Food

So, the assessor for the in-home nursing stopped by at 8:30 this morning to let me know that I have been approved for an additional and “unprecedented” third eight-week tour; after that, he promised me, “Medicare usually will not pay for additional care.” My nurse, Dorrie, is concerned about my bouts with post-surgical hypotension (low blood pressure) and my balance from the vertigo. I also start physical therapy twice a week beginning this week.

In the interim, I’m three days out from payday and 13 days until my next installment of food stamps and I am flat busted. Last night I had no dinner whatsoever and the only food I had all day was a cup of yogurt. I put out a mass e-mail yesterday afternoon and a few individual e-mails to friends and colleagues to no avail for the most part. If anyone out there can float me a tenner or a twenty via Paypal we can call it a loan if you like and I will reimburse you on Friday morning. Since I’m out of airtime minutes and am still without internet at home and cannot check my Paypal, would anyone who is kind enough to lend a helping hand text me to notify me at area code three-two-three six-three-two eight two seven nine. Paypal is rodger_jacobs@yahoo.com

Panic

I’m typing this from the Edendale branch of the LA Public Library, next door to my doc’s office on Sunset. Yesterday, at noon sharp, my laptop lost the ability to imnterface with the internt provider’s modem. After spening hours on the phone with Time-Warner tech support it was determined that the issue was with my laptop and not with TWC’s equipment. The computer is at least four years old and had been running on a 2002 version of Microsoft Windows XP. The software must be updated and I do not have the funds to buy a software disc or, for that matter, and new/used laptop. So now I’m left to sit at home with no TV, a radio with scratchy interference, no one to talk to, no way to communicate to the outside world.

I get paid in nine days but until then I need help. Badly. I was summoned to the doc’s office this AM after last night’s BP reading by my in-home nurse revealed that my blood pressure is STILL too low. This has been an ongoing issue since my surgery on March 20. The doc wants to meat plenty of salted soups to see if that will bring my BP up to normal levels. I had an 87/70 reading last night. Anything under 100 is officially low blood pressure

After I send this out I will be heading home. I need to raise funds for soup, durable medical goods and, if the monies are there, a new version of Windows. If anyone can help in any way, large or small, my Paypal is rodger_jacobs@yahoo.com. Of course, with no net there’s no way that I can check my Paypal. Senders may call or text me at area code three-two-three six-three-two eight-two-seven-nine.,

Cal-Fresh Update

Apparently Cal-Fresh put an extra $37.00 in benefits on my EBT card today, which may indicate that Niki Lee‘s efforts to get my food benefits raised closer to the max may have worked.

So I can scratch food off of my worries list for today but there still remains the question of how to pay for my “non-durable goods” medical supplies (Medicare will only foot the bill on durable goods like wheelchairs) at CVS today, along with a couple new scrips.

Paypal Monday

I have $5.50 remaining on Paypal; but what I need to acquire the med supplies (largely gauze and tape, non-durable goods that Medicare will not compensate for) I need plus my allergy med awaiting pick up at CVS, and something cheap for dinner tonight, is more like $30.00

Charles Bukowski portrait by Chuck Hodi

A beautiful work. I’d love to have a print but ten bucks is a luxury to me.

Nirvana, poem by Charles Bukowski, short film by Lights Down Low Productions

Meds and Food. Again.

Just returned from the doc with a handful of scripts, some of them new medications. Unfortunately, I am lacking the funds to pick them up after drop-off at CVS. True, my co-pay is much lower now and the total for these meds will probably be in the six dollar range, maybe seven, but I don’t have that unless I choose the meds over food tonight.

Post-Surgical Update

I may have mentioned this before but it turns out that my stroke in January was the result of a congenital defect; the three arteries on the left side of my head that carry blood to the brain are not fully developed and are “abnormally narrow” and subject to easier blockage. I’m still recovering from surgery (the doc said it would take considerable time); interestingly, he told me that prior to surgery commencing they put my brain “to sleep” so it wouldn’t “freak out” and bring on a stroke once the head was cut into.

Food

Looks like I ran through my monthly $55.00 allotment of Cal Fresh food stamp benefits (which is being appealed by my IHSS worker); if any kind souls can help with grocery funds … well, much appreciated.

Paid

Well, that was a squeaker but I got my past due DWP payment made on Friday (thank you to two special friends). Now the only obstacle to surviving July is my medication co-pays, which are blessedly a lot cheaper now that Medicaid kicked in as my secondary payer after Medicare. As of today I’m flat busted until August 3.

Now that the surgery is three months in the past I need to start seeing the psychotherapist that my doc referred me to; my mental state since the stroke has been … not so good. Black and bleak depressions.