A Real Pain In The Ass

Even though having an artificial hip, bad back and neurological pain in my feet and legs was frightening and overwhelming, I understood that what had been making my life a living hell and would continue to do so was pain. I couldn't do anything to completely remedy my disabilities but I could remedy the pain, and I could make sure that how my disabilities were affecting my life would change. But this turned out to be the hardest battle of all.

Health care in the U.S. sucks. Let's make no bones about it. HMOs really suck. It's a scam. The pharmaceutical industry is in bed with the politicians and the medical industry is caught in between. Giant corporations, who are in bed with the insurance companies, own hospitals and the patients are caught in between. Neither doctors nor patients have the power to change this heinous system, so the doctors aren't able to help the patients who don't have enough money to pay for their services directly out of their pockets.

I knew all of this in the abstract, but now I know it personally. I have exhausted what I can get out of my HMO (Pacificare) and my HMO doctors won't help me any further than they have. I can no longer get the medication, which has helped me cope with my pain, and the medication they want to give me has side effects I am not prepared to endure. My HMO does not cover the physical therapy I need to help me overcome my pain and strengthen my body even as it falls apart. My HMO does not cover the physical therapy I need to help me overcome my pain and strengthen my body even as it falls apart.