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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / September 2005No More Hope [OT]
I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans (and the minimal help *they* have been given). It makes me want to put my fist through the television when Jesse Jackson and other black activists say that the poor black people of New Orleans are being discriminated against when St. Bernard Parish has been written off as just gone (never mind that there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still (barely) alive)! ============================================================================ http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04relief.html "Mark Melancon, a firefighter who has been living with colleagues in the BellSouth building, said they had begun shaving their heads at night, in an act of mourning, despair and distraction. "The number of bodies we're finding is unbelievable," he said. Even some people who were able to get to the parish's evacuation centers did not survive. Representative Charlie Melancon, a Democrat who represents the area, said in an interview in Baton Rouge that 100 people in St. Bernard Parish had died while trying to leave, which he attributed to a lack of water and food. Deputies had returned heartbroken after their search missions, pulling naked infants from the water and stacking bodies in the parish jail and courthouse, said Lt. Jeff Lee, of the sheriff's department. "When we start hitting down the doors, there's no telling what the body count will be," he said." AND http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chalmette4sep04,0,6604565.s tory?coll=la-home-headlines "Maj. Pete Tufaro of the Sheriff's Department said 43 people were found dead in the first day of door-to-door checks." "Firefighter Melancon - 'The number of bodies we're finding is unbelievable!'" 6:00 P.M. - Baltimore Sun - "According to Bayham, much of the parish of 72,000 people is covered by water, and entire towns - Delacroix, Shell Beach, Hopedale and Yscloski - are gone. "They've ceased to exist," he said." --Mike Bayham Article http://www.st-bernard.la.us/emprep/katrina/eventlog.htm ============================================================================ I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers scattered across the country. I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who lost their lives in this disaster. Hugs, CatNipped >I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing >family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >CatNipped Oh my God. Oh, Lori, my poor girl. There are no words. (((((((((((((((Lori and family))))))))))))))))) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his > family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who > lost their lives in this disaster. Don't lose hope just yet, some of the shelters are so overwhelmed, I'm sure have no idea of all the people who are there. We'll keep purring for a miracle.  SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! Oh, I am in full agreement with you! Jesse Jackson has the effrontery to say that to call the refugees, "refugees" implies bigotry. WHAT IN THE HELL? Refugee implies a person seeking refuge. This means white people, black people, Asian, Mexican - all from that area. There are many different races still stuck in their homes with no food or water. Why are they making this a BLACK issue? I don't get it. I just don't get it. My WHITE cousin is still missing. She was just diagnosed with breast cancer and was supposed to undergo chemo this week. She lives in Metairie just outside of New Orleans. Where are the crews to help her, if supposedly the crews are only helping WHITE people? I hate that people are insinuating help didn't arrive sooner because the ones most afflicted were poor and black. Let's not put race on this, please. Jeesh. Sorry for the rant, but it makes me angry. I have family missing too, for gosh sakes. kili >> I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette >> (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >and was supposed to undergo chemo this week. She lives in Metairie just >outside of New Orleans. Where are the crews to help her, if supposedly the I don't think people -- even Jesse Jackson-- is suggesting that the rescue crews are discriminating. My God, the rescue crews down there are mostly black. But I think a conclusion *can* be drawn that the poor were disproportionately affected by the hurricane-- as they always are-- and that there is a mindset of apathy/denial/benign neglect of the poor in this country-- and *that* is what is shocking the world. Because the evacuation plans, at least from NO, *were* carried out-- but they just didn't seem to consider people who didn't have cars, or couldn't afford to fill up their tanks. Or who had no flood insurance, and would be terrified to leave their only property behind. The ultimate sin in this country is to be poor-- or more and more, as the middle class, disappears, simply not to be rich. I believe what I see on my TV when I know there are almost 40 million people without any health coverage at all in this country. And this administration has always pretended that there are no poor people here, or that people choose to be poor, or choose not to have a car or choose to be without health coverage-- or that you can support a family on a Walmart job. <end of rant> Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > Because the evacuation plans, at least from NO, *were* carried out-- > but they just didn't seem to consider people who didn't have cars, or [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > choose to be without health coverage-- or that you can support a > family on a Walmart job. I hear ya there. I have no health insurance and no car. I haven't had health coverage in, gosh, what, 20 years? Thank God I'm relatively healthy. The United States definitely seems to favor the upper class and what makes me infuriated is the way that our country gives to other countries - ignoring the people here who need help. I'm lucky my husband has a job. When you get down and out without a home it's futile to try to find a job because you need a phone and an address to acquire a job. kili <-------stepping off her soapbox, now. Sorry. > > Because the evacuation plans, at least from NO, *were* carried out-- > > but they just didn't seem to consider people who didn't have cars, or [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > kili <-------stepping off her soapbox, now. Sorry. Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National Health Service, but BOY am I glad we have it. So what happens in the US if you don't have insurance and you get ill, do you just get billed for all your treatment/medication after you have it or do they make you find the money before you get treated, what about if you were unconscious say in an accident? Is health coverage very expensive, isn't it cheaper than paying for treatment? Do employers in the US pay for your cover - some pay for private cover here, mine does but I refused to take it up. Sorry to ask so many questions, it's just such an alien concept to me to have to pay for health care, I wondered how it worked. My heart goes out to all the suffering from the effects of Katrina and hope that the government gets off their backside like they should have done as soon as they knew it was arriving, that's one thing our 2 countries have in common, they don't give a sxxt about the poor in their own country. Rant over Marcia x > > > Because the evacuation plans, at least from NO, *were* carried out-- > > > but they just didn't seem to consider people who didn't have cars, or [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Marcia x If you fall ill you can always go to the emergency room and get treated (last), but yes, you do get billed for it. My husband still owes $4500 USD (3606.75 EUR) to an emergency room (and he *had* insurance) when he almost lost his leg due to an infection 4 years ago. Am I to understand it that in the UK your insurance is covered? You don't have to pay for it privately? I *can* get insurance through my husband's work, but it would cost us about $100 (80.15 EUR) a week, which we just can not do, so I go without. As an employee, my husband still has to pay $250 a month (200.38 EUR) for his insurance. It's insane. I'm really curious how your insurance works, Marcia. kili > $100 (80.15 EUR) a week, which we just can not do, so I go without. As an > employee, my husband still has to pay $250 a month (200.38 EUR) for his > insurance. It's insane. I'm really curious how your insurance works, > Marcia. Single payer systems vary in different countries and sometimes in different parts of the same country. In my part of Canada, I pay taxes, part of the taxes go to fund basic health care, and when I see a doctor or get a test done, all I have to do is show my card. The doctor or hospital sends the bill to the government, along with the card number proving that I am eligible. Some things are not covered - dental care, cosmetic surgery (unless to repair the damage from an accident or necessary surgery), etc. - and with those you either pay yourself as you go, or get a small private insurance policy, possibly subsidized by your employer. How much such policies cost depends of course on how much coverage they offer, but they are usually a fraction of $US250 a month. SignatureCheryl > > $100 (80.15 EUR) a week, which we just can not do, so I go without. As an > > employee, my husband still has to pay $250 a month (200.38 EUR) for his [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > -- > Cheryl What about eye care? Is that covered in Canada? Just curious....... kili > What about eye care? Is that covered in Canada? Just curious....... I live in Canada. Two years ago when I was sick, I was able to visit the doctor and neurologist for free. However, I had to pay the full cost of my medication, which was $100 a month, at a time when I was only making $800 a month. I also had to pay for dentist and optometrist/eyeglasses if I went, so I haven't had my eyes looked at in 3.5 years. Now I am back in school full time and the school has a medical plan, which will reimburse me for 75 percent of my costs for medication, dentist, and eye care, so I plan to go to the optometrist next month. We are better off in Canada than in the States, but it still isn't perfect. I have two friends who are Americans living in Maine. They are on a program for low-income Mainers which allows them a certain amount of health care coverage. The thing is though, if they get married, they will be making too much money together to qualify any more (as long as they are living common law they are both eligible, because their individual incomes are low enough for them to qualify, but the allowed income for a couple is considerably lower than the allowed income for a single person times two. I think it is because the "married" coverage presumes that one of them would be home looking after kids...but they don't have kids...they're both working full time.) So they have put off their wedding, because they can afford the minimal amount that this program requires for health coverage, but they have no way of affording the premiums without this coverage unless they live on mac-and-cheese and the food bank. With the program, they are able to have health coverage AND can afford to eat healthy, quality food (they aren't living on filet mignon, but Brian is on a restricted diet because he doesn't want diabetes, high blood pressure and other health issues like his dad has, and frankly, vegetarian patties are way more expensive than medium ground beef)... Health care should be a universal right, IMHO...people shouldn't have to say "I can't afford my medication" or "I can't afford to see the doctor." --Fil > Health care should be a universal right, IMHO...people shouldn't have > to say "I can't afford my medication" or "I can't afford to see the > doctor." > > --Fil I agree with you. If you pay taxes, the government should take care of you, plain and simple. kili >> Health care should be a universal right, IMHO...people shouldn't have >> to say "I can't afford my medication" or "I can't afford to see the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > kili I pay $124 a month for a private policy through USAA (as a former military dependent). Problem is, I still have to pay for the visits up front and file claim forms for reimbursement for what is covered. It's a pretty basic policy, mostly for hospitalization and the like, with 20% of the bill due on my part after a $500 deductible. If I didn't have a doctor who is full partner in his own practice who understands my circumstances, I'd be SOL. As it is, he gives me samples of my regular meds and waives office visit fees when he is able. When I wore the Holter Monitor to check for heart problems, he couldn't do it for free but I only paid for the cost of processing the results. It was still a chunk of $$ but wasn't the thousands of dollars it would normally have been. Now, when I was working I had excellent coverage underwritten by my employer. I was charged about $60 a month but no deductible. I paid $10 for an office visit; $10 per prescription ($5 for generics). Dental coverage was separate, but pretty inexpensive, say $4 a month, covering most things at 90%. Jill > I have two friends who are Americans living in Maine. They are on a > program for low-income Mainers which allows them a certain amount of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > income for a couple is considerably lower than the allowed income for a > single person times two. I don't think Social Security benefits provide enough to live on (anymore - at one time they were closer to the basic cost of living), but IIRC back about thirty years ago there were quite a few retirees "living in sin" because they could live on their individual benefit payments, but not on what they would receive if they married! (Pretty sad, when they belonged to a generation that REALLY frowned upon couples of the opposite sex living together out of wedlock - but what were they to do?) > What about eye care? Is that covered in Canada? Just curious....... In my province, it has varied. Routine