From 121639@email.msn.com Fri Dec 25 01:57:10 1998
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 16:42:09 -0500
From: Jack Artale <121639@email.msn.com>
To: Flash 
Cc: Judy Morris 
Subject: Diary entry Dec. 19, 1998

OUR TRIP - I drove to my mother's outside of Wash., DC on Tues. I picked up Jack in Brooklyn on the way. Wednesday I was starting to wear out so I took three naps so I'd be able to go to the Premier of the movie Patch Adams and the party afterwards with Mom and Jack. I think I might have mentioned that I've been following Patch's antics since I was a medical student and met him. Of course I went in Judydoc garb although many other people were dressed as clowns.

My Patch story is this. After a horrible third year in residency in which my boyfriend's sister, my best friend's husband and then my boyfriend all committed suicide AND the Director of my residency (whom I admired a lot) died of malignant melanoma (diagnosed in June, dead in October), I called Patch. We'd spoken a few times and I'd been out to West Virginia for a week during the two previous summers so he knew who I was.

I said "Patch, I don't think I want to be a doctor." Meaning I wasn't sure if I could spend my days in offices seeing patient after patient, not connecting to anyone, as we were pretty much being trained to do. Although I must admit my Family Practice residency was more humanistic than most residencies. We were encouraged to make house calls. Anyway, in the depths of despair and confusion, Patch's words were a relevation, although it took a little while to sink in. He said something to the effect that I would always be a doctor, no matter what I did, I had a doctor's heart or a healer's heart or something like that. I think what he meant was a doctor is something you ARE, not something you DO.

So this movie, seeing Patch be honored for his "excessive happiness"; for standing up against irrational traditions that fly in the face of healing, compassion and common sense. It was a terrific movie. Hopefully there will be a sequel because a lot has happened in Patch's life and his quest for the Gesundheit Institute since he graduated from Medical School.

WIPED OUT - Thursday I was wiped out. Instead of driving home we decided to spend an extra day at Mom's. I spent most of it in bed. I couldn't concentrate on TV without my eyes wanting to close. I also had an incredible backache for some reason. I even skipped dinner. Jack, Mom and a friend of hers went out to a restaurant.

MESSAGE FROM ANOTHER LAWYER - I finally checked my phone messages and sure enough, there's another message from another lawyer, this one representing my former employer, Harrington Hospital. This Bob Pierce wants to have our mandatory Rule 7 "conference" because he's planning to file a Motion to Dismiss. Didn't I already answer one of those? Am I going to have to file Oppositions to Motions to Dismiss for every attorney ? (There's about 8 separate law firms involved right now - representing the 60 defendants - I guess it could have been worse).

Well naturely I was not physically or mentally prepared to talk to an attorney. I could barely stay out of bed long enough to eat. So I didn't call him back.

Friday, Jack and I drove to Brooklyn. We'd take turns, one driving and the other sleeping. Fortunately my old 82 Ford van still runs well. I was hoping I might at some point get enough energy to feel safe to tackle the 3 hour drive between Brooklyn and Monson, but it didn't happen.

Saturday we did a little shopping in the morning and slept most of the afternoon. I tried reading the Funny Times but after 2 or three articles, I can't concentrate. There was a good one by Michael Moore. He's the guy that wrote Roger and Me about General Motors CEO and had that show TV Nation. His new expose show is going to be called "The Awful Truth." Well, apparently Mr. Moore had a little trouble with the New York authorities. He and his film crew tried to give an award to Ira Rennert - a secretive corporate billionaire with a poor environmental track record. After failing to locate Mr. Rennert, Moore was notified by the Mayor of New York that a restraining order had been taken out on him by Mr. Rennert AND that he would be arrested if he tried to do ANY filming on the streets of New York City!!!!

Fortunately Mr. Moore, having long tackled with authority keeps a "First Amendment" attorney on retainer. Lucky him.

So that's where we stand. I called Attorney Pierce's office tonight and left a message on his answering machine and told him I'm too sick to have any "conferences" with attorneys right now as it would probably be prudent for me to wait for my brain function to return before attempting this. And that's not likely to happen until I get home and get 2 or three days of rest. I don't even want to think about what "bombs" might be in the mail from attorneys or the judge.

One more thing - I got a copy of the deposition taken of MY doctor by another UNUM claimant's attorney. Here's an excerpt. McKeon is the claimant's attorney, Moore (strange coincidence) is apparently the UNUM attorney.

McKeon: What is that document?

My doctor: This is a letter written by me, a copy of a letter written
by me on april 30, 1997, also to Dr. Jane Pringle.

McKeon: Is that letter signed by you?

My doctor: That letter was signed by me.  The copy is probably not
signed by me, but the original letter was.  I WROTE THIS LETTER.

McKeon: And was that letter first sent to Dr. Pringle at
UNUM Life Insurance Company?

My doctor: Yes

McKeon: And is that letter, a copy of that letter identified as
Plaintiff's Exhibit Number 18 maintained by you in the regular
course of your business?

My doctor: Yes

McKeon: Offer into evidence Plaintiff's Exhibit 18.

UNUM's attorney Moore: OBJECT to the admission of Exhibit 18 on the
basis of it's hearsay, it's irrelevant, its probative value is
outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, and it is inadmissible
character evidence.

This is the way the entire deposition went. My doctor would testify to HER MEDICAL RECORDS about me, LETTERS SHE WROTE about me, and UNUM's attorney would have objections to EVERYTHING, even my medical records, claiming they are heresay! In fact he claimed practically everything my doctor said was irrelevant!

Well, if these records are heresay and not relevant to my condition or claim than what about all that crap UNUM's doctor's wrote about me, supposedly based on my medical records and converstions with THIS doctor. Because they sure as hell didn't examine or even TALK to me!!!!

I feel bad that my doctor was subjected to this farce and will have to be subjected to it several more times for my case.

I also read the entire published version of Judge Letts opinion in John Dishman's case. Judge Letts basically called Frankie Puthoff (Dishman adjuster and also mine) a liar. He said her testimony was NOT CREDIBLE. MY QUESTION: WHY hasn't she been indicted for perjury, obstruction of justice and fraud? The woman lies to deprive people of their insurance benefits and then lies more under oath! The judge even called her a liar. If a President can't get away with perjury, now come FRANKIE PUTHOFF can? Maybe Clinton should hire some of UNUM's lawyers!

So I think I'll turn on the TV and see if I can find out how the Impeachment vote went. By the way, the Coollist is not working. If I get a new list up and running, you'll be the first to know.

Judydoc

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The URL for this document is:


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Created: December 25, 1998


Last Updated: May 28, 2000