Todd (and the shelter cat) in Bucyrus, Ohio
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare
Todd’s a forklift operator and has generally been very healthy. He once had foot surgery but had insurance. He believes that hospitals gouge people because there's, “No healthcare system in place, no choice, and so they can overcharge those who pay, especially if out-of-pocket.”
I observed an interesting story with the cat, a metaphorical commentary on how our healthcare system treats people. It turns out the cat is near death with a urinary tract infection. He could not urinate for days and the vet told them that the pet, quiet hiding the entire time I was there, could die any day now. As I got ready to leave, I suddenly heard some desperate moaning, followed by a piercing yelp. I turned around to see the cat urinating right on the floor in front of his food. “Looks like he'll live another day,” said Todd, standing over the now exhausted cat. Todd looked over at me and added, “If he wasn't so sick, I’d slap him for peeing on the floor.”
It’s tragically ironic that with people, so many stories play out exactly the opposite: people get slapped around precisely because they ARE sick.
No comments:
Post a Comment