Sunday, May 31, 2009

Hang on Sloopy.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

HANG ON SLOOPY THE McCOYS

Walk a few miles in another person's shoes.....
The Rehab/ Hospital where Sharon is was like a ghost town today as I saw my wife after church. I am going to get her some ham salad and toasted bagels tomorrow like she wants. Her PT people/ staff say now that they want her to stay there ANOTHER 2 weeks! She says that she works out 3 times a day to strengthen her body for endurance and I think she out to come home now. She lost a lot of weight-- I bet over 70 pounds in the past 2 months-- as I hug her and can feel her ribs and lack of fat. We all know that if she didn't have the good insurance they would have put her out on the street a long time ago......$$$$$. And it ALWAYS boils down to the 'bottom line.'

As I am half way through "THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT" by Stowell, I feel like a huge spot light with a surgical knife has laid open all my sins and wrong mindsets of my past life--- compared to what COULD have been. The book is somewhat weighty and complicated as the author leaves no stone unturned and he is very detailed so that I have to "chew his words" carefully. I wish I had his skills-- and I have learned so much about myself lately and God's REAL purpose for His children. Stripping everything away for the sake of time and space, the big question is: 'Why are we here??' Answer: "TO GLORIFY GOD." Soooooo, as Paul says, 'everything else in life is nothing but a dung heap!!' And so there it is, plain, unvarnished and naked! What ever we do should be done to GLORIFY God. With this understanding, and God is a HAPPY, generous Spirit who loves his creation, He is not trying to hold us back from having a good time-- but just like a human father, He has to make us understand that juggling hand grenades is not healthy for us. Neither is having sex with every one in Chicago healthy, or eating Twinkies every day...LOL! From now on, I will push myself to do more physical work, inside and out, and work out with my cane and staff-- Bo-jujitsu, as the weather is nicer now, and the sun is good for my skin and mind/ health. I am taking care of the garden and mowing the lawn too, but I have to take short breaks to catch my breath. I feel good today---- but I realized that my wife has a very lonely existence in her "cell."

Christians SHOULD have an edge as they have and read/ study the Bible... but having some friends to visit you is truly a gift and help.

Well, at least I get to hug and kiss Sharon and massage her back. They actually had a movie camera in her room focused at her bed-- so she told them to point it up at the ceiling if they could not just turn it off...LOL! It feels like the CIA is watching us-- not that we intend to have sex there... but...it made me paranoid as if 'Big Brother' was watching. She cries and misses me, even as I come every day to see her. The staff got rid of a ghetto woman and a foul mouthed hillbilly woman who WERE in that new room Sharon moved to..... as the staff figured that there would be a big 'personality clash' with my wife, but I think they ought to clean up the bath room better after they shagged out the 2 oinks. The hillbilly woman has a head injury and cusses and screams all the time.. and I saw her, so I know. Sharon would rather have a private room than be with some dirty, unclean rude person, and she gets along fine with all the staff.

So now, my 'conscience' is pricked more often as I ask myself, what should I really do. My selfish part of me [my brain] wants to 'take the path of least resistance.' I am gaining some real insight with this book even though it's not "fun" or easy, or fast to read-- it's more of a study book, IMHO, but I still need it to help me get my mind set correct, and then share it with others. And if I would have read this book and applied it 30 years ago, I probably would have had better success with relationships and might have been rich [so that I could have helped better spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ]. But we were all "shaped" by inherent sin from Adam, our surroundings, parents, religion that we were born into, schools, teachers, etc..... the world of Satan-- to be correct. Our minds and hearts have to be re-tuned to the Bible standard of what our Father in Heaven wants for us. He loves us and wants the best for us. Instead of selfishly fighting the Father and trying to get away with wrongful desires of the flesh, material things and lusts that never satisfy in the end-- we [I] need to GET WITH THE PROGRAM now, and THAT will bring true happiness.
Happiness is a bi-product of serving the Lord. Most of us older folks have tried every other avenue, thrill, path, addiction... but none produces real happiness or total, complete satisfaction. Don't wait too long to trust in the Lord of Heaven and get right with Him... please. There certainly is a limit to His Divine patience and mercy.

My good son, Andy, called me up tonight to tell me that he loved me. I love him to pieces too, and he knows that he is always welcome here and can talk to me anytime. What a handsome fellow-- born in Dec. 1973 when the snow was up to our hips in Wisconsin!

