First Coast Woman Selling Lollipops to Pay for Own Heart Treatment

American health care system - Selling candy at flea markets!
Time for national health care.

I would be wary of medical care in DR. Make sure to check out the clinic thoroughly, and remember, if something goes wrong, there is no legal recourse in DR! She may want to try changing her diet also, like eating oatmeal and whole wheat breads, and skipping the junk food. If it comes in plastic packaging- it is not good for your body. It you have to wash the dirt off the roots, its good for you- just remember that!

how can you POSSIBLY presume to know what her diet consists of?! Or whether that has a single damn thing to do with her condition?! I am SURE she doesn't need judgemental attitudes at this point, rather, support.if you can't say something nice, well...you know the rest.

So I guess you would like the government to tell which doctor to use, just like they try to tell us how to do everything else.

No, the real answer is for the slackers to get off their asses and get jobs which provide healthcare.

If they can't find a job with healthcare because they have no marketable skills then that's just tough.

R Moore wrote:

American health care system - Selling candy at flea markets!
Time for national health care.

My hope for Sarah is that what she is doing works for her! My goodness, selling lollipops and working hard to save her own life. Seems kind of sad, but you know what, kudos to her for taking matters into her own hands and not standing in line waiting for a hand-out!! I hope her surgery is successful (new technology--can be scary stuff)! God bless you Sarah!

the problem here is mr. bush actually, who has held back stem cell research based on 10th century ideas (read ridiculous religious grounds), forcing her to seek healthcare elsewhere. Of Mr. Bush's many moronic decisions, this one, based on no scientific, historical or even logical thought processes, is the one I find most objectionable. Her dilemma just shows why electing an idiot as President is not a good move.

I have seen many people go to mexico, costa rica, etc for discount medical care. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, and when it doesnt, there is no legal recourse in foreign countries. As far as her conditon, she looks somewhat obese, judging by the photograph. Obeseity is the leading cause of health problems, be it heart conditons, strokes, diabetes, etc. Skinny people have less medical problems. The cost of food is rising because the govt is tired of paying for the associated costs of americas lust for body fat. Sometimes the truth hurts, but you have a choice, adapt or die. Maybe she should sell oatmeal cookies instead of lollipops?

My sister is about 200lbs overweight. She complains about her health and diabetes, and then she stuffs her mouth with mcdonalds and junk food. I was visiting her a few weeks ago, and I was noticing that there was no produce in her fridge or pantry, no lettuce or tomatos or fruit of any kind. For breafast in DR, most people would eat a mango and a banana and some eggs, but here in the states, greasy biscuit and some sugary coatings are the standard fare. sorry folks, but the cost of being fat is going to increase, sharply.

Stan Buie wrote:

the problem here is mr. bush actually, who has held back stem cell research based on 10th century ideas (read ridiculous religious grounds), forcing her to seek healthcare elsewhere. Of Mr. Bush's many moronic decisions, this one, based on no scientific, historical or even logical thought processes, is the one I find most objectionable. Her dilemma just shows why electing an idiot as President is not a good move.

It would be ironic if the inflight movie on her trip there was "The Island of Dr. Moreaux"

way cool...our government sucks taint not allowing more stem cell research and treatment..our government touts america as the greatest country in the world, yet people like this young lady have to go to other countries to get life saving treatment...good luck to her..

scott1 wrote:

way cool...our government sucks taint not allowing more stem cell research and treatment..our government touts america as the greatest country in the world, yet people like this young lady have to go to other countries to get life saving treatment...good luck to her..

DR is on the island of Hispanola, and its neighbor is Haiti. Are you saying that the Hatian and Dominican medical care is beter than that in the US? I dont think so. What exactly are they going to do for 45k$?

Good for her!! I guess trying is better thansitting back and doing nothing.

Jacob wrote:

So I guess you would like the government to tell which doctor to use, just like they try to tell us how to do everything else.
No, the real answer is for the slackers to get off their asses and get jobs which provide healthcare.
If they can't find a job with healthcare because they have no marketable skills then that's just tough.
<quoted text>

You have sort of a hard heart, don't ya'? Did you know that WalMart, one of the nation's largest retailers, and employers, offers most of it's workers no health insurance by keeping them at part-time? They cost the states millions for the cost of caring for their employees, as a sort of indirect corporate welfare. So Stop shopping at Wally World!! And if it is just tough that they cannot find a job with benefits, then maybe we should revisit the laws governing benefits like health care, and make these corporations give decent insurance to cover all their employees. I hate to ask what you think of Medicaid and Medicare. I hope that when it comes time, you do not subscribe to either of them, because you are going to disappointed.

refugee wrote:

<quoted text>DR is on the island of Hispanola, and its neighbor is Haiti. Are you saying that the Hatian and Dominican medical care is beter than that in the US? I dont think so. What exactly are they going to do for 45k$?

if they have a proven track record of success with this type of treatment, then yes, in this particular case she will get better care there than in america..and that is sad and pathetic because our government is so tight-assed about offending the religious right when it comes to allowing more stem cell research and treatments.

