Need emergency help -- $100 -- having medical issues.

[Firestormalpha]

Jeez, if you don't want to help a person (or are unable to) then don't, and keep your quibbles to yourself. No need to berate them because they're looking for help in a place you feel is innappropriate...
Bottom line, Z asked for help. Someone (Azred) reading his request gave said help. By all appearances they did so, gladly. Whether this is the 'appropriate' place to ask is a moot point.

just my 2 cents.

[Ladyzekke]

Well if I was a houseguest and partook in free food and drink on a regular basis, I would not be put off about it myself. But that is my opinion. And it's not like anyone is obligated. If you want to help, then help. If not, just ignore. I guess I am just a polite person for the most part (not always of course though).

[SpiritWarrior]

Partaking in food and drink on a regular basis would constitute supporting you though. Then you (or anyone who has manners) would perhaps be inclined to chip in from time to time. But posting on a forum...? I mean, there are plenty of other forums on the web. Not plenty of free meals.

Oddly enough I am just defending what I think Cerek is saying here. And I applaud him for having the balls to say it. I may be way off in my attempt to speak for him - if so he will set me straight later.

[Cerek]

Originally Posted by Ladyzekke If Ziroc wants to ask for help, he surely has the right to do so, especially on his own forum. This place has been around for a long time, free of charge and without banner ads. Ziroc has also spent time, money and effort maintaining this place, which we all have benefitted from. Many of us are also friends as well, and sometimes friends ask eachother for help from time to time. If you do not like it, that of course is your opinion, but you could keep it to yourself. No need to be rude and post about something that doesn't affect you at all, and do it while you are visiting and posting in his "house" quite often.

I have kept my opinion to myself for 10 years. I've also donated (in the past) to help support IW, until I realized the urgency of the monthly donations seemed to increase whenever Dan had unexpected personal experiences. Helping support the site is one thing. Helping someone pay their personal bills is another, especially when I have bills that are just as serious and unexpected.

If I go to someone's house and they are always providing refreshments, then yeah, I don't mind chipping in to help pay for those refreshments. But if I find out the host is using that money to pay personal bills, that's a different matter. I, and several other members, have long suspected the IW donations were sometimes used for other purposes. It is one reason a large number of members left several years ago.

I understand Dan spends time, money and effort on IW. Cloudy and Nach spend their time, money and effort on the Oasis forum and every admin of any social forum also spends personal time, money and effort on keeping the site up and running. That is part of the package of creating and running a social website.

You're correct that Dan has the "right" to ask for money on his own forum and members have the "right" to donate that money if they choose. I chose to stop donating when I began having suspicions about how some of that money might be used. I even left IW for close to 5 years. When I came back, the first thread I saw was the standard "monthly donation" thread. I read it and realized it could have been cut-n-pasted from the same threads 5 years earlier. Of course, if members choose to donate their money, that IS their choice.

As for opinions, by being a long-standing member of the forum, I feel I've also earned the "right" to voice my opinion, even if it isn't a popular one. I especially feel I have the right to post an opinion that I know other members share, but may not want to post themselves. You have a right to disagree with my opinion and counter OR follow your own advice and keep your opinion to yourself. Dan has the right to be offended by my post and take whatever action he feels like taking because of it.

Either way, after holding my opinion for close to 10 years, I felt it was long past time for someone to stand up and say something about this. You may consider that rude. I consider it being brutally honest. And I will continue to speak my mind as long as I'm a member here, just like I expect everyone else to do.

[Azred]

hrm...since I am a directly-involved party in this I had better weigh in.

On the one hand, this is Ziroc's forum--he may do with it as he will, up to and including directly asking people for money. He doesn't have to explain his reasons for doing so to anyone.

On the other hand, I don't think anyone will ever underestimate the seriousness of the problems you have had to suffer the past couple of years, Cerek. Goodness knows I was there when you were talking about how bad things were...and when you weren't because you were too sick to be online.

I was in a position to help out when Z asked so I did, just out of the goodness of my heart (did I really just say that?). Unfortunately, I am not in a position to help others with more serious needs but I would if I could.

Is it wrong of Ziroc to ask for money? Not really, depending upon how it is done--a simple request is fine, presuming that others owe the money and/or demanding it is unaccaptable. Was it wrong of me to give? Highly unlikely since giving to others counts as me practicing what I profess to believe. Will I do it again in the future if someone else makes such a request? I don't know; it would depend upon the person, the circumstances, the method of phrasing the request, and whether or not I can fit it into the budget here.

