The good news: two of those prescriptions that Allen got filled were for two different kinds of morphine, so at least his pain was contained for the first time since his ordeal began.

The bad news: when we went to Grady Radiation the next day, the oncologists there were really terrific, but refused to begin his treatments when they learned his Grady Card hadn’t yet been renegotiated.  On the one hand, it is benevolent that the physicians tried to help him not go into insurmountable debt.  But I ask how benevolent is the system that requires such a choice of both doctor and patient?

That’s when we filed for unemployment and were thrilled to tears when it came through in time for us to return to Grady that following Monday, October 26^th, and successfully renegotiated his co-pays to that of a truly financially poor person. He will begin chemotherapy/radiation treatments this coming week, and will need all the help we can give him.

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