Tom
tschuckman@aol.com

Friday, May 29, 2009

Dear State of WI Rep.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

Here is an email/ message, Witness that I just sent my hard working State Rep., Robin Vos [Republican] in Wisconsin. Our goofy Dim. Gov. signed and passed a 0530 sneak bill thru to tax the living hell out of us in Wisconsin a few days ago... that I might post latter. Can you believe how low and sneaky that is??? Of course the middle class --working man/ family will pay for MOST of that junk!!

Dear Robin Vos, State Rep. of WI.
I firmly believe that you are working hard to do the right thing-- but it seems that you are fighting a huge wicked giant-- the Dims, who are hell bent on destroying America. Being a 60 year old, retired Chrysler worker after 30.5 years, a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, a History buff and serious Bible student for the past 40 years, I also firmly believe that we live in the "end times" that were specifically foretold in the Scriptures, easy enough to understand by most grade school kids-- who can read. America may not exist in a year or two. Our American currency will prob be abandoned within a year. There is NO way we can sustain all the stupid, careless spending in the obama administration, and China already owns us. I love America but her sins of abortion and sodomy and corruption have clearly piled up to heaven, and God has just about had enough. I will be 'saved' only because I have accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and am ready to die for Him in a heart beat.
I realize how busy you must be, but I recently got a book from a friend at RCB - Racine Bible church, on highway 'C' , a mile East of I-94, that knocked my socks off about the under ground, persecuted Christians in China, and how their numbers have grown larger than the [real, biblical, authentic] Christians in America and Europe COMBINED! I had to make that distinction for all the CHINO'S/ fakes [Christians in name only...] The book is called, SAFELY HOME, ~ by Randy Alcorn.
People like me--all over the world believe with good, sound, scriptural reason, that Jesus will come, as promised, soon, to Rapture His Believers up to heaven-- and then turn His wrath upon the wicked and UN-believers on Earth. I served as a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam from 68-70, and death/ blood doesn't scare or worry me-- but being "LEFT BEHIND" does!

Seek the Lord Jesus Christ NOW while He may still be found.
If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. tschuckman@aol.com

I also EXPECT all guns to be banned in the near future, Christians to be persecuted and banned in the USA, loss of most Constitutional Amendments/ Rights, a bankrupt USA, more big time corruption. greed and war.... but all these things are out of my control, and yours too, much as some might try to 'polish the brass on a sinking ship.' Ours is but to be more concerned with our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and helping to share this witness and powerful Gospel with others now.
I also write a Christian based on-line Journal that also tries to help other Veterans, and other helpful subject matter.... "Tom's Journal." I would never advocate any violent over throw of our country/ Gov't, and neither did Christ. The devil, Satan, has most of the world and leaders under his thumb, and personally, I believe that Mr. Obama is the devil's servant and a great liar. But the Republicans that I once trusted and voted for are almost as corrupt, greedy and guilty... too cowardly to stand up and take a stand for the U.S. Constitution, IMHO. This was a Christian based country-- but not anymore. Sorry, that's the way I see things, and no disrespect intended.
If I don't die before the Rapture, I would expect to be martyred-- in America.
Have a great, blessed day. Thank you for your hard work-- and I hope to see you again at the Racine County Fair in August.
Take care.

Cordially,
Tom S

THOMAS G. SCHUCKMAN

"Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." Revelation 22:7
and He is coming soon! Amen!

http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

Budget Passes Committee in Middle of the Night

While most of you were sleeping this morning at 5:30, Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee approved a budget that increases taxes by over $4 billion and raises government spending by more 7% in the worst recession in a generation. As a member of the Committee, I was there for the entire 12 hour session, and I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the product that was approved by the 12 Democrats on the committee.

The committee co-chairs and leaders of the Assembly and Senate promised to put a budget on Governor Doyle’s desk by the end of the state fiscal year on June 30. With votes by both houses planned for June, it appears they will meet the deadline. While Madison politicians keeping their word may be a welcome change of pace, it doesn’t amount to good news in this instance.

Unfortunately, just getting the budget done doesn’t mean getting it right. Turning to tax and fee hikes to fuel an explosion of state government spending means Governor Doyle and the Democrats got it very wrong.

Governor Doyle promoted his state budget proposal in February by vowing to protect middle class taxpayers. He told lawmakers that we can find new revenues and fund our priorities “without raising taxes on middle class families.” He continued, “so, I am not going to raise taxes in the ways that some have suggested. Some say we should raise the sales tax. I’ve never done that, and I’m not going to now.