Now...what is done is done. Honestly, I hadn't expected any more about it since I never expected anything more than a simple "thank you", which I already received. At this point, the entire subject should be like the two monks and the lady crossing the stream--I put her down back at the stream, so why is anyone else still carrying her?

[Chewbacca]

Wow seriously? You are beyond rude Cerek, but definitely opinionated.

Otherwise this thread makes me feel real good. Bless you Ziroc and Azred. Pain sucks and relief is God.

[Azred]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca You are beyond rude Cerek

No, he isn't. Cerek speaks his mind plainly and succinctly, a quality that too many people lack these days.

Originally Posted by Chewbacca Otherwise this thread makes me feel real good. Bless you Ziroc and Azred. Pain sucks and relief is God.

This thread is an example of what in the past had made this country great--when a need arose we stepped up and took care of business rather than waiting around for the government to fix it for us or begging the government for money.

If the thread has put a good feeling in your heart, don't just say it and walk on, go do something about it and do something good for someone else.

[SpiritWarrior]

I agree with Azred there, and respect that someone is able to voice an unpopular opinion rather than have to pretend they agree with something. Isn't this a big part as to why people continue to post on IW? Dissenting opinions, political or otherwise.

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Cerek I've had 7 major surgeries due to my Chron's disease, two of which were emergency surgeries. In 1997, my entire colon ruptured and I had peritonitis running rampantly in my abdomen. According to the surgeon, I should have died within 72 hours because the infection should have entered my bloodstream and spread throughout my body. Only by the Grace of God did that not happen. In 2008, I did become septic after my last surgery and went into a 3-day coma. I recovered (obviously), but only after spending 4 weeks in the ICU and two more in a regular room. The hospital bill alone for that visit was $250,000. That didn't include the bills from all the doctors that attended me, the pathologist that read my labs and the radiologist bill. All told, I was sending checks to 17 different doctor's or facilities for that one hospital stay. I also was out of work for 2.5 years recovering from that. THIS year, I worked 3 part-time jobs (including weekends), meaning that I often worked 3-4 weeks straight without a day off. Unfortunately, my teaching job was "non-renewed" due to budget cuts, so I am currently unemployed once again. I've also been having trouble with my Chron's for the first time since 2008. Since the first week of April, I've been in the hospital twice (for a week each time) and gone to the ER 3 times. I've been taking antibiotics for a continuing infection since Memorial Day Weekend. The medicine is wearing me down. This past week, there have been days when I didn't even have enough energy to leave the house. Since I don't have a job with group insurance, I had to buy my own. I pay $295/month for a "catastrophic" insurance policy. This policy has a very high deductible - $5,000 to be exact. That means the first $5k of medical expenses are 100% MINE. After that, the insurance pays 100%. Needless to say, I've already met that easily this year. Now my doctor wants me to start on a new medication that costs $2,000 per dose! The insurance will cover it, until January 1st. Then the deductible kicks in again and I will have to pay for the first $5,000 worth of shots again. That doesn't include my ostomy supplies. Since I had my entire colon removed, my ostomy is permanent. I have to buy pouches, wafers, gloves and other supplies on a regular basis. This runs roughly $100 every other month.

When healthcare reform laws kick in, things will get easier.

Have you tried alkalizing the stomach to above 7.0? You can do it with baking soda or a highly absorbable calcium supplement. Costs hardly anything to buy.

[Cerek]

Originally Posted by SpiritWarrior When healthcare reform laws kick in, things will get easier. Have you tried alkalizing the stomach to above 7.0? You can do it with baking soda or a highly absorbable calcium supplement. Costs hardly anything to buy.

My health issues stem from Chron's Disease. I went almost 5 years without an problems at all, but I've been having some problems since about mid-spring. Nothing nearly as serious as what I've had in the past, but damned aggravating trying to get healed.

My docs are convinced the Chron's is "active" again (even though I'm exhibiting none of the usual symptoms) and they are also convinced the new medicine, Humira, is the only thing that will help. That has to be given by injection (like insulin shots) and costs anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 per dose. The good news is that the insurance covers it (after I meet the high deductible). The bad news is that, if I don't get a full-time job in a school system before January 1, I'll have to pay for the first 2.5 shots out of pocket. That sucks, but it's better than being sick.