I was showing my art last Friday night, at an Art Walk, when a man walked up with 2 adorable sons.  One son wore a very high tech hearing aid.  He had had a cochlear implant.  I explained that I had had surgery to restore my hearing, years ago.  We discussed how medical technology had advanced.  The conversation turned to this button he was wearing. 

He told me of an organization housed right around the corner that was working toward Obama’s health care plan. Questions started streaming out of my mouth.  He explained the campaign.  My excitement grew.  He shared the organization’s beliefs.   I shared mine.  He told me about the importance of people sharing their stories about health care nightmares.  I told him I had a lalapaloozer.  After exchanging business cards, I was dumbfounded to find out he was my state representative and he wanted my help!

With pleasure, sir…..here is my story.  (Soon to be recorded for public radio.)

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I find it sad. The folks that HAVE insurance are the ones yelling the loudest against change in our current health care system.  Obviously the rug has not been yanked out from under them.  Life can change in a heartbeat.

 I know.

And the insurance companies, unlike other businesses in our country, do NOT have to “deliver” on any products that you have purchased.  Think long and hard what you would do if there was no safety net. Or if that net (rug) was taken out from under you and your family, when you needed it the most.

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I’ve spent a great deal of my professional life working for non-profits in community development and hunger relief.   After many years, I was offered a chance to make more money than I could have dreamed of, working for an environmental company.  Ron, my husband, was a small business owner and he was not raking in the bucks.  I had a mother and a son (and his future education) to think about, so I took the job.  Life was good.  So good, in fact, that we moved from a small, south Arkansas town to Little Rock.  I was traveling all over the US and my husband started working with me.  I bought him a new Eddie Bauer Edition Ford Explorer for his birthday.  And I bought myself a shiny new Lexus.  I had diamond jewelry and designer clothes.   We were living the American dream.  Even better, I had received a promotion and had wonderful health insurance for the whole family. 

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I was sitting in my gynecologist’s office after my annual exam when he told me I had cancer.  Rather abrupt news to a 35 year old that was in, what she thought … perfect health.  It was melanoma and lymphoma.  After radical surgery and a lengthy hospital stay, I was pronounced cancer free.

Eight weeks, to the day, after my surgery, we were in New Orleans.  Ron thought he was coming down with the flu.  I drove back to Little Rock and immediately took him to the doctor.  I’ll never forget the look on the doctor’s face when he said Ron needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately.  He was in congestive heart failure.

You see, 10 years prior to this moment, Ron had had an Aortic value replacement.  He had a congenital heart defect.  We had asked the doctors then, how long would the pig valve last?  The doctor’s reply was, “We don’t really know because we usually just put them in old people.”   Ron was 30.

But we were optimistic because medicine had made tremendous strides in open heart surgery over the last 10 years and we had great insurance.

And I had just survived cancer.

Ron died 3 weeks later, just before his 40^th birthday. It was 3 weeks before Christmas.

The valve had worn out.  The doctors said he was no longer a good candidate for heart surgery.  At least that is what they told me at the time.  I would find out in a few weeks that the insurance was not going to pay.  (Hmmmm? Wonder if the hospital already knew that?)Seems his heart problem was called “preexisting.”  I tried diligently to explain that he had become a runner and competed in many races since his previous surgery.  How could it be preexisting, 10 years and many races later?  He didn’t even know he was sick.

Then the company refused to pay for my cancer surgery.  It was also “preexisting.”  God, how I hate that term….preexisting.

Besides, I had no idea I had cancer until I received my annual exam.

In the mean time, my company changed insurance carriers and refused to intervene on my behalf.  The bills were well over $150,000.  Our savings had dwindled, during my work absence.  My lawyer friend explained to me I could go to jail or file bankruptcy.  What a choice.  Mom and the son were still my responsibilities.

I lost everything.  The bank took our home in south Arkansas.  His Explorer was sold for what was owed on it.  They repossessed the Lexus.  My pastor lent me a 1976 Impala.  I sold my jewelry and pawned Ron’s hunting rifles for rent and food.

The insurance company had saved money.   I had lost my husband.  My son had lost his father.

I went back to the non-profit world.  Low salary, no travel, but, at least, I had the personal satisfaction of helping others and I had insurance… for a while anyway.

Several years passed and mom’ emphysema was worsening.  We got her on Medicaid to supplement her Medicare and she qualified for SS benefits.  But there was no money for any extras.  I left the non-profit world, again, in pursuit of more money to help my family.  I had remarried a wonderful man that worked for an arts-related non-profit.  He loved what he did and encouraged me to pursue my art.