However, Governor Doyle did nothing to protect middle class taxpayers. To fund new state spending and government jobs, Governor Doyle cast a wide net that trapped middle-class families with a creative assortment of tax and fee hikes. Their tax burden ballooned when Democrats gave the green light to an amended version of the governor’s budget this morning.

Do you own a house?

Your property taxes will go up $316 according to the LFB estimate of the increase on an average home.

Do you use a telephone, cell phone, or fax machine?

Add 75-cents to your monthly bill for each one in order to fund 911 dispatch centers, plus more to fund an $11 million increase in the existing $30 million Universal Service Fund (which ensures all Wisconsinites have phone service). Then watch helplessly as Governor Doyle and the Democrats siphon $100 million to plug holes in unrelated state programs.

Do you have a child in daycare?

Forget about deducting child care tuition and fees from your state income tax. The deduction approved by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Doyle in 2007 has been scrapped. In addition, the per-child licensing fee your child care provider pays to the state is increasing 39%.

Do you pay a portion of your health insurance premium?

It’s no longer tax deductible in Wisconsin. This deduction was also established in 2007.

Do you pay for automobile insurance?

Your rates will go up about 33% due to higher mandatory coverage amounts.

Are you getting married or having a baby?

The marriage and birth certificate fees are doubling.

Is your teenager looking for his or her first summer job?

The work permit fee is doubling.

Do you turn on the lights, heat or air conditioning at home?

Your utility bill will go up so that you can chip in to fund a $9.1 million annual increase in the existing $105 million low income energy assistance fund. And, you can again watch helplessly as $18.2 billion is drained from the fund during the two year budget period in order to pay for Wisconsin Works (W-2) benefits.

Do you have a child attending a University of Wisconsin school?

Tuition for the 2009 school year will go up at least 5% while financial aid is held flat.

Do you have a family member in a nursing home?

The nursing home bed tax will double this year and then increase another 13% next year. And, once again, most of those dollars will be used to pay for other programs.

Do you invest in stocks or real estate?

You’ll share any earnings with the state treasury now that the capital gains exclusion is slashed.

Do you depend on municipal garbage collection?

The “tipping fee” charged to your local government by the state more than doubled.

Do you buy cigarettes?

You’ll pay 75-cents more per pack.

Do you download music, ring tones, videos or books from the Internet?

You’ll now pay a 5 percent state sales tax on these digital products.

Do you ever fill your tank with gas?

You’ll pay 6-cents more per gallon.

With only a few hours to scan the Democrats’ handiwork, this list is apt to expand, and with it, your tax burden.

In the end, Democrats on the Joint Finance Committee packed hundreds of decisions into huge “omnibus motions” and took just a few votes to decide nearly all state government spending. They dodged debate and discussion, and avoided individual votes on particularly tricky political issues by continually meeting in secret, cutting back room deals that have more to do with the personal interests of the legislators rather than the taxpayers, and held meetings in the middle of the night and on weekends to avoid public coverage of what they were actually doing.

Survey Respondents Overwhelmingly Support Cutting Government Spending

Last week, I asked readers to complete a survey designed to help me understand the thoughts of Wisconsinites as to how the $7 billion budget deficit should be handled. Over 3,000 people took three minutes to answer three questions. Thank you to all who responded! Following are the results:

What do you believe state lawmakers should do to address the state’s $7 billion budget hole?

Cut Government Spending

STRONGLY SUPPORT:	79.8%
STRONGLY OPPOSE:	2.5%

Raise Taxes

STRONGLY SUPPORT:

Eternal Prospectives.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

Friends, I want to recommend this Blog by an author who has enriched my own life and spirituality: See below, please.

I saw Sharon walking on her own today when I brought her some carnations, etc. I paid off one of her Capital One charge card bills and had her call them to FORCE those crooks to CANCEL that card, and they actually jerked her around and didn't want to do it. They are also very dishonest and let someone else make an unauthorized charge on her card right after I paid it all off!! Sharon handed me the phone and I 'leaned on them' in a mighty way-- I was ticked off. FYI, the Bible says, "Be wrathful-- yet do not sin." We just cannot let immoral, lying dogs walk on us, but take positive action to legally deal with them. Woo Woo!

View the interesting video of how animals chum together, heal and care for each other!

