Why do we need this?
My family on my mother's side tends to have longevity going for us. Both great grandmothers lived to be into their early 90's. A great grandfather to be about 88. The top picture is my grandparents, and my grandfather was 99 when he passed... My grandmother, who sleeps a lot is also 99.We know it's a feat to make it to 85, much less to beat it by over 10 years. But seriously, in these days, it's difficult to think about, when we have our economy in shambles, and if you don't have insurance, you need $100 to walk in the door to your doctor's office... Well, if you don't have employment, you don't have money. So if you have pneumonia, what are you to do? The Emergency Room costs are even HIGHER, and well, things are getting ridiculous.
There's certain things that we can count on... One is that certain insurances will only cover us for so long, regardless of if we are paying the premiums or not. Even medicare and social security have their limits. Now that is at risk for cuts also.
We have growing kids, who may be into doing stuff like climbing trees, sports, and what have y you, and at the risk of not letting your kids act like kids, what would happen if they needed something and your insurance denied it or dropped you? A very nice family had something happen to them. Their oldest daughter, who is a total charmer, got childhood leukemia. Not that it's a good thing, but fortunately, she had the kind that was most receptive to treatment, so the outlook was hopeful, because they caught it early. But, she was allergic to the chemo that they were giving her, and the other kind, they refused to cover, even though it's approved in England. Yet if she didn't get the treatment, she could die... The parents decided to get it anyway, figuring that God would find a way to provide. We had a successful fund raiser that helped make it happen. But still, not everyone is so lucky.
The mother is a pastor, her father a retired pastor with strong roots in this community. The father is a well liked and respected person who is a computer guy and a coffee hound, and makes all who come in contact with him feel welcome. What about those who aren't so lucky to have such a broad support system? Then what? Are those kids not worthy because the parents aren't prominent? It's not a nice thought to ponder.
How about young mothers with their children? The last picture, has my aunt holding my cousin to the left. On the right is my mother with me. My cousin's family was on welfare at the time, because she became a stay at home mom, and my uncle was still starting off. WE lived in Japan where we had socialized medicine. People want to complain about those who need government help, and then saying that national health care is communist. Japan is no communistic country, and is actually a Social Democracy by political system. This basically means that they vote by democratic voting, as we do here in the USA. But, their social programs are for everyone.
For starters, even homeless people can have good personal hygiene because there are free and public bath houses for those people who don't have a place to go. Even in schools, rather than require all this paper work and the runaround for parents, the clinics come to the schools, and do the annual physicals there, and have a list of doctors to send the results to. It works pretty well. Even for elderly and those who have difficulty getting around, there are services for them too, and everyone is willing to give a little to ensure that all have a fair chance of staying healthy.
Eventually, when my uncle got a nickel raise... Yes, a nickel. He got cut off everything, and was in a dilemma of trying to support a wife and 4 children and no health insurance... Of course that ended up a better story, because he advanced to a spot where he could get the insurance. but affordability was an issue. There's the deductible, co-pay, monthly premiums, etc...
Today, our economy is in shambles, and many don't have jobs. I, myself am underemployed. I can't get what I need for my son's supplies, and there are issues going on with that. I also have a friend, who is single, and should be on disability. But, with no money, can't see a primary physician to get her a diagnosis to get on it. And because she is a middle aged woman with no dependents, she doesn't qualify for the Title 19 set up either.
With the various types of health issues I'm going through, I swear between my son, myself, and my husband, we must have 10 different appointments with 9 different doctors, ranging from a pediatrician, to a pediatric neurologist, to a pediatric geneticist, to a lipidologist, to an adult primary care physician, to a nutritionist, to a genetic psychologist, to an endocrinologist to who knows where we still have to go... My son and I have a couple of small genetic things. I'm diabetic with serious health issues. Yet some think despite all this, I should work harder at my home care job to earn more money, even though I'm in constant 24/7 pain, and have to have my husband help me get up and get dressed some mornings. Then because I work home care, that I should get minimum wage too...
Well, we are doing what we can, and eking by. But, there is no end in sight, at least not yet. We are willing to work. Hard. But, we need to be health enough to do so. yet in 15 years, and countless doctors, I still have no diagnosis on why my back is racked with pain and stiffness. And I'm on the "lucky end", so I'd hate to be on the other end. Sure, I could get another job, as what, a machinist? I'm not qualified nor would my back take that kind of pressure. I can't even walk down a half a flight of stairs with my own laundry basket. I am keeping my head up, because I know that being my own advocate will help me get to the next phase.
I will be having a meeting with people to talk about this on Saturday, June 16 @ noon. Anyone wanting their health story to be heard, please feel free to email it to me in an attachment, and I'll print it up for this meeting. I won't read it, so don't worry. My email is lika(dot)yvi(at)gmail(dot)com - This is important, so please, make your voice known, at your doctors' offices, legislators, and everywhere.
Whose Health Care Is It Anyway?
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