Got Insurance??

I find the entire Health Care Debate depressing as hell.

I just had the mother of all health care scares. In late August, I went to the Doctor for a routine check under the hood exam. As the doctor was prodding and poking, he asked if anyone had ever told me I had a heart murmur. My response was a shocked "NO".

"Just to be sure" he scheduled me for a stress echocardiogram and a boatload of blood work. On the appointed day, I had my blood drawn, ran like the devil on the treadmill, had tons of goo spread on my chest and cautiously awaited "the call".

In the mean time, everyone I know told me the horror stories of open heart surgery to correct a heart murmur, no caffeine, no spicy food, no exercise. What an awful 2 weeks.

To top it all off, I found out right before my follow-up appointment, that my job ends September 30 and with it, my health insurance. Needless to say, I spent several sleepless nights wondering how in hell I would cope with a heart murmur, surgery, etc, without insurance.

The morning of my follow-up was mild and beautiful. I had had no "call" informing me that I was sick as a dog, so I was hopeful that my tests came back all normal. But, still I sweated a bit as I waited for the doctor to come in and give me the news.

The upside? No heart murmur. But I am anemic and have low thyroid. Both of which he prescribed medication. I asked him to be extra generous with the meds, since I don't know when I'll have insurance again - and the office visit, sans insurance, runs about $70.00 plus the bloodwork. He wanted to see me in 2 months, but stretched it to 3 since I kept reminding him of the "insurance" issue.

So, the deal we brokered is that if I miraculously get insured again within the next 2 months, I'll be back sooner, if not, I'll be back in 3 months, bite the bullet, have blood drawn, see him - pay for it - out of whatever funds I possess and hope I don't need more meds. But if I do, then I guess I'll have to try to talk him into 6 months.

I know I am lucky. I don't have a pressing need for surgery, or whatever, but still I feel all squidgy inside. What will the next 3 months hold? Will I find a job with insurance?? Will a public option finally end up on the table so I can partake? Or, will Max Baucus force me to pay boatloads for insurance I can't afford and be held hostage to the insurance companies with no recourse?

God, what depressing choices.

Taken in again

About 3 months ago, I was approached by a very clean cut young man hesitantly asking me on a date. Since I hadn't dated in a while, I was a bit taken aback, but open to the idea. Having been burned before, I am a big believer in taking things slow and seeing where they lead. So, after a couple of Sunday mornings in the park, we went to lunch. I thought everything went pretty well until he started talking about porn and his home movies. I am not a prude, but somehow, finding out that his idea of a good time was to film himself and "whoever" doing the deed didn't sit well with me, and I asked if we could leave "porn" and such off the table. He got huffy and stomped off.

Some other red flags? He made sure to mention that he had an 18 month old son, for whom he had sole custody. He was "divorced" his ex had just gotten out of a mental institution. Oh, yes, he was an admitted "sex addict" And the kicker? He wanted to know when we were going to get serious and have sex. He couched it in terms of marriage - "I can't think of marrying anyone I haven't had sex with" and such. When I told him I wasn't prepared to have a set date for sex, he asked if I minded if we weren't exclusive.

Now, a smarter woman than I should have caught on much earlier that this was not a good situation. But, as I said, I hadn't dated in a while and was a bit hungry, if you know what I mean. But caution kept me from making too many mistakes, thank God! He cancelled, what was supposed to be our next meeting the night before citing "babysitter issues". Of course, my caller ID told that he called from out of town, so that story was suspect. Then a few days later I received the "James Bond" email. In this email he talked of "all the positive changes he was going through and would tell me about them A.S.A.P." - Then dead silence.

I happened to be searching the web for his name and stumbled onto the fact that he is still married.

I felt like a tool for most of the past few months as his story kept changing and altering and I couldn't quite break away. Now, however, I hope he chokes on his deceit.

So, I am a bit sadder, but wiser - again. No matter what, it was good to fell attractive and desireable again. For that I do thank him. And I am glad my caution kept me from making a dreadful decision, and just possibly an STD!! What a tool!