Right now I’m sitting in front of my personal oxygen machine for asthmatic bronchitis. First time I’ve needed that. Feels real good. I’m saying, I was able to get it. That feels real good.
During my approximate 30 years lacking medical coverage, I never had to stitch myself up, fortunately. I was pretty young and healthy, didn’t really have problems except for needing surgery for a hip birth defect. Which hadn’t gotten critical yet.
My hip went critical during the years I took care of my elderly mom. I couldn’t do anything about it, because I had left my good job to take care of her. Arizona had little else for me because I don’t have children. So I shlepped, or limped, her all over the place for her wonderful Medicare. And had nothing myself.
Well, then Obamacare took effect. I was starting to decide how I would get mom taken care of while I had surgery, but then she passed away. She was either extra considerate to make it all easier on me, or my body decided to hold off for as long as she needed me. If it was the latter, my body then decided to really let me have it.
My surgery was a touch complicated, and I needed crutches for about 4 months. But I luckily had the choice of a specialist I had consulted for years, in another state. That was luck because the next year that option was not available. Just in time!
Yes, it’s true, Obamacare is not at all perfect. But boy, if you’re sick, and live in the right state, it’s not just good. It’s absolutely wonderful! I don’t have kids but I know what a heavy burden it must be to not be able to afford care for them. Especially in a life and death situation. I’m so sorry for people like that right now.
Before the bronchitis crisis, I next had a detached retina. Wow, thank god something could be done! Or I’d be blind in one eye now. Or I don’t know how many thousands in debt. Yes, Obamacare isn’t perfect. I still had to pay thousands. But what’s an eye worth?
So, just as Congress is deciding to throw its weight around and repeal (and maybe? replace? Good luck with that), here I am sitting with my nebulizer and drugs and oxygen machine. Life is good. How lucky was I! I got (hopefully) all my sick out of the way in the only 2 years when I had some help doing it. I may be over the bronchitis before they actually manage to do a repeal. But what about all those others? Those who are terminally ill?
Yeah, Republicans? What about them?