Health Care and Bureaucratic Nonsense - A Rant.

Sherman (Cat pictured) and I are indignant.  I start with a joke but really I'm livid this morning.

I'm on day 4 of flu. Its gross. A weird cold/flu hybrid that has me coughing, having hot and cold flashes, aches, runny nose, exhausted, faint, queasy, fevered... you know all the flu things. 

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I'm almost 40, I've had the flu before. I know what the flu is and what it feel like in my body. I know that theres not a damn thing to be done about it except rest and have lots of fluids.  I'm poor. I don't have insurance because unlike most reasonable work places that provide after 90 days mine makes people wait a year. I'm at 7 months. I don't have the affordable care insurance because the "affordable" is a joke. Work insists to me after 3 days you need a note and you need to get it right now. What a stupid rule. Most flus run 5-7 days.... me being on day 4 is not an out of the ordinary phenomenon.

We just had about 4 inches of new snow. So despite my being faint, queasy, weak, and fevered I have to haul myself out of bed, down the stairs, almost faint bending down to feed the cat. Put my jacket and gloves on and go and spend 40 minutes shoveling snow pausing every few minutes to lean on my shovel and try to not fall over. So then, I have to drive in my little car without snow tires (because I can't afford those either) up the hill to the urgent care where sure enough the base cost is $100 to just be seen without insurance. I start crying because I need that $100, and I know that they are just going to tell me that there is nothing they can do, I have the flu and I need to rest and have fluids. They take pity on me and arrange a payment plan. They will take $20 and I can send them the rest of the money over my next few paychecks. They are nice people. Clearly they know the system is bullshit but all of us are caught in this corporate bureaucratic cog. The doctor is super handsome, very gentle, compassionate and kind and sure enough concurs that I have the flu, there is nothing they can do, I need to rest and drink lots of fluids. So he gives me a note and sends me on my way. I drop it off at work and am now free to be home and sick and miserable for the long weekend. I'm freezing now. I can't get warm. I'm angry that I was put all through that.

A person who has been consistent and worked hard and hasn't called in sick but once before, worked long hours and overtime to be of use and help should't be made to feel like they are lying about their illness. I know there are people in the world who fake these things and shame on them. I am not, nor have ever been one of them.  The fact that multiple people have also been sick with the same thing and also have missed work should also serve as proof of illness. It is one thing to question people who have proved themselves unreliable, it is another entirely to question people who have done their best to go above and beyond. 

Making a person who you know is uninsured, without help, without snow tires, who is sick, shovel 4 inches of snow, and drive while sick and who has told you is prone to dizziness and has almost fainted several times is endangerment, and cruel.  

We need single pay/universal health care. The fact I'm being charged $100 minimum to walk into a door of a clinic to be weighed, temperature, and blood pressure taken, breath listened to and a few questions asked is beyond absurd. I was there less than 30 minutes. No treatment, no medicines prescribed. It's stupid. 

I found out last night that one of my favorite people, one of my best teachers and greatest supporters has stage 4 prostate cancer. There is a go-fund-me set up to help him. Because he can't afford treatment otherwise. (please donate if you can). He too, shouldn't have to go through this. He should just be able to get the care that he needs. 

I'm so very angry, I'm cold, I ache, I'm phlegmy. This flu shall pass... but apparently not for another 2-3 days ...  so back to my regiment of broth, tea and ginger ale while buried under a blanket with Sherman on my lap. The anger will be with me a long time... until there is a change in the system.