John Mallon writes

Dear Friends,

I write with a somewhat heavy heart, because I don’t want to do this any more—that is, beg from my friends. There was a while I felt God was humbling me in this way but now I want to carry my own weight. But I have a small crisis. I have to have a surgical procedure on Monday and my insurance only covers a percentage of the surgeon’s fee, and the anesthesiologist. My Doctor—who saved my life 15 years ago when I had prostate surgery—has been very kind to me and is very sensitive to my financial situation. He booked my procedure in a free standing surgical unit and the fee for that facility is only $1000 as opposed to over $6000 at Mercy hospital to which he is attached. But I need to come up with $175 up front before I have the procedure, and I am $300. overdrawn. Honestly, I am not careless—on the contrary—I just get blindsided occasionally by unexpected charges.

I also owe $600 for the two CT scans I had to have to diagnose the condition which has kept me down for almost a month.

My Doctor was out of town but finally saw me this week. It turns I have a 5mm kidney stone lodged in my uritor. (I don’t even know what that is) but thankfully I have not had the excruciating pain that usually goes with kidney stones. I’m assuming it is too big to fit into the tube where it causes the pain. In short, the doctor has to run an instrument up through my urethra an grab the stone and pull it out. Fortunately I will be put under for this. I am a veteran of such procedures so I have no apprehension or anxiety over it, only the cost aspect.

If you can help via PayPal here: http://johnmallon.net I will, as always, by most grateful. While relatively painless the condition has left me very run down, and too wiped out to look for work, which I am eager to find. I got some positive news about employment at the local Apple store and ads are appearing in the paper for substance abuse counselors. My future plans are also considering obtaining an STL degree (Licentiate in Scared Theology) which would qualify me to teach in a seminary. That wouldn’t be a bad way to end my days. Fr. Tom Euteneuer said I would have a lot to offer these students. I would also like to qualify as a Catholic hospital chaplain.

Anyway this “stone” is in my path.

Please pray for a successful procedure and rapid recovery, and my future plans which I commend to God’s hands. And please pray that I no longer have to burden my friends with my begging.

A happy note: Today my youngest nephew, David DiBardino receives his degree making him David DiBardino, MD. Please pray for him. That makes two doctors in my Family! His older brother, Daniel J. DiBardino, MD, got his MD 10 years ago and is finishing his training in the Harvard teaching hospitals to be a pediatric heart surgeon; and has accepted a position at University of Michigan Health Center in Ann Arbor. My niece, Maggie, has also started a funky fashion website called Lipstick Dinosaur at http://www.lipstickdinosaur.com.

If you asked to be removed from this list, and are receiving this, please bear with me, I am sending this from my laptop and my addresses my not be completely synched.

May God love all of you,
In Christ,
Love,
John

PayPal: http://johnmallon.net

My Address:
John Mallon
9783 Hefner Village Blvd
Oklahoma City, OK 73162

Seems like a good chance to do a work of mercy for a brother in need.