My mother has had a job as an independent contractor. Because of the economy, her income has dwindled from $1800/month to $1200/month. Recently she was diagnosed with diabetes. One week later, she collapsed on the floor of my brother's apartment. She was rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with a perforated ulcer. She was then taken into surgery.
It is only through the greatest of fortunes that she not only pulled through, but because she was homeless at the time in San Francisco, a progressive town par excellence, she was eligible for a local health program that took care of her expenses.
I ask myself, what if that hadn't happened? What if she had been somewhere else? She had almost ended up in Texas with her sister. God know what would have happened to her there, with no insurances and expenses piling up. The stress of her day-to-day expenses was already raising her blood pressure and accelerating her diabetes. What good is healing someone when they're in constant fear of creditor harassment and wage garnishment?
I've taken it upon myself to take care of her. She's now living with me in Seattle. I'm out of work myself and am trying to find a job, and my brother is helping with some expenses. Mom, meanwhile, is back to work and in better spirits thanks to my help. We have only a progressive town with a progressive attitude towards health care to thank for curing and healing my mother.
The deathers, meanwhile, would have told her to fuck off. What an appropriate name for these people.
(Sorry. Had to vent.)