Linda Wolfe To Receive Necessary Medical Care - Thank you, Cherokee Nation.

Today, Linda Wolfe was notified that the Cherokee Nation will cover the medical care she desperately needs. She would like to thank everyone who worked to help her. She also appreciates that she was in the thoughts and prayers of many during her time of need. 

I'd also like to thank everyone who had a hand in bringing this about. There were many Cherokees concerned over this situation. There was no political divide. It was not about only helping friends or family. It was not about what one could get in return for helping another. It was simply individual Cherokees getting involved so they could help another Cherokee who had fallen through the cracks. It was about working together for the greater good, something bigger than ourselves. This shows that when we put personal and political differences aside, good things can happen. 

To all who prayed, spoke out, shared Linda's story, or reached out to the Cherokee Nation administration and Cherokee Nation Health Services, thank you for your efforts. You made this happen.

I'd also like to thank Chief Baker, the Tribal Council, and those in the Cherokee Nation Health Services for ensuring that Linda Wolfe got what she needed. It is greatly appreciated.

Those are my thoughts for today.
Thanks for reading.

copyright 2015, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB

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Chief Baker, Prove Me Wrong.

UPDATE: 15 October 2015 - Linda Wolfe was notified that the Cherokee Nation will cover the medical care she desperately needs. She would like to thank everyone who worked to help her get what she needed. She also appreciates that she was in so many thoughts and prayers during her time of need. 
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Below is a post from Thursday, January 29, 2015. This woman is still waiting for help. Her allergies are so bad, she is having numerous secondary health problems now. The day after the election, after the results were announced, I sent her a message telling her who won. She responded, "Well, I guess there's no hope for me now."

I nearly broke down in tears. As much as I wanted to tell her we could get her the help she desperately needed, I knew I couldn't promise that. 

I truly believe this woman is a national treasure. She speaks our language and has since birth. At the rate we are losing speakers of the Cherokee language, we MUST do all we can to protect those who still speak our native tongue as their first language. We MUST utilize the knowledge of these Cherokees to revitalize our language or we are going to lose it.

I would like to believe that our chief, Bill John Baker, cares enough about the people to step in and say, "We have to do something to help this sick woman." Sadly, I don't think he will do it. I don't think Baker is going to do anything to help anyone unless they worked on his campaign, donated to his campaign, or has something to offer him in exchange for his helping them. 

If Chief Baker truly cares about the people he was elected to serve, he will act to help this woman, a woman who has nothing to offer him personally, but who has much to offer us as a nation. I don't think he will do it.

The ball's in your court now, Chief Baker. Prove me wrong. 

*

A Voice Lost in Cherokee Nation Health Services

Linda Wolfe, a full blood Indian and speaker of the Cherokee language, has been trying to navigate the Indian Health Care system for over 5 years. At 47, she's still a fairly young woman, but because she is sick, she can no longer work. Often, she can't talk because her illness steals her voice.

After making circles in the IHS holding pattern for three years, finally, in February 2013, Linda was referred to an allergy specialist in Tahlequah. That doctor did tests, evaluated the results, and said Linda needed allergy shots.  While the clinic said they could cover the cost of the shots, Linda would be required to cover the cost of her weekly office call visits, totaling about $120 per month. The Cherokee Nation's IHS wouldn't cover that cost and Linda couldn't afford it, so she's gone without treatment. 

Linda has tried to go outside IHS to get help. She isn't eligible for Sooner Care because she has no children. She couldn't use the free clinic in Pryor, Oklahoma because they told her she was an Indian and had IHS. She can't afford "Obama Care" because Oklahoma didn't accept the Medicaid expansion. She's contacted her Cherokee Nation council person. She's contacted other council people. She's even contacted Connie Davis, executive director of Cherokee Nation Health Services. If it is an option, she's explored it, yet she's still had to go without treatment.

As time has passed and with treatment denied, Linda's health has suffered in other ways. Due to her severe allergies, headaches were no stranger to her, but the one she had several months ago was different. It was a pounding, aching headache like she'd never before experienced. She was in so much pain, she had to lay down.  As Linda rested her head on the pillow, for a moment, she thought she might die because the pain was unbearable. Then she felt a "pop" and the pressure and pounding in her head was gone. At that same moment, something ran down the side of her face. It was blood and was coming out of her ear. A subsequent trip to the doctor revealed that congestion from her allergies was so substantial, it caused her eardrum to burst from the pressure. 

Often, when problems like Linda's are brought to light, the administration's excuse is that the person fell through the cracks. We've been told this enough that it's clear, we don't just have cracks, we have very deep and wide chasms full of people. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Enough!

I don't want to hear excuses. I want to hear solutions.

I don't want to hear "we can't." I want to hear "we will."

And I don't want to hear "she'll have to wait." She's waited long enough.

It's easy for our administration to ignore a problem as long as our people aren't aware of it. They can't ignore Linda any more. Now we know about her. Now we care about her. And now we demand action. She's lost her voice, but we haven't lost ours. Each of us has a chance to become the voice of the voiceless; to speak for those who can no longer speak; and to stand with those who are standing alone. 

You have a choice. What will you do?

Those are my thoughts for today.
Thanks for reading. 






*Linda Wolfe made the decision to go public with her identity so the post has been updated on 21 Aug 2015 to include it.

copyright 2015, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB

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A Voice Lost in Cherokee Nation Health Services

Laurie*, a full blood Indian and speaker of the Cherokee language, has been trying to navigate the Indian Health Care system for over 5 years. At 47, she's still a fairly young woman, but because she is sick, she can no longer work. Often, she can't talk because her illness steals her voice.