Tom

Eternal Perspectives (Randy Alcorn's blog)

Link to Eternal Perspectives (Randy <span class=

Alcorn's blog)" id="feedimage" style="border: 0pt none ; padding: 0pt 0pt 10px 3px;">

An Unlikely Animal Pair

Posted: 29 May 2009 08:41 AM PDT

People often ask me whether animals will be in Heaven. Their second question is whether they’ll ever see their pets again. To some people, these are merely sentimental questions. To others, they are very important. Children especially want to know the answers. What do we tell them when they ask?

Scripture says a great deal about animals, portraying them as Earth’s second most important inhabitants. God entrusted animals to us, and our relationships with animals are a significant part of our lives.

Isaiah 11:6-9 speaks of a coming glorious era on Earth when “the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

Some interpreters contend that this passage speaks only of the Millennium, but Isaiah anticipates an eternal Kingdom of God on Earth. Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22 specifically speak of the New Earth. Sandwiched between them is a reference very similar to that in Isaiah 11: “ ‘The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. . . . They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,’ says the Lord” (65:25).

This video of an unlikely animal pair is just a foretaste of that peace to come.

(Click here if you are unable view the video.)

www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com
www.epm.org

Thursday, May 28, 2009

My views on May 28th.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

I love this song:

When Morning Gilds The Skies - Laudes Domini

A recent pic of my wife and I at RBC [church] about 3 Sundays ago for that one week that she was home before she fell again...

I just got an email from a buddy who is also disabled, but he has it much worse than I do, as he was explaining to me. And another email friend, Helen, has a serious back pain problem. I certainly don't have joy or glee learning about other people's hurts and challenges, but it forces me to realize that I still have it pretty good in WI. I also may have been a bit one-sided and selfish in asking everyone to pray for Sharon and me-- but I have been slack praying for others. That will change right now.

The more I get serious in my Bible study and reading some great, Christian books these past 2 months-- the more my short comings and failings are spot lighted, and they show up like a fire in the night. We are 'convicted' by the Holy Spirit, and if we have the 'right heart' and knowledge of God's Word, we work harder at what we need to. That is what we learned today as we read from Proverbs 9 and 10 at the Rehab place.

I have always thought-- how can we imagine going to a perfect heaven where there is no sin or hurt/ evil, if we are so laden down with our immoral thoughts and pleasures of THIS world of Satan? The books I am reading say that the "Churches" who claim to be Christian have been invaded by the worldly things, pagan ideas, goofy, wrongful, accepted, popular philosophies of the world! We will never be completely perfect on earth-- but we ought to remain true to the Word of God and 'filter out' worldly thoughts, ideas, abortions and perversions of the world, IMHO. We can't just pretend and put on a show-- but we must get the true, proper mindset of God!

I believe that I have finally found the KEY to understanding and with it, a great JOY and HAPPINESS and LOVE -- fruits of the Holy Spirit !! It's as if I somehow discovered an herb that can heal cancer or diabetes, and I want to SHARE IT WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. But as I have posted many times in the past, the majority of mankind refuses to accept-- to grab hold of it in time, even as much of the world hates the very name, JESUS! Although God is SO MERCIFUL that there will still be a chance of salvation after the Rapture and during the 'Tribulation', people will suffer greatly and have to literally 'lose their head' to get into God's Graces, from what I understand. Carolyn, please feel free to jump in and help me. Why go thru that 'taste of hell' ??

When you study military history or watch the History Channel, you find that there were some great military geniuses who gained the victory because of their brain power and cunning. We must do the same and get the RIGHT, godly mind set. Well, right now the devil has guided his earthly servants to create a huge global economic sinking ship!! And that is just one of the scary things that will befall mankind in the near future. Christians can now accurately predict what will soon come down the pike because the Holy Spirit has allowed them to truly understand the Scriptures! But even worldy economists can tell you that we cannot continue to 'SPEND MONEY WE DON'T HAVE !! This is NOT rocket science, but the Congress keeps rubber stamping the most stupid laws!! I also might think that the world will have a "limited" nuke war, but the BIG war will come at Armageddon, that will be waged by God, and He will be the Victor.

I need to have the dog's toes nails clipped, and Sharon always does it, so maybe I can get her outside the Rehab center on a sunny day to help me with that. I am afraid that I might clip him too short and make him bleed to death. Has any one done that?

Tom

More Recent Pictures from Tom.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

To the left is my wife at home [where she should be with her cat, 'Cuddles', in her comfortable EZ chair in the living room.

To the Right: Our friends who live in IL coming over to till our Victory Garden a few weeks ago. Rick Brown and his son, Ricky. THANK YOU SO MUCH! This is what REAL, authentic Christianity is all about!

