Dumped Dogs

 

 

 

 

Yesterday 3 little dogs were dumped on my neighbor’s property.  I saw them on the highway.  I stood in the middle of the highway blocking traffic both ways to try and keep them safe.  But they were too scared and they wouldn't come to me or anyone else who tried.  Thank you to all the good people who tried!   Eventually they ran into a drainage ditch and there was nothing I could do for the time being.

When I came back a couple hours later it was getting dark but there were two of them on the gravel road to my house.  They still wouldn't come near me.  We got out the canned food and tried to lure them and I left Briann to make friends while I grabbed a kennel and looked for the other one.  I couldn't find her anywhere.

Try as we might we couldn't lure the two dogs into a kennel and we couldn't get close enough to touch them.  After two hours we gave up and decided to try again in the morning.  But the dogs ran under my car!  So we were trying to get them out from under my car and one of them let Briann grab it.  We then used that one to lure the other one close enough and we had them both.  But there was still no sign of the third little dog.  It was 10:30 at night and I decided to look for her again in the morning.

The third dog was arthritic and couldn't walk well.  She couldn't move out of the way of cars or coyotes or buzzards.  There is no way she could survive on her own.  Sadly, I found her this morning.  She was hit and killed by a car.  RIP little girl.  Your pain and fear are over.

The remaining two little dogs are now in a kennel in my basement waiting to go to their foster home where a loving family will be found for them.  A poodle and a shih tzu, they are probably both mixes.  And while still a little nervous they are friendly and ready for a good scratchin' and a belly rub.  It’s obvious to look at them they were breeder dogs.  But it’s also obvious someone trimmed their coats and spent time petting them.

I don’t understand how you can care for and love a dog and then turn them out to fend for themselves.  I understand times can be hard.  Maybe you don’t know what to do.  But dumping on the side of the road to meet their own fate is not the answer.  They are small desirable dogs.  A free add in the paper or online would have found them a new home.  Those little guys gave you their hearts and souls and in return you left them to dodge cars, tremble in fear of coyotes, and run from any kind hands who would care for them.  Shame on you! 

People Suck!
 

Military Health Care at its Finest

 

The healthcare provided to active duty military and retirees is called TriCare.  TriCare is divided into regions dependent on where you live and your coverage is dependent on your status and your choice of coverage.  We live in the TriCare West Region.  This used to be administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance.  It is now being managed by UHC Health Care.  That covers the background of what is going on.  Now let’s start with I can not stand bureaucracy and stupidity.

 In and endeavor to find out (or at least eliminate possibilities) why my son is angry almost all the time we had a sleep study done.  The conclusion was that he does not have sleep apnea, but he should see a sleep specialist.  The sleep study was done 6 months ago and we have an appointment on Tuesday to see the specialist.  Yes it took us that long to get results and an appointment at Children’s Hospital in St Louis, two hours away.

 

This morning I got a call from the hospital asking if Jeffrey had a referral.  Well, yeeeessss, we had one for the sleep study and this should cover it.  But, dutifully, I called TriCare and asked.  And yes, that referral should cover it.  Our appointment is on Tuesday.  The referral expires on Monday.  Aaaaaaahhhhh!

 

It would seem to me we could just extend the referral for one day.  Easy enough, right?  Uhm, no that isn’t possible.  Well, of course it isn’t.  Why was expecting anything else?  And why isn’t it possible?  Oh, because the original referral was under TriWest and UHC extended all of those referrals one time.  They will not be giving any of them further extensions.  At all.  Period.  No exceptions.  Not at all.

 

So now I had to call my Pediatrician here in Rolla and ask if she could please put in a new referral today marked urgent.  And just HOPE that UHC takes care of this within 24 hours.  I guess I will be calling and harassing them again tomorrow and on Monday.  If I can not get this referral through by Monday I will have to reschedule with the specialist.  And his next available appointment will be in 3-4 months.  *SIGH*

 

Why do insurance companies and our government make it so difficult for something that should be so simple.  The doctor asked for it.  Please do it.  I made my choice about how thorough I would like to be while sitting at my doctor’s office.  Quite frankly I already personally questioned weather this appointment and the ensuing headache was worth my time.  But I found a pediatrician that I respect and trust.  Therefore, when she said, “Yes, it’s worth pursuing so we can at least rule this out,” I believed her.  Why can’t my insurance company make it that simple?  It was obviously approved before.  Why wouldn’t it be approved again?  Why make all of us go through so many hoops?

 

I know I am not the only one who goes through this sort of thing.  And my son’s problems are pretty mild compared to other people I know.  Why do the insurance companies get to shove bureaucracy in the way of competent health care.  I have been frustrated for a long time with medical insurance.  There are no easy solutions, but maybe we need to find some hard ones.