149) A Politically-Focused Post

July 28, 2007
Saturday

El Milagro: I am here and ready at 1:45 today; back from my vacation and happy to see all the regulars and their smiley faces. I was looking forward to seeing the current issue of the newsletter that I had left for Suzanne the Administrator to edit and finish. I was really disappointed that she couldn’t make the changes in the Publisher file and ended up copying most of the text and printed it out as a Word doc, which made it look like a typed report with no snazz. Phooey! (See Publisher copy at left). I settled into my chair and Eloy hooked me up. I reviewed the newsletter and couldn’t really tell that Suzanne had edited it too much. She left most of the headings of topics brought up at the Patient Advisory Committee, and only added rules and davita dogma in response to the complaints and concerns brought up by the committee. This is not to say that the administration is unresponsive to issues brought up by the committee, but it is to say that they are concerned, as am I, about the ‘tone’ of the newsletter. My concern about ‘tone’ is to make the tome readable and positive. Hers is to ensure that it doesn’t sound like “all complaints” because that’ll get all the patients riled up. The advisory committee’s intent is to give the ‘customers’ a voice with the administration. In reviewing her final copy, I thought she did a good job of keeping the tone of the newsletter ‘client-centered’, however diplomatic she toned it.

I am starting a new book (Chris Moore’s Coyote Blue but really wasn’t in the mood, after reviewing the newsletter and wishing for my newslettery format. Am I too involved in this thing? I had wanted to participate in the PAC (to be involved ~ “reformation requires that the organizer work inside the system”*), and then I wanted to take on editing and publishing the newsletter (for practice publishing a newsletter and ‘cause my mom used to do one) as a service to the community. That’s what I told myself… but now ego seems to be involved. Now I seem to be ‘attached’ to it in a way that bothers me. I am surprised by my feelings about the newsletter coming out as a word doc. “It looks so tacky…” I say to myself, and then I say, “Let it go. It’s no big deal. Really, Jack! Move on buddy.”

Then I look at the book and read, “There are… those moments in life, when for no particular reason the senses are heightened…” and I say thanks for that reminder that this is probably one of those times. And then I get bored with the book and watch one and a half movies in succession: Tears of the Sun and Clear & Present Danger! By the time I ‘came off’ the machine I was in a good mood again and ready to take the leftovers from the July newsletter and punch out the August edition.

So there ya go Cocomo.

Oh; and b.t.w., Eloy forgot to give me a surgical glove when he de-cannulated me today. What is it with these folks? Are they needin’ a vacation? That’s twice in a year and a half! Jeez.

Notes:
1. In at 73.6 and out at 72.3 Kgs.
2. Lloyd Doggett supports CKD people! See his letter in Post #42, by clicking August 2006 on the Sidebar.
3. *Alinsky, S. (1969) Reveille for Radicals, 2nd ed., New York: Vintage Books
New Readers: For A Welcome Post, click August 2006 on the Sidebar.
Write to your Legislators: I ask all my readers to write in support of this legislation:
July 29, 2007
Senator John Cornyn (also sent to Kay Bailey H. and Lloyd)
United States Senate
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001

Dear Senator Cornyn,

Currently, there are over 20 million Americans suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and another 20 million at risk of developing CKD. In addition, almost 400,000 of these individuals currently require life saving dialysis. The numbers are expected to double in the next decade. Simple action can delay the onset of dialysis for many of these individuals.

We are asking Congress to sign onto the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act (KCQEA). This bill (HR 1193/S 691) has the support of the entire kidney community including doctors, patient advocacy groups, nurses, researchers, manufacturers, and providers. It is an important vehicle to stem the rising tide of kidney failure in the United States, as well as to ensure that dialysis patients have continued access to quality care.

As a dialysis patient waiting for a new kidney, I also hope you support more federal financial support for the many people on dialysis who are not covered by their insurance or other federal support programs. These folks end up begging for money to stay alive and I think that it is a shame that in this country we don't just support them when they need us to.

I am hopeful that you will support current kidney patients and sign onto the KCQEA to help educate individuals about the risk factors of kidney disease.

Sincerely,
Mr. Jack