I just posted a blog on Huffington about this. Most of us know people who have had health challenges in their youth. At the age of 30, I was unfortunate to find a lump but fortunate to have had the health care coverage to allow me to find the best doctors. They saved my life.
While we muck about with the problems of signing up for Obamacare, frustration is growing. Add to this the tendency for so many in the press to focus on the negative — all that has gone wrong and could go wrong in the future — and lives are being put at risk. Senators and Congressman are busily pointing fingers while young people already inclined to think they’re invincible, walk away from the only hope they’ll have if they become ill.
You would think that after the CBS 60 Minutes apology for sloppy reporting about Benghazi, other “journalists” would be endeavoring to get their facts straight. You would think that most of them would understand the dangerous repercussions of providing constant doom-and-gloom scenarios. The result may well be young people with serious illnesses unable to get the care they need to survive.
When young people fall seriously ill, multiple people suffer. Family members worry and if the patient does not have healthcare, they often spend whatever they have to save their loved one’s life. It’s irresponsible to not remind those who think they can do without health insurance that their decision to take a risk takes a risk for everyone who cares about them.
It’s time to get that message out before it’s too late. We’d all like to deny that we’re vulnerable rather than invincible. Young people are particularly prone to that fiction, especially if they feel good. Those of us who have seen the sharp curves life can present should be getting the message out that youth is not adequate illness prevention. And saving money on healthcare is shortsighted at best.
I was diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s. Lymphoma in July of 1981 at age 30 the previous October I had felt swollen lymph glands in my neck and under my chin
at this time my mother was in a hospital bed in her house dying.I had taken her to a ENT for a metasis
To her throat . Months later I went to the same physician. For the swollen nodes he prescribed an antibiotic which did not work he then gave me
Some steroids which did not help he said don’t worry its probably a virus he may thought since my mom had cancer in the neck I felt I had it also at that
Time I told him I thought I.had lymphoma he said I didn’t so I went on with my life taking care of my mom she died in Jan 1981 in July of that year I had nodes near my clavicle. Went back to him he suggestedsteroids again I insisted on a biopsy and informed I would call another physician. He did a biopsy it was lymphoma I had worked with him Iin surgery. As did my mom I felt his judgement and diagnostic skills were poor he could not see the Forrest because of the trees. How unfortunately. For me
bibiopsy and I had lymphoma stage three
Valerie: I was sorry to hear you went through this. It’s very good of you to share it and help other people avoid the loss of time that comes with misdiagnosis. Having experienced it as well and therefore needing much more radical treatment, I know, too, how important it is to get a second opinion as soon as possible. I hope you’re doing well. Kathleen