I thought about my title being “Health in General,” but
realized there is nothing general about it.
It is not a one size fits all. Health, or lack of it, is very specific,
from the individual to the family surrounding the individual, to the health
care professionals who treat the individual.
I might also add that includes the cost of staying or
getting healthy. A few months ago my mother went to the emergency room. She
told me her bill for just going through the door was over $10,000. Wow! Praise
God she has insurance and only has to pay a small portion of that bill.
I also went to the emergency room recently. I hate to see
what my bill was since I was actually admitted and had to stay in the hospital
for two nights. I’m betting we would be
able to pay off every bill we have with the cost of that illness. Again, thank
God for insurance.
I have a friend whose husband has been in the hospital for
four weeks. I think you know where I’m going with this. I have no idea what
kind of insurance they have, but I will say I hope if they have insurance there
is not a cap on it.
Wait, did they do away with caps on insurance? I need to check that out. After all, my
father reached the cap on two insurance policies in his lifetime. I seem to be
following in his footsteps, it would be good for me to know.
Now that I’ve vented on the cost of staying or getting
healthy, let me discuss my concerns over health in general. Oops, I did say health is not general. Allow
me one generalized statement.
Are we generally less healthy than we used to be? Or, do we
just have more illnesses to content with? Or, another possibility, do we have
more ways to regain our health or prolong our lives when we have potentially
life-threatening diseases?
Those are a few questions for which I have no answers. I could also add the fact that I’m getting
older, as are the members of my family and group of friends. Is that what is
playing a role in the fact that health issues seem to be touching the lives of
nearly everyone I know.
I myself have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and incurable back issues. I’m
not asking for sympathy, what I’m saying is that these issues are nothing
compared to what many others are facing.
I have a good friend with Reflex Sympathetic Disease, RSD,
and another with Multiple Sclerosis, MS. I have a few family members and
friends with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS, and Fibromyalgia. My husband is
about to have his sixth, or is it seventh, arthroscopic knee surgery for tears
in the meniscus.
In the last few months I might not be able to count the
number of people who have told me they have vertigo. I have even had attacks of
vertigo, though it has not been diagnosed because the doctor just told me to go
to the hospital. I stubbornly refused, not wanting the medical bill since we
currently have a high deductible to pay. But since I’m off the subject of the
cost of health care I will say no more on that.
My father had heart disease, as does my cousin. Though gone
now, my father survived a long time due to the technology available. For years he had a pacemaker and eventually a
defibrillator implanted for his heart. My cousin also has both.
Then there is my friend’s husband in the hospital for four
weeks after being admitted for a blood clot. Ten surgeries later he is no
closer to getting well, and they are waiting for a miracle. Which brings me to the toll of medical issues
on family.
While one family sits praying by a man’s bedside, another
takes in a mother while she recuperates from surgery. One woman fortunately has
an elderly sister to help look after her when she can’t stand or walk because
of vertigo. While someone misses work due to their illness, others pick up the
load, not always happy with the situation, making it all the more stressful
when that person returns to the job.
In my case, I recently had surgery to implant a
neurostimulator in my spine to help with the debilitating pain I get when
walking or standing too long. I chose this option as part of a plan to regain
my health. If the stimulator works as I anticipate, I will be able to be more
active because I’ll be relatively pain free. If I can be more active I can lose
weight, since diet alone has not made a lot of difference. If I lose weight I
anticipate being able to get off some of my expensive medications.
As you see, there is a lot of anticipation going on in our
house. What if what I anticipate doesn’t happen? I guess I will be no worse off
than any of the other people I’ve mentioned.
Or, the many more out there I don’t know, but read about on Facebook.
So, back to my original questions: Are we generally less
healthy than we used to be? Or, do we just have more illnesses to content with?
Or, another possibility, do we have more ways to regain our health or prolong
our lives when we have potentially life-threatening diseases?
Or, as I also wondered, is the fastest growing population of
people just getting older and suffering the perils of aging?
What do you think?
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