After making circles in the IHS holding pattern for three years, finally, in February 2013, Laurie was referred to an allergy specialist in Tahlequah. That doctor did tests, evaluated the results, and said Laurie needed allergy shots.  While the clinic said they could cover the cost of the shots, Laurie would be required to cover the cost of her weekly office call visits, totaling about $120 per month. The Cherokee Nation's IHS wouldn't cover that cost and Laurie couldn't afford it, so she's gone without treatment. 

Laurie has tried to go outside IHS to get help. She isn't eligible for Sooner Care because she has no children. She couldn't use the free clinic in Pryor, Oklahoma because they told her she was an Indian and had IHS. She can't afford "Obama Care" because Oklahoma didn't accept the Medicaid expansion. She's contacted her Cherokee Nation council person. She's contacted other council people. She's even contacted Connie Davis, executive director of Cherokee Nation Health Services. If it is an option, she's explored it, yet she's still had to go without treatment.

As time has passed and with treatment denied, Laurie's health has suffered in other ways. Due to her severe allergies, headaches were no stranger to her, but the one she had several months ago was different. It was a pounding, aching headache like she'd never before experienced. She was in so much pain, she had to lay down.  As Laurie rested her head on the pillow, for a moment, she thought she might die because the pain was unbearable. Then she felt a "pop" and the pressure and pounding in her head was gone. At that same moment, something ran down the side of her face. It was blood and was coming out of her ear. A subsequent trip to the doctor revealed that congestion from her allergies was so substantial, it caused her eardrum to burst from the pressure. 

Often, when problems like Laurie's are brought to light, the administration's excuse is that the person fell through the cracks. We've been told this enough that it's clear, we don't just have cracks, we have very deep and wide chasms full of people. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Enough!

I don't want to hear excuses. I want to hear solutions.

I don't want to hear "we can't." I want to hear "we will."

And I don't want to hear "she'll have to wait." She's waited long enough.

It's easy for our administration to ignore a problem as long as our people aren't aware of it. They can't ignore Laurie any more. Now we know about her. Now we care about her. And now we demand action. She's lost her voice, but we haven't lost ours. Each of us has a chance to become the voice of the voiceless; to speak for those who can no longer speak; and to stand with those who are standing alone. 

You have a choice. What will you do?

Those are my thoughts for today.
Thanks for reading. 






* The name has been changed to protect the privacy of the woman.

copyright 2015, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB

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Settle No More - Be the Change

According to an article in the Tahlequah Daily Press, 

"After checking complaints of service denial by Cherokee Elder Care, a Cherokee Nation citizen believes he is being stonewalled and legally harried to prevent revelations of poor practice at the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Terry Reed says a restraining order was taken out against him because he was investigating complaints about CEC/PACE procedure. The order was extended for 90 days after a Dec. 11 hearing at the Cherokee Tribal Courthouse."

I've been following this story behind the scenes for several weeks. In my humble opinion, something very bad is going on when a man submits several Freedom of Information Act requests, in an effort to protect his elderly mother and others from violations and abuse, and in turn, has an order of protection put against him so that he can no longer contact the department in question.

For Cherokees living inside the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, this is not a surprise. They understand that they run the risk of such things if they speak out against injustice. They understand retaliation can and will happen. That's why many people are afraid to speak out or bring attention to things like this. In a recent discussion I had with a friend who lives inside the nation, she summed up the feeling people have, 

"We know how it is here. If they can't get you, they will get your family. If they can't get your family, they will get your friends. One way or another, someone, either you or someone you care about, will pay for your speaking out. It's why we keep our mouths shut."

This sad reality breaks my heart. People should not have to live in fear simply because they want rules, regulations and laws followed. People have a right to be treated fairly and with dignity. The Cherokee Nation is supposed to be a democracy, not a dictatorship.

Anna Wells, a Cherokee living in California, and healthcare professional, has been an advocate for better Cherokee healthcare for several years. Tonight on Facebook, she posted (shared with her permission)

"Progress is slow, but coming. The long reach of the little dixie mafia aka Cherokee Nation doesn't play fair. They will go to extreme lengths to harass patient advocates, even if that includes placing a restraining order on the sole caregiver of a Cherokee elder who is disabled, without any real justification, and then extend the order for 90 days without a fair hearing. This is real. We need people to write letters to their council representative and the media demanding an investigation into the business practices of this agency."

She continued:

"We're taking this fight outside of Cherokee Nation because it's impossible to get fair treatment in our court system or from the AGs office."

The Cherokee Nation belongs to the Cherokee people. Our elected officials work for us. Everyone who works for the Cherokee Nation works for the Cherokee people. If they don't do their job, they should be held accountable. If they abuse their power, they should be held accountable. Most of us don't have a lot of money, but we do have power. We have power in both our voices and our votes. It isn't time to vote, but it is time to speak. Concerned Cherokees are starting to stand together, in an effort to make a difference. 

If you have a story to tell and would like to get in contact with Terry Reed or Anna Wells, please email me through the Contact Me button at the right side of this blog and I will put you in contact with them. If you wish to remain anonymous, we will protect your identity.  The point is not to expose you, but to expose corruption. Terry, Anna and others want to help make Cherokee Nation healthcare better for everyone, whether it is within the regular healthcare system or within the PACE program.  Things can get better, but they can't get better without you, the Cherokee people. Change is hard and it won't happen overnight, but we can "be the change". 

I'm not saying this will be easy, but I promise it will be worth it. 

Those are my thoughts for today.
Thanks for reading.

copyright 2015, Polly's Granddaughter - TCB

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