checkups for adults were covered but aren't now. I don't know about checkups for children. I pay $55 for a checkup with an optometrist and my private insurance covers most of this once a year, although I have to go twice a year. If the optometrist decides I need medical treatment for an eye condition by an opthalmologist (which looked like a possibility recently), I'd go to an ophthalmologist and his fee would be paid. I used to go to an ophthalmologist for regular checkups (paid for through my taxes at one time, later paid for privately) but he retired, and the younger ophthalmologists don't seem to want to bother with routine checks for healthy people at $55 a pop. My GP said she could probably find one who would do it for me, but it would be quite a wait, and why didn't I go to an optometrist instead? So I got a couple of names of optometrists and picked one. Like a number of optometrists, he works in an office with a couple optometrists, a couple opthalmologists, and an optician, all handily under one roof. Glasses/contacts aren't paid for through taxes, unless of course you are eligible for a special program due to extremely low income or disability or something. I have coverage for glasses through private plans, and of course I grumble because they don't cover 100%, but at least they make glasses more affordable. SignatureCheryl > > > $100 (80.15 EUR) a week, which we just can not do, so I go without. As > an [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > kili Not any longer, I get coverage for appointments as I'm diabetic, I think otherwise its every two years now that the gov will pay (in Ontario), it varies from province to province. > > > > Because the evacuation plans, at least from NO, *were* carried out-- > > > > but they just didn't seem to consider people who didn't have cars, or [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] > > kili Well, basically we don't have to have health insurance, we have the National Health Service, which is free (well they take money from National Insurance Contributions which I think is about 9% of salary, but that also cover things such as emergency services and other things) and if you're unemployed and not paying NI you still get free treatment. If you're employed or not it's free to see a NHS doctor, either in your local practice or at hospital, then prescriptions cost about 10 dollars (approx £6), if you're unemployed they're free. We pay for eye tests, unless you are unemployed or have a family member with glaucoma, but pay for spectacles. You also pay for dental treatment, unless it's in hospital. I think you get free dental if you're pregnant, and I think pensioners get some stuff free but I'm not sure what. Other groups are also exempt but I'm not sure which. You can go private and pay for health insurance if you want to(some employers provide it) - but in my opinion the treatment is just the same, except that you might get to see a specialist quicker, and get a longer appointment with a GP, but the prescriptions are more expensive. I've been offered private health care but have never taken it up as I don't agree with queue jumping. Also, it's a taxable benefit and I don't see the point in paying 2 lots of tax for it. If you have a serious illness you should get the same treatment on the NHS. I suppose some UK people will disagree with me, but the doctors and nurses have the same training and a lot of private rooms are in NHS hospitals. OK you may not get a single room and choice of menu, but I strongly believe that we have an amazing health service and have to fight to keep it so. Marcia > Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair > sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National Health [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > find the money before you get treated, what about if you were > unconscious say in an accident? I think the law REQUIRES doctors and hospitals to render EMERGENCY aid, but if you don't have health coverage, yes - eventually you are expected to pay for it. If you don't they can lien your wages, your bank accounts, and any assets you possess (like your home). Among Americans forced into bankruptcy, I think medical bills are considered one of the primary triggers. > Is health coverage very expensive, > isn't it cheaper than paying for treatment? It's expensive, but of course not as expensive as treatment for serious illnesses. However, when you must choose between health insurance and food and shelter for yourself and your family, you choose the immediate necessities and pray you all stay healthy. > Do employers in the US pay > for your cover - some pay for private cover here, mine does but I > refused to take it up. Not nearly so many as once did! And employers used to insure not only the employee, but his/her family, as well. Now, even if an employer provides insurance for the employee, "dependent" coverage is optional, and the employee must pay for it. (Most strikes here, nowadays, are not so much to IMPROVE conditions as to RETAIN existing ones - like employer-paid health care.) > Sorry to ask so many questions, it's just such > an alien concept to me to have to pay for health care, I wondered how > it worked. Not very well, unless you can afford VERY high premiums, and can pay for the amounts NOT covered by your policy. Also, the actual health care, itself, is much more expensive here than in Europe - and prescription medications especially so! > > Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair > > sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National Health [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I think the law REQUIRES doctors and hospitals to render > EMERGENCY aid, Specifically, hospitals that receive federal payments (meaning essentially all) and that operate emergency rooms are required, under a Federal law mercifully called EMTALA, must evaluate all patients that show up, and can release them only if they are "stable". >but if you don't have health coverage, yes - > eventually you are expected to pay for it. If you don't > they can lien your wages, your bank accounts, and any assets > you possess (like your home). Among Americans forced into > bankruptcy, I think medical bills are considered one of the > primary triggers. Correct. One of the problems of EMTALA is that it is an unfunded mandate: a hospital may receive a very unstable patient (e.g., from a drug shooting) with no insurance, and may never be able to get a cent of reimbursement after incurring costs in the hundreds of thousands. Even though this is a public demand, the costs are shifted to patients who can pay, rather than the general public. "Cost shifting" is one of the great charades of the US health system. The largest benefit managers [1] have the greatest bargaining power. For example, when I received a pacemaker and was covered by the second largest benefit manager, the list price for the pacemaker and implantation was $24,000. Even with copayment, the hospital received $1,800 in reimbursement. Since I now cannot get coverage, at such time as I have to get a new battery, I can expect a full bill. People insured by benefits managers with less bargaining power pay an intermediate amount. [1] I say "benefits manager" rather than "insurer", because large companies -- I was working for Nortel at the time -- self-insure rather than pay premiums. They hire insurance companies, which have all the provider bargaining and claims processing apparatus, to manage the benefits for a fee. > > Is health coverage very expensive, > > isn't it cheaper than paying for treatment? