As I write this, even as you read it, I am dying. Of what exactly, only time will tell, but rest assured my time is coming. Please, celebrate accordingly.
Even with two part-time jobs, making ends meet is tough. Priorities come into focus, while the desire to grow my comic book collection is forced to take a hiatus. No longer does “going out” factor into the equation of what I’m going to do each day. In short, I eat a lot of spaghetti and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
In large part, many of the luxuries I do without are not missed or fawned after with too much of my time and energy. While a newer, sleeker model car would be nice, I happen to prefer the relationship I’ve cultivated with my 2002 Toyota Corolla.
As frustrating as the costs associated with higher learning are, I know (I hope at least) that this is all a means to an end of some kind. Finding new and exciting ways to pay my bills, to pay tuition, has become somewhat of a game to me. Can I finish my degree before I’m swallowed whole by rising costs, by increased interest rates or boredom? Again, only time will tell.
Even though it feels like I’m hemorrhaging money, I take solace in the fact that at least a few of my dollars are reintegrated into the community that I am apart of, both locally and nationally.
What I can’t stand, however, is the notion that I am somehow wasting both my time and money. Admittedly, I’ve spent both in a variety of questionable endeavors, but in many of those cases, I did so voluntarily.
In many respects, I feel that I am a decent enough shopper, though my weekends aren’t spent cutting coupons (not that there is anything wrong with that). As a capable contributor to capitalism and the free market, all I want is a little consideration to my situation.
Recently I went out of my way to purchase a window of health insurance. Nothing fancy, just enough to off-set some of the cost of simply having a licensed practitioner look me over and either give me a clean bill of health, or not.
While the Supreme Court ponders the legality and future of President Obama’s universal health care plan, I am merely looking to have a routine physical of sorts. Have blood taken and tested, have my ears and eyes looked at (closely) with a small, pen-sized flashlight. I’m even open to turning my head and coughing.
Depending on how it goes after my blood pressure is taken and after I say “ah,” I will act accordingly.
But as I found recently, having insurance and having the willingness to perform as needed for a doctor or nurse to give me their findings isn’t enough.
After I waited an hour from my initial appointment time, neither my ears nor eyes were examined. No reflexes tested. No blood drawn. Instead, I filled out paperwork and answered the same string of questions that I always have, that many of us have. In the end, I was told that, if my licensed practitioner warranted an exam, a physical or test of any kind, they would let me know.
It’s freighting that I can go to any fast-food restaurant and not be second-guessed on my order, but going to a doctor for a routine, preventative test is.
Regardless of where you stand on the health care debate/debacle, regardless of what the Supreme Court determines to be constitutional or not, having a system in place that logically addresses the needs of the patients seems only fair. Particularly because we’re paying for it, one way or another.
Reach the reporter at jbfortne@asu.edu
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