I have ben asked to repost this diary. This was very hard for me to post the first time but considering how the debate has evolved/devolved, it might be a good idea to remind some people of what is at stake here. If our experience changes one heart or mind of the decision makers, then it may well be worth it.
I've been listening with great interest the debate concerning health care reform. It is with utter amazement that I listen to some of the rationale of those against reform. Well, I have a little story to relate concerning my encounter with socialized medicine. I have related this story in comments in other diaries. However, I feel that my story is so germane to the debate I decided to try my hand at writing it in a diary. This is my first so be kind.
First a little about me. I am married and the father of seven children. I can proudly say that they are all either college graduates or currently enrolled in higher education. I sent 20 years in the USAF, retiring in 1996. I am currently working overseas in a contracting job (not Afghanistan or Iraq).
My youngest (#8) was born in 1994. She was born healthy and vibrant, she was my little angel. For the first year all seemed normal with her development. Around her first birthday we noticed that one of her eyes was beginning to give the appearance of being cocked. We took her to the doctor who immediately gave us a referral to a hospital more specialized for what she thought might be the problem.
We took her there where they performed a CAT scan. The scan revealed our worst nightmare, a brain tumor. The doctor recommended an immediate biopsy of the tumor. The results of the biopsy was a double whammy. It was malignant and inoperable. Needless to say we were devastated.
We began treatment with chemo which at the beginning showed promising results. However the doctor tempered our enthusiasm by stating that while the results were promising, the type a cancer she had was extremely aggressive. So we entered into a kind of hope for the best but expect the worse mindset.
The progress was good for the first six months as far as shrinking the tumor was concerned. But the toll it was taking on my baby was telling. She began to lose her hair and was unable to keep down any food.
It was during this time I decided to retire from the Air Force and get ready for this battle that lay ahead. Naturally I had to find a job which proved to be difficult. At least finding one that paid enough to allow me to support the family and deal with the medical expenses that were surely coming.
After a few months of near minimum wage jobs, I was becoming frustrated so I decided to expand my options. A scoured the papers for any job any where. I finally landed a job overseas which paid very well. My wife and I discussed this and decided that I should go since it would allow us to take care of the family much better than we had been able to. Needless to say I was racked with guilt by leaving my wife with the responsibility of the kids and the medical needs of the baby.
Unfortunately for my baby things got progressively worse. She started radiation treatments which in hindsight were worse for her than the disease. If I had to do it over again I would probably elect not to knowing what I do now.
I got a call from my wife in December 31 1996 informing me that the baby's condition had gotten extremely grave. It took a couple of days to get a visa but I was able to get home by Jan 3. I went straight to the hospital where I saw the nurses and doctors working feverishly on my daughter trying to do what ever they could. I have tried to keep a brave face but I was crushed at what I saw. Although she was I great pain you should have seen how her face lit up when she saw me. Waiting for me to arrive home was the greatest gift I have ever received. It was as if she finally knew that everything was going to be OK and she could rest.
She fell into a coma later that day. The doctor asked to talk to my wife and I. I had a feeling of what he wanted to talk about. He basically said that we have reached the point of no return, there were no options left. Of course as parents you don't want to hear something like that. We toyed with the idea of taking her to Mexico to try some of the other treatment options. We were told by the doctor that it would be our decision but he seriously doubted if she would make it through the day. After some heart-wrenching consideration we decided that she had had enough and it was time to let go. AJ passed away about 5am on January 4 1997. We surely miss her!
So how does all of this relate to socialized medicine. A few months after we buried our baby, I was going through some of the billing statements. Admittedly, I didn't pay much attention to them while we were going through everything with AJ. After looking at them I was astounded at the cost of all her treatments and hospital stays. I estimated the between Tricare and Medicaid (can you say socialized) somewhere between 1 and 1.5 million dollars was spent. My out of pocket during all of this I estimate about $5k.
Of course being in the military provided us with unlimited health care, something not even the best private insurers would do. I have absolutely no doubt that a private insurer would have dropped us like Superman drops kryptonite long before the cost reached what was spent on my baby.
Had we to rely on private insurers my family would still after 12 years be feeling the affects, both emotional and financial, of this tragedy. So to all of those people out there who think that they have this outstanding health care coverage that will be there when you need it, you best pray to God you don't have to go through what we did and not have the safety net we had. You won't like it.
Note to birthers: Six of my kids were born overseas and are considered natural-born citizens, if its ok with you can they run for president someday. SNARK