Suffer Joshua Suffer, Die Joshua Die

I.....Im...Im speechless...... .... In a state of OMFG, anger at people like santorum, and shock what this poor woman went through....I just cannot formulate words.

NPG256, I think Santorum is a gay man on the downlow. No way in hell would any heterosexual man have so much hatred toward women and people like this man does. He is pure evil and sick. He is far from being christian. He's just using god, religion, and the bible to do his dirty deeds.

Everyone should get their pitchforks and torches and run this azzwipe out of America.

http://joronomo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/rick-santorum-in-the-closet-e1325790357410.png

Let's give thanks that this woman was able to present such an intelligent and well-written sum up of what her family went through. How many people with a similar story lack the ability or opportunity to articulate their life and death struggles with the state of health care in this country? How many Joshuas didn't have the opportunity to grow and excel because of the state of health care in this country?

Arieus dont insult the gay community like that. Sure he may be a loathing basket case, but I think that it's religious BS that's infected his mind, like it used to infect mine.

I don't criticize any choice a family makes in a situation like that. Why? I live it.

Many of us live it. I had no understanding before - so I understand others' ignorance.

It's hard for others to understand what it means to clean human excrement off the walls in your house every morning before heading off to work.

Our children will have to be responsible, and one of them is preparing herself to take that over. Is that fair? No. Do I feel guilty about it? Yes.

My wife had a retarded uncle who was taken care of by her father. It took him away from her, and she has resented that her entire life. We're doing all we can to not lay the burden of my son upon our daughter.

My daughter will not be responsible for physical care, but for running the case team and managing money. Fortunately, after long training from us, our son is able to live in an independent apartment, with minimal assistance. And in a HUGE success yesterday, had his checkbook balanced to the penny, BY HIMSELF! You can't imagine my delight!

Another thing we moms of "special needs" children (aren't all children's needs special?) can really appreciate are the simple joys, like when they get a joke that you wouldn't have thought they would understand, or when they offer comfort when you were told they wouldn't understand body language enough to know someone was upset.

Indeed. We do take such pleasure out of those small triumphs, don't we?

It's really made me appreciate life more. I see some people who have such great kids but they can't see the forest for the trees and get too caught up in small things to appreciate the prescious time they have with their kids. I appreciate every moment, even the rough ones (maybe not right in the instant they're rough, but soon enough after that I still count it!).

My daughter will not be responsible for physical care, but for running the case team and managing money...

Oh, good. If you've found appropriate placement for him, there's no need for guilt. That uncle I mentioned was living independently, but shouldn't have been. He needed the care of a group home, but since those places were "horrible" all the care fell to his brother - taking a father away from being there for his kids.

It's a constant balancing act between caring for the disabled child and giving attention to the other children in the family. There doesn't seem to be a right answer there - just a bunch of different wrong answers from which to choose.

meanpeoplesuck: my son having that triumph with his checkbook yesterday still has me smiling today! Good luck to you, and all my best. You sound like someone that really cares and has pride in your child.

Buckeye Voter: We had the benefit of specialized training in DD, and I was able to be home with kids as they were growing up, so I could manage my son's educational plan. Our focus was on independent living at the appropriate age. He is currently in his own apartment with minimal help, and is able to work about 9 hours a week. My daughter is studying law, specializing in mental health (her interest due to her growing up with her brother) and will simply "keep watch". We expect that our son will continue to do well.

We tried to make sure that we took special time out with each kid, they all had horses and we rode together. But it wasn't easy, and I have particular sympathy for the struggle to give equal attention to each child. I don't know if this helps you, but mine are adults now, and we have talked about this. They didn't feel the lack, they tell me, and remember the fun.

Good luck to you as well, you sound like you are in there trying every day, and that is what it takes! Hubby is a Buckeye! Go Bucks!

newday....Thank you. I am smiling with you and hope you have many more days like yesterday. My daughter is the best gift I have been given in my life. I'm lucky and I know it.

Me too, meanpeoplesuck. It is a gift beyond measure, isn't it? Thanks for chatting.

We had the benefit of specialized training in DD, and I was able to be home with kids as they were growing up, so I could manage my son's educational plan.

My wife has a Masters degree in special education.

But it wasn't easy, and I have particular sympathy for the struggle to give equal attention to each child.

We make sure we don't pour all our attention into one child, but it's something you have to watch, because a special needs child can become all-consuming. Worse is when you sense that others think you should be doing more for the disabled child, unrecognizing of the fact that all children your need love and attention.

Yes. A special needs child can be all consuming. But, at the end of the day, you do the best you can, keep putting one foot in front of the other. Easy for others to judge, they don't have to live with this. Honestly, they can't matter. What matters is how much you love all your kids, and that you try, remembering that you can't be perfect. Kids don't care if you are perfect, they want you there. Sounds like you are.

