I have a story to tell. I'm in pain, so it won't be a great story. But thanks to those that read it.
Since 1997 I've struggled with back issues.
I was on the backside of a brutal 48 hour shift. Overtime pays the bills right? We got called to one of the nursing homes. It wasn't a good place, and we did eventually shut it down. That's a different story. And a sad one.
I was tired, spent, not thinking clearly. We rolled her over and her colostomy bag was leaking. Had been leaking for a while. Only time I ever had to bail on a scene.
I got my head straight and went back in to do my job. My partner was vomiting in the bathroom. The stench was that bad. You don't know foul smells until you have experienced a leaking colostomy bag.
I moved her to the stretcher solo. Felt like a knife being stabbed in my lower back. Little did I know that it would stick with me for my entire life.
We got her to the hospital. We were so tired our boss had to come drive us back to the station. And then insisted we sleep there before we could go home. We had to be back at work the next day. Slept, showered, and changed shirts. Then did it all again.
In 2000 we had to pull a guy out of the lake. Slipped on the trail. He was 400 lbs. When we got to the hospital I couldn't stand up. They had to bring another stretcher out for me. I had committed the worst crime as a first responder. I became part of the problem.
I got on a bit of a tangent there. Apologies.
I want to talk about healthcare. I was smarter than usual this time, and didn't wait until I was paralyzed by back spasms to get my steroid injections directly into my lumbar spine. I usually act like an idiot and wait until it gives out completely. 375.00 co-pay at the ER. I'm learning though.
Funny part of the story. Yesterday, as the student observing my doc came to wheel me into the procedure room she asked "have you done this before?" My doc, who I adore, shouted "Oh yeah! We go WAY back."
I've constantly had to balance my pain level with my out of pocket expenses. My first injection in 2009 was 450.00. Yesterday was 700.00.
What am I getting at here?
The current environment we live in is more than happy to let someone like me suffer. If I didn't have my Flex account, and put extensive funds in it, I would be destitute. I could not work. I could not get the care I need (at 700.00 dollars), and I would be reliant on the social services the republicans hate so much.
Here is my question.
What costs less in the long run?
The injections that keep working, or someone like me being completely incapable of a functional existence due to injuries caused by my desire to help people (in healthcare now for over 20 years.)
And I want to be clear. Without my flex card I could never afford the steroid injections that are fundamental to my ability to work.
The current administration is working hard to victimize people. I won't give in to that. As long as I can continue to get the treatments I need I'll be fine. But the cost is getting extravagant. 700.00 dollars?
Something here is wrong.
700 is all it takes for me to keep doing my job? Yet I have to pay that out of pocket.
Here's the truth. We already have universal health care. Paramedics don't ask for your insurance card when you call 911. Emergency rooms do, but they don't turn you away if you don't have one.
So an ER visit for me, with solid health insurance, costs 375 out of pocket.
Who do you think pays for those who have no insurance? Why do you think my co-pay is 375? I.... We.... Are paying for all the folks who don't have coverage. At a highly inflated rate.
I'm ok with that. But I know we can do better.
Republicans aren't.
But I can say without doubt that a single payer system would save all of us money.
Health care needs to be non-profit.
It's insane that my cause (as a non-profit) is trapped between for profit manufacturers and for profit hospital networks.
It's beyond time to step forward and embrace true encompassing universal healthcare. The shit we have right now ain't working for any of us.
Another question. Are you super pumped up about protecting your private healthcare insurance at the expense of true universal healthcare?
I'm not. I don't give a fuck about my insurance. It's one of the best in the business, and it fucking sucks.