lucky and unlucky

[ProfessorPlum]

I got a diagnosis of cancer less than two weeks ago. I was rushed through the diagnostics needed to start treatment and began chemotherapy last week. I'm very lucky - the cancer is a curable kind, my doctors are among the best in the world, and my work-provided insurance will cover nearly everything.

and yet, facing this, being sick for the next half a year, losing my hair, trying to work enough to keep my bosses happy in between naps and treatments ... I can't help but think about all of my friends and family members, acquaintances, all the people for whom this diagnosis would not only be a nightmare, but a financial ruin as well. The guilt, the fear, would be overwhelming, on top of everything else that needs to be overcome.

why do we allow our government and corporations to do this to us? It is inhuman and sickening.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. *hugs* Heal quickly and well! You are so right

about how fubar it all is here. My family lives in fear of illness and accident.

[BSdetect]

2. May Karma be with you.

[malaise]

3. Get well soon

[ProfessorPlum]

11. thank you malaise

[ProfessorPlum]

4. thank you

I'm so very touched ... lucky again to have this community

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yes I have read that over half of all bankruptcies are due to medial expenses.

Just unfathomable that critically ill people have to deal with losing everything.
I know, why do we allow our greedy government and corporations to treat us like this?

It is very commendable of you Professor Plum to be thinking of others when you
are facing your own difficult times. I wish you a full and complete recovery.

[babylonsister]

6. I will be sending healing thoughts, Prof.

I'm glad you'll be taken care of, and you are so right about those who are in more dire circumstances, compliments of creeps who just don't care.

[ProfessorPlum]

9. thank you babylonsister

I'm so lucky to have an amazing family, especially my wife. But to think about being stripped by vultures during this time would be enough to break a person.

[BigmanPigman]

7. I KNOW!

I am not as pissed off about dying as I am about the health insur and financial aspects that is the reality of the situation. I am going to lose all my crummy teacher savings to pay for my healthcare (ACA with tax credits) and that won't make a dent in the bills I expect to have before I eventually die. What really pissed me off is the fact that my 83 year old parents will lose their savings and my sister will end up using her family's too. I am OK with dying (really...my little dog is almost 15 so I am glad I will be around for her sake). I just don't want the SEVERE pain that goes with it. Even morphine isn't strong enough and I can't take it everyday and need a series of expensive surgeries to get rid of it temporarily. My goal is to see the fucking moron and his family sent to jail for life, the GOP to go down in flames at the midterms and then I can die in peace. That's why I am being very active reisting this political nightmare now while I still can.

[ProfessorPlum]

8. now you've got me crying

my heart goes out to you, that must be terrible. I'm so sorry

[BigmanPigman]

12. Like I said, it's OK.

I see the silver lining to it. I won't have to watch what's left of my country go down the tubes or see the planet suffer through Climate Change. I don't have kids (by choice long ago) and my parents have had a long, good life. I feel badly for my sister being the only one left now since we were going to share the care of them. That part sucks and the pain (not a fan of it).

[irisblue]

10. It speaks to your chatacter

That in this time of your crisis, you have the ability to inaging someone elses' pain.