I agree istoolate.

I seems that one the baby leaves the womb they find it OK to throw it under the bus.

Don't forget Alec and Opus Dei!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dominionism, Alec, and the Catholic fascists of Opus Dei. Remember bdebogota, Da Saint, in one swoop, took Christianity away from Protestants, any Protestants, all Protestants.

It's a real cryin' shame that most of the blind following the madness of this "false prophet" don't/can't/won't see that he is waging his war on them too.

He spews so many venomous lies about where Obama would lead our nation, if he got the power he would lead us into a revival of the Inquisition. Think about it. His insanity makes him a very dangerous demigod.

I have Tricare Prime. I have to pay for it now but it use to be free and a Benefit my Husband earned from forced retirement from the US Army after leaving his leg behind in Viet Nam. He's !00 % disabled from his injuries.

This is not about me because we were not "blessed by children" due to the injuries he suffered. But I have access to The Clinic at a Military base and on Tuesdays it is "Hair Lip Day". That is what they call it. On any given Tuesday I see from 12-20 babies with the affliction since after Desert Storm.

I have two great nephews with Autism and A Niece and Nephew who were born in Guam when my Brother-in-Law was stationed there. Both of them have the mentality of 7 year olds. Both are very loving. One just celebrated her 51st. Birthday. The other celebrated his 53rd. They still live at home. My older sister was diagnosed with a brain Tumor in November. She had surgery and hopefully all will be ok. These two children are her step children. The children as they are still children mentally qualify for medicaide. Before they turned 18 they had Champus.

All 4 of the children of two families are on anti-seizure medication. If Santorum has his way all of the benefits for these kids will be cut. As it is My great Nephews have been cut from the Medicaide program because of budget cuts. Their parents make 55 dollars too much for the kids to stay in the program. SSI has been denied also because of the new rules. One boy is 14 the other is 17.

Santorum and Bachman have said disabled Vets have it too easy. They say they want to cut their pay as well us cut funding for the VA. I was appalled when I heard John McCain say the Government can't sustain the cost to continue taking care of the wounded. I'm sure he was also talking about the Children who are disfigured or mentally handicapped born to soldiers fighting in wars.

I am disgusted by the lack of compassion and the sheer ignorance and hatred the GOP/TP is showing to anyone who is not perfect in their eyes. Santorum who loves to say he is a Christian never learned that all children are perfect in God's eyes.

None of these handicaps would have shown up by prenatal tests. My brother-in-Law who is now 81 years old says if he and his wife had known before what they were in for and it had been available they would have chosen Abortion. He loves his children and knows they will out live Him as they did their Mother who died from Uterine Cancer. It makes me cry. My sister will continue to take care of them if she is able to as they have no other family. What will happen to them if Santorum has his way to cut funding for their care?

About 2/3 of our local clinics do not accept Tricare. It's a pay-up-front, get reimbursed situation. And how many enlisted families can afford that?

If we get a Santorum type President...then suffer the poor children.

The intolerance of progressive expressed in these posts is sad indeed. The story is sad, but the mother, "MilitaryTracy, had people who helped her. They were not from the government. Only the misguided would conclude from this story that government health insurance will do a better job. Large organizations whether private or public are unable to display compassion. \

Compassion comes from us. We need to rely on ourselves, families and communities. There is much hate voiced in these comments both toward Santorum and most sadly toward the less than perfect. In all these comments, one senses the less than perfect are simply too much trouble if there isn't a government program there to take care of them. If we were a compassionate society, we all would be helping our neighbors. Instead, people like the "skeptic" call those who believe life has value "morons". The compassion of MilitaryTracy and other progressives is simply to "kill the less than perfect for their own good".

#17.1

Another who just doesn't get it and used time worn platitudes to self placate.

Sorry JJ, but until you understand that the term "community" means everyone in the U.S. and not your little corner of wherever, you will never get what it means to be a progressive, and you will end up being left behind: in your little corner of wherever.

Bloger how profound!

Michael in S.J. In all my dealings with the government, I have never been treated like a member of that community. Most of the time just hear the drone "it's not the policy or not my job." Most of the time the only people who are true believers of government work for it. I have no problem with you progressives creating your utopia of government saviors. Just don't make me be a part of it or make me pay for it. Ultimately, it will fail because it mixes greed with the lack of consumer choice. That is the fundamental fact progressives are unable to grasp.

Well, go find a little piece of ground in Alaska where you will have no interaction requiring you to interact with anyone in government, where you will not get any public services, where there are no taxpayer financed roads.