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > and your family, you choose the immediate necessities and > pray you all stay healthy. In some cases, it is not available or in any useful form. With preexisting conditions, the major group plans in the area simply refuse to enroll me. I can get some expensive plans through professional societies, but the limitations make them almost useless. One small business tried to take me onto the payroll to get me coverage, but were told that their premiums would immediately double and they would be denied renewal. > > Do employers in the US pay > > for your cover - some pay for private cover here, mine does but I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > much to IMPROVE conditions as to RETAIN existing ones - like > employer-paid health care.) The employer-based US system is a historical accident of a workaround to wage controls in WWII. It's now thoroughly broken. Most healthcare economists agree that there is a rational alternative system that still is multipayer and not government run, and, indeed, now recognizably exists in the system covering several million government employees. Both Presidential candidates proposed small businesses be able to buy into this program, although nothing has happened. There is a reasonably clear approach to generalizing this system to give national coverage. > > Sorry to ask so many questions, it's just such > > an alien concept to me to have to pay for health care, I wondered how [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > the actual health care, itself, is much more expensive here > than in Europe - and prescription medications especially so! > In some cases, it is not available or in any useful form. With > preexisting conditions, the major group plans in the area simply [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > me coverage, but were told that their premiums would immediately > double and they would be denied renewal. Jesus. I thought they couldn't reject someone for pre-existing conditions unless there was a substantial gap in coverage. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > > In some cases, it is not available or in any useful form. With > > preexisting conditions, the major group plans in the area simply [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Jesus. I thought they couldn't reject someone for pre-existing > conditions unless there was a substantial gap in coverage. There was a gap of some months, when I couldn't afford the COBRA continuation insurance. Kaiser wouldn't even write with a pre-existing disease exclusion. >> Jesus. I thought they couldn't reject someone for pre-existing >> conditions unless there was a substantial gap in coverage. > > There was a gap of some months, when I couldn't afford the COBRA > continuation insurance. Kaiser wouldn't even write with a > pre-existing disease exclusion. Ugh. What an awful situation. And I never did care much for Kaiser ... now I have a concrete reason. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair > sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National Health [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Marcia x Everyone is responsible for his own insurance; and policies vary wildly. You can have good insurance; or insurance that only pays for catostrophic illnesses. Some employers pay a portion, or all of your monthly premium. I'm not sure how ours stacks up against other insurance, but my DH's employer pays for him, and he pays $40 a week for me, deducted out of his paycheck. We pay $10 for prescriptions, and $20 for all office calls. If you're hospitalized, we pay the first $250, plus 20% of the total bill. But never over $2,000 per year. That is the ceiling, the absolute most we will ever pay out of pocket ourselves. Sometimes prescriptions are $25, like Nexium, and Zocor which aren't on the insurance company's preferred list of drugs. Just to give you an idea of what the average work coverage is. Sherry > Everyone is responsible for his own insurance; and policies vary > wildly. You can have good insurance; or insurance that only pays for [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > drugs. Just to give you an idea of what the average work coverage > is. Just to add to the discussion of ceilings, oddly enough, health insurance has a ceiling, but dental typically has a yearly cap. Almost all health insurance policies also have a lifetime max -- they won't pay more than some set amount over your lifetime. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Just to add to the discussion of ceilings, oddly enough, health > insurance has a ceiling, but dental typically has a yearly cap. > Almost all health insurance policies also have a lifetime max -- they > won't pay more than some set amount over your lifetime. This shocked me. When my mother was living in the US, with good insurance, she was successfully treated for cancer. She was told that if it recurred, or she got another type of cancer, her insurance wouldn't cover it because she had nearly reached the cap, the maximum the insurance would pay out. There wasn't enough left to cover a second set of cancer treatments. Fortunately, she didn't need them, and is now back in Canada. SignatureCheryl >> Just to add to the discussion of ceilings, oddly enough, health >> insurance has a ceiling, but dental typically has a yearly cap. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > she had nearly reached the cap, the maximum the insurance would pay out. > There wasn't enough left to cover a second set of cancer treatments. That's disgusting. Tweed > Fortunately, she didn't need them, and is now back in Canada. >> Just to add to the discussion of ceilings, oddly enough, health >> insurance has a ceiling, but dental typically has a yearly cap. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > to cover a second set of cancer treatments. Fortunately, she didn't > need them, and is now back in Canada. It's definitely scary. Yet another reason to save those pennies. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca Extremely interestig stuff: http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050829fa_fact > Extremely interestig stuff: > > http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050829fa_fact Wow, definitely an interesting article. -- Britta "There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." -- Unknown Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album >Extremely interestig stuff: > >http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050829fa_fact Excellent article-- read it last week. