- Medical benefits are normally provided to every Clitheroe employee after 3 months of 40 hour weeks. (I averaged about 60 hours a week for 5 and a half months). I was the only employee at the Point Woronzof facility that was eligible for benefits but was denied coverage by the Salvation Army.
- The accusations used by the Residential Director to take away the medical benefits are detailed on the website and the documents are listed here. The Salvation Army has refused to discuss the accusations with an unbiased third party.
- The medical issues below are the three most important.
- Bipolar disorder, requiring medication and lab tests. [Last physician visit October 2006].
- Testicular cancer, that has been in remission. [Last physician visit Feb 2005 See below.].
- Sleep apnea.
Bipolar disorder can be partially managed without insurance. Medical benefits are necessary to get lab work, and better medicines. Contrary to popular belief, there is a world of difference between the services and medicines with "free medicine" vs with medical benefits. My bipolar disorder gets out of control usually once or twice a decade, in December or January.
Testicular cancer is strictly an insurance issue.
The type of cancer I have is mild and treatable. Most doctors treat it quickly by removing the testicle. Some (few) doctors will perform a partial orchiectomy to just remove the tumors. That option is just not available without money or insurance. I tried very hard to do that last time.
Because I am down to my last testicle, I am not willing to have poor man's medicine again.
This cancer is usually very responsive to treatment. I did 20 rounds of radiation, over a four week period, a few years ago. My last follow-up in 2005 was good.