OMG, while we're helping ANDY, right NOW is "Cover the Uninsured Week"

[demodonkey]

I didn't realize this until tonight, but May 1-8 is "Cover the Uninsured Week"
http://covertheuninsuredweek.org/

That this predicament can happen to a person like Andy, one of our strongest fighters for Democracy, just says volumes about how MUCH we need universal health care in this country!

At the site above, you can locate events, clinics, rallies, etc. Speak out about what's happening here.

MB (one of the 45 million of us who is only one diagnosis away from disaster myself!)

[NVMojo]

1. I don't know what it is going to take for people to wake up ....DEATH?

[Moosepoop]

2. Just went to the website

I clicked on my home state, Michigan, on the map they have up, and learned that there are 1,080,000 uninsured people in this state alone. That's 10.9% of the state's population. I knew it was bad, but THAT was an eye-opener!!!

I recommend that anyone who reads this thread go to the linked website and click on their state. See just how bad it's gotten, and remember that it's on track to only get much worse. Then see if there's anything in your area that you can do.

The website has a lot of info... I wish I'd seen this earlier, in time to attend a fairly local event, but there are plenty of other ideas and how-to's covered there. I'll do some of the other things instead. Check it out, folks!

And, if you would like to contribute to the Andy Stephenson surgery fund:

http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/P2TRHRVBGX9KOX/102-6873839-9047353
or
http://tinyurl.com/bnu79

http://www.paypal.com/

After logging in, choose “Send Money” and enter Andy’s email address as the recipient:

[e-mail]

If you prefer to donate via check outside the electronic process, please send to:

Andy Stephenson
P O Box 25624
Seattle, WA 98165-1124

Remember to PM sfxpat2000 of your contribution, so she can track the amount (very important!!).

We have a ways to go with this fundraising effort, so any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!

And in the larger scheme of things, we need to make sure that nobody ever needs this kind of help again! Health care should not be an "if"... for anyone, ever. Demand universal health care!

[Rainbowreflect]

3. It is inexcusable that their is a single person in this county

without health care, let alone millions. All true Americans should be ashamed.

[nonconformist]

4. My husband and I have been uninsured since 2002

Which is part of the reason I feel for Andy so much and gladly donated what I could.

The most important thing we need domestically is universal healthcare. We're providing it for Iraq, but millions of taxpayers who work for employers that don't offer coverage (which is becoming more and more common) and can't afford the outrageous fees for individual plans are just shit out of luck.

[Horse with no Name]

5. It is amazing

I was diagnosed with a fairly rare disorder back in 90.
I was told that my only chance of survival was to take medication that cost approximately $5k a month.
I did this for 12 years! Not to mention I was hospitalized 3-4 times a year for disease complications and illness.
This disease wreaked havoc on other systems as well and I ended up having multiple surgeries, multiple complications to these surgeries, horrible side effects to medication, etc. In all, I was hospitalized over 50 times, had 3 portacaths implanted in my chest, as well as one temporary central line, and had approx 30 surgical procedures.
The medication that I took was so bad, that I had to take prednisone the night before, the morning of, then I was given an IV infusion of Solumedrol (another steroid), IV Benadryl, then finally the medication.
Several times I had to be in the hospital to get this medication because of bad side effects during the infusion.
Now--I will mention that I had EXCELLENT health insurance.
In fact, called my doc at a major university hospital late in the afternoon and told him that I was bruising easily--so easily that you could play connect the dots where you touched. I was in to see a world renowned oncologist within 2 hours.
On a chest Xray--there was a problem with my heart. I was in to see a heart specialist in no time at all. He even waited in the office and saw me after 5.
I had a 12 year relationship with my physician in this--even through changing insurance companies many times. I maxed 2 $1,000,000 insurance policies and he received the benefits of most of them.
When my second insurance policy lapsed because I had maxed it, he wouldn't even SEE me until I had another policy in effect.
He TOLD me if I didn't receive this medication every 3 weeks--I would DIE.
However, when I entered the ranks of uninsured (after 12 years of receiving this medication)he suddenly told me that I would be okay without the medication.
I was certainly scared to death.
However, month by month, I didn't die. I actually did better after about 8-9 months and ALL of the drugs were out of my system.
I haven't been hospitalized as an inpatient in 3 years (a record).
What I have found out is, that on the medication, I got sick and was hospitalized 3-4 times a year. I found out off the medication, I still got sick 3-4 times a year--although even not being hospitalized--I got better, even though sometimes it would take a little longer.
Off the medication, I no longer have all of the side effects and mineral deficiencies.
Because of this illness, I lost a couple of great jobs because I was in the hospital too frequently and it broke attendance policy.
But I think I am coming to the terms that yes, I do have an illness that with insurance--according to the docs--was catastrophic.
Without insurance--merely an annoyance.
Most of the recurring side effects that I had from the medication, were sold to me as effects of the disease process.
Of course--I do feel liberated, but also find that having insurance destroyed me financially and took a deliberate mental toll as well.
I have found that not having insurance is very difficult, because I still get sick at times, and can't afford to be treated.
I believe though--if our country had socialized medicine, I would never have been subjected to the expensive treatments that I was subjected to, and would have been better off a long time ago, while still being treated effectively and economically for the side effects of the disease--not the side effects of the medication.

[merh]

6. No insurance here.

But heck, I've just don't get sick - solves that one. :silly:

:shrug: :cry: