Sicko

I watched Sicko the other day on television. It's a film by Michael Moore. It's a courageous film that tells the shocking truth about our health care system in the United States, or lack of it. He even goes to other countries to show what health care in other countries is like. It makes me want to move to Canada or England or Sweden or France.

I don't have health insurance and haven't for years. When you don't have health insurance, you feel as if no one cares and that you don't matter. You ignore symptoms. I've been trying to eat healthy, exercise, and take vitamins. I sure eat a lot healthier than my husband and exercise much more but I'm the one with the weight problem. Sometimes I worry whether I am ready to have a stroke. Sometimes I worry about my heart. I have had high blood pressure for years. A couple of months ago my blood pressure was 169. Thanks to my son, Benjamin, I've been checked at OHSU. Now I'm worried about my eyes. I have high pressure in my right eye. They don't know what it is. It could lead to blindness. OHSU will help me for some things but they aren't going to help me with anything major.

In other countries like Canada, everything is free. They don't have to wait. Doctors care about their patients and don't worry about the business end of trying to squeeze dollars out of every patient and double bill insurance companies. When I watched Sicko, I was sick. We don't treat people well in this country. I saw on the news how a big hospital in LA just drops patients off in the street who can't pay their bill even though they need urgent care. Is this really how people should be treated?

President Obama is coming to the rescue and is the only hope the United States of America has of turning things around so there is free health care for everyone. Those who have should pay and those who need should receive without question or guilt.