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The numbers are low. I had hip surgery last December, less than a year ago. The hospital bill alone was $76K for three days (including OR services). I don't know how many people have that kind of money lying around ......................
Oh honey, please learn before you speak and make yourself look wicked silly.
Yes, it had spread to my spine and bones, in addition to the general lymph node spread from the grapefruit sized mass in my chest and every lymph node on my left side from my collar bone to my groin. Cancerous lymph nodes were pushing against my lungs, against my spine (in addition to having cancerous lesions ON the spine), down my esophagus, by my stomach, and down in the groin. No, with lymphomas, stage IV does NOT mean terminal. Hodgkins Lymphoma Stage Four Prognosis | eHow.com Because it is a BLOOD CANCER, chemotherapy can be effective even after the disease has spread. The reason why Stage IV can be terminal (and, by the way, people can live with some "terminal" cancers for 10+ years - it becomes a chronic illness that needs to be managed rather than an acute event to be treated with full force at that point) in other cancers is because those types of cancer cells do not respond as well to chemo and the tumors need to be surgically removed. When cancer has spread, it becomes infinitely more difficult to get it all. With lymphoma, there is no surgery to remove tumors - chemo and radiation do all the work.
And, by the way, I'm only 24 now. I'm less than a year into remission. Even if it was terminal (and it could get to that point), there's nothing to say I wouldn't still be alive and kicking right now.
The only people I know who don't have insurance either don't want to pay for it (but could afford it) or aren't aware of programs that could help them, or, they know about the programs but don't want to use a government program. My elderly FIL refuses to use his medicare coverage... he's not a republican btw, I guess he's a libertarian.
The problem with obamacare is that it's just going to require people to buy policies... this is like solving homelessness by requiring everyone to buy a house (to quote a CD member).
The only people I know who don't have insurance either don't want to pay for it (but could afford it) or aren't aware of programs that could help them, or, they know about the programs but don't want to use a government program. My elderly FIL refuses to use his medicare coverage... he's not a republican btw, I guess he's a libertarian.
The problem with obamacare is that it's just going to require people to buy policies... this is like solving homelessness by requiring everyone to buy a house (to quote a CD member).
But under the current system, people who have homes are effectively paying the rent for people who do not. Should we not expect those people to pay their own rent?
My youngest daughter doesn't. She's getting married in March. So that will be taken care of. My oldest grandson doesn't. My other three children get insurance through their employer. My other daughter's insurance covers domestic partners. Her boyfriend is covered by hers.
You must have never meant someone with stage 4 cancer or had cancer wreck havoc on your or a family member, or dear friend's life. If you did and they had stage 4 and died immediately, then they had inadequate healthcare in most instances. My FIL had stage 4 lung cancer and lived for 8 years after his diagnosis. I have a wonderful friend who is currently fighting colon cancer. She has stage 4 as well and was diagnosed at stage 4 and if you know anything about lung and colon cancers, they are brutal and very hard to treat. My friend is still alive 5 years after her diagnosis. She has started taking a turn for the worse lately as tumors are spreading through out her lungs now but she has just started a brand new chemo and we are hoping that it will shrink her tumors and give her some more time. She is only 54 and will be a first time grandma in November and she was worried she wouldn't make it to meet her grandson.
People can and do live with stage 4 cancer and some, depending on the diagnosis have a good outlook, it depends on the type and severity. Unfortunately, I have had a few family members die of cancer and I am hoping my friend will have a few more years yet with us.
FWIW, since my friend is too young for Medicare, she is on Medicaid. Unlike what people think about Medicaid and "socialized medicine" being some sort of death sentence or doctors not taking Medicaid, she has one of the best oncologist in our area taking care of her. The chemo she is on is a clinical trial. This is her 3rd clinical trial of chemo. She has had excellent care, even she says so and has a great relationship with her doctors who all love her and want to see her continue to live with her cancer, as it cannot be cured since it is so advanced now, and have a decent quality of life. And I am happy and honored that my tax dollars are going toward her care and everyone else on Medicaid who are staring cancer and other debilitating diseases and injuries from accidents in the face and doing their best to get better and enjoy their family lives.
let's hope you don't fall and break something. What kind of preventative, holistic approach are you taking towards not getting multiple sclerosis
Or rheumatoid arthritis - another autoimmune disease.
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