WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE BECAME POSSIBLE

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)

It is with genuine mixed emotions that I post this story. Back in 2006 when this blog was in its infancy, (in those days, it was still part of AOL Journals) I wrote a post about a bad experience I had with an airline. I named the airline, and shared my whole frustrating story complete with anger, pettiness, and vindictiveness. From some highly committed Christians, that brought great criticism and disapproval. I was told that what I had written was very immature and very much unbecoming a Minister of the Gospel. Following that incident, I've taken a deep breath each time I share some very personal things, including issues with businesses which may not have been so pleasant. In a sense, I think this story could be "taken the wrong way" but in another sense, there really is a positive message to this story. For the latter reason, I have decided to post it.

Every person who knows me well knows that I do not like to go to doctor appointments, or undergo medical procedures, or take prescription medicine. That has been especially true of me over the past twenty years. (It's a long story why I became so averse to doctors, medical procedures, etc.) Now, I did pretty regularly go to have my eyes examined by an optometrist because I had to have prescription eyeglasses to see properly. And, I did pretty regularly go to the dentist, because they could get my teeth a hundred times cleaner than I ever could, and because I had occasional cavities that had to be filled. Otherwise, I went for many years without a physical examination or a basic doctor visit. That all changed a few years ago when a denominational official insisted I see my P.C.P. for a complete physical. Even so, doctor's office trips for me were pretty infrequent. Well, in 2013, I have had more doctor and medical trips and procedures than in the previous twenty-five years combined! I have to tell you, I don't like it. I never wanted to be one of these older people who is always talking about his ailments. I hate to say this, but talk to almost anyone over age seventy, and many people over age fifty-five, and they'll give you an earful about their medical issues. I never wanted to be like that! Well, now I'm like that, and to use an expression from my friend G.S. it is "not something I ever would have signed up for"!

Most of you know my political position is pretty much on the "right" and that I have never been an advocate of government or universal healthcare or socialized medicine. I still have major concerns and reservations about government health care, but as much as I also hate to admit this, some of my personal experiences could just push me in the other direction! I understand, from a Biblical point of view, that all of the challenges I am facing in my life right now, medically and otherwise, can and will be used by God for my spiritual growth and benefit. It does, however, get overwhelming at times! Right now, I am having cataracts surgically treated. I also still have a regular optometrist in addition to the eye specialist practice. I also have had a recent G.I. crisis which started with massive rectal bleeding and a hospitalization. This has led to me being diagnosed with a chronic G.I. illness, for which I am now being pharmaceutically treated. I also have regular appointments with my P.C.P. who put me on blood pressure medicine this year. I have had a major dental problem develop, which is being treating by a dental specialist as well as by my regular dentist. Trying to keep all the appointments, procedures, prescriptions, etc. "straight" on my calendar and in my life is frankly getting overwhelming! I thank God my wife has good health insurance, for otherwise I would have no health insurance on my own. Were it not for her health insurance, I frankly do not know what I would do! Even so, just the matter of what is not covered by insurance gets overwhelming. I don't want to name the practice or the issue, but for one of the practices I have named, I was required to have a particular appointment about a very specialized issue. I did not know that appointment would not be covered by insurance at all.

It was a surprise to me that I received a pretty large bill for that particular appointment. At the time, I commented to a friend that I was surprised it was not covered by insurance. That person encouraged me to wait on paying it and thought that maybe that was the figure before it was submitted to the insurance company. But that was not the case. I got "repeat" bills on it several times. With having all I could do to put gas in the car, pay car insurance, and just get through week to week, that bill had to be left on my "back burner".

Now, not long ago, I went for an appointment at that particular office. I had been told that this appointment did not require a co-payment, so I did not have my checkbook with me. I was not expecting what would take place when I "checked in" with the medical secretary. In a very public fashion, she verbally brought up and spoke of the exact figure I owed the practice from that appointment which was not covered by insurance and what I intended to do about it that day. This was right in front of patients in the office. I was, as you might guess, quite flustered and embarrassed. I made a few brief comments which, to use on of my famous expressions, "did not go over". Awkwardly, I reached into my wallet. There was about $24 in cash there. I laid a $20 on the desk. Even that really did not "go over" but she printed out a receipt and allowed me to continue on with that appointment. Later that day, I wrote a letter to the practice. (Their main office is in another location.) I sent another check in. Over the next week I sent in several small checks. I explained that I was shocked the appointment was not covered by insurance and that I would have it paid in small installments before July 1.

I wish I could remember the guy's name and the book he wrote...I can't, but a few weeks ago, I heard a successful attorney interviewed on a radio program. His specialty is helping people deal with crisis situations; especially situations in which they may have deliberately or inadvertantly done something wrong and are now being confronted with the offense. He said that while 99% of lawyers tell their clients to say nothing; to just do the "no comment" thing; he does not recommend that. He believes they should speak up right away and tell the truth. He believes they should tell exactly what happened, what they did, and where things stand. He also believes that in the long run, things will go much better for someone when they're an open book, even though almost every lawyer disagrees with that methodology. Well, a couple of days ago, I answered an unexpected call from that medical practice I am citing. It was a woman who is (I guess) in charge on the financial/credit end. She was businesslike, but she was also very confrontational. I began to try to answer her questions. Again, nothing was "going over". She had not received my letter explaining what happened and at that point had only received one payment by mail although I had sent several. She told me flatly that the way things work with them and with their collection agency is that I could absolutely not continue just making small payments on my own. She told me that was just not possible. I would have to agree to a formal monthly payment arrangement; and I could tell that even that was not desirable or impressive to her.

What did I do? I did what almost no one would do. I just told her the truth. Now, I can be a very emotional, sensational, and even sometimes hysterical person. But, by the grace of God, I was not at all hysterical or out of control. I could not believe how calm and how professional I was. I calmly stated that I believed the appointment would have been covered by insurance. I told her exactly what I made for gross income last year. Trust me, it's a very low figure. I told her how embarrassing this all is for me and that I am dealing with a high amount of personal stress on a daily basis. Again, there was no hysteria and I was calm and pleasant.

"Well, what should I do?" she asked.

The amazing thing is, she did not ask that sarcastically or rudely. She was sincere.

"Do you want me to just let you continue to send your small payments and have it paid off by July 1? What do you think I should do?"

Now, mind you, not five minutes earlier she had told me it was not possible at all for me to do that! I think that as she got to thinking about it she realized that having the bill paid in full by July 1 would make a whole lot more sense than putting me on some payment plan with interest accruing and having it paid in a year. I suspect this may have been the first time she'd ever "thought outside the box" in speaking to a delinquent client. But I also think my total truthfulness was obvious to her, and totally unexpected by her.

So, in that case, the "impossible" became possible.

You know, I'm a very idealistic person, and in my life I've suffered countless disappointments. There are many times I wish I were not the person I am. But I don't know if it was because I heard that lawyer's advice on the radio, or because I was just drawing on the Biblical message that "the truth will set you free" (found mainly in John's Gospel), that I was able to handle that phone call the way I did. Our society teaches us to put on masks and never tell what is really going on and/or who we really are. Sadly, many, many Christians give the same message. I still face enormous challenges, and it's going to take probably about forty-five miracles to get me through the rest of this year, but I am heartened because I got one of 'em just this week!