I have to work really really hard most days to try to even keep going, because really, What is the Alternative? And I am not ready for that casket. I guess I simply can't believe that my life was supposed to be about this suffering and pain and torture. I do believe something wonderful must be around the corner and will find me soon.
Of course, there is that other viewpoint that says: Don't wait for your ship to come in, YOU have to swim out to it....hmmmm, well, at my age with no gas in the motorboat engine and arthritis is rampant in every moving joint, swimming out to meet my destiny is gonna be a bit more problematical.
I had cancer five times over the course of 10 years and the first two times the hospital, based on my income and needs, did write off the medical bills. Third time I had to find a medical study researching alternative ways to deal with the tumor...and luckily for me, it worked...next two times, I wasn't so lucky and the hospital placed a lien on my home,( I guess they figured they had already been helpful enough, saving me from death twice before) so when I did move back home to the metro NYC area in 2001, the hospital got all of the money from the sale of my house after the mortgage was paid off. That's Ok...like I said, they saved my life...but it's sad a lifetime of what I worked so hard to hold onto was ultimately just lost.
That's Uncle Sam for you...right now our congress is debating finally and seriously whether they will pass a national health insurance plan.....I say cut out the stupid debates...and just work with the Medicare program that is already in place for old people. When you reach retirement age here in the states, which for my generation is age 66, you don't get the full amount. I will get a partial check, like I said, it will be around $375. If I wait until age 72, then I get the full benefit, which would be $547. Irregardless of all that, at age 65, all Americans are entitled to Medicare, because we all pay for it as we work during our adult life. Out of a weekly paycheck, they deduct your federal taxes, your state taxes, for your social security and for medicare. So I've been paying into the system on and off as I worked during my adult life, I just never worked a full time job for any length of time, so have very little money put into the system, so that is why I get so little out when I finally am eligible. But everyone is entitled to Medicare...and I say RIGHT NOW, just add into the Medicare System everyone over age 60, next year add in everyone over age 50, the following year add in everyone over the age of 30 to 40..... most people, youngsters thru the twenties, can be on their parents plan or get help from other agencies, children at least seem to get medical care a bit easier than most and that's the way it should be...if people have to die, it probably should be us who at least had our chance at life. But it varies from state to state how much help a family gets for their children.
I am just so hopeful we are finally going to have something in place so I can see doctors again and get the medications I need to survive. I have been doing without for five years now. I have asthma, my lord, if I catch this H1N1 virus this winter, I'm dead and gone for sure. (so I guess it's good I am not working, and out there exposed to every germ), I have high blood pressure, I had a fractured foot last month, and just hobbled around until it got better.... but I still have nerve damage that causes much pain. That's the way it is here.... I wasn't refused care by the hospital when I went to the emergency room with this foot, they cannot by law refuse to treat you....but they did tell me I would have to pay with no help at all for the emergency room visit ($1500), the exrays ($900-$2,100 depending on how many they had to take) the fee for the guy to read the exray ($1200) the fee for the specialist, because the bones in the foot are so numerous, not just anyone could set my foot, so the specialist fee was $ 3,500 and maybe he would think I needed an MRI or a Cat Scan, which would be another $2,000 to $5,000, plus the medications, plus the fee to have a cast put on ($1,500)plus of course, they always do blood work, don't ask me why, I have a broken foot, but they have to do blood work, so you have pay for the person who extracts your blood ($1100) and cost of the laboratory who will process the blood work ($1750)...... do you see what I am saying here, it is a runaway freight train of expenses I have to pay for, full price, no discount because hello? I OWN my home and so am over the asset limit for any kind of assistance. That's they system. That's how it works....but ain't it wonderful that all the illegal aliens in this country get it all for free??? Cause they are usually poor and don't own a home and haven't been paying taxes, supporting the US government all of their lives like me. A government that bombs the hell out of innocent people in Iraq and Iran and Afghanistan and about a dozen other places in the world....this government who used my tax dollars to do things I never sanctioned or authorized or believed in has no responsibility to me, american citizen, who needs help....no, but let's spend another $43 million dollars for the jet bomber to drop a $1 million dollar bomb on a hut in a desert somewhere. This is the system. This is the price I pay for all the freedom I get here in America. This freedom comes with a huge cost attached to it. I lost my two sons, both died in service to their country....one in Bosnia, one in Iraq, but their mother who raised them right to serve their country can't have her broken foot fixed unless she agrees to pay the hospital $13,000 or more to fix it. That's the sad sad truth.
I have often dreamed of moving to Ireland or Canada or anywhere with universal healthcare, but the residency laws are such that by the time I'm eligible to get help in another country I'll be old enough to get my medicare here. oh well.
samba101 said:
Deidre,
I don't know where your enthusiasm and optimism comes from, I'm kind of shocked at the american government and that they won't provide for their nation, I've read about the unemployment benefits and learn a bit now and then about social security, I'm living in Australia and here if your a New Zealand you get free health care so that means no hospital bills, we have an agreement between both countries.
We have medicare which means if your doctor is a member of this public organisation then your doctors are free to go to. My mum had cancer too and not one dime did she have to pay. We only have to pay for subscriptions.
So did your cancer go untreated? I'm glad you overcame it, it seems to be like the common flu these days anyone can get it.