Got new Pix.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

<<< picture of our friend, Wayne B., associate pastor at RACINE BIBLE CHURCH where we attend now days.... near our home in U.G.

I had some new pictures developed and Sharon taught me how to scan them on our PC, etc. Remember: When you are dealing with men-- 'keep the dots close together...' lol! She had a taste for Pastrami so I got her some good stuff at a deli in Kenosha today, and I had one sandwich too at her Lakeview Rehab Center near Waterford, WI where I was raised on a farm and went to high school-- class of '67. I got her two boxes of fresh strawberries also and showed her the pix. We had a great visit and she seems to be doing well-- but admits that she is not well enough to come home yet, for fear that her legs are not stable enough and she would fall again. I read and we studied Proverbs 9-10 for a while and applied it to our lives and choices, and told her how my personal book reading is coming along, and discussing how my life is changing-- for the better lately.

I also took a few pix and downloaded them of my good friends, Rick, and his son, Ricky Brown, who came over and tilled up my garden about a week ago.... and the tomatoes are doing well with all the rain in WI. And I have a few pix of pastor Wayne B. from RBC encouraging my wife at the Rehab place. That place is actually a "Specialty hospital and Rehab" where they do a great job in helping people with spinal, neck, head, and other serious injuries, in a nice country setting -- "God's Country." I am getting used to be alone, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it. I feel that it's just another test or battle that I must endure until the Father calls all BELIEVERS to Heaven. And when it appears that I am complaining-- I am ONLY forwarding/ posting FACTS to share with my readers and friends who want to know about my life and news, etc. Chrysler/ Humana Ins. says that I MUST enroll in the Medicare part B soon, OR I will be put into some inferior health care that will cost be about 80% of my co-pay--- but I will then be charged about $97 that comes out of my hard won SSDI !! Ha! We will all be poor pretty soon.. LOL. BUT-- true Believers-- true, 'authentic' Christians will weather the stink storm and be protected by the Lord of Heaven, who CANNOT lie. So says, THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ~by Joseph M. Stowell, president of the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago. It's not a simple book as Stowell comes from the 'old school', but it's loaded with facts and scriptures to back them up, and I am hooked on it-- great book! It's all about using and training the mind with PURE Scripture instead of just going thru the motions of sitting in church like a bump on the log or faking it, IMHO. He says in his book that the 'worldly' pagan/ selfish, hurtful influences have already permeated the 'Church' a few decades ago, and now many so-called 'Christians' have just as many divorces, immorality, problems as 'unbelievers'-- and wonder why! Friend/ Bro. Wayne B. has given my wife and I more books to help us cling closer to the Lord as things on planet earth dissolve and disintegrate. The TV grow more 'simple headed' and degenerate every day and we can expect much more not that the close friend of abortionists and perverts in living in the WH... Sad.

We are getting rain every day! And by the time I get done with all my 'chores' and visits, it's about 2:30 in the Afternoon. But I get edified from visiting my wife every day and sharing news, etc with her. As I was just pulling into her new room, the staff was transferring a "lady" out to another room, whom I'd heard before-- very obnoxious, loud, vulgar with potty mouth. They say she has a brain injury... and she called my wife a 'bitch.' But that comes with the territory. Those people are no doubt in great pain too. Sharon just kept her mouth closed, but the new room needs to be specially cleaned and sanitized... after the other two ladies departed-- with different cultures and backgrounds/ lifestyles. I am sure that there are many other horrors in the place that are much worse. And for people with all these hurts, disabilities and suffering, God holds out the FREE gift of grace and the promise of much better things to come. I heard that same disturbed,Caucasian "lady" scream out the other day in the mess hall that 'there is NO God!'-- and a mouthful of other profanity that would make a drunken sailor blush.

The days and weeks are rushing by to quickly and it's been over 2 months that my Sharon has been in the hospitals. They now want to do surgery on her spine, but she says 'NO !'

Tom

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Veterans News and Info.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

****Newt Heisley, Dead at 88

Newt Heisley, Dead at 88 Sunday, May 17, 2009 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Newt Heisley, the designer of the POW/MIA flag adopted by Congress in 1990 as a symbol of the nation's concern for those missing during...

