Will This Stop Being a Medical Blog Soon?

I have no idea who E. J. Cossman is / was

I slept pretty soundly last night; for the first time in about two months. I am not a very good sleeper anyway but everything that has happened over the last couple of months has exacerbated that malady. I guess I got about six hours of mostly uninterrupted sleep last night. My nose isn't quite so stuffed-up this morning though I do feel some sinus pressure in the back of my head. I will not be completely convinced that I am over whatever hump I was climbing until I have two or three good days. I hope that happens before I have to switch-back to sleeping days instead of nights in either seven or eight days; kind of some confusion on that one at the moment.

I started replacing the front porch lights last night but it got dark before I got the second one completely done. So, now I have to do the other one in the cold snow. One of the lights got smashed so they need to be replaced. I am not a guy who does cosmetic stuff to the outside of the house in the MIDDLE of winter.

Jill is still going back-and-forth with the hospital/surgery center that ordered and performed the liver biopsy that lit the fuse for all of these problems of late. Most of the bills that we have received, and there have been lots of VERY HIGH bills, have been handled fairly by the insurance company and the medical facilities. The one for the liver biopsy, however, was not paid by the insurance company so Cha Cha called and told them that we are not going to pay it. They said they would go back to their client and let them know. Many doctors since the biopsy have told us that they cannot even understand why this procedure would have or should have been ordered. We are trying to be civil because we don't like to get ugly or unreasonable. People suing and litigating are some of the reasons that the prices are so high and the insurance and medical people are so cold and crass sometimes we believe so, why add to that? Be part of the cure (ironic huh?).We also found out that Rush Copley still does not have the results of that liver biopsy they performed. We recently learned that they sent it to Rush Presbyterian (the university) in Chicago because they cannot figure it out. The people at Northwestern are not concerned about Jill's liver because we have the paperwork with all of the lab work information they did and everything seems like it is going well. Night and day between Northwestern and everybody else we have dealt with. The hospital here in our town is good but they are small and not equipped to handle many of the things that we have experienced. They know that and, as soon as they got out of their league (at least in our case), they sent us to someone who could help. Hospitals are a lot like people in that some have bigger egos than they should and cannot admit when they are wrong or need help; I have been guilty of that in the past but, with age, comes experience and humility. I want to be better in the my next incarnation.

That is Jeff on the right keeping us safe

I just let Jeff out for his morning constitution. I think he worked as a prison guard or worked in Berlin in one of his previous incarnations. Every time I let him out in the back yard to do his business I realize his first order of business is securing the perimeter of THE YARD (or The Wall as he might call it). He immediately goes to the south gate and systematically walks around the entire perimeter of the fence. Some days he will stop to do his business (his business being doing his personal business) but he knows it is business before business.

Christmas is only four days away. My parents are coming over for Christmas. Jill still needs to stay close to home as much as possible; she gets winded easily and most everything she needs if she has problems is here. On the 27th we are going to Aurora to see Mary Poppins with the Sock family (Jill's bother, our sister-in-law and our nieces) and Jill's sister Heather. We are also going to dinner as a group. Jill will continue to get the door-to-door treatment of getting dropped at the door. I normally would do that anyway but she cannot pull the "that's okay I will walk" routine now.

I don't know why this thought just came into my melon but, what if three or four families who had people who were ill (like Jill is) went-in together and purchased an apartment together near Northwestern Hospital (there are other great hospitals in the city too) so they would have it there when needed for hospital stays or follow-up appointments? When everyone was healthy it could be rented-out at a reasonable rate to people who were in the situation Jill and I were in with the commuting or worse. We could also divide the year among the owners and we could just stay down there whenever it wasn't being used by customers. I know its sounds like headaches and potential problems and probably lots of money but it would be nice to help others. I just checked and they are expensive. Northwestern Hospital is at 251 East Huron in Chicago and I just found some condos for sale at 100 E. Huron so, it is doable. In fact, there are lots for sale near the hospital. Of course, they are pretty pricey. The four I found ranged from $2.8 million for 4 bedrooms 4 1/2 baths 3230 sq. ft. to a 2 bedroom 2 1/2 bath for $940,000.. I see there are many others all over the city. I could just win the lottery and do it alone I suppose. Now I know why Ronald McDonald House has those change bins at the drive-up windows. If you decide to steal this idea please give us an opportunity to get in on it with you.

Now I have to go out and finish those porch lights. Thanks a lot for slowing-down to take a look at me (still have The Eagles' documentary in my head). Have a great Sunday without the sun in my neck of the MIDDLEwest. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!