you said then I

apologize but when you punish some by not asking for funding for programs such

as ADAP then you punish them all. It isn't a matter of spending the money it's

a matter of the drug companies pricing these medications so high that they are