My best friend of 23 years died last month because of a lack of health care. She was only 45 years old. Nobody in this country should die at that age from something simple as a lack of potassium.
She could not afford health care for herself but as many parents do, sacrificed for her children. She went without so that her children wouldn't.
Last fall I forced her to go to the doctor, despite her many protests. She had a potassium deficiency at the time. This spring she complained of tiredness and sometimes an inability to even walk up stairs.
She didn't want to go to the doctor again because she was still paying off bills from last fall. She had no idea she was extremely deficient in potassium again. Potassium is essential to correct heart functions.
On the evening of March 7, she collapsed while making dinner for her three children, aged 14 and twins aged 10. The paramedics had to shock her heart 10 times to restore rhythm. By then there was too much brain damage. I was appointed her temporary guardian and had to take her off life support less than two weeks later.
Today the state is looking at disposition of 3 children without a mother whom they loved dearly, all because this nation can afford billions for tax breaks to millionaires, bridges that serve 50 people, a war we cannot win, a space laser which does not work, corporate welfare and an endless list of other boondoggles but cannot provide health care to its citizens. But for the cost of a couple of visits to the doctor and I'm told relatively inexpensive potassium treatments these children could be happy again instead of overwhelmed with grief and uncertainty. I'm sure this tale is repeated thousands of times every month. Such is the state of health care in this country.