Beginning Anew

Like many people, I sometimes want to be heard without saying a word. So I'll blog some things out of my head and onto the net.

Today (Jan 4, 2006), I'm writing before leaving work. So I don't know what's gone on in the world.

I only know that a dear member of my extended family has been told she has a large tumor on one of her her adrenal glands that must be surgically removed. We no nothing more than that, and must wait a week to learn more. Is it cancer? What are her prospects. She's just 24.

But its not just the illness. She's 24 and has just recently (I hope) acquired health insurance. I know she's been experiencing symptoms for this condition for many months, but just got to the doctor now. How will she and her family look back on this. Will she die because she couldn't afford to go to the doctor earlier? Or didn't think she could? Looking back, how could she afford not to go, if her life is on the line?

But how do we grapple with weighing our economic choices -- real bills, real debt, real lack of ability to pay -- against all the "maybes" about our health. Choices seem easy in hindsight, but who among us doesn't struggle mightily in the rush of the day-to-day, weighing our risks, sealing our fate.

In a wealthy, civilized country, why isn't basic health care a right! And a right that I don't have to risk bankruptcy to use?

Crap. Nora, I'm praying for you -- that's all the radical righties want to give me.