My Sis has worked in the health care field for over 20 years. For a good part of that time she was insured, but she never used her insurance as she avoids seeing a doctor if at all possible. A couple of years ago the place she worked at downsized, and she lost her job. She was out of work for almost a year and then finally found work part time at a different facility. She is now among the uninsured.
Last Sunday she almost died. She called an ambulance to take her to the hospital because she couldn't breathe. She had been sick for over a month, but was going to work every weekend to take care of patients who in many cases were in better health than she was. She has high blood pressure and had contracted an upper respiratory infection. She paid for Tamiflu out of pocket to try to beat the bug but it didn't really help. On Sunday she just couldn't breathe. Blessed be, she had the presence of mind to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital. She had a seizure at the hospital and her doc said he had never seen a person so sick and with such a low sodium level survive. If she had still had insurance she would have been seen sooner, but she is proud. If she can't pay the bill, she won't go to the Doc. It almost cost her her life, and me the life of my only sister. There is something seriously wrong with a health care system where the folks who take care of you when you are sick are so sick themselves that they should be flat on their backs in bed. Sis is home now. She may b cleared to work as early as next weekend. We hope so. If she can't work she could lose her house. I am bitter that the Dems didn't fight for a public option. It could have made a world of difference for my sis. I know this is not an unusual thing in this world for this type of injustice to occur. I just really needed to vent cause I almost lost my only sister who is the only immediate family I have. Thanks for listening.