To the editor:
Watching and listening to the health care debate is very hurtful and frustrating. The numbers of Americans that are ill, underinsured or not insured at all appear to be voiceless and ignored in this debate. To find oneself in this position is degrading and humiliating. We remain silent so that we will not be judged for our low income, for choosing work that doesn’t pay very well even if it’s important and necessary to those who need our services. I was 36 when I was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. I had worked since I was a young boy at any job I could get my hands on. I was never afraid of work. I could never afford buying healthy insurance as an employee or when I had my own business.
Luckily for me, when the worst happened, I lost my income and became homeless, family members took me in and Maine Care kicked in. After a couple of years being penniless, I now receive a small monthly stipend. It’s not enough to live independently; I still need the largesse of my family. I can survive while I fight my medical issue. I appreciate my primary care physician and specialist who saved my life this far.
For those of us caught in this vicious cycle, we would appreciate the acknowledgement that we exist and that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Hate, misrepresentation, fear-mongering, threats, disrespect and selfishness are not helpful.
Frenchville
