Tired of this healthcare debate- or what I would do

[okiegirl1]

I want to add one.

EVERY child that has a life threatening/life long illness will have insurance regardless of the parents income.

Our daughter has fought brain cancer for over 7 years. She's considered terminal but still here (Thank you God) BUT...
she has to stay on state medicaid because no private insurance company will take her. Therefore, we must keep our family below the poverty level just to make sure she keeps her insurance. If we make too much, she loses her insurance and there is no way in a million years we could afford MRI's, Chemo and doctors appointments. Yet the state is fine with us not doing the best we can do. They'd rather us be leeches on teh state. I would even be happy with a slidding scale on the state medicaid. We make as much as we can and we pay INTO the state medical system instead of just taking from it. But that makes too much sense.

ok... I'm done.... (stepping off soap box)

 

[big brown horse]

I want to add one.

EVERY child that has a life threatening/life long illness will have insurance regardless of the parents income.

Our daughter has fought brain cancer for over 7 years. She's considered terminal but still here (Thank you God) BUT...
she has to stay on state medicaid because no private insurance company will take her. Therefore, we must keep our family below the poverty level just to make sure she keeps her insurance. If we make too much, she loses her insurance and there is no way in a million years we could afford MRI's, Chemo and doctors appointments. Yet the state is fine with us not doing the best we can do. They'd rather us be leeches on teh state. I would even be happy with a slidding scale on the state medicaid. We make as much as we can and we pay INTO the state medical system instead of just taking from it. But that makes too much sense.

ok... I'm done.... (stepping off soap box)

I agree.

 

[ORChick]

Not knowing how to cook should be no excuse. If one can read, or watch a video one should be able to cook. Plenty of people in this world do a good job at it even without being able to read. And buying basics, and in season, is not necessarily more expensive.

IMO the "nobody cooks anymore" problem has three roughly equal-sized causes: a) a majority people under the age of, I dunno, 30 or so did not grow up in households where much cooking was being done and thus they lack basic reference experiences, without which it is harder to learn (and to *believe* you can learn); b) the media-hyped culture of "live like you're rich" is inherently biased against normal daily home cooking, making it seem like restaurant menus are a crucial part of living well (and by well I mean, 'minimally acceptably'); and c) cooking has acquired this sort of "madonna-whore" atmosphere where all people think of is either fancy preparations with expensive ingredients, or poverty rice and beans that nobody wants to descend to.

People have just, for a good while now, not WANTED to cook, at least not prosaic things like breakfasts and potroasts. It's so un-liberated, so barefoot-and-in-the-kitchen.

Possibly the current economy will support a long-term groundswell of normal cooking becoming trendier. It would be nice. I am not holding my breath but you never know!

Pat

Pat, I agree 100%. Home cooking is seen as "elitist", needing a huge, ultra modern kitchen, and all the latest pans as used by TV chefs. Or as stuff poor folks do, because they can't afford anything better. And they next generations won't know any better, and won't feel interested in learning.

 

[ORChick]

I want to add one.

EVERY child that has a life threatening/life long illness will have insurance regardless of the parents income.

Our daughter has fought brain cancer for over 7 years. She's considered terminal but still here (Thank you God) BUT...
she has to stay on state medicaid because no private insurance company will take her. Therefore, we must keep our family below the poverty level just to make sure she keeps her insurance. If we make too much, she loses her insurance and there is no way in a million years we could afford MRI's, Chemo and doctors appointments. Yet the state is fine with us not doing the best we can do. They'd rather us be leeches on teh state. I would even be happy with a slidding scale on the state medicaid. We make as much as we can and we pay INTO the state medical system instead of just taking from it. But that makes too much sense.

ok... I'm done.... (stepping off soap box)

Okiegirl, I am so very sorry about your daughter; you and she are in my thoughts. My DH's 3 cancers were tough, but at least they have all been taken care of - so far as we can tell at this point.
It is criminal IMO that people like you, who have no desire to be a drain on society, who want to participate in the cost of the care of your daughter, are required by the system to do less than your abilities, and pride-of-self tell you should or could be done*.

ETA: *... and all because you cannot (as so very, very few could) do it all. Either all or nothing seems a very shortsighted way of dealing with the problem. Surely we could find a compromise somewhere, and I am hopeful that Obama's plan will accomplish that.

 

[Wifezilla]

Maybe we need to say QUICK food vs FAST FOOD?

It's tempting but I don't want to give them yet another revenue stream based on something we want stopped

Totally agree. If money collected from a processed food tax were ONLY used for medical care...I would almost be tempted to support it. But we all know it wont just be used for that. I will get thrown in to the pile and blown like all the rest of the money.

 

[okiegirl1]

aw, thanks.
I do have to look at life like in situtations, thank God.
I have to look at this whole thing as a blessing. Don't get me wrong. If given the chance I'd take away the cancer and all she's been thru in a heartbeat. That being said, since her diagnosis, I've stopping working outside the home. I get to spend time with her that would've been missed with me working. We make a point of having family time and doing things that would probably be put on teh back burner for "another day". Now we make memories all the time. My priorites have completely changed. Our family is so much closer.
Can something be a blessing and pure hell at the same time?
-Angela

 

[reinbeau]

Mrs. Puff, I hope your husband has better health in the future and Okiegirl1, I am so sorry hear about your daughter's troubles. to all of you!

For the record, I am a cook, I love to cook, I grew up in a home where dinner was cooked, from scratch, every night. Not everyone had that luxury, or observational training, as Pat noted.

 

[me&thegals]

okiegirl and orchick--So sorry for you dealing with cancer in your children. It is my second greatest fear in life, right behind my children being kidnapped. I wish you all the very best. And, welcome, okiegirl!

 

[kenman]

aw, thanks.
I do have to look at life like in situations, thank God.
I have to look at this whole thing as a blessing. Don't get me wrong. If given the chance I'd take away the cancer and all she's been thru in a heartbeat. That being said, since her diagnosis, I've stopping working outside the home. I get to spend time with her that would've been missed with me working. We make a point of having family time and doing things that would probably be put on the back burner for "another day". Now we make memories all the time. My priories have completely changed. Our family is so much closer.
Can something be a blessing and pure hell at the same time?
-Angela

Yes, something can be a blessing and pure hell at the same time. Prayers going up for your daughter and the whole family. Also I agree that all children should have needed care regardless of income.

 

[Farmfresh]

I am all for public healthcare, but lets make it make sense. I shouldn't have to jump through a bunch of ridiculous hoops just for a tentanus shot and five stitches. grrrr.

Ahh ... Government run health care. My daughter has problems with her insurance coverage as well. She is a Navy wife that does not live on a base. The government is CONSTANTLY jerking her around - more hoops to jump through - more forms to fill out.

People want government run health care for the whole country. I see how the government handles all of the other things they are in charge of ... taxes, the military, social security. I just really DON'T want those same bone heads (no matter WHAT party they affiliate with) in charge of my health.