****25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans' Moving Wall!!!
http://www.themovingwall.org/
This takes place from July 16 through 19, 2009, in White Pine
Michigan. The American Legion Post 462 is sponsoring the event.
The opening ceremony takes place on July 16, 2009, at 5 pm and the
closing ceremony will be held on July 19, 2009, at 5 pm.
For more detailed information, please contact the American Legion:
(906) 885-5471

****Ill. town posts names of troops along streets

SULLIVAN, Ill. - Residents of Sullivan, Ill. don't have to wonder which
community members are serving Iraq and Afghanistan. All they have to do is drive around town.

Lampposts and telephone poles lining two streets in this central Illinois town are adorned with white signs, each bearing the name of a resident who is serving his or her country.

More than 100 residents of this town of 4,400 have served in the current wars, and dozens are still deployed.

If someone comes home and then is redeployed, their name goes back up. If more than one member of a family is serving, their names are displayed on the same post.

Parents say soldiers enlist out of patriotism but also for opportunities beyond their small town.

****Vet Says VA Must Pay to get Message Out

http://www.military.com/news/article/vet-says-va-must-pay-to-get-message-out.html?wh=news

****Feres Doctrine, Bill Would Allow Military Personnel to Sue for Medical Malpractice

Also see: http://hamptonroads.com/print/509643 and

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/05/military_feres_doctrine_hinchey_051909w/

. H.R.1478 : To amend chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to allow members of the Armed Forces to sue the United States for damages for certain injuries caused by improper medical care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (introduced 3/12/2009) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) .

http://tinyurl.com/o9tx9h

Legislation that would enable military service members to sue the government for medical malpractice is moving closer to becoming law. The House Judiciary Subcommittee approved Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act. The legal precedence barring negligence lawsuits for military service members goes back to a 1950 Supreme Court ruling known as the Feres Doctrine.

The Feres ruling came from the Federal Tort Claims Act of 1946, which waived the common law doctrine of sovereign immunity in certain circumstances to allow lawsuits against the government for negligent acts. The law was initially interpreted to forbid lawsuits by military personnel only for combat-related injuries. The Feres decision extended the law to include any lawsuits for injuries “incident to military service.”

Over the years cases applying the Feres Doctrine have include incidents such as leaving foreign objects inside patients, misdiagnosing, failure to notify patients about potentially deadly health problems, and failure to treat patients with easily treatable illnesses.

The Feres Doctrine has received criticism all across the board. Attempts to revoke the doctrine have surfaced periodically in Congress for over 20 years, but all have failed. In 1987, a 5-4 Supreme Court decision reaffirmed the Doctrine. The decision drew dissents from Justices John Paul Stevens and Antonin Scalia.

Scalia wrote that the Feres Doctrine “was wrongly decided and heartily deserves the widespread, almost universal criticism it has received.”

The latest attempt to amend the Feres Doctrine is H.R. 1478, the “Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009”, introduced by U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y). The Act would allow lawsuits on behalf of military personnel who are killed or injured by medical malpractice but would contain an exception for combat-related injuries. It also requires that any paid claim be reduced by the amount of any other government compensation resulting from the injury.

U.S. Rep. Hinchey said, “I think military personnel should be treated in normal ways. Their medical issues should be dealt with responsively and attentively, the way we anticipate and expect the medical problems of ordinary citizens should be dealt with. We see far too much negligence in military medical care.”

Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, has been a leading critic of the Feres Doctrine for years.

He said, “We see cases in the military involving conduct that would be viewed as perfectly medieval in the civilian world. Decades ago civilian doctors were sued over the practice of leaving sponges in patients. It used to be very common.”

Now, he says, it is rare to see that type of malpractice in civilian medicine, due to the fear of lawsuits. But since there is no fear of a lawsuit in military medicine, it keeps occurring.

Turley said, “I consider the Feres Doctrine to be one of the most grotesque rules created in the history of this republic. It has done untold damage to thousands of military personnel and their families.”

Let’s hope for the sake of our military that the Carmelo Rodriguez Military Accountability Act of 2009 has a better outcome than other bills written to overturn the Feres Doctrine. Rep. Hinchey admits that this bill is going to face a tough fight, but as far as he is concerned it is simply a matter of fairness.

Find this article at:
http://sanantonio.injuryboard.com/medical-malpractice/bill-would-allow-military-personnel-to-sue-for-medical-malpractice.aspx?googleid=263294

****In Case You Missed It: Buyer Bill Seeks to Boost Surviving Spouses' VA Benefits

Washington, D.C. – Earlier this month, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Steve Buyer and Congressman Tim Walz introduced H.R. 2243, the Surviving Spouses’ Benefit Improvement Act of 2009, which would increase Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) by twelve percent and eliminate the offset between DIC and the Survivor Benefit Plan.

