Sunday, January 23, 2011

Apricot Marmalade

I am beyond humbled. Good, kind people have been shouting out our story trying to get some attention for us, and it's finally happening.

To anyone who has donated money, prayers, or thoughts, I give the most heartfelt appreciation I can.

You wonderful readers, strangers to me- though perhaps if you have been keeping up with my blog I am no stranger to you- are pulling together to do more good for Wash and myself than our own state did.

I was born in this state. My husband is a legal resident and citizen of Arizona. In my hour of extreme need this state looked at me as a number and said, "Have you thought of moving to Canada? We can do nothing for you."
The state I have paid taxes into since I was 16 and working, the state I attended university in, when asked to help me, advised me to move to a different country.

You gentle readers have pulled together and have shown me that kindness exists in humanity, if not bureaucracy.

I have gone through all of this for my husband. For my love. I wish that you all could meet him, you would understand. Wash is the reason for my own happiness. His kindness, his loving spirit, his endless well of forgiveness. He makes every moment of this worth while, because I can share it with him. He is my heart that keeps me going. He is my comprehension of unconditional love.

Thank you for seeing him as a person. Thank you for seeing more than a "dying guy". Thank you for seeing him more than just a "waste" of health funds, but as a still living, laughing, and loving 26 year old.



11 comments:

  1. You may know me as loveyh1 on Jez, but I'm on twitter, too, and I follow Roger Ebert. I can't express the joy I felt when, this morning, I recognized a quote of yours, that he was tweeting. If this makes things even a small bit easier for you, then I'm beyond thrilled. I don't pray, but you have had my thoughts and best wishes for some time.

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  2. Hi! I found out about your story from my friend Erin and I bawled my eyes out feel beyond compelled to get your story out and I want you two to survive and succeed.

    I understand the need for the Medicaid. Nearly 7 years ago my then 11 month old daughter suffered a near fatal injury from being a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome. I had to stay home to take care of her while she rehabs. No she won't die if we lose her AHCCCS but she will have major setbacks if she loses the services and the financial burden on me will be more than I can handle as I am a single working mother. She needs her medicaid and your husband HAS TO HAVE his medicaid.

    Can you please email me at revengeofthebooknerds at yahoo dot com? I know this is minor, but from the years of taking care of my daughter and living on her SSI and foodstamps I know how much it means to have a little something. Internet. Cable. Whatever. Just a little something outside of being sick of being sick and tired. I can't do this until Feb 4th but I would like to buy a few months of Netflix for you two. I will just need your email address to send the gift subscription to. It's not much but from what I have read, you two are as nerdy as I am and I love it :) Plus, I may have some ideas to help you guys out.

    Jaime

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  3. Last night, I saw Roger Ebert's tweet that ended up leading me to the Phoenix NewTimes article about your situation. All I could think is wow, what happened to you guys could easily have happened to any of us, and if it happened to me, I sure would appreciate help from others. Keep up your attitude about life in general and don't let the crap out there get you down. There are people who care.

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  4. No guarantees, but I've submitted your situation to MANY media outlets (many CNN depts, Huffington Post, MSNBC, etc.).
    All it takes is but one.
    Media exposure can have an amazing effect on many levels- from galvanizing state agencies to moving people's hearts (and their pocketbooks).
    We do care.

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  5. As a citizen of Canada, I have no idea why an Arizona state worker would suggest you move to Canada.

    As much as we would like to take care of you both, there are rules for immigration and unfortunately, unless you came in illegally by boat - according to immigration regulations - they wouldn't let you in, and what the Arizona State official told you is absolutely wrong. If they meant what they said in jest - that is a cruel thing to say to someone who clearly is in need of assistance.

    I am hoping and praying that someone in the Arizona bureaucracy sees your need and changes heart - soon.

    My husband is a Hispanic American and we are boycotting Arizona because of the interesting ruling about Hispanics. Meanwhile, he loves it here in Canada and says it's the best Healthcare he has had in his life. For him, I will click on your donate button. Good luck to you, and all the best.

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  6. I meant to say that I can't imagine what you are going through - my husband's brother recently passed on from having a brain tumor. I am hoping that someone in the government sees the lights.

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  7. I found your blog through Head Nurse. I am beyond words but wanted to say...something...anything.

    It restores my faith in humanity that people (many of whom are strangers) have risen up to support you and your husband. Prayers for you both.

    (Sorry my donation is small but I am currently living on a line of credit.)

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  8. I feel so bad for you and your husband and the crap you're going through just to survive. I found out about your story through Roger Ebert's tweet and donated through paypal, wish it could have been more! I also retweeted Rogers tweet, figuring that if everybody did that and then those people retweeted, well, your story would be out there even more! This also restores my faith in humanity and I would love to hear that you and your husband get so much help that it takes a huge weight off of you both and you can just concentrate on spending the time together that he has left.

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  9. Like-minded people:

    http://stuffsickpeoplehavetoputupwith.tumblr.com/

    You should stop by sometime. We are fighting for universal health care in the U.S. and exposing the fraud, corruption, and lies of this country and of private, for-profit insurance companies.

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  10. ...and after I published that comment, I realized you already did stop by. This was you who submitted the Ebert Tweet about Wash, right?

    I just published your submission:

    http://stuffsickpeoplehavetoputupwith.tumblr.com/post/2914911623/26-year-old-with-brain-cancer-cant-die-fast-enough-for

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  11. Found you via Jo at Head Nurse, one of my favourite blogs (I am a retired nurse in New Zealand). I have donated a small amount and hopefully will be able to donate more next month, I am so grateful for the socialised medical care we have in this country - it's not perfect but it's there and it's free. (Mostly!)

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