Mom died a few months later.  I had to borrow money to pay for her cremation.  After her death, the son moved back home with his son.   I chose to work part time, pursue my art, part time, and help with the grandson.  When they moved out, a couple of years later, I realized my part time endeavors in art had become somewhat lucrative.   As a teacher, I helped others tap their creativity.   I sold art that made people smile.   A creative new path, with positive impact on others.  But I was self employed and had no insurance.

For 6 months I worked on a chamber of commerce committee that was setting up a cooperative insurance plan for small business.   It really looked like it might work.   After it was approved by the state insurance board, we were ready to launch it.  I was so excited... Until I found out my deductible would be in the thousands and that was only if they could find a company, through the coop, willing to cover me. Seems I had a preexisting condition.

I had been cancer free for over 13 years, but that didn’t matter.

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My gynecologist has been a sweetie.  I trade art for medical services so I can continue my much needed meds for the consistently swollen leg.  (I have no lymph nodes in my right leg and it is about twice the size of my other leg.)  Phlebitis is a constant threat. Can we say “preexising?”

Last year, I fell and broke my foot.  After a trip to the emergency room, consisting of one x-ray, one pair of crutches and a wrapped foot, costing over $1000, I was sent to an orthopedic surgeon who insisted I have surgery.   When I noted no insurance, he said… “Oh well. Perhaps it will heal.”   Four months, three x-rays, and $400 later, he declared that my foot had indeed, healed.   However, all the walking with crutches and the boot had put undue pressure on my knees.   He said I need both knees replaced.  They were damaged from years of teaching aerobics.  Guess that would make this “preexisting”.

I also know I am probably in the early stages of COPD (emphysema).  I am very familiar with the symptoms, since both of my parents died from it. If I see a doctor, this will then become a preexisting condition.

I checked into disability at the beginning of this year.   If for nothing else… to get Medicare coverage.   I seemed to qualify but it would take 6 months to a year, to get it.  Medicare would not be available for another 2 years.   I was told by the attorney, that I could not do my art, teach classes, or do any consulting work, for the entire waiting period.  This would mean no income for the next year.  It only took me a couple of weeks to realize I just wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. I just couldn’t give up and sliver away.  I’ve never been a quitter.

This summer, I had an artery rupture in my nose.   Another trip to the emergency room and another grand in the piled up medical bills.

Ironically, I begged the ER physician to call in the specialist because the bleeding would not stop.  He continually said I could go to the doctor’s office… the next morning.   After bleeding all night, I was the first one in her office.   It took her 2 minutes to determine that I needed emergency surgery.   If she had been called in during the ER visit……just 6 hours earlier?

I was charged another $200 for the office visit and $600 for the 15 minutes it took her staff to control the bleeding, thus stabilizing me to go back to the hospital.  Then another 2 grand for the surgery.  She said I was lucky.  An artery in my brain could have ruptured and that would have been a serious stroke.  Seems I might have high blood pressure.   Not the hospital, nor the doctors, seemed to want to discuss preventing this rupture from happening again.

At my follow up visit, I told the surgeon, how my gynecologist and I bartered, her services for my art.  She said she would think about it.  As I walked out of her office, I was talking to myself, “best you go for the art, good doctor, because there is little money in the coffers.”   I haven’t heard back from her.

After years of working so hard to improve my credit score, since the bankruptcy, I’m right back where I was.  The rug has been yanked out from under me again.  And I have read countless stories of others in the same boat.

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Beware! Beware all who currently have insurance and are living the American dream.  Your day could come…. with a routine doctor’s visit…. With a change in insurance carriers that would save your company money…. With the death of a spouse.

Perhaps the public option could prevent these things from destroying your life. Or a universal health care plan?

Senator Kennedy was right.  This is not a privilege.  Health care is a right…. Just like education is a right. Here’s hoping my vote for President Obama was not in vain.  Other countries, such as Canada, Great Britain, France and Switzerland, are taking this incredible burden off their people.  They are allowed to be productive and contributing citizens.

In the past, I have strengthened 2 communities, fed the hungry, and made a difference in the lives of many.  I was(am) a productive and contributing citizen.

I want to help my grandkids go to college. I just know one is a genius and the other, a great artist.

I want to bring a smile, or two, to people’s faces through my art, my classes, and my writing. 

I am not throwing in the towel….not yet.   Who knows?   I might make a difference in the lives of many more.

Millions of people in our country want to be productive and could make a difference …...

…….. If only there was a safety net.