The Fellow Down the Hallway is Me, He is YOU: The Need for Nationalized Health Care

The Fellow Down the Hallway is Me, He is YOU: The Need for Nationalized Health Care
by
Robin Hall


I live in public housing, just like "Jim", the fellow down the hallway. I will soon be his age. He has recently become unable to realize he is peeing in his pants, or worse.

There is no one to tend to "Jim". No family or friends because sometimes we outlive them all or they don't want us.

There is no nurse or social worker either to guide "Jim" as he passes through the very natural stages at the end of his life.

Each and every one of us here at Chester C. Powell Apartments and all the other public housing units around the country is a heartbeat, a small stroke or coronary event away from the grave or worse, a low rent nursing home.

When we are young and sometimes prettier, this part of life is easy to ignore.

Few of us understand the need to save the enormous amount of money we will require for our own care as a senior. Few have the money TO save, especially the disabled, like me.

Especially too, the working poor.

Even active middle income folks usually ignore this desperate failing in our medical and insurance systems.

We need decent nationalized public health care. We need it now. Keep this in mind when you go to the polls: its YOUR future you are voting for.

"Oh shit, Robin, its too fucking expensive to vote in Health Care for all."

Well, Jack or Jill, unless you are a close relative to Bill or other rich folks, its going to be your turn one day and it could be sooner than you think.

A tiny stroke, a drunk driver, some exotic bird disease or the like and you will be needing what you just voted NOT to have.

We do not have to make decent health care perfect before its voted in.

Think this through, vote it in and keep making it more efficient over the years, till YOU need it.

Our President Bill Clinton tried to make this happen. Today others are trying. Let them have their way.

Vote FOR national health care for ALL of our citizens before its too late for "Jim", or Robin.

Vote FOR national health care for ALL before its YOU that is the fellow down the hallway with no one to care.