Shaking with anger - Kelly Crawford is awful

[NurseNell]

I had a whole post typed out on my pad and then lost connection, dammit.

Anyway, Lisa my heart breaks for you. I have two autistic kids, a son and a daughter. I keep thinking that could be my girl. My daughter gets all the testing she needs through the NHS and school - it's not perfect but it's a damn site better than what you have to deal with. At least my girl gets her testing even if we are skint.

If I had a spare $500 I would send it to you. But I don't have. What I can do is sent you $1 and if we can get 499 other fjers to do the same, your girl gets her testing. $1 is nothing, there are a few thousand members here and although they are not all active, surely we can get enough together to raise this money. There's the FB group too, not officially affiliated but a good number of us are members there at the MBOB and there are members there who aren't members here. We can ask people there to give $1, linking to your posts here.

Who else will join in? Surely we can do this.

I can do this, I can give a little more. We helped another member.

[mirele]

I lost my parents because I had to wait on hold for several minutes until there was a 911 operator available to take my call. There was so much blood, and it was hold music when I called 911. There's a movie, I think Princess Diaries, where a nun calls 911 and said to the other something about being oh hold. It's funny until it happens and by the time help arrives, you get told a few minutes sooner and there as a chance the outcome could have been different, only you were on hold longer than that.

My aunt died three months ago. She lived in Los Angeles on less than $900/month in Social Security benefits and 85 percent of that went to her tiny efficiency apartment with no air conditioning. That last is important, because she died of heat exhaustion during a heat wave. So she's a statistic.

Since my aunt lived under the poverty level, she qualified for Medi-Cal (California's version of Medicare). My mom wanted her to come live in Arizona, but I was dead set against it, because our health services for poor people called Arizona Heath Cost Care Containment System (AHCCCS) is (a) crappy and (b) trying to kick people off, not let people on. I did send my aunt money every two weeks out of my paychecks, as much as she would let me give her (and no more, because she didn't want to lose her benefits, she was paranoid about it). I would also note that my aunt had lived in LA since the 1960s (and in California all her life) and did not want to leave. Believe me, we (family) discussed it over and over again, trying to figure out what we could do for Barbara.

It pisses me off when I think of my aunt's death, because she didn't have to die of heat exhaustion and become a statistic ("number of elderly persons who died during the heat wave"). But because we're so fucking mean to the elderly and poor, those who are "the least of these" (as Jesus said), it happens.

ETA: Yeah, Kelly, *fuck you*. I miss my aunt terribly.

[Deleted03]

My aunt died three months ago. She lived in Los Angeles on less than $900/month in Social Security benefits and 85 percent of that went to her tiny efficiency apartment with no air conditioning. That last is important, because she died of heat exhaustion during a heat wave. So she's a statistic.

Since my aunt lived under the poverty level, she qualified for Medi-Cal (California's version of Medicare). My mom wanted her to come live in Arizona, but I was dead set against it, because our health services for poor people called Arizona Heath Cost Care Containment System (AHCCCS) is (a) crappy and (b) trying to kick people off, not let people on. I did send my aunt money every two weeks out of my paychecks, as much as she would let me give her (and no more, because she didn't want to lose her benefits, she was paranoid about it). I would also note that my aunt had lived in LA since the 1960s (and in California all her life) and did not want to leave. Believe me, we (family) discussed it over and over again, trying to figure out what we could do for Barbara.

It pisses me off when I think of my aunt's death, because she didn't have to die of heat exhaustion and become a statistic ("number of elderly persons who died during the heat wave"). But because we're so fucking mean to the elderly and poor, those who are "the least of these" (as Jesus said), it happens.

ETA: Yeah, Kelly, *fuck you*. I miss my aunt terribly.

That's also the problem! My grandma uses my mom as tax write offs by declaring an amount she gives her whether or not she gave her that much that year. My mom just does not dare stand up to her and tell her she has to stop because she loses some benefits while my grandma does not give her that amount at all! But if she did maybe my grandma would stop giving her anything altogether.

[mirele]

Yeah, getting billed for the ambulance is standard. When I've gone through my periods of no health insurance, I've told my parents and others around me that if anything were to happen DON'T call an ambulance. Just drive me. I'm going to have to come up with hundreds to (more likely) thousands for an ER visit anyway, so not calling an ambulance is a cost-saving measure. :(

I have health insurance through my employer. A few years ago, I thought I was having a heart attack (it wasn't, it was acid reflux) and called 911. When I received the ambulance bill ($729) I very nearly fainted. I found out that's the statutorily-set limit for where I live. It's over $1000 if the ambulance is called in rural counties. My insurance paid most of it, but I still had to pay $135 as my copay. I told my mom the next time I had a problem, I was driving myself to the hospital. My mom, who hates driving and doesn't go more than two miles from her house (and I live six miles away), was so alarmed by this she said SHE would come over and drive me to the hospital.

For 18 hours in the hospital's emergency chest ward (I never actually got admitted to the hospital proper and GOD was that place noisy and uncomfortable), the bill was north of $20K. I ended up paying $2,000 to various and sundry when all was said and done. For me, what that meant was my 2007 tax refund got turned over to the hospital, the doctors, the ambulance company, the phlebotomist, etc. The only good thing that came out of this whole episode is that I found out my heart is in good condition.

My insurance changed last year (pay more, coverage worse, generally, and with a company I loathe) so I don't know how I'd make out now if the same thing happened. I worry about the future, when I supposedly retire. I'm telling people I'm never going to be able to retire at this rate.

