Two stories

Yes, I've already posted today. Then I read a story on another blog, and I had to write this, too.

A while ago, I was reading Tertia's blog and saw that she asked her legions of readers (around 2,000 a day) to help raise money for her nanny, Rose. Rose is a black woman living in South Africa, and for health reasons wanted to get breast reduction surgery. I am in no way commenting on the worthiness of Rose's surgery, but I have to admit that I did raise my eyebrow - okay, I rolled my eyes. I'm happy that Rose has someone as influential as Tertia to help her, and it seems they raised enough to cover the $3000 or so required for the surgery.

Then I read a story about a 34 year old graduate student in in the United States whose husband has terminal liver cancer. Dean Dad mentioned her story on his blog, and I followed the links to Mary's blog. Mary doesn't know the grad student, who blogs under the name Badger, but has taken it upon herself to organize a Paypal account to help the struggling family with their overwhelming medical bills. I lifted this quote of Badger's blog from Mary's blog, and it broke my heart:

Here's a quote from a Live Journal post she wrote last spring:

"Cost to date for surgery, CT-scans, hospital stays, doctors’ visits, and labwork: $79,000. Insurance benefit left for year: $21,000. Days left until new benefit year: 145. Response from Social Security Administration when I went down to their office with our 2004 tax returns to prove our lack of income: Priceless.
“There’s nothing I can do for you. Come back in two years.”
Prognosis of someone with stage four liver cancer: 3 months."

Now, things are difficult because of the expense of the medication Mr. Badger needs for pain. Here's another quote posted on her blog in July after a trip to the pharmacy to pick up a new, stronger prescription for morphine:

"Pharmacist: Oh, we didn't fill the entire prescription. Your insurance company says you have reached the limit on your prescription benefit.
Badger: Oh!
Pharmacist: You would've had to have paid for the prescription out-of-pocket, which would've been over $400, so we've only given you a few pills.
Badger: Oh."

Can you guess which fund I donated to?