Shannon

There once was a beautiful girl named Shannon. She was diagnosed with a very deadly cancer and her insurance company was utter shite. Even though she'd gotten insurance before diagnosis, the bastards denied her with a clause, much like you've heard President Obama talk of w/concern to his mother; "A Prudent Person Would've Seen A Doctor Sooner". The technical term is, "Pre-existing Condition".

How a 23 year old girl in her last exams of college would think weight gain and indigestion was cancer and not nerves OR the "college 15" was beyond me. Hell...I even got her PCP to write a letter stating there was no way the patient could've known she had cancer and still her insurance denied her coverage.

THAT insurance company can kiss my ass. I pray that company goes under like a motherf*cker.

I won't bore you all with the details of how we battled them and then her 2ndary insurance...how we had to get lawyers because her 2ndary took back their promise to pay when they saw the bill totals...or how her mom, me and my amazing co-worker in the Physicians Billing Dept. busted our behind to save the family the money they shouldn't have to have paid to begin with.

I won't tell you how she looked in the hospital room when I took her books because she'd taken a turn for the worse and was stuck in a hospital room with a fever that flushed her beautiful face.

I will tell you that from talking to her amazing mom and reading Shannon's blog I learned that Shannon was a fighter. A vibrant girl with a lust for life who loved to be center stage in that life. Her smile filled a room...or a photo.

Shannon died just over a year after her diagnosis. On a Good Friday (which is coming up) at home, surrounded by those who loved her. Two years this darling girl has been gone from this world and I have no doubt in my mind that the world is less for it.

When my co-worker and I heard we must've cried the whole day at work. My eyes water thinking of it now.

Normally, when you're a collector, you don't get involved with the families...but Shannon's case was different. I spent time (both on the clock and off) to appeal and re-appeal these bastards refusal to pay for Shannon's care. It's not bad enough that the family is being destroyed emotionally...but did the bloody bastards of an insurance company need to try and destroy them financially? ---insert long line of cursing here---

So...when I was writing the teen characters in my second book of LDG I wanted to honor Shannon. I emailed her mother and got permission to use her name in the book. I made the character a living vampire so that she'd live for 1000 years...unlike the real Shannon, who was taken home to the Lord before she reached 25.

As of yesterday I cast the young lady who will play Shannon in the photo-shoot and considering the 2 year anniversary of the world losing this amazing girl is upon us, it all triggered high emotions for me again.

Shannon...for the time you were on this Earth it is evident by all those who've written or talked about you that you were a light in the dark. I thank God that I was able to help your family as best as I could...so they could focus more on spending time with you, loving you, instead of fighting the insurance company. May you watch over your family...as you I know you do...and know that they loved you, and miss you every day. And may those insurance companies who were horrid to you and your family...may they get what they deserve...may it come back on them seven-fold.

I proudly announce the role of Shannon will be played by Isabella David:




My heart, prayers, love and thoughts go out to Shannon's family this week...as Friday is Good Friday...and a reminder that one of the lights in their life was taken home.

And just so you all know...in the end...we won. Shannon's bills were paid by the insurance companies. The pre-existing clause was waved and they were paid.

So...if any of you wonder why I cried the day President Obama signed the new insurance bill...where pre-existing for children wouldn't be allowed anymore. Now you know why.

For Shannon I will lift a glass this Friday.

I ask you do the same.

xo

Tamsin