I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

chickadee, so glad for the "better" news!  No chemo change is good.  I like staying on a protocol as long as possible for two reasons:  (1)  I know the SE's associated with this one and (2) I'm afraid I'll run through all available options before they find a cure!

I stay totally away from the mirror thread and never did know the other thread (FB? Or somewhere else on the web?)  that has occasionally been referenced here.  I get enough tea bag garbage from my step-father when I talk to him and it does stress me out some.  It aggravates me that so many good "christians" want to take our nation backwards.  They give us good Christians a bad rap.  (Grammar police, is that last sentence grammatically correct?).   Blue, I'm glad you can laugh at it.  I wish I could!!

Morning Ladies,

My first job was babysitting at 50 cents an hour.  Then I think I made $1.65 an hour doing retail at 16.  It's hard to remember that far back.  I don't even know what the minimum wage is today.  I just know I'm not there.  My job is really technical .. there is so much you have to know and I may someday top out at $8 an hour with this company.  Grateful for the experience to learn the new system and transcribe hospital and clinic psych notes, which is different from the psych work I do for my two clinics. 

Suzie .. Agree with you ... I am continuing to look for something else.  Tim also wants me to do another marketing blitz.  That would be great, but not sure when I will have the time.  He's already fed up with my job.  ha!

Chickadee .. I am so glad to read your note this morning and see that rads are in your future and you get to stay on the same treatment.  I hope two weeks of rads isn't too hard on you.  I found radiation treatment to be really exhausting.

Blue .. I haven't had time to read the dark side website in quite some time.  I don't read the Mirror thread cause I really don't know those gals very well, except for Patmom, and No More Meh has been really kind to me.  And of course I always have loved Shokk.  I have had many friends with different politic views than mine and we still love each other a bunch.  Geez ... case in point ... Mr. Tim and that damn Fox news whenever he's home.

I got up early to clean .. got it all done, as my mom and Tim will be here soon.  Yay!  Good to have a break from work, but still hoping I get some from my regular clients this weekend.  Mom and I are going to Belk for the Clinique bonus gift thing today!  Yay!  I love their stuff.

hugs for everyone,

Bren

Chickadee - Yeah for better news....hoping it gets BETTER and better, and .....

Blue - what ever rocks your boat!  As long as it doesn't hurt your feelings   I'd rather paint....has anyone using pastels ever tried PanPastels, they are so wonderful.  Easier to use plein air, and travel with, very painterly, much less dust - 

My Neulasta was mailed to me by pharmacy - packed in ice packet thingies, kept in fridge until I needed it, and gave to myself - the tiniest little needle I've ever seen.  Ah, the benefits of lotsa belly fat   Must be all that marshmallow fluff on my cocoa, only way to celebrate this gorgeous snow scene around me.

Since I am a newbie to these boards, I
want to say first and foremost that this is not directed to you
BLUEDAHLIA, but I was unable to figure out how to comment on a
specific thread without directly replying to a poster.

I like everyone else came upon this
site because I was looking for information, support and help. While
reading all the threads and comments, I found that over all most
posters are wonderful, kind spirits who are trying to navigate a very
trying time in their lives the best way they know how while at the
same time being generous with others by sharing their experiences,
knowledge and supporting others dealing with bc.