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair > sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > knew it was arriving, that's one thing our 2 countries have in > common, they don't give a sxxt about the poor in their own country. I'll try to answer, and where I'm wrong I'm sure I'll be corrected =) Public hospitals must treat you if you have a fatal condition like a gunshot wound or cardiac arrest or whatever. I don't think that applies to long-term illnesses like cancer treatment, though. And I think you get the bill afterwards. Health coverage comes in a variety of flavors, some of which are more expensive than others. Insurance is typically paid in part by the employer. You can get coverage on your own, but my understanding is that it's far more expensive, and typically not as good. So the usual route is for a person to get insurance through their employer, but I think employers only have to offer it if you're fulltime or salaried, and I've heard of companies that won't give you insurance until you've worked there for X months. Most health plans will cover what they call "preventative care" -- according to my aunt, who's been an exec at a large health insurance organization for many years, it's more cost-effective for them to cover dental checkups, yearly gyn visits, etc. than not to, because if they're not covered 100%, people don't go and so conditions go untreated. She told me this because I said that health insurance should be like other insurance -- only used for big-deal problems. But apparently it's not cost-effective for insurers to do that. There's a huge variation in quality of coverage in the US, ranging from none to extremely good. As much as I complain about my coverage, I have to admit that after reading about others' health care experiences here on RPCA, my insurance qualifies as extremely good. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Public hospitals must treat you if you have a fatal condition like a > gunshot wound or cardiac arrest or whatever. I don't think that > applies to long-term illnesses like cancer treatment, though. And I > think you get the bill afterwards. They must "treat" you--but don't think you're going to get the same care an insured person gets. You don't. Also, employers aren't required by law to offer you any kind of insurance, no matter who pays the premium, no matter whether you're fulltime or not. Sherry >> Public hospitals must treat you if you have a fatal condition like a >> gunshot wound or cardiac arrest or whatever. I don't think that [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Sherry Years ago I was hospitalized for emergency surgery the very day I was to start work at my new job. Had I been able to report to work even for an hour, I'd have been fully covered by their insurance plan. But because I was technically between jobs, I had no insurance. And I'd let it go on for two days, thinking surely I could only get better? I was in such pain I had to call in SICK my first day at work! (can you believe that?!) I went to a minor med clinic first thing after calling and they immediately sent me to the hospital. They did some tests and said, "We have to operate." So I called my would-be boss, uh, hi, sorry about this but they are about to take me to surgery. While I was talking to him a nurse came by and insisted I sit down, I was losing blood and she didn't want me to pass out. Two days and over $20,000 later, they let me go home. I must say, for someone without insurance I was treated pretty well. I had a private room, which surprised me. I expected to be on a ward or something. But have you ever seen that television show, E.R.? This was a teaching hospital. First thing in the morning, when the doctor made her rounds, she was surrounded by med students or 1st year residents or whatever, describing my condition while she pulled up my gown and examined my incisions. That was a bit disturbing. What was even more disturbing was I hadn't eaten in almost three days. The doc said they could bring me breakfast. Noon came, nothing. No lunch, no breakfast. Lactated ringers don't cut it, folks. I started crying. My room was right by the nurses station and the door was open. One of the nurses came running in... "What's wrong, sugar?" I'm STARVING! I haven't eaten in two days! "Oh, hush now, I'll take care of it!" She brought me a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and baked apples. I scarfed every bit of it down. I'll never complain about hospital food - it was good! But of course, since I didn't have insurance the bills started coming in. I *had* tried to apply for public medical assistance due to the surgery (Medicaid). I won't even go into why I was turned down. But no way could I afford those bills. If ONLY I had been able to go to work for just an hour that day... (sigh) Jill > I must say, for someone without insurance I was treated pretty well. I had > a private room, which surprised me. I expected to be on a ward or [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > whatever, describing my condition while she pulled up my gown and examined > my incisions. That was a bit disturbing. LOL, nurses call them "the baby docs". It's nice to hear you were taken care of, and it sounds like pretty well. Wonder if being a teaching hospital makes a difference? I have a friend in the field and she tells stories that are really disturbing. It's not on the surface, and the hospital has ways of denying that insured patients are treated differently. But it happens. Sherry <--- likes hospital food too. >> I must say, for someone without insurance I was treated pretty well. >> I had a private room, which surprised me. I expected to be on a [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > denying that insured patients are treated differently. But it happens. > Sherry <--- likes hospital food too. Funny thing about hospital food. I had a manager whose elderly parents went to the hospital cafeteria once a month to have lunch! Never would have occurred to me but he reported they really liked the food :) Jill ! Never would have > occurred to me but he reported they really liked the food :) It's not all bad. I work in a hospital and I have to confess that some of the food they serve in the canteen isn't at all bad! Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > Wow, I complain about living in the UK under the poodle Blair > sometimes, and we all complain about the state of the National Health [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > for your cover - some pay for private cover here, mine does but I > refused to take it up. (some snippage) Lots of people have health insurance through their employers; some employers pay for some or, less and less frequently, all of the premiums, though even without an employer contribution, generally if you have insurance through an employer you have access to a group policy, which is cheaper. DH and I are self-employed, which means we get to buy our own private insurance. We have good insurance and like our coverage, but it's expensive; we currently pay $744 per month for two reasonably healthy people in their late thirties. This does not include dental or eyecare, but we do get a discount on prescriptions. To put this into perspective, forty hours at minimum wage is $206, before taxes. Insurance is very expensive, but since a hospital day can run $10,000 per day or more (much, much more), it's preferable to have the insurance if you can afford it. If you go to an emergency room you will get emergency care, whether you have insurance or not. You will then get billed for it, whether you can pay it or not. ------ Krista > I hear ya there. I have no health insurance and no car. I haven't had > health coverage in, gosh, what, 20 years? Thank God I'm relatively healthy. