It should not be effecting me this badly, after all, I have been living with this issue for over 30 years. I remember my Mom trying to get us in to a dentist at least once every few years, and how thrilled we were when we became eligible for Medicaid for a few months. I remember telling the Doctor at 15 that we weren't going to even discuss treatments for my severe acne - I knew we wouldn't be able to pay for the medications, and none of them were covered.

So, my family is one of the millions in the US with no access to health care. (a combination of job losses, employers dropping health care ins. and the fact that we live just above the poverty line). I'm now 38 years old, with 2 boys still at home. (My oldest is in the National Guard. He joined specifically for Education and Medical). Oh sure, if I was to have a stroke or something, I'm sure I could get treated somewhere... and spend the next 5-10 years paying the bill. 4 years ago, when I came down with Cervical cancer, I had fairly decent insurance. It cost my employer over $250 per month, and they paid almost half of the bill. Yippee. Just before that diagnosis, I was all set up with a Dentist to finally get the work done I had needed for years. We were planning for the end of the 2004-beginning of 2005 so the insurance would pay for all the work I needed. In Oct. of 2004 my employer had to drop the Dental because the rates doubled between Sept. and Oct. 6 months later, I was laid off.

After a bout of unemployment that lasted almost a year, I managed to get back to work, but at half my previous salary, and no health care.

Now my teeth have deteriorated to the point where I am very limited in what I can eat. My diet sucks because everything has to be soft or cooked to the point of mushiness. I haven't' bitten into an apple in over 5 years. (I haven't eaten a Corn-Nut in over 10. God, I miss Corn-Nuts! )
I've actually learned to muddle along... I can eat fresh carrot if I grate it first. (The celery experiment didn't turn out so well.)

Until 2 months ago, I had been able to get along in public just fine, no-one except my closest friends knew any of this.
Then one morning, I woke up to find that one of front lower incisors (the one the Dentist told me 2 years ago was dead and needed to be removed) had fallen out during the night.

Now, I've never been one of those women that has to gussy up to go to the Grocery store, never spent a whole lot of time caring what I looked like. But this... I've seen the change in the way people look at me. I'm automatically downgraded in their eyes as soon as I open my mouth, regardless of the absolute brilliance and wisdom of my words .

I spent the first few days not talking. I could hear myself slurring my s's (I'm still working on that.) I find myself not looking people in the eye when I'm talking to them, because I hate seeing their reaction. Luckily, there are a few programs where I can get some help, for slightly less cost, and I'm digging through them now. The facts are however, that my boys have not been to a dentist in 2 years, one has a cavity starting and the other is losing a cap. They will be first, then I will find a way to get myself taken care of.

but, I digress...


Sicko - I realized while watching this that things HAVE to CHANGE. NOW! My problems suck, but PEOPLE ARE DYING! So I have to eat soup and mush for the rest of my life... big freaking deal, others are DYING!

What can I do? I've been writing letters to Legislators, opeds to newspapers, and I bitch about it here. Not enough.

Starting today I will do one more small thing (in the grand scheme of things, for me it will be hard. I'm usually very shy)... When I speak to someone, I will look them in the eye. I will make sure they are face to face with the problem. I will bring up Universal Health care in every conversation possible, strangers and friends. I will ask everyone, Have you seen Sicko? How much do you pay out of pocket every year for health care? Why do we pay twice as much as every other industrialized country for such dismal, sub-par, and frequently completely unavailable "care"?


WHY??! and what are YOU going to do about it?





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