That being said, there are those few
with an apparent superiority complex who insist on pushing their
political agendas. While there are certainly no guidelines regarding
political statements, one has to wonder why a person would choose to
make such statements on boards meant to be used as a means of support
rather than a political round table. Upon further reading I have
found very specific posters, and I don't need to name names, we all
know of whom I am speaking and more importantly, they know whom I'm
speaking about. I'm referring to those who choose to display not only
stalker tendencies by following other posters comments, but blatant
ad hominem attacks in an attempt to portray themselves as superior.
What I find even more repugnant is the attempt to use what was meant
to be a useful tool, the sharing of medical information, as a means
to personally attack other posters comments. As we all know, original
dx may or may not be the same as final dx. Costs associated with
original dx may or may not be in line with final dx. What a
particular poster states as estimated costs with original dx may very
well change with final dx. For another poster to then follow up with
snide, snarky comments is beyond reprehensible. For any poster to
ASSume that they know everything about a person from the little
snapshot they find on these boards is absurd. We do not know all the
circumstances of others lives, we don't know their
financial/insurance situation and why they make the choices they
make. As many have posted, there is NO ONE RIGHT CHOICE OR ANSWER
regarding treatment of bc, the same applies for finances/insurance.
While some of you seem to have the belief that Obamacare is the
answer to everyone's problems, there are those of us living in states
in which politicians have chosen not to participate, chosen not to
expand medicaid which leaves a huge portion of our population in the
infamous donut hole. How do you know that isn't the case for the
poster you have chosen to attack? That's right you don't! You are so
busy pushing your political agenda on a bc forum that you can't even
begin to appear to have a balanced, well informed opinion before
personally attacking another poster. For a poster to have the
audacity to call another poster a “FREELOADER” when the accused
it paying cash is ludicrous. Obviously the accuser knows NOTHING
about insurance. If they were to take the time to become educated on
the subject, they would know that costs associated with medical care
not paid with the lower payments negotiated by insurance companies
are then passed on to those of us paying our higher priced insurance
to offset the cost of YOUR medical expenses, so since I have to pay
for your medical care I guess that makes you a FREELOADER as well
correct?.....to choose political agenda over support for anyone
dealing with a life threatening illness, is especially vile. At a
time when a person is scared, unsure of the future, and crying out
for help by searching out these boards is not only distasteful but
absurdly odious.

I have to wonder, how many people like
myself came across these boards, read comments and chose to run the
other way after seeing personal attacks on the boards. I know my
first thought was I don't need this crap, I have enough to deal with
as it is. So instead of getting help and support as these boards were
meant to achieve, they chose to go it alone or go elsewhere, thereby
losing what should be a wonderful tool for information and support.

Again, for those of you sharing your experiences, support and kindness,THANK YOU, I can't think of a greater gift to those in desperate need of that support while dealing with their bc journey. For those of you who choose to attack other posters, perhaps it's time for you to take a long hard look in the mirror and think of those you have
attacked, those you have perhaps chased off and decide if you are here to share
information and support or to simply push a political agenda. If it
is for your political agenda perhaps your comments/attacks would be better suited for
a political forum or a DNC/RNC fundraiser. Ok, end rant

And my post will be reported in 3....2....1.....

I'm not here much anymore anyway.

Don't recall anybody on THIS thread calling people who turn down Obamacare, and instead pay out-of-pocket, freeloaders. I think we did discuss the personal expense of such a decision. IMO, unless somebody is very rich, that is a foolish decision, especially when facing the staggering costs of bc treatment.

We sometimes respond on this thread to political comments and criticisms made elsewhere.  This is not the thread to find people deemed freeloaders because they don't have insurance.  We do, however, point out the hypocrisy of certain political types who use those terms to refer to the unemployed or minimum wage earners, especially when they themselves need and use government assistance, and that is the spirit in which the term was used here. 

Nor does everyone here think that Obamacare is the answer to everything. I certainly think it has flaws and could be vastly improved by a single payer option.  However, there is such a knee jerk reaction against it by people of a certain political persuasion that we here do feel obliged to defend it.  It is especially ironic when the people who could be most helped by the ACA, flawed though it may be, are the very ones refusing to take advantage of the opportunity offered and slamming the president for putting it forward.  For example - Texas, Florida, and on the individual level, the particular person who refused to get insurance because of her political views.

This is a very large forum, with many different topics.  I am wondering, why, with all the possible places on BCO you could go for support, you chose this thread.  Yes, we are a liberal leaning thread, and we are not on the active thread list because we try to keep this thread to like-minded women.  Yes,  we have certain things in common : we are breast cancer survivors and we share a certain political worldview.  If you look around, you'll find women discussing knitting on some threads.  Motorcycling. Running.  Why shouldn't we share something that is important to us - our political views - the same way other survivors share parts of their lives that are not related to breast cancer - or sometimes are, as the case may be? There are many, many places on BCO where you can go to talk about whatever you want to talk about - but don't come to this thread and demand that we change what we want to discuss.