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > kili <-------stepping off her soapbox, now. Sorry. Don't apologize! There was a time (back in the 1950's) when the average working man could hope to own a home, had health coverage (and often a pension plan) through his job (even if it were in a non-union shop) and expected to be able to send his kids to college. Now half the strikes you read about have nothing to do with wanting higher wages - most of them are protesting cut-backs in benefits they were promised when they were hired! > > I hear ya there. I have no health insurance and no car. I haven't had > > health coverage in, gosh, what, 20 years? Thank God I'm relatively healthy. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > are protesting cut-backs in benefits they were promised when > they were hired! I hear that! What's wrong with this picture? kili Kili, Purrs and prayers that your cousin is found safe as well. Kate. Owned by Fudge, Caramel & Meg http://www.geocities.com/kate_dunn/miaow.html > Kili, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Owned by Fudge, Caramel & Meg > http://www.geocities.com/kate_dunn/miaow.html Thanks, Kate. My Aunt and Uncle have their fingers crossed. She's a mother of two teenagers. kili >> Kili, >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >kili Kili, I am hitting myself over the head for allowing myself to get drawn into a political rant when your family is suffering, too. I am so sorry-- the whole situation makes many of us just crazy. Big purrs and prayers for your family. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > >> Kili, > >> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > so sorry-- the whole situation makes many of us just crazy. Big purrs > and prayers for your family. Don't hit yourself over the head! We don't need any more injured people in this country. <g> Just trying to make light of a terrible situation. Thanks for your well-wishes. I just can't believe it's been over a week and we haven't heard anything. kili >>>> Kili, >>>> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > kili The situation is still chaotic, purrs that your cousin is safe somewhere. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk SNIP> > Thanks, Kate. My Aunt and Uncle have their fingers crossed. She's a mother > of two teenagers. > > kili Kili, I hope your cousin will be found safe and well and SOON. My three are on extra heavy purr patrol. Melissa > SNIP> > > Thanks, Kate. My Aunt and Uncle have their fingers crossed. She's a [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Melissa Thank you, Melissa and kiss your furry friends for me. Better yet, give them a huge hug for me. kili > > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > HELL? Refugee implies a person seeking refuge. This means white people, > black people, Asian, Mexican - all from that area. And they are American. Refugee implies a person seeking refuse from another country. >There are many different > races still stuck in their homes with no food or water. Why are they making [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > ones most afflicted were poor and black. Let's not put race on this, > please. Jeesh. You are so ignorant, it's appalling. Why do you think the government was so slow to help in the first place? What do you think the response would be if this was Kennebunkport, The Hamptons, or even Long Island? These people are seen as expendable by our government. They have been for a long, long time. The Rupublican party better bend over and kiss their rich lily white a.ses bye-bye. They're dead, and they can than Katrina for making it happen. -L. > > > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > > > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > And they are American. Refugee implies a person seeking refuse from > another country. Seeking refuse? Interesting. kili >>>> I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, >>>> Chalmette (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > kili There is plenty of refuse, that's for sure. Jill > Seeking refuse? Interesting. > > kili Typo and you know it. -L. >> Seeking refuse? Interesting. >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >-L. Lyn, You are going to end up in the mental ward of a state hospital, wearing paper slippers and a plastic wrist band. If you want to avoid that fate, you should get professional help now. They can set up an outpatient arrangement where a nurse comes in 4x daily and gives you a big shot of phenothiazines. You will have a permanently sore a.s, but it will improve your personality 1,000 percent and render you marginally able to integrate with society. Good luck. Charlie > Sorry for the rant, but it makes me angry. I have family missing too, for > gosh sakes. > > kili I hope your family turn up safe soon. helen s Lots of purrs and best wishes for your cousin to be found and can be treated, SignaturePolonca & Soncek <snip> > My WHITE cousin is still missing. She was just diagnosed with breast cancer > and was supposed to undergo chemo this week. She lives in Metairie just [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > kili > Lots of purrs and best wishes for your cousin to be found and can be > treated, > -- > Polonca & Soncek Thanks, Polonca. I appreciate it. kili Snipped........ > My WHITE cousin is still missing. She was just diagnosed with breast > cancer and was supposed to undergo chemo this week. She lives in > Metairie just outside of New Orleans. Where are the crews to help her, > if supposedly the crews are only helping WHITE people? > I hate that people are insinuating help didn't arrive sooner because the > ones most afflicted were poor and black. Let's not put race on this, > please. Jeesh. > Sorry for the rant, but it makes me angry. I have family missing too, > for gosh sakes. > kili I'm praying for you and your family. I wish I could do more. Judith SignatureJudith Latham Stourbridge, West Midlands. UK. Many purrs and prayers for you and your family. I and my family send our prayers and good wishes to you all. I wish I was closer, so that I could help more - if there is anything I can do from this side of the Atlantic do let me know, even if it is just to send a parcel of goodies for your grand-daughters. Take care of yourself. We're all thinking of you. Kate. > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing > family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > CatNipped Of course. Wish there was more to offer. I don't know what else to say. > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my > missing [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > CatNipped Purrs and prayers headed your way, CN. Don't give up yet. Things are still so disorganized down there. I do agree with the whole New Orleans thing. Obviously it's a recognizable city which people around the world recognize by name but it is by far the only area affected. Jill Lori, I can't even imagine what you're feeling at this point. Your emotions must be on a rollercoaster. Prayers from my family (and Rexie) to you that you have the strength to get through this, whatever the outcome. -- ShirleyB, Rexie's Mom To Reply by email: remove 'nick' Pictures of His Majesty, Rex are at: http://community.webshots.com/album/255873683SwWQZJ AND OUR HOMEPAGE: http://jumi-shirley-butler.com CatNipped related the following on 9/6/2005 7:13 AM: > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > CatNipped oh god. Lori, we are constantly saying the rosary every night for all the poor souls who were lost in this tragedy. We still hope your brother and his family are not among them, and your best friend's too. Hang in there. Lily & her mama Lydia SignatureIrulan from the stars we come to the stars we return from now until the end of time >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > > CatNipped > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > CatNipped I'm so sorry, Lori. This was a horrible, horrible disaster. God watch over every poor soul in New Orleans who could not get out in time before the storm. (((CatNipped))) Melissa > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans > (and the minimal help *they* have been given). It makes me want to put my > fist through the television when Jesse Jackson and other black activists say > that the poor black people of New Orleans I don't think he singled out NO. I am sure he has said poor black people in the South. > are being discriminated against > when St. Bernard Parish has been written off as just gone (never mind that > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! Yet your white family - WHO ALREADY WERE SAFE AND WERE WITH THEIR OWN FAMILY - received aid, food, and god-knows what else while thousands of black people (and others in New Orleans) sat in their own sh.t and filth in the Superdome waiting for anyone to even bring them water. Not to mention others whop were still floating by. Be glad your family had a car to leave in. Be glad they had family with a big fancy home and high-paying job (according to you - apparently now your story has changed) to go to. Black people in NO - and the South in general - didn't and don't have that luxury. It is institutionalized racism which has kept the situation that way for decades. When the body count is done, you can bet the vast majority of the dead will be poor and black. These are preventable deaths the government knew about - but Bush and his cronies favored fighting their religious war over funding the infrastructure of the levees for years. They simply don't give a sh.t because the area is poor and black. And that's a fact. "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." - President Bush, September 1, 2005 "It was a broiling August afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot. Those who ventured outside moved as if they were swimming in tupelo honey. Those inside paid silent homage to the man who invented air-conditioning as they watched TV "storm teams" warn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing surprising there: Hurricanes in August are as much a part of life in this town as hangovers on Ash Wednesday. But the next day the storm gathered steam and drew a bead on the city. As the whirling maelstrom approached the coast, more than a million people evacuated to higher ground. Some 200,000 remained, however--the car-less, the homeless, the aged and infirm, and those die-hard New Orleanians who look for any excuse to throw a party. The storm hit Breton Sound with the fury of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The water crept to the top of the massive berm that holds back the lake and then spilled over. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans lies below sea level--more than eight feet below in places--so the water poured in. A liquid brown wall washed over the brick ranch homes of Gentilly, over the clapboard houses of the Ninth Ward, over the white-columned porches of the Garden District, until it raced through the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street like the pale rider of the Apocalypse. As it reached 25 feet (eight meters) over parts of the city, people climbed onto roofs to escape it. Thousands drowned in the murky brew that was soon contaminated by sewage and industrial waste. Thousands more who survived the flood later perished from dehydration and disease as they waited to be rescued. It took two months to pump the city dry, and by then the Big Easy was buried under a blanket of putrid sediment, a million people were homeless, and 50,000 were dead. It was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States. When did this calamity happen? It hasn't--yet. But the doomsday scenario is not far-fetched. The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists a hurricane strike on New Orleans as one of the most dire threats to the nation, up there with a large earthquake in California or a terrorist attack on New York City." - National Geographic, October, 2004 If you want to point the finger of blame at anyone, blame the idiots who put these eletist, racist a.sholes in office (some for a second time!). You get what *you* vote for. -L. > Yet your white family - WHO ALREADY WERE SAFE AND WERE WITH THEIR OWN > FAMILY - received aid, food, and god-knows what else while thousands of > black people (and others in New Orleans) sat in their own sh.t and > filth in the Superdome waiting for anyone to even bring them water. > Not to mention others whop were still floating by. Did you miss the part where her "white family" is STILL MISSING/UNACCOUNTED FOR? Her brother, SIL, nieces, nephews...ETC? "Kitkat" <kitkatluna@aol.commie> wrote in message news:KJsTe.522 Please. Many, if not most of us have killfiled "Mary" If you feel the uncontrollable to feed her ego by replying to her, try not to quote her. Jo > "Kitkat" <kitkatluna@aol.commie> wrote in message news:KJsTe.522 > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Jo That is not "Mary", fwiw. That is Lyn. Completely different animal. HTH, Pam >> "Kitkat" <kitkatluna@aol.commie> wrote in message news:KJsTe.522 >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > HTH, > Pam The same thing applies, please don't quote her. Even more have killfiled her. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk <snip> > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my > missing family and friends are still not listed in any of the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > his family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone > else who lost their lives in this disaster. Still purring that by some miracle, your brother and his family survived. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk From a Vancouver BC team working in Chalmette http://tinyurl.com/8ll53 Not very encouraging I'm afraid, Jo >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > > CatNipped >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette >(in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still >(barely) alive)! Purring for a miracle. SignatureMogget >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! I so wish you could have some good news soon. Such a terrible situation. Purrs Signaturelewe lewemi at yahoo dot se | cats' pics: photos.yahoo.com/lewemi > I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and > his > family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else > who > lost their lives in this disaster. You got 'em. In spades. This is all too awful even to talk about, so if you'll forgive me I won't. But you & the other berteaved are constantly in my thoughts. Purrs etc. Gordon, Bandit, Snowball, Claudius & Raki. >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette >(in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > >CatNipped {{{CatNipped}}} I really hope you are wrong, and that they are all found alive. I will keep sending purrs/good energy that they will be found until I know differently for a fact. Hold on to hope for just a little longer. Ginger-lyn Home Pages: http://www.spiritrealm.com/summer/ http://www.angelfire.com/folk/glsummer (homepage & cats) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~summer/index.htm (genealogy) http://www.movieanimals.bravehost.com/ (The Violence Against Animals in Movies Website) Still purrin & prayin up here CN. Suz&Spicey We are still hoping and sending best wishes for your family and friends to be safe somewhere but not able to let you know, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! ============================================================================ > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04relief.html > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > AND http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chalmette4sep04,0,6604565.s tory?coll=la-home-headlines > "Maj. Pete Tufaro of the Sheriff's Department said 43 people were found dead > in the first day of door-to-door checks." [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > http://www.st-bernard.la.us/emprep/katrina/eventlog.htm ============================================================================ > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing > family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > CatNipped > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing > family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who > lost their lives in this disaster. Lori, I'm so sorry and I sincerely hope that what you fear is not true. I'm sure it's possible they are somewhere where they just can't reach you. I will be praying for them and all the others. I'm sorry. Candace > I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his > family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who > lost their lives in this disaster. We are purring indeed. --Fil [[ just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers scattered across the country. I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who lost their lives in this disaster. Hugs, CatNipped]] Prayers that your brother and his family, and your friend and HER family, did make it through the crisis after all, and communications are still too fouled up for anyone to get the word out. Failing that, purrs that you get some concrete answers ASAP, because in my experience, not knowing any answers is even worse than knowing bad news. Prayers and purrs for you and the rest of your family, too. And I wish I could do more. Donna, Captain, and Stanley > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > > CatNipped Purring extra hard for you and your family. Don't give up hope just yet. There still seems to be quite a bit of disorganization so just because you haven't been able to track them down doesn't mean you've lost them. {{{{{{{{{{{{Lori}}}}}}}}}}} SignatureElise (supervised by Gossamer & Jeeves) pics: http://photos.yahoo.com/dragonandthistle@snet.net >I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his >family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who >lost their lives in this disaster. Their *souls*? My god, it has been a week, and where could they be... This is the worst thing ever! I'm so sorry. I hope that they've just been so disrupted that there's been a lot of missed and broken communication, and that they do show up okay. {{{ just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers scattered across the country. I would appreciate purrs and prayers for the souls of my bother and his family, my best friend of 45 years and her family, and everyone else who lost their lives in this disaster.}}} Absolutely. On-going from the start. Peace, PatM > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > > CatNipped Prayers that they are all OK but haven't been able to get word to you yet. > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! ============================================================================ > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04relief.html > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > AND http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chalmette4sep04,0,6604565.s tory?coll=la-home-headlines > "Maj. Pete Tufaro of the Sheriff's Department said 43 people were found dead > in the first day of door-to-door checks." [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > http://www.st-bernard.la.us/emprep/katrina/eventlog.htm ============================================================================ > I just got off the phone with the Red Cross and the names of my missing > family and friends are still not listed in any of the evacuation centers [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > CatNipped Purrs and purrayers for your family and friends, {{{{Lori}}}} Christine Many, many purrs that you're wrong and your family friends turn out to be safe after all. Don't lose hope yet! -- Britta "There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." -- Unknown Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album >I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! Our continued thoughts and purrs are with you and your family. I can only imagine how emotionally difficult it is to have no information about the people you love. Susan M Otis and Chester I'm so sorry! (((((((((CatNipped))))))))) SignatureJoy **Don't believe everything you think** > I just can't hold on to hope any longer. It seems my home town, Chalmette > (in St. Bernard Parish) has been totally neglected in favor of New Orleans [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > there are still people trapped on roofs and in attics that are still > (barely) alive)! ============================================================================ > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04relief.html > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > AND |
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