Gosh, my arm hurts. I had my 1 hour pregnancy glucose test done yesterday, and for some reason my arm really hurts today where the blood was drawn. Some people are just better at taking blood than others. Argh.
We had to take my Grandma to an appointment at the hospital anyway, so I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and do my glucose test while she was in her appointment. I had to giggle when I had to give a urine sample and had two little boys in there with me. Their eyes were glued to Momma peeing in a cup, and they were very impressed with the lab tech’s little door we put the sample in. They were eyeing up my glucose drink very longingly. I can only imagine how high they’d be jumping after drinking that! Blech!
There are so many tests and screenings involved in routine pregnancy care that those alone make me so happy to have good individual health insurance. I shudder to think of how much one would have to pay out of pocket for those types of things. And really, a lot of people probably wouldn’t afford to be able to get them all done. Birth alone is so dang expensive.
My Gramma has to pay a lot of money for her many prescriptions and it’s only co-pays because she has Medicare. It’s no exaggeration to say that she would not be able to live if she did not have health insurance - there would be no way she would be able to pay for her prescriptions, let alone her many doctor’s visists, and without them she would die.
I have talked to friends without insurance, or without good insurance (and there is definitely a difference between insurance companies) who have so many dollars worth of medical bills that they really have to weigh whether to take their kids to the Ped or not when they’re sick. (Obviously if they’re very sick it’s not a question, but I know I’ve taken my kids when I was just a little anxious about something, not worrying how much it would cost me because I knew I would only have the co-pay.)
Health reform is one of the things I am most interested in politically. It needs reformed without a shadow of a doubt. I am so grateful I am so blessed that I do not have to question or worry, but for every person like me there is someone that doesn’t have that peace. It’s a shame when health care is a luxury.
2 comments ↓
I have had the same fears in my life about when I can go or take my kids to the Dr’s. It really is sickening to think that just because my hubby was self employed that we didn’t qualify for state health care or that we could not afford the premiums for purchasing out own private ins. I am all about some sort of health care reform but I think that with all of the other problems that we are having with this country at the moment we should be very careful about oh what do they call it ….. the free health care for all in the country like they do in Europe and Canada. I hope that you know what I am talking about. From what I have heard the health care there is really lacking and lots of people die from inadequate procedures. I hope that there is some happy medium.
That is why I’m so thankful I live in Canada. Anyone can get medicare, and it covers sooo much! Unfortunately not prescriptions…but hopefully we will have some more health coverage soon.