photo credit: makelessnoise
I read Ebert’s more emotional/moral post about Universal Health Care and this was my response:
I’ve had insurance for most of my life. When I worked for myself I didn’t, but I had enough money to get the root canal I needed.
I read once that the main difference between people with insurance and without, the thing that most affects the most people who don’t have a disease, is the ability to go to the dentist.
Just before my scheduled appointment to get my root canal, another dog jumped on my dog and broke off both of his back legs. That’s right, he didn’t break my dogs back legs, he broke them off. They were just hanging down in the bottom of his skin disconnected from the rest of his body. He dragged himself home and was waiting for me there. (A house guest had left the door ajar while I was away. I have never spoken to her again. Its not charitable, but I just can’t.)
He pressed his face into my chest as hard as he could, shaking with fear and pain. I drove him to the doctor. I said, “Get him pain medication, immediately, first thing.” The doctor wanted to bind his jaw so he wouldn’t bite. I said, “I’ll hold him. He won’t bite me and I don’t care if he does.” He didn’t bite me.
photo credit: Jesus Beat´n Bass
The doctor said that my dog would probably not walk well again if we got him the operation and I it was a terrible decision – put my dog to sleep, maybe mercifully, or get him an operation and perhaps cause him more suffering. I told them to give my dog the operation.
I didn’t have money to get the root canal. I was grad school bound and wouldn’t have insurance for another three years. I went through grad school with sometimes severe pain. When I saw Cast Away and the main character hacked out his tooth with an ice-skate, I thought, “You would really do that.” I thought it was very realistic.
I have a lot of opinions about health care. I think its going to be a challenge with any system to deal with a larger population that is living longer, but since this is a more emotional post, I just wanted to share my most personal emotional story about health care. It would have been really nice to get a root canal right when I needed it.
My dog is ok, over 6 years later he is alive and well. I did physical therapy with him and he returned to full health. He is 14 now and still the best dog ever.
The timing of that event was very interesting in several ways. P.J. often got out and ran about the neighborhood – that accident could have happened on our watch. And it happened when you took me to the airport and then I was gone and you were left to deal with the situation – and you did so magnificently!! I’m not sure what I would have done, but as well as things turned out, I think it was good that I was gone. You had good instincts, you were reliable, you did the very best thing for P.J. – he is actually 15 now and the cutest dog a lot of people have ever seen – he has brought a lot of joy wherever he goes.
If I had been there maybe I would have cancelled my trip and never met my better half. I’m glad we took care of P.J. – it was at a time my finances were already extended to the hilt but there it was – one more thing. No regrets.
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I read the Ebert post – no wonder you’re a fan – I admire the way you plug the issues you believe in – you make a believer out of me too.
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One more comment by the way – my English cousins who are somewhat class conscious and have their own private insurance are nevertheless very proud of their country’s health care for everyone – they don’t even complain about the higher taxes.
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