Plan, ship, plan, ship ... it becomes a routine
I'm essentially acting as a communications liaison and funding source for the hospital in organizing these shipments. No other major sources of funding have materialized so far although a few of myfriends and correspondents have chipped in from time to time. Also, the folks in Mosul report they identified a local source for Natulan (cyclophosphamide) this month and found a source for funding so they asked me to send increased quantities of Vincristine and Adriamycin (doxorubicin).
Every month the routine is the same. Contact the hospital and see what they want within the limits of the available funds, verify the prices and shipping costs with Ameristat, transfer the funds to Ameristat for the shipment, track the shipment, verify that the drugs reached the hospital, and start over. So far it has worked 5 times (twice last year, three shipments this year) and the sixth shipment is in the works and will probably reach the hospital in mid-July.
Of course there is the problem of paying for it all. I've been fortunate this year. Last year I spent a lot of money and effort repairing three rental houses I own. This year I have tenants in all three houses, so I'm able to apply that rental income to the shipments. Additionally I'm pulling in social security this year. Theoretically it should be enough to cover the shipments, but my credit card balance has been swelling ominously and it seems every unforseeable expense and it's brother is descending on me to try to disrupt the project. The air conditioner on my house went out and had to be replaced, my step daughter needed a new car after hers was impounded for implausible but highly entertaining reasons, some idiot destroyed my pickup truck parked at the curb in the middle of the night by ramming it with his own vehicle, the tenant at one rental house is out of work and the rent is delayed, etc, etc, etc.
I remain intent on sending shipments each month, but I am not sure how long I can maintain this series of shipments given the series of unpredictable and unavoidable expenses that seem to piling up on me.
Ultimately, even if I can maintain the current shipment series on a monthly basis it will not fill the hospital's needs and the hospital's patients will continue to suffer.
Others can help by sending donations to LIFE as described in my previous post ( http://waldschrat.blogspot.com/2006/06/introducing-life.html ). Alternatively, they can help by directing others to this blog and spreading word of this project.
Every month the routine is the same. Contact the hospital and see what they want within the limits of the available funds, verify the prices and shipping costs with Ameristat, transfer the funds to Ameristat for the shipment, track the shipment, verify that the drugs reached the hospital, and start over. So far it has worked 5 times (twice last year, three shipments this year) and the sixth shipment is in the works and will probably reach the hospital in mid-July.
Of course there is the problem of paying for it all. I've been fortunate this year. Last year I spent a lot of money and effort repairing three rental houses I own. This year I have tenants in all three houses, so I'm able to apply that rental income to the shipments. Additionally I'm pulling in social security this year. Theoretically it should be enough to cover the shipments, but my credit card balance has been swelling ominously and it seems every unforseeable expense and it's brother is descending on me to try to disrupt the project. The air conditioner on my house went out and had to be replaced, my step daughter needed a new car after hers was impounded for implausible but highly entertaining reasons, some idiot destroyed my pickup truck parked at the curb in the middle of the night by ramming it with his own vehicle, the tenant at one rental house is out of work and the rent is delayed, etc, etc, etc.
I remain intent on sending shipments each month, but I am not sure how long I can maintain this series of shipments given the series of unpredictable and unavoidable expenses that seem to piling up on me.
Ultimately, even if I can maintain the current shipment series on a monthly basis it will not fill the hospital's needs and the hospital's patients will continue to suffer.
Others can help by sending donations to LIFE as described in my previous post ( http://waldschrat.blogspot.com/2006/06/introducing-life.html ). Alternatively, they can help by directing others to this blog and spreading word of this project.
posted by waldschrat at 10:47 AM
2 Comments:
Potluck Democracy, a member of the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice, is making the rounds to other Coalition member groups to try to solicit donations from the members of those groups and to try to entice others to work for your campaign. I will post Waldschrat’s Mirror’s link on a couple of local blog sites to help spread the word.
Hang in there.
b.
Thanks for your efforts! Sometimes I feel like the Lone Ranger on this project and it's great to hear from you again. I know the folks in Mosul appreciate your help.
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