Health Care and My Mom

Health Care Reform passed the House last night. It was historic and, like many, I watched all of it. It has been something that was talked about, and needed, for so long. It isn't perfect, but it is a good start.

I won't get into the incredible lack of maturity of the people who opposed it who just kept chanting the same lies. I won't get into the protests that turned so ugly. Frankly, it can be cited everywhere - with pictures, with ridiculous speeches, with spitting on people, with yelling out homophobic and racial slurs. It sounded like something out the mouths of junior high school bullies.

There are some good things that are immediate, two of which are that you can no longer be kicked off of your insurance because of pre-existing conditions, and, for Medicare D prescription coverage, there is no longer that ominous "donut hole" that was hit halfway through the year, making coverage for the rest of the year worthless.

There is much more to say, but my thoughts are elsewhere tonight. My thoughts are with my mother. In her early eighties and dealing with constant back pain for way too long, she went into surgery this morning. A surgery on an already frail lady - but one with a strong spirit and sweet personality that won over the entire hospital staff. A surgery that was originally scheduled for three hours, but went for almost six. A surgery where they discovered that much of her spine had deteriorated. A surgery that was originally scheduled for two weeks ago when I had planned on being there.

I'm glad my sister is with her, being a fantastic nurse helps a lot. I'm glad she is there with my father too, married to my mother for 60 years. But, I'm not happy that I am 2,000 miles away. After my sister called me tonight to tell me my mother was in ICU, was bloated, pale, had lost a lot of blood, had a leakage of spinal fluid, had a breathing tube, and was to remain completely still for 36 hours - I said a prayer, took a walk, and tried to keep busy. But, I knew I had to write about it.

This morning when I got up, I put on a small silver bangle bracelet she had given to me. It is one she wore for years. I wore it all day to remember what was happening...I am not going to take it off until she is better. I talked to my dad, I talked to my brother (also a long way away), and I talked to my sister. I feel better that at least this time my mother is at Duke and is under the best of care.

So, yes, I am happy Health Care Reform has passed the House. And I'm happy change of such significance has occurred. But, right now my thoughts are with my mom and my dad and how I wish I was there. And I know she will get better and I hope to get down there in the next couple of weeks...my brother helped them move, my sister is helping with the surgery, and then it will be my turn to help with the rest. My siblings are not only fantastic people, but we make a great team and realize we have great parents.

So, as the changes start to happen, and my mom gets better, maybe she too will see the significance of the bill passing. It will be a long recovery, but she will recover. And since she was one who always hit the infamous donut hole way too early in the year, maybe that is the one immediate thing she will see go away...along with the pain she put up with for way too long.