I think this government needs to recheck their prioritys. There are way to many people on welfare and they are on Medicaid. They dont want to work they just want to perks. I think medicaid should help only those in need. this lady here has no insurance and she is in bad health, but she is working and selling lolli-pops at a flea market. At least she is not sitting on her butt waiting for a hand out. I know bottom line is if she paints herself BLACK she will get the world handed to her on a silver platter. As far as the hospitals they are crazy and they should help. Have you seen the movie "John-Q". Look what he did and he raised some of the money, so he was trying but it was not good enough. Maybe if the hospital stop treating kids in the er for the sniffles they could save their money time and effort into more serious cases. I have been to the emergency room many times and I sit and watch these people that have NO insurance come in for pink eye or a commom cold. They have no insurance and they dont pay the bill. They wont go to a doctor during the day becasue the doctors office can reject you if you cant pay the hospitals cant. so thats where we need to see how we can fix things so hospitals can help everyone.

Jacob wrote:

So I guess you would like the government to tell which doctor to use, just like they try to tell us how to do everything else.
No, the real answer is for the slackers to get off their asses and get jobs which provide healthcare.
If they can't find a job with healthcare because they have no marketable skills then that's just tough.
<quoted text>

WAKE UP JACOB! THE GOVERMENT IS TELLING PEOPLE ALREADY WHAT THEY CAN DO AND CANT DO AND WHAT MEDS THEY WILL HELP IN COST AND WICH ONES THEY WONT AND WHAT TREAMENT THEY WILL DO RIGHT AWAY AND ONES THEY MAKE YOU WAITE LONGER FOR! MAY YOU NEVER LOSE A JOB WITH GREAT BENIFITS,OR HAVE TO RELIE ON MEDICAIRE OR MADICAIDE. CAUSE YOU WILL HAVE THE SHOCK OF YOUR LIFE ON HOW BAD THIS GOVERMENT S*CKS! I HAVE 4TH STAGE RENAL FAILURE AND THERE ARE DAYS I JUST WANT TO SLEEP, AND NOT TO BE LAZY BUT JUST DONT HAVE THE ENERGRY TO DO MUCH. AND WHEN I DO ITS LIMITED, I GET URIN INFECTIONS SO OFFTEN I WAS TO JUST CRAWL UNDER A DAM ROCK AND POOF! THE PILLS I TAKE ARE VERY EXSPENSIVE,AND GUESS WHAT? I DON'T GET ANY TYPE OF HELP TO COVER THE COST OF EM. I GET LABS EVERY TWO MONTHS LIKE CLOCK WORK HARD TO GET AND HOLD A JOB CAUSE EVEN THO THEY SAY THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN IT BOILS DOWN TO IT THEY ALWAYS HIRE SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE OVER WHEN I JUST CAN'T WORK. AND THE NEW PLACES I TELL THEM UP FRONT WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND GUESS FN WHAT? I DON'T GET A RETURN CALL TO GET HIRED SO MUCH FOR BEING TRUTHFUL AND ANYONE HAVING COMPASSION IN THE WORK FIELD! AND I CAN'T GET HEALTH INSUR DO TOO PRE-EXSISTING CONDITION FROM BIRTH.SO THIS IS WHAT THE GOOD OL GOVERMENT RULES ARE FOR ME! CAN'T GET MEDICARE UNTIL I BEEN ON DYALLIS FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS,THEN I CAN APP FOR IT,BUT THEN THATS ONLY WHEN YOUR KIDNEY FUCTION HITS 10% FUNCTION,THEN NO HEALTH INSUR YOU HAVE TO BE SENT TO THE E.R. and you dont get a choise of doc's and they put the tube in your artary in your neck area, cause in the arm take a few months for it to heel to run dyallis that way but no insure they wont do the vein graffting in the arm. nore would they go trew the abdomanal wall for the home dyallis ! why? no fn insur! and to top it all off no insur no medicaire no being put on a list for a possible donnor! even if i have one will and waiting! no insur or medicaire no transplant! now thats how bad this goverment will screw you! pills i take start at 19.99- 51.38--39.00--240.00--485.00-- 102.99--then labs just for the min 697.00 every two months on labs not including extra lab work added on at different times for other functions.all that on top of reg house hold bills and morgage payments. and no help what so ever! other then my doc doesnt charge me a office visit every two months wich is 110.00 every visit. he see's how hard it is on me and taking a toll so he waives his fee most of the time on my visits. now if this peice of sh*t goverment was like him he all be better off! and i dont even look for a full hand out but even a dam medical card to help with the pills labs and be able to be put on a list would do. hope you never fall into my shoes or someone elses cause then and only then you will see how screwed you will be! oh plus i forgot there will be payments for dyallis trown on top of all the other bills 3-4 times a week for dyallis if my body can even handle the treatment! cause it puts a strain on your heart! if you make up to 10 years its a miracle!

