Wednesday, February 28, 2007 – closing

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 – closing

What’s the word of the day? There are a few “words” of the day, today:

Scott Rose (My buddy now living in North Dakota who I’m now texting daily with. He was my song-writing partner since the mid/late-80's or so and throughout the 90's after my "L.A./Orange County" era. God has blessed me with some best friends and he's been one of them for many, many years now and I miss him greatly; especially now)
Dan Burke (my buddy who I got to have dinner with tonight)
Jim Boso (a very good and close family friend and retired Kaiser physician who wrote a letter yesterday to some of the Kaiser players in this battle and also treated my mom and I to lunch today with his wonderful wife Betty)
Success (as in my reception of an email letting me know that Kaiser has now relented and is approving my request for referral)
Relief (which might be in store for us if this referral is all it should be and not some half-baked “shut-up ploy” on the part of Kaiser)
The last word(s) would be Porcupine Tree (which is the name of a band that Dan burke told me about tonight and I have begun checking out their stuff and I LOVE it. WAY COOL stuff.).

My buddy Scott and his family (wife Kristy and son Adam) moved back to the Dakotas toward the end of last year and they are experiencing their first winter in a state that doesn’t blink and sub zero temperatures…he’s cold right about now but handling it in true Rose fashion; making frozen lemonade out of winter weather…of sorts. He’ll know what I mean.
Anyway, God lets him know when things have been tough with me physically and he just knows to call or pray at certain points and, I think to date, he’s known in the moment when I’ve been in the ER most each time. It’s a God thing, plain and simple. So he’s been texting me now for a week or so and I’ve been able to connect up that way and it’s been great for me. Big lift. My heart is for his return, but until that day (if that day comes) we have texting which will be very cool and convenient and we have been trying out sending some of our music via file sends to one another to see about playing music/recording music long distance…The Police did it, right…? Oh…maybe they had a little bit more money than us, but still…the concept is the same, I think. He knows; I miss him and his family quite a bit...daily.

I had dinner with Dan-oe tonight and was blessed again by just hanging out with him. His mind just flies and when you sit with him and join him in conversational flight, you never know where it will lead to or what topics you hit. I had a great time just catching up with him. He touches my heart every time I see him. He’s kind of like that distant brother that I might have grown up with in some way but we can never get enough time together to sort out our pasts, you know? Anyway, I had a real blessed time with him tonight and before leaving, he told me about this band he digs called “Porcupine Tree”…really, that’s their name…and they rock. Can’t really describe them; you just have to hear them. He suggests that they are Dream Theater meets Metallica and that’s true to some extent but I’d add some Pink Floyd in there as well as some Dogs of Peace too. Very, very cool and good stuff. Wow. Songs to check out: Buying New Soul, Cut Ribbon, Mellotron Scratch, Glass Arm Shattering

So Jim Boso has known of our plight with Kaiser and had come to see me when I was hospitalized this last time in San Carlos and, being a Kaiser alumnus, he couldn’t get his mind around the fact that we have been getting stonewalled at every turn with Kaiser. After reading our letter to rebut the last 9 page denial letter, he composed and wrote a letter to the main 2 players in Neurology and my PCP asking why it is that we are not making headway, especially given some of the recent negative developments (as in the last attack in San Carlos) and he suggested that they come together in some way so that we don’t have to report this to the State…and then, less than 24 hours later, I’ve been sent an email that my request has been approved. Now, granted, I have not received anything official yet and hope to sometime very soon, but this sounds to my like his email hit the right place, doesn’t it to you? Whatever the case, it blesses me to be with Jim and Betty, whether it's at TPC, on the street someplace or in a little Mediterranean cafe in downtown San Carlos.

Oh yes, also on the same note, our Disability has contacted us and let us know that we will being receiving a monthly check beginning this next month. HUGE for us to FINALLY have some consistent help coming through from the folks we’ve been waiting on for 90 days now. Could this be a turn-a-round that we’ve been praying and waiting for? Lord God, I hope so and pray so. No that’s not blasphemy; I meant it literally.
I’m still kind of in a state of shock…on all sides, really.
I head back to Sac tomorrow, riding with my good friend Art Yeap, who has business up in Sac and has offered to provide me with transportation back up there. I’m really looking forward to this being that he and I have wonderful conversations (as far as I am concerned) and I haven’t had much time with him in several months, especially since all of this medical stuff has kicked into gear.

That’s it for now…FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!
Rock on.