Why all the posts about the election?

The title to my blog says ‘Stories of cancer and beyond.’ However, given the nature of my last three posts, it might appear that I have moved beyond cancer and into a political world. Actually, cancer is in my life more than ever and it is one of the reasons I am so interested in this election. As the saying goes, ‘the personal has become political.’

Basically, I am passionate about the need to change our health care system. I am fortunate in that I have great insurance through David’s work. Even with health insurance, we have spent $2,026 on my care. This is nothing compared to the full cost of my care. According to the insurance receipts, the full cost of my treatment to date is $161,419. I look at this figure and my heart skips a beat. I am ever so thankful that we have insurance. Not everyone is so lucky. Nearly 45 million Americans lack health insurance and about 16 million more are underinsured.

Now think about the 1.4 million people that were diagnosed with cancer last year that are among the noninsured or underinsured. When I was first told that I had cancer after my biopsy at Baylor in Dallas, I was numb to my own situation. Instead, I was sad for all the other people that had cancer that didn’t have health insurance. Perhaps focusing on the plight of others was a coping mechanism on my part. In time, I slowly accepted my diagnosis, but I remember the first pangs of sadness were not about me.

Beyond financial devastation, the lack of adequate insurance can mean the difference between life and death. According to a new study by the American Cancer Society, “uninsured patients are far more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage cancer than those with private insurance.” It makes sense. Those who lack insurance or who are underinsured don’t get the necessary cancer screenings or ignore symptoms until it is too late. There is a direct link between health insurance and cancer survival rates.

As for me, I will never be able to get health insurance on my own because I have a big ugly “C” stamped all over my file. I am now a member of the high-risk pool with a pre-existing condition. From a health care perspective, it seems counter intuitive that those that need health care the most are the ones denied coverage.

I have been sad recently…because I am tired of being tired, because my body aches and I walk like an old woman now, because I am worried that this cancer will come back (there is a 50-60% relapse rate), because I lost my thick eyelashes and dark eyebrows, because so many people will have to face cancer without adequate insurance. Like my Dad used to say, “this too will pass.” My personal aches and pains will go away and my hair will grow back, but I will continue to worry about our national health care system.