I Talk to People

I talk to people. What I don't understand is how some people can accept ANYTHING that infringes upon another person's freedom simply because they benefit from the law or policy. I prefer to err on the side of freedom, the side of the constitution.

On a recent trip to Asheville, NC (aka Liberalville, USA) we had a woman approach our 1999 Suburban to talk to us and hand me a note. She felt if we heard her woes, we would certainly come to love Obamacare. She said she had some preexisting health conditions and until Obamacare, she could not get insurance. That's a flat out lie, because while Obamacare forced insurance providers to pay for preexisting conditions in children in 2010, Adult preexisting coverage is not mandated under the law until 2014. See the government's own website here. It even includes videos of President Obama talking about Obamacare.

 She handed me the note, told me a bit....and I think she was shocked when I got out and told her my name and a bit about the life-threatening, chronic illnesses my boys have. I think she was expecting that we could never have any medical issues and be opposed to Obamacare. I really believe she felt she was on some sort of moral high ground and she was going to set us straight. If only we big, bad conservatives knew what real people deal with, if only we knew that people have real medical problems, then we would change our minds. She was going to BE that person. I don't think she ever considered that the anti-Obama message on our Suburban could be displayed by a family who spends lots of time in and around hospitals.

 If ever there was a time to have a camera implanted in my forehead, this would be it. To capture the utter shock on her face when I told her our story! I don't think it ever occurred to her that there are people out here who do not live based on situational ethics. I don't think it ever occurred to her that there are people out here who would never infringe upon another person's personal freedom for their own gain. It is not the government's responsibility to pay for my children's medical care. It is not your responsibility. The government does not have the right to put a gun to your head (taxes) and force you to pay for the healthcare my boys receive. She must have been writing the letter when we walked up. Here is her unfinished letter:

When we spoke, I had not read her letter, so I only responded to her verbal announcements. My reply to her letter would be:

 Dear Lauren,

 My name is Pattie. I am an ex-Army officer (who was also enlisted for many years), used to be social worker and stay at home, homeschooling mom. We live on one income and support two chronically ill children. This year, we have already paid out over $5,000 in out of pocket medical expenses and that doesn't included my two boys' upcoming bone marrow biopsies. My youngest has had several resistant infections and currently battling a resistant infection for the past four months. In the last 16 years, we have not had one year without at least two surgical procedures minimum... sometimes we've had six. So, as you can see, we can fully appreciate that you have preexisting health conditions. You are not alone.

 I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the adult preexisting condition coverage under Obamacare doesn't kick in until 2014. So, it wasn't Obamacare that helped you. I am sure $250 a month is difficult for you. Our monthly premiums are over $1300 for our family. Again, we can appreciate the cost of health insurance.

You just thought you would "show us", right? You didn't know you were walking up on a family with astronomical medical bills-- most years we pay at least $20,000 in out of pocket medical expenses. You never dreamed that an old, beat up 1999 Suburban with "repeal Obamacare" and "Stop Obama's HHS Mandate" would tote a family with special needs kids around. You trotted over on your moral high ground to lecture us and I hope YOU received an education.

We do not live by situational ethics. We would never dream of forcing people by way of big government to pay for our children's medical care. We would never strip people of freedom for our gain. No, we are not rich. We owe thousands and thousands in medical bills with more rolling in daily.

My husband was laid off for nine months and he never drew unemployment. We paid $1100 a month in COBRA each month that he was laid off, so we can understand your employment plight, too. 

Lauren, we know what it is like living with kids that could develop leukemia at any time-- they have myelodysplastic marrow because they have a genetic bone marrow failure syndrome called Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. They also have secondary mitochondrial disease. My youngest son does a medical procedure at home every 4 hours and we have home delivery of medical supplies and specialty pharmacy medications. You own your own business and we hope our boys are healthy enough when they are older to do the same. I hope you learned something from our encounter today. I didn't start it, but I hope your ego was brought down a few notches.

Sincerely,
Pattie