I have a mental illness. I'm not ashamed. After being committed to an in-patient mental facility for a few weeks in high school, I was diagnosed at age 16 with Bipolar Disorder. Ever since I was released seven years ago, I've been in and out of various therapies, been switched around from medication to medication, and watched several personal relationships die out of frustration or ignorance.
In June, I was laid off from my well paying full time job, which meant I lost my health benefits. Before I lost them, I loaded up on 3 months worth of my very expensive medication, hoping that I would be able find comparable employment over the summer.
I haven't.
I have been working part time at a similar job, making a similar hourly wage, but with much fewer hours, and of course, no health benefits. I have been struggling to pay my rent and bills, much less try to buy independent health insurance. I have 4 days worth of medication left in my bottles. I haven't seen a therapist since early June. I am terrified.
A few weeks ago, the DNC called me and asked for a donation. The young woman's opening pitch was, "Did you know that over 40 million Americans are without health insurance? We need your generous donation of $100 etc etc."
I replied, "I am one of those 40 million people. I can't give you any money right now because I don't have any. I can't afford my medication."
She replied (in so many words), "Well, unless we receive donations, we can't do anything about it. How about donating $50 instead?" I hung up, but of course, someone called me back next week looking for money again.
I'm sure I'm beating a dead horse complaining about health care in this community, but why is the right to health only a right for the wealthy? Do I have to start selling things in my home so I can afford not to end up wandering down Richland Ave in a mania in a few weeks? I think people forget that not having health care doesn't just affect people with cancer and broken arms. What of the homeless people on the streets babbling to themselves with whom no one will make eye contact? What if we had universal health care and that person could be properly medicated? It doesn't just take $50 donations to the DNC to get Americans healthy. It takes people fighting back and screaming their heads off until we're heard.
I'm not writing this as a sob story or to garner sympathy, but to remind everyone that health care should really be at the top of everyone's priority list. For my sake and for everyone else who is going to bed tonight wondering what life will be like in two weeks because they can't afford to go to the doctor.