Rebel with a Cause.

Obviously, I was born with a soap box. For years, I thought it was because I was short and I needed to see what was going on. Now I've seen what was going on and I know what the soap box was for. (Yikes! Mrs. Leigh is a-twisting in her grave! Talk about ending sentences with prepositions!)

OK -- back to the topic at hand. Health care.

As many of you may know, we have had our health care issues here at Miss Effie's. My darling husband, Honey, has had part of a lung removed, a heart attack, 2 heart surgeries, a cataract removed and this year, the discovery of an aortic aneurysm that needs to be watched and photographed on a regular basis. At one point. the oncologist thought that the cancer had returned so in a matter of 8 weeks -- we had 5 CT-scans and a PET-scan done -- only to have insurance cover one CT-scan. One. The rest was up to us. Of course, that fact came after we had all of them done.

All of this in the last 6 years.

So I have been asked to speak at one of the many Congressional hometown meetings on health care. And I will ........... soap box in hand.

I don't know how to fix health care. I don't know if the plans that Congress or the President are proposing will do what needs to be done.

But I do know this.

When the oncologist and the radiologist found the aortic aneurysm, my first thought was "How are we going to pay for that?" Not .... what are the consequences? What can we do? Where do we go? It was "How are we going to pay for that?"

I know that 6 years ago we had 9 months of living expenses in our savings. We have roughly 2 weeks now ...... if I can convince Honey that a concentration-camp diet is sufficient.

I know that I don't own a cell phone. I don't have cable or satellite tv. My television is 19" and we own one. We don't have air conditioning and our newest car was built in the last century. And I know I can't afford them.

I know that 19.6% of our gross income goes to pay health insurance, medicine and yearly health costs. However......... that does not include eye exams and glasses nor does it include any dental expenses.

I know that just over 10% of our gross income goes to pay for our house payment, taxes and insurance.

And I know that something is wrong with this picture.

I've been chastised by small business owners because I am speaking out. I don't want to put the burden on small business owners. I don't want a free ride on medical costs. But I don't want to be bankrupted because my husband had a heart attack.

So with soap box in hand, I will state my case. We have received excellent health care. From the doctors and nurses to the housekeeping staff to the accounting office........ we have been treated with care and respect. But I can't afford it anymore. And someone has got to speak out.

And I was born with a soap box.

Comments

girlwithasword said…
Give 'em hell!!! You'll do a brilliant job, I know it!
Dan Mays said…
Setting our friendship aside for a moment ...

The thing that I find refreshing about this little rant is that it is a true reflection of real people in a real life situation.

I have grown so weary of the political "debate"; which is anything BUT a debate. (Political posturing for a chosen agenda would be more accurate.)

Both sides are delivering a bunch of hog hooey for their own selfish, political gain while real people and issues continue to be ignored.

I only hope that these bastards don't try to simply use you as another pawn on their political chess board.

Personally, I think I would get more satisfaction from vigorously applying a wire brush to their "tender areas" -- if ya' know what I mean.
Miss Effie said…
Ya know, Dan. Honey and I thought about this long and hard. We are really TMI-ing this one.

But these are the facts. And you know my political views are pretty durn liberal. BUT I can't watch someone else go through this. It is hell!

It may not make any difference. But I will be able to sleep at night knowing that I tried.

I don't want FREE medical care. I want affordable medical care. And I really don't think 20% of our GROSS income for medical expenses can possibly be considered affordable.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Maggie -- thanks for the encouragement. You always seem to have my back!!!
Jen said…
How exciting! Good for you - I hope your Congressman is truly grateful for you speaking out on this issue. Let us know where to be & I'll bring a posse to shout down any tea party attackers:)

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