Calling to help make doctor’s appointments or arrange for prescriptions to be filled for refugees is a need that seems to be overlooked.  The typical American system for making an appointments and picking up prescriptions can be a little too detailed for a non english speaking person with a totally different cultural understanding.  I spend a lot of my time on the phone with doctor’s offices, insurance and pharmacists.  The work isn’t hard, it’s just not something that can be handled over the phone with newer refugees.  I try not to do so much for my friends so that they would become dependant upon me for help, but I try to make friends with them, lock arms with them and literally walk with them into the pharmacy to teach them what do and what to say.  I work hard with them to understand how to make their own doctor’s appointment’s, but without a way for them or I to both hear the person on the other end of the phone it is difficult.

Today, I was on the phone with Mary’s’s Neurologist.  Since I knew that Mary was able to get a CT Scan while she was in the emergency room a week ago, I was able to inform her Neurologist who had been trying to set up a CT Scan for her that one had already been done.  This way insurance doesn’t come back and not pay for the second CT Scan and Mary doesn’t have to go through the test twice.  Mary’s mother, Sadi, would not have understood the importance of telling her Neurologist this.  There were also insurance questions and information given to me about over the counter medications that Mary could take for her headaches.  This would not have been understood over the phone by Sadi.  This family needs me (or someone else willing) to help.

I imagine that Asha’s refuge will have someone who with basic medical knowledge (if we could actually have an RN that would be wonderful) to work as a staff member or volunteer staff.  There are many days when I sit and read medical papers and have to sort through them all and make phone calls to help a refugee friend to better understand them.  A lot of the documents are important paper’s that need medical follow-up.  Sometimes, I have to contact the local pharmacy to see if a prescription will be covered under insurance before a refugee drops it off not letting them know they have insurance and tries to pay for something they could otherwise have their insurance help pay for.

I’m still trying to design the logo for Asha’s Refuge.  The word is getting out about the Non Profit and how it will hopefully be able to bring some help to disadvantaged and vulnerable refugees.  Today, I sure hope order a few business cards to at least hand out to those I talk to about the company.  I’ve started announcing myself to doctors offices and pharmacists as “Jamie, with Asha’s Refuge”.  It feels weird, but exciting.  I have an EIN number, so I can say this now.  I’ll love it even better when I hear dedicated volunteer staff begin to say they are with Asha’s Refuge.  I will then begin to see that other’s are feeling committed to helping as well.  I won’t feel alone…even though I’ve got so many friends that help me out and have a huge heart for refugees.  I think it will be neat to see that they are willing to step out with me and be a voice for the most struggling refugees in the Memphis area.