I Have an Opinion, Dammit.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Emmanuel and I had a very intelligent conversation last night after President Obama's speech. He made me realize that when I don't practice voicing my opinion, it gets harder and harder to do so. And sometimes, it's important to stand up for what you believe in.

Usually I tell my FRIENDS not to talk politics around me. I do this because I disagree with most of my friends and family in that area, and 1) don't feel it's worth my time and 2) don't want to affect friendships. I've found the latter especially important with women. I don't feel it's worth it most of the time because I truly believe that we all have our politics opinion based on a lot of factors that are very personal, and I chose not to judge those factors. I'll leave that up to you-know-who.

Some argue that most of the people who are criticizing the health care reform are those who do not have personal experience with how our health care system is faulty. They are probably happy with their insurance. Few have personally known anyone with a health care-related problem. So let me share ours, which is nothing compared to others out there, but still valid.

Jan. 2007: Emma is born c-section after having pushed 2 hours on my back in a hospital bed. She is given antibiotics to counter an infection I had from being in labor too long. I am unable to nurse her for 2 days because she has to be under supervision during antibiotics. She is supplemented.

March 2007: Emma is given topical steroids to treat eczema.

Sept. 2007: Emma is diagnosed with toddler's diarrhea, even though she is only 8 mos. old (not a toddler yet). There is no explanation as to why. I am told to put her on the B.R.A.T. diet (bananas, rice, apples, toast) to control it.

Jul. 2008: Emma gets her first allergy blood test, which shows food allergies to peanuts, sesame seeds, egg white, wheat and soy. It is suggested that we see an allergist.

Jan. 2009: Emma gets her first skin allergy test, which confirms the above allergies and includes 10 others. She is developing more allergies. Dr. says to give Zyrtec each day.

April 2009: Emma has diarrhea 2-3 times/day for a month. BRAT diet no longer working.
Family doctor says to see a pediatric GI Doctor.

May 2009: Emma sees GI Dr., gets another RAST test (allergy blood test) in which a bunch of other allergies show up. GI Dr. suggests a probiotic, elemental liquid drink, and refers us back to the allergist.

May 2009: We go back to the allergist, he looks at blood test results, suggests following a gluten-free, corn-free diet.

June 2009: The money runs out and Emma's condition is worsening. I get on my knees and pray. Books fall into my lap. I educate myself.

Sept. 2009: Emma's condition is improving. She no longer has diarrhea. She never uses a steroid for eczema. She is treated with diet, supplements and baths only because that's all that works!

So after reading this sequence of events, maybe some of you will understand my frustration with our health care system. The original advice I was given, which was to put Emma on the BRAT diet, could have been the reason her condition worsened (she was allergic to wheat, bananas, rice, and apples at one test or another).

I wasted 2 1/2 years going to appointments, spending money on supplements, prescriptions, etc. But! I had pretty good insurance, which is more than many can say. Now I have a treatment plan for Emma in which insurance doesn't pay a penny for. It's all about nourishing food and healthy fats. Even if I were eligible for food stamps, they wouldn't even pay for that. So now I'm more broke than I've ever been, but I claim her health for it and I'll take it. I don't want to bash our system and say it's all bad. But I am ticked off that not one single doctor, out of 5 or 6, could ever tell me something to really help my daughter's condition. It was all about treat the symptom and not the underlying problem. What kind of system is this? It's 1/6th of our economy, that's what kind it is. It's based on profit. And it's messed up. Our doctors are there to make money, and make sure that we consistently make them money. I reject it.

So if you ever see us selling our house, our car, dressing in rags, I will blame somebody (and then pray about it and forgive them) and that will be our health care system and the insurance companies that uphold it! Dammit!