Rising To The Occasion

A good friend spent six months caring for her dying husband.  She lifted him and supported him although he outweighed her by 40 pounds.  She cleaned his shit and his vomit and never complained.  I told her how much I admired her and expressed what I thought was my inability to ever do what she did.  She answered that she just did what she had to do.  I still thought it was great and something I could never handle.

This week I found out she was exactly right and our bodies do what needs to be done.  I learned to lift and after initial gagging, I learned to wipe butt and clean the uncleanable.  It still is something I would rather not do, but I rose to the occasion.  I've always respected the aides and health care workers that do this for a living, but after doing it myself my admiration has grown immensely.  These people are over worked and way under paid.  I remember hearing recently about a bill to raise their wages and the argument that people will not be able to afford them.  I don't know how we cannot pay these people, or anyone else for that matter, a living wage.  These are the people that care for our loved ones in the most intimate manner possible.  I will be employing one of these individuals soon.  Not paying properly is criminal.

Take A Good Look

Take a good look at this face. This is what could happens when there is no health care available. This is what happens when you have lung cancer that grows years without being diagnosed and without being treated.

Take a good look at these two faces. These are the two young children that will grow up without their loving grandfather, the man who adores them and they adore. This is what happens when you have no health coverage and and your undiagnosed lung cancer spreads to both of your lungs.

Take a good look at me hugging this man I love good bye. It might be the last time we see each other.

Take a good look at the handshake of these two men, the 85 year old who made the difficult trip to say good bye to the son-in-law he loves.

Take a look at this face. This is the face of the woman who loves the man who is dying. She thinks no one should be forced to pay for coverage they can't afford. She still doesn't understand that universal health care might have kept him with her longer.

Take a good look at the two of them. They love each other so much and their time together is so limited. She still is against universal America, look at the cost you are paying when you do not have health care. Is the money you are saving worth what you are losing by not having coverage?