Today is July 6, 2002, and this is the first chance I have had to sit back and take a look at more reflections.
We had a very mild winter this year, and quite a lot of rainfall during the spring. However, it has become very hot and dry once again after the brief respite. It is said by the natives of North Arkansas, "we are never more than two weeks away from a drought." This is due largely to the thin crust of topsoil and the rocky subsurface of the hill country. Trees are abundant, but they are extremely taxed when competing for what little ground water is available. One would think that the Gulf Coast gets hotter than an area 800 to 1000 feet above sea level, however near the gulf it rarely gets up to 100 degrees because of the gulf breeze and the fact that it usually rains before temperatures can get that high. Here it is very common to encounter temperatures greater than 100 degrees, and there is neither a breeze nor any rainfall. Under these conditions, any groundwater is quite readily evaporated and drought conditions reoccur very rapidly.
As the result of the mild winter this past year, I think we only had one snow the entire winter. Well, the morning after the snowfall and ice that formed during the night, I walked to my truck wearing only a pair of sandals on my feet. I checked on my birds before departing for work and then just hopped into my truck ready for the trip. After I had driven about ½ mile, my feet began to feel wet and cold. I think I stated before that I have this uncanny ability to shut out the whole world and just focus on my sensations. This time, I just began stomping my feet on the floorboard of the truck to shake the ice and snow off of the sandals. Nothing else in the world even exists as far as I am concerned when something is bothering me. Well, this was another wonderful time for this to happen, as I was stomping my feet on the floorboard, I suddenly became aware that the truck had accelerated, and I was heading downhill into an S-shaped curve. This is a place where I normally creep down when it is icy, but I failed to even bother to see where I was when I began to stomp the ice and snow off of my feet. I had engaged the four-wheel drive before departing the house, and I knew it was going to be very easy to get out to the highway. However, when I realized that I was accelerating downhill, it was just instinct to apply the brakes. When I did so, I skidded into a tree on the right side of the truck. The four-wheel drive was engaged; so the vehicle just hugged the tree from the right rear view mirror all the way back to the rear fender. Since this is a 3-door truck, the damage estimate was $3,000.00, slightly more than I would make that day! I did not even slow down to pick up the broken mirror, I picked it up off of the side of the road on my way back home. This marks the second time that I have encountered that very same tree under very similar conditions. When I tell people about the tree, they always seem to say, "cut it down with a chainsaw." I don't think I will take that advice; it is the only thing that has kept me from plunging 20 feet down into a creek-bed. I don't even know why I bother to purchase collision on my vehicles anymore, because I cannot afford to turn in a claim. I plan to have the truck fixed next week, and of course, the money will come out of my own pocket.
In the year 2002 Scott got his first driver's license, and I bought him a small truck for his personal use. One Monday morning in April, Joan had two flats on her car, and Scott took one of the wheels to Melbourne to have a new tire mounted on it so that Joan could get to work. He had been driving completely legally for exactly one week as he pulled out onto the highway and was broadsided by another vehicle. Well, that was another $1,500.00, and we had no choice but to turn that one in to the insurance company since the lady was complaining of whiplash. I don't know how much damage she incurred, and I haven't even bothered to ask.
On April 25, 2002, I decided for the very last time to get rid of my birds. I was beginning to cough again and Joan told me that she could here my chest rattling during the night, so, I thought, perhaps, I had pushed the envelope just about as far as I was willing to go. I told a friend in our flying club to come to get the birds, the loft, and all of the accessories while I was not home. He did as I asked, and every time I look to the north of the cabin, I still miss the sight of the loft and the birds. I even catch myself looking up, while driving, looking for pigeons or hawks. I suppose I will get over it in time, but I have not found anything else of that much interest yet. I suppose it is only "Pigeon Fanciers" who can appreciate the feeling of holding onto one of your prized birds, looking it in the eye, and wondering how on earth can a creature find its way back HOME from four or five hundred miles away. There have been many times that I have wished one could talk to tell me about its trip and why some made it in record time while others did not make it HOME at all. I have also questioned why such magnificent creatures can cause such serious health implications for humans. The array of gorgeous color combinations and their gentle behavior just seems incongruent with any kind of danger to their caretakers. Maybe lawyers don't appreciate the birds crapping on their $1000.00 suits, but I only wish I could afford that luxury; not the $1000.00 suit but being able to have a pigeon crap on me without it having the potential to kill me.