Gay Butch Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
You have sort of a hard heart, don't ya'? Did you know that WalMart, one of the nation's largest retailers, and employers, offers most of it's workers no health insurance by keeping them at part-time? They cost the states millions for the cost of caring for their employees, as a sort of indirect corporate welfare. So Stop shopping at Wally World!! And if it is just tough that they cannot find a job with benefits, then maybe we should revisit the laws governing benefits like health care, and make these corporations give decent insurance to cover all their employees. I hate to ask what you think of Medicaid and Medicare. I hope that when it comes time, you do not subscribe to either of them, because you are going to disappointed.

I did know all of this, that's why I don't shop there..I haven't been there in years...There are more people on our public healthcare system, that work at Walmart, than any other group. People just think they are getting cheap toilet paper...We're paying. Don't kid yourselves!!!
The Wal-Mart movie, "The high cost of low prices" is playing on On Demand right now, on Starz, if any of you are interested in seeing it. It's very informative.

I wish her all the luck.

If you know nothing about cardiomyopathy, you don’t need to be giving idiotic advice as to how to treat it. Rarely is cardiomyopathy not a congenital condition (for you idiots, that means you are born with it). It does not matter if you eat a pound of bacon a day or a pound of salad. You still have it. The disease can show up between birth and old age. BTW, she is NOT obese.

I have had two defibrillators implanted and I recently had open heart surgery to trim the muscle inside my heart and to replace my mitral valve. Just found out Friday that the surgery damaged my aortic valve and I will most likely be going under the knife again. If she can find an alternative treatment to the hell that we go through, more power to her.

As for the “marketable skills” cr@p: I was able to pay for my surgeries due to insurance because I am in my 30’s and had a chance to develop marketable skills; she was ONLY 18 when her symptoms became serious.

Jasmine wrote:

I think this government needs to recheck their prioritys. There are way to many people on welfare and they are on Medicaid. They dont want to work they just want to perks. I think medicaid should help only those in need. this lady here has no insurance and she is in bad health, but she is working and selling lolli-pops at a flea market. At least she is not sitting on her butt waiting for a hand out. I know bottom line is if she paints herself BLACK she will get the world handed to her on a silver platter. As far as the hospitals they are crazy and they should help. Have you seen the movie "John-Q". Look what he did and he raised some of the money, so he was trying but it was not good enough. Maybe if the hospital stop treating kids in the er for the sniffles they could save their money time and effort into more serious cases. I have been to the emergency room many times and I sit and watch these people that have NO insurance come in for pink eye or a commom cold. They have no insurance and they dont pay the bill. They wont go to a doctor during the day becasue the doctors office can reject you if you cant pay the hospitals cant. so thats where we need to see how we can fix things so hospitals can help everyone.

I'm not sure why you think painting herself black would get her Medicaid, since it is a free program that provides free to low cost medical insurance for those that fall in a certain income bracket (not just Black people, although I'm sure they make up the majority of Medicaid's usage ). I will tell you, that for a condition such as congestive heart and the treatment that she wishes to have, wouldn't be covered under Medicaid anyway. Medicaid is a government run program, and if stem-cell research is being banned by the government, you can bet that its not going to use gov't dollars to pay for it. Truth is, it probably wouldn't be covered by most employer's health insurance either- as it's classified as "experimental or alternative" health care in the US. I applaud this young lady for her tenacity, I'll be writing her a check today. The American healthcare system (Medicaid and Medicare included) needs an overhaul, but it's a business and business is good, for everyone but the consumer.