[Sydney Fox]

I live in one of the rainiest areas of the US. I think we get more rainy days than 60%. The sun makes me depressed.

We did look into leaving the US before, but countries with anything socialized make you pass medical screenings and prove you'll be a positive addition to the country, usually by working in specialized fields or having advanced degrees. The decent countries don't take just anyone who wants to move there, or else you'd have a lot more Americans. We don't qualify. It's easier to get into America than to get out.

And get this! Americans who move out of the country still have to pay federal income taxes on money made overseas, even if they never plan to step foot again on American soil.

From what I gather (based on my research about making a permanent move to Canada), some countries have tax reciprocity agreements with the U.S. So while you would still have to file every year in the U.S. you wouldn't be taxed twice.

Yes! Mr. Fox is a U.S/Canadian dual citizen and we live in Canada. Every year I prepare a tax return for the U.S., but because we make less than $100,000 a year (the excluded amount goes up each year) we pay no additional tax to the U.S. It's quite simple to file. Just thought I'd throw my experience into the mix in case anyone else was wondering.

Note, however, that although we don't pay additional tax to the U.S., we do pay lots to Canada. :D

[freejoytoo]

I just don't understand how anyone thinks a good thing that anyone should have to pay for healthcare. It's sick. All I can get from their argument is that they basically don't want to pay for other people. What really gets me is people who would benefit most from universal healthcare being opposed to it. I don't understand why they haven't noticed that countries with universal healthcare have the highest standards of living. They really need to stop listening to false information from the right.

[Alecto]

While I sympathize with LisaM, as a policy, we don't allow fundraising on FJ. If you guys want to organize something via PM or Facebook, please feel free, but due to legalities and liabilities, we can't allow any kind of fundraising for individual members on the forum.

[Sobeknofret]

Second whip round. We raise enough to buy an island. Call it the nation of Free Jinger. All move there. JFC for president.

You've got my vote JFC!

[Sola]

While I sympathize with LisaM, as a policy, we don't allow fundraising on FJ. If you guys want to organize something via PM or Facebook, please feel free, but due to legalities and liabilities, we can't allow any kind of fundraising for individual members on the forum.

Is it OK for members here to pm me via the board to tell me if they will make a pledge?

[Alecto]

Is it OK for members here to pm me via the board to tell me if they will make a pledge?

People can discuss it via PM, but saying "PM me to make a pledge" is using the board for fundraising.

[emmiedahl]

Is it OK for members here to pm me via the board to tell me if they will make a pledge?

I think another member has already started something on the FB about it. I agree with the sentiment and we can take it over there. If you PM one of the FB members here, they should be able to add you to the FB group.

I agree with the idea of keeping these sorts of things off the website, because there are definitely people who would take advantage.

[Sola]

No worries Alecto, we'll keep it off board.

[DamnPrecious]

I think I was booted from the board if it was the private one. :(

[NurseNell]

I think I was booted from the board if it was the private one. :(

Same here.

[luckylibrarian]

Hang on to your wallets, everyone. A few posters expressed concerns about verifying LisaM's story. We checked, and LisaM was a sock for Elle.

[Sinister Rouge]

Hang on to your wallets, everyone. A few posters expressed concerns about verifying LisaM's story. We checked, and LisaM was a sock for Elle.

She just can't quit us. Pathetic.

[NurseNell]

Hang on to your wallets, everyone. A few posters expressed concerns about verifying LisaM's story. We checked, and LisaM was a sock for Elle.

That pisses me off !! There are so many very needy people who truly deserve help. What is the purpose of being a sock puppet and making up stories? I just don't get it. Thanks to those who checked.

[B5SnowDog]

That pisses me off !! There are so many very needy people who truly deserve help. What is the purpose of being a sock puppet and making up stories? I just don't get it. Thanks to those who checked.

To scam people for money.

[emmiedahl]

That pisses me off !! There are so many very needy people who truly deserve help. What is the purpose of being a sock puppet and making up stories? I just don't get it. Thanks to those who checked.

Elle/Aria Star is practically a professional troll. This is what she does.

[rock_girl]

Oh, Misti! She's a strange one :lol:. I miss her crazy on LJ, those were good times.

[emmiedahl]

Oh, Misti! She's a strange one :lol:. I miss her crazy on LJ, those were good times.

She is probably still there under a different name. :lol:

[rock_girl]

Lol, which would make it her 90th LJ account?

Never, in the history of the world, has there been a woman so pleased with herself for having an abdomen full of scar tissue.

[ElphabaGalinda]

Is it strange that I want to go through all her posts for hints of Elle trollishness? I was so entertained the last time she exposed, that was my favourite epicly long thread ever. I don't feel comfortable donating money to people I don't know IRL, and prefer organizations rather than individuals, but wow is this Elle/Aria/LisaM/whatever her new name shall be a horrible person.

Also this just proves how absolutely nice and wonderful all FJers are.

[Wolfie]

So now the daughter that she has been able to dress up over and over, and goes "running to her daddy" is autistic?

[emmiedahl]

Is it strange that I want to go through all her posts for hints of Elle trollishness? I was so entertained the last time she exposed, that was my favourite epicly long thread ever. I don't feel comfortable donating money to people I don't know IRL, and prefer organizations rather than individuals, but wow is this Elle/Aria/LisaM/whatever her new name shall be a horrible person.

Also this just proves how absolutely nice and wonderful all FJers are.

Just in the last few posts, she complained that baby dolls always come with bottles (a discussion Elle and I have had before) and claimed that antidepressants are poison.