You know what the Mods always tell us when it comes to posting over there and vica versa - do not engage, and if we do, our posts are deleted.  IF "donut holes" really are the issue, the poster should write their Republican governor or their Republican legislature, not come here to condemn one of us??  We agree - we think those lapses in coverage by their Conservative lawmakers are criminal.  Likewise, I think many of us have been helpful to others seeking more information about Obamacare, should it apply to them and we think that is Positive and Supportive.   It works both ways.

On another note, this is where I personally line up with Conservatives.  If one can pay, they should pay (well, that  is not really a Conservative talking point - they would probably say "can't pay don't play" lol).   I'm aghast at some of the people I know who will not sign up for Obamacare for various reasons, other than financial, but then expect hospitals to subsidize their bills.  This is why the rest of us who do pay for insurance pay more.  I don't mind paying for the poor and working poor, though I do mind in the sense that Walmart is being subsidized for their crappy wages by me, but I do mind paying for those who choose to not get insurance and can pay for it then expect subsidization.  How is that fair to the people who prepare for such circumstances?  That is what insurance is about - being responsible for one's self.  Obviously, Single Payer would solve all of this nonesense, but we know that will be a cold day in hell when that happens.

But, yes, it is curious, a new poster should a) find us and b) only have 2 posts?  Where is their issue with breast cancer to be here at all? (rhetorical)  

Alexandria58, I wasn't trying to say one couldn't discuss their beliefs, political leanings or hobbies. Nowhere in my post was there a DEMAND, what  was posted was my opinion about the  hypocrisy of attacking other posters. What I did state is I felt it WRONG to ATTACK, belittle or criticize someone else BECAUSE of their beliefs. I note that you pointed out Fl. and Tx. did you also note that the poster being attacked is from FL.?  Honestly that is one reason I noticed this particular situation. I myself am from Fl and I'm self employed. I make too much money to qualify for medicaid and with the navigator discovered am not eligible for subsidies.....kinda puts me in a lose lose situation....how do we know she isn't also in the same situation? So based on assumptions, she was attacked. So while Obamacare may work for someone in Maine, Washington or California that doesn't necessarily hold true for everyone. While I obviously haven't read every thread and every post, I did read the posts that got everyone's panties in a bunch and nowhere did that poster state she  disliked Obama, nowhere did she state she was paying out of pocket because of a dislike of Obama, nowhere did she state she would do without treatment because of dislike of Obama.....nowhere did she call anyone unemployed or on welfare freeloaders, or even mention them.... talk about hypocrisy, making broad generalized statements about particular politically leaning people and assuming there are ALL ALIKE, with no evidence to back that assumption.

Thank you All for sharing.  However, it is getting a bit heated here, and we would like to stop it before it is out of hand. Blatona, welcome to the Breastcancer.org Community. This thread you have chosen is a very old thread with much history, and certainly not for everybody's liking. It is also therefore not on the active topics list. We have a very large number of incredibly supportive members on here though, and it has been quite harmonious. Moving forward, can we please stop with the he said/she said/didn't say, and be more constructive and supportive. 

Thank you. 

But I was once condemned by a poster for trying to help another with Obamacare as if that wasn't her issue.  That was funny to me, since she had "no insurance" in the title of her thread.   What would you say back to that person who condemned me for helping that poster?  This is what I did - I asked that person why she would think it wrong for me to help her, gave her examples of how Obamacare was helping my friend, and all I got back was anti-Obama vitriole.  The hypocrisy is hard to take.

Really, if you are going to have anger, maybe you should direct it toward your Florida legislature.  Maybe Governor Crist will help that poster's situation.

I wonder, though, if someone fell in the donut hole, couldn't they still purchase unsubsidized Obamacare? They might find that cheaper than paying the cost of breast cancer.

*** Sorry Mods - we crossposted.  I know you might delete this "

C4C - I absolutely agree with you on Vermont - especially since I'm planning to move there in retirement.

I'm all for single payer.  Maybe this is a devious backdoor way to get to it.

Yorkie - in all the bruhaha missed your post.  It takes a long time to get over any loss. Our pets enrich our lives in so many ways; when they leave us, there is a void.  I'm glad you're better, though.