The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Sure, it's important to make sure disability claims are substantiated, and that people are really eligible for free medicine before you go shipping it out. But dragging it out for what seems like an interminable period is frustrating. My husband's reputable doctor has been more than happy to verify my husband's medical problems, and our income and insurance issues are easy to prove if you know with whom to check. And yet here we are waiting... waiting... waiting to get disability payments started up again, and to receive the medication that we simply can't afford. It's all a matter of paperwork and paper-pushing, and I suppose there is more work out there than people to do it.

I don't *necessarily* begrudge pharmaceutical companies big bucks for medication. I have no idea how many scientists spent how much time doing research to create this drug, not to mention the amount of testing it had to undergo. And companies only have a set amount of time to make back their investment before the drug goes generic and the price sinks. But when a drug costs almost a third of your rent for a month's supply, it's impossible to get on your own without insurance and/or a *good* income. In the meantime, I think the issues involved with the extended release version are wearing off. I slept most of this past weekend, but my energy and alertness are slowly returning.

Fortunately, we will be at least be picking up today a temporary free supply of another medication, which we found much easier to prove that I qualified for. I also think my doctor and his staff have been a great help with all the companies we've had to deal with, both the disability company and the pharmaceutical ones. And of course this work has essentially been done for "free." They just get our continued patronage as patients.

I feel almost afraid talking about all of this because I do not want to become a poster child for any kind of "health care reform" nonsense. I have my own ideas of what problems our health care faces and what solutions I would like to see. Please don't use me to make your points.