Oh, and make sure the piece of dirt you choose is not owned by the BLM as the wood you will need to heat your "home" will be owned by the larger U.S. community, and don't expect to drill for any oil or gas on you parcel if it is owned by the BLM because that oil and gas is owned by the larger U.S. community.

Go forth and see if you can actually lead the libertarian lifestyle you so fervently believe in and remember, you don't get to use anything paid by taxpayers, because you don't believe you should be paying any taxes.

Michael S J, nice try but you just show one of the continuing problems with progressives - everything is equivalent. They cannot see the difference for example of a president ordering a private company to provide its products and services for free and a police department. If you disagree with government taking 60% of a citizens income, local, state, federal and other taxes, you don't want to pay anything. If you disagree with government ordering you to buy insurance, you don't want to use public roads. If you don't believe those who decide not to have insurance should be able to walk into a hospital and stick the hospital and doctors with the bill without consequence or an obligation to pay the bill back, you are cruel.

This really sounds like the argument of a government worker. You probably actually believe that government cannot be greedy.

First of all: NO ONE PAYS 60% of their income in taxes. NO ONE.

Secondly: Obama has not asked one, not one company, to do anything against their best interests.

Thirdly: If you are not willing to buy insurance (whether single payer or not), then you do not have a right to expect me to subsidize your showing up at an emergency room with empty pockets. If you do not, can not, see the distinction between a single payer system and a very inefficient private health care provider then arguing with you further will be fruitless.

Fourthly: There is and will always be a segment of our society that simply can't or won't make it on the own. We have a duty, a burden that we may not like or agree with to provide these individuals with basic support. To think otherwise is to exhibit cruelty - inhumane cruelty

Fifthly: I am not a government worker, but so what. I do believe a government can be greedy. But government is necessary and must be efficient. I have great difficulty in discussing the need for government with someone whose bias is anti-government from the start of the conversation.

Tricare is NOT a government provided insurance, it is four private insurance companies that provide coverage for military personnell and their families.

Jesus gave FREE health care. He also fed the masses for FREE. For a country that is supposedly founded on Christian values, you don't see many Christians who support those ideals!

meanpeoplesuck42, TriCare is a government program. It is administered by private insurance companies.

Will the new legislation transfer TRICARE into another government health care program?
No. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act leaves TRICARE under sole authority of the Defense Department and the Secretary of Defense, and we are governed by an independent set of statutes. “For the Department of Defense, and specifically for our 9.6 million TRICARE beneficiaries, this law will not affect the TRICARE benefit. Eligibility, covered benefits, copayments and all other features of our TRICARE program remain in place.” – Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Dr. Charles Rice

Military members are government employees.

Additionally, TriCare does not cover members' dependent children to age 26, as private insurance companies are mandated to do under PPACA.

The new health care bill allows adult children to stay on their parent’s health care plan until age 26 if their employers don’t offer insurance. Will TRICARE adopt this policy?
The recent Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) requires civilian health plans that provide medical coverage to children to make that coverage available until the child turns 26 years of age. The Act did not give the Department of Defense the authority to offer this benefit through TRICARE.

http://www.tricare.mil/NHCB_QnA.aspx

Jesus gave FREE health care. He also fed the masses for FREE. For a country that is supposedly founded on Christian values, you don't see many Christians who support those ideals!

Excellent point. One that "social conservatives" should be reminded of hourly.

skeptic - thank you for the correction. I guess what I really wanted to point out is that four private insurance compaines (for profit companies no less) are overseeing the medical care of our soldiers and their families. It upsets me a lot. I so admire those who volunteer to fight for our country if called to do so. I also admire their families who do without a husband, father, son, brother, etc. while their loved one serves our country. They should have anything they need given to them without having to jump through hundreds of hoops and rivers of red tape.

Thank you again for the correction.

Unfortunately, the social conservatives I have confronted with the free health care from Jesus either ignore the point or walk away in anger. Go figure!

Michael SJ

Please read the entire post. If you don't think that some people are paying 60% of their income when all taxes levied by the different levels of government are added together, you are not doing the math. This will be especially true if progressives raise the top bracket to 39.5 percent. For families making more than $150,000 the federal tax will be 39.5%, in California the state tax will be 10 percent unless Brown gets his way and increases it to 11% and then there are sales taxes, gas taxes, property taxes and school taxes. which combined will easily be another 10% depending on spending habits. If you notice I have not included Social Security and Medicare payments in these numbers.

Please at least do the math. Too many progressives are victims of Junk Journalism that only reports in terms of rich and poor never providing readers with the actual numbers. You appear to be a victim it. It's not your fault that you are so poorly informed.