H.R. 2243 was highlighted in today’s Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/12/AR2009051203562.ht

COPD

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

And some people get defensive when I ask them not to smoke around me... Ha! Like I said before, I smoked only 5 years out of my life and quit in 1973 forever. BUT, I worked in poisonous environments as a welder at AMC/ Chrysler where many are confirmed to have contracted "HP PNEUMONIA" and some DIED, at least a few dozen. That was caused primarily from industrial coolants and lubrication from giant machines used in the auto industry, etc. I am NOT crying in my beer, for the Lord has blessed me and my family/ kids enjoyed a good standard of living at home. BTW, I have several close friends who are very slim/ skinny who also have COPD... so not only fat people get it. I have the condition of sleep apnea, and it seems to run in the family. My brother and sister both had surgery and my brother has not been helped by the surgery, and there are unpleasant side effects.

I hope the following info will be of use to my readers.

Tom

COPD" width="220" height="21">

What Is ...

What Is COPD?

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time.

COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust, also may contribute to COPD.

Overview

To understand COPD, it helps to understand how the lungs work. The air that you breathe goes down your windpipe into tubes in your lungs called bronchial tubes, or airways.

The airways are shaped like an upside-down tree with many branches. At the end of the branches are tiny air sacs called alveoli (al-VEE-uhl-eye).

The airways and air sacs are elastic. When you breathe in, each air sac fills up with air like a small balloon. When you breathe out, the air sac deflates and the air goes out.

In COPD, less air flows in and out of the airways because of one or more of the following:

The airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality.
The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed.
The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed (swollen).
The airways make more mucus than usual, which tends to clog the airways.

Healthy Alveoli and Damaged Alveoli

The illustration shows the respiratory system and images of healthy <span class= alveoli and alveoli damaged by COPD." width="320" height="270">

The illustration shows the respiratory system and images of healthy alveoli and alveoli damaged by COPD.

In the United States, the term "COPD" includes two main conditions—emphysema (em-fi-SE-ma) and chronic obstructive bronchitis (bron-KI-tis).

In emphysema, the walls between many of the air sacs are damaged, causing them to lose their shape and become floppy. This damage also can destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones.

In chronic obstructive bronchitis, the lining of the airways is constantly irritated and inflamed. This causes the lining to thicken. Lots of thick mucus forms in the airways, making it hard to breathe.

Most people who have COPD have both emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Thus, the general term "COPD" is more accurate.

Outlook

COPD is a major cause of disability, and it's the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD. An additional 12 million likely have the disease and don't even know it.

COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of yourself.

Most of the time, COPD is diagnosed in middle-aged or older people. The disease isn't passed from person to person—you can't catch it from someone else.

COPD has no cure yet, and doctors don't know how to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease.

March 2009

How to choose the right Bible Org to give money.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

Hey Friends, Readers and fellow Believers!
This is NOT a 'brag post' but meant only to broaden and expand your horizons and just get involved IF YOU CAN. That's all. I figure if I get joy and happiness from an activity-- maybe my buddies might want to get a taste of it.

I want to talk more about my wife and how she needs to be encouraged as she continues to live in a Rehab place closer to our home. She has been a bit picky with her food in the past, but the general quality of food being served at Lakeview Rehab Center, near Waterford, WI on Highway 20 and Sharp Rd. [in the country side] is worse than Army chow at Camp BearCat, Vietnam. I was raised to eat all the food on the plate and NEVER complain or hurt my mom's feelings, and my Dad had hands of 'steel.' Well, I guess most of we Americans are spoiled, and God has blessed me, personally, with enough money to pay all my bills and buy fresh produce, veggies and fruit... We even have a water distiller at home because our 2 CPAP's that help us breath properly at night use distilled water. Honestly, Sharon MUST be on Oxygen 24/ 7, and I only use it at night. But doctors orders say that I have COPD and should be on Oxygen all the time too. I am going to start weight lifting at home, again, but the garden will also keep me busy.