Joan has moved up the food chain at Ozarka College as she has accepted a job as "Director of Planning and Special Projects." She has moved out of the classroom, and she is now responsible for writing federal and private grants in competition with other colleges for funding that is imperative not only for the school to flourish, but for its very survival. As has always been the case, I have encouraged her to take on the new challenge, and I am nothing but confidant that she will do a great job just as she has always done in the past.
I think I mentioned somewhere that I had spent more on "Mickey Owen Baseball School" in Miller, Missouri, than I spent on my entire college education. This year Scott was entitled to work as a counselor there for the whole summer, and he only had to pay $100.00. Well, his second week there he hurt his back, had to come home, and now his future, as far as baseball is concerned, is questionable.
As for me, I suppose I will continue to do a job that I have come to despise. Pharmacy was like a religion to me at one time, but the present state of the healthcare system has turned me inside out. I abhor price gouging and price fixing, but the Republican Party is hell bent on seeing that the needs of big business is met and to hell with everything else! To think that my family, historically, consisted of devout Republicans in incomprehensible to me; I have become so disenchanted with politics that I have not even bothered to register to vote since we moved to Arkansas. I might add that Democrats are just as reprehensible as their Republican counterparts. Who can forget how amoral Bill Clinton served all of his life; he never had a real job! When anyone happens to remember that Clinton was impeached, let us not forget that Bob Livingston ( R) Louisiana, resigned at the slightest hint of a look into his background. Livingston really let his constituents down more than anyone in Washington, as he had unfortunately worked his way up to Chairman of various committees, that would have given him great influence over matters that could have favorably impacted the lives of the people who had elected him.
Merck and Mylan Laboratories have been more than willing to show the American people that special interest groups will prevail as they increase prices at will. Unfortunately, many elder Americans find it necessary to make the choice of whether they eat or take their medicine. Every day old drugs are taking huge 500% to 5,000% increases or whatever the manufacturer decides. All Pharmaceutical Manufacturers are guilty of the policies that have been implemented, and PBM's (Project Benefit Managers) have been given an inordinate amount of power. The function of these people is only to pay the claims for the omnipotent Insurance Companies. These people are the ones who tell you where you can buy your prescription drugs and what price you pay and the participating Pharmacy will receive. These people also claim that you are one of "Their Patients." So, many people have been driven into "Mail-Order Pharmacy" as a result of the policies that these geniuses have come up with. I was perfectly happy running my pharmacy in Centerville, Louisiana, but my consumer base was pushed into "Mail-Order" by price discrimination. Mail-Order Pharmacies were purchasing drugs at a fraction of what I was forced to pay for the very same product. When I am forced to charge $300.00 for a product and a "Mail Order Pharmacy" sells the same product for $3.00, I hardly would call that competition!
In trying to come up with a plan where seniors could obtain affordable medications, the Republicans have contrived some Rx Discount Cards. George W. Bush was quoted recently as saying, "it's a no-brainer, just present your card to any participating pharmacy and instantly save 40-60% on your medications!" WOW, George, please show me one community pharmacy that makes that much profit! It is also interesting to find out that PBM's make more on each prescription than does the dispensing pharmacy. Now George is not that stupid, but he and every other politician is owned by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and the Insurance Industry. They have even tried to circumvent Congress to implement some of these ridiculous, self-serving policies!
It is my firm belief that the Pharmaceutical Industry was approached by the Insurance Industry some 15 or 20 years ago and convinced them that it would be in their best interest if they would get their prices up so there would be room for the Insurance Industry to get in on the action. The Pharmaceutical Industry, obviously, followed their advice and became the "Darlings of Wall Street!" Now their lust for greed is totally insatiable, and it is the American people who are paying the price for their prosperity! Unfortunately, these industries spend so much money lobbying your Congressmen that it is impossible to come up with a constructive resolution to the enormous problem. "Shameful" is the only word I can think of that even comes close to describing the current situation.
Have you noticed television and radio advertising lately? The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers are taking their ads straight into your living room; just ask your doctor if their product is right for you! Interestingly, the drug companies have always hidden behind Research and Development, but now their advertising budgets exceed their budget for R&D!
Is there any wonder why I dread going to work every day? Doctors and Hospitals have come up with a way to circumvent financial hardship through something that is called "Medical Coding." This consists of different codes being assigned to various procedures. A patient recently told me that his doctor described an injection as out patient surgery and was paid $400.00 for a fifty-cent injection. There are not enough people to investigate every Medicaid or Medicare fraud case, so that industry remains tainted and lucrative for some of its practitioners.
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