Pray that Sharon will eat more of her daily food so she can gain her strength back. I watched her in the Gym today, with a slim lady name, Kaye T., who continuously coughed on my wife, and admitted that she smoked too much. There is a "health care professional" ... lol. Wait until she is on her death bed coughing up pieces of lung. Sad. Hey, I used to smoke everything when I was young and stupid in Vietnam... but then I finally grew up and quit smoking in 1973 and never looked back. Well, 10 years after that I started to gain weight-- but much of that is in my genes, yet I struggle to live on less. We ALL have our demons and battles to fight-- yet God LOVES US DEARLY and promises heaven and glory to ALL who accept His Son, Jesus Christ !!! Titus 1:2 says that, "God cannot lie!"
**************** ******* ****** ****** ****** **********************

Shoo! I am so glad that the Bible Organization was honest and true!! I just didn't want to "over commit" myself in these hard times, but reserved the option to donate more in the future--God willing.... lol.
I also was very happy to get involved with VOM [Voice of the Martyrs] in giving them some money to help get bibles to indigenous people in persecuted lands/ countries. I can't imagine what it's like to be a Christian in North Korea !! $:-\$
I encourage all my friends to just THINK about getting involved with reputable bible orgs. as I have discovered. And you know what!! It all started when a dear friend, Wayne Bielgard, at RBC --Racine Bible church, gave me that book, SAFELY HOME, ~by Randy Alcorn.
Yes, I know that I have been truly blessed by the Lord by Him sending His powerful servants my way to give me that boost to be more active in the Lord's work. Wayne's "investment" in books that he paid for out of his own pocket has multiplied 10 fold, IMHO. I always 'WANTED' to get into something like this-- and we all know that I am too pained and disabled to be a missionary at this Autumn of my life--- but at least I can help others with my 'silver' and U.S. currency, 'soon to be devalued' ... lol.

Go figure... we can't even ask China to pull the plug on North Korea's fooling around with their nukes-- because China OWNS US !!!
Please continue to pray for Sharon as she is trying to learn how to walk again at the Rehab Center about 10 miles from our home in U.G.

Hugs, and Praise to Jesus, our Lord,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: FCC <USA@opendoors.org>
To: Thomas G. Schuckman <tschuckman@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, 26 May 2009 12:21 pm
Subject: RE: Mistake in amount donated.... Tom Schuckman

Hi Tom,

Thank you for the email. We have fixed this to be a onetime donation. Blessings to you!!!

Emily Barrett

Frontline Care Center

Open Doors USA

From: Thomas G. Schuckman [mailto:tschuckman@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 9:38 PM
To: FCC
Subject: Mistake in amount donated.... Tom Schuckman

Dear Friends,
I intended to only make a ONE TIME donation of $50 to help buy bibles to needy ones in other countries.
Please reply to confirm this fact.

Tom
tschuckman@aol.com

Monday, May 25, 2009

PTL for Veterans.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

I only want to say a few words of THANK YOU to the Veterans who gave their lives in combat to maintain our precious Freedoms and Liberties even as they are fast eroding in 2009, due to moral decay in this land of greed and corruption. It was not always this way. I remember when Veterans were honored and respected in America! Those were the 'good old day!' And I well know that a few employers gave me a break by hiring me as they knew they were getting a hard working, disciplined person embedded with the right work ethic and loyalty/ values. Thank you, too, for allowing me to hold on to my self respect and provide a meaningful existence and support my family.

Thank all the wives and children of Veterans who put up with so much baloney from their dysfunctional Vets hubbies and fathers who endured many nightmares and flashbacks, etc., but still tried hard to be productive members of society. May they all know that the Lord in Heaven loves them and wants them to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
***********************************************************************************
This has been the 2nd time when I visited my wife at Lakeview Rehab Center where there was a 'disturbance' concerning the poor quality of food. It's not my wife, but yesterday I witnessed a pregnant staff/ cook who publicly reprimanded a teenage boy who refused to eat his food, and today an old lady cussed up a blue streak about her poor quality of food next table besides us. It "looked" OK, until I tasted a small piece of roast beef that was stinky, tough and rough... lol. Sharon told me, "that's why I am losing wieght ... lol!" But I do bring her fresh fruit ever day and she does have a suplus in her room. I am not fussy but that institution 'food' would knock a buzzard off a manure wagon... Ha! I can also usderstand that my wife is very lonely there without many to talk to, and I believe that has a direct bearing on how fast she heals. I will see her tomorrow again during her physical rehab and they will teach ME who to pick her up, etc.
She cried on my shoulder today that she missed me and is lonely there. I guess she really needs more TLC and physical contact. I will try harder to work on that aspect of my life with Sharon. She is so bored, and she just can't watch TV and read the bible non-stop, so I will bring a radio with a CD player in the morning. I took a few pix of her and will try to post them soon.

Have a safe Memorial Day!

Tom

Music and Misc.