Dear McCain, My Mother Had The Same Brain Tumor You Have

This is my mom.  She died of a glioblastoma – the similar mind tumor Senator John McCain was once simply recognized with – on January 10, 2015. It was once virtually six months when they discovered and got rid of *maximum of it. This image was once taken proper after that operation.

Although my mother had the similar prognosis as McCain there may be one essential distinction between them.  She didn’t have insurance coverage and, as a result of she lived in Florida, she didn’t have Medicaid both.

She had fallen on exhausting occasions – in fact, she without end lived in exhausting occasions on account of psychological well being problems – so she labored at a laundromat and made sufficient to be self-sufficient.  Self-sufficiency wasn’t essentially one thing she was once excellent at however she was once doing k at it on the time. That was once what my brother instructed me, a minimum of; I hadn’t talked to her in two years.

My brother is the person who pressured her to visit the emergency room.  She hadn’t been making sense for a pair months, in keeping with him.  But on that day he discovered her babbling at the ground in her sizzling potency – the AC was once damaged and it was once summer season in South Florida.

It was once on the sanatorium that they discovered it – this fatal mind tumor that steals away your lifestyles, your soul, you in a blink of a watch.  My brother known as and instructed me what was once occurring; I threw on my “let’s fix it” emotional armor and headed to the sanatorium. From that time on I used to be her caretaker and I had no thought what to do.

The trust that getting access to emergency room products and services counts as getting access to well being care doesn’t cross muster.  After the emergency is over, then what?  What are you intended to do?

Just like John McCain, my mom had the glioblastoma got rid of and was once prescribed radiation and chemotherapy.  But, she didn’t have insurance coverage so she may no longer apply via with the remedy.

No one afflicted (no longer even the sanatorium social employee) to present me essential data like having a glioblastoma is one in every of 88 illnesses that robotically qualifies you for Medicaid.  I needed to determine that out for myself. It took me virtually 3 months to get her authorized.

Unfortunately, sooner than the ones 3 months had handed, she had had every other emergency sanatorium discuss with because of irritation in her mind.  The steroids they put her on made her acquire a ton of weight and she or he didn’t seem like herself.  I believe this was once exhausting on her; she at all times cared about her seems to be and attached it fairly to her sense of self esteem. The power and hope that she had proper after her craniotomy was once long past and she or he was once shedding her thoughts.

My mom was once fortunate sufficient to be authorized right into a scientific trial program on the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. It is appearing promising effects and strangely Medicaid authorized it.  But she wouldn’t pass.  I couldn’t even get her to visit the radiation oncologist.  

I will be able to’t let you know what number of appointments I needed to cancel.  Every day I might say, “You are going today.” Every day there was once a special reason she couldn’t pass however the actual reason why that she wouldn’t pass was once that she was once scared.  She concept they have been killing her.  She concept I used to be looking to kill her.  

The paranoia grew and far of the time it was once directed at me. It was once episodic in the beginning, however in opposition to the tip become a lot more common. I must had been extra tolerant on the time. When I consider it now, I will be able to’t believe being that scared.  

I’m hoping that Senator McCain’s ultimate days aren’t like that; I wouldn’t want that on any individual.

Those months would had been other if she had had medical health insurance.  I might have recognized what to do, and if I didn’t, I might have recognized who to name to invite.  Who is aware of, if she had insurance coverage perhaps she would have long past to the physician so much quicker slightly than finishing up within the emergency room.  

I notice that most likely she nonetheless do not have had that lengthy to reside.  But, most likely what time she did have would had been longer, would had been more straightforward, would had been extra delightful for her.  Maybe she would had been ready to comprehend her grandchildren.  Maybe – simply perhaps – she wouldn’t had been so nervous.

In the tip, it was once in fact Medicaid that allowed her to die in peace.  I used to be ready to position her in hospice on account of Medicaid.  As exhausting because it was once to peer her snoozing 24 hours an afternoon from drugs, it was once higher than her being aware whilst going utterly loopy.

Not having insurance coverage quickened my mom’s demise and having Medicaid made it more straightforward for her to die.

That is my mom’s glioblastoma tale. Senator John McCain’s glioblastoma tale can be hugely other as a result of he has medical health insurance.  And, don’t get me mistaken, I’m so satisfied he does.  I’m satisfied for him and for his circle of relatives.  

It has been 3 years since her prognosis, two and a part years since her demise.  I’ve [surprisingly] develop into an activist protesting law that can take well being care from hundreds of thousands of other folks put forth by way of John McCain’s personal celebration.  

With most effective 12,000 other folks recognized with the tumor a 12 months, no longer many of us perceive what the senator is up towards. I do.  Perhaps there’s a reason why for that; most likely I’m intended to inform this tale.

Health care is a proper, no longer a privilege.  Dying of most cancers gracefully must be a proper, no longer a privilege.

John McCain has been in Congress a very long time and he is likely one of the most useful legislators in D.C.  He has the facility to offer protection to other folks from having the similar enjoy as my mom, I simply hope he makes use of it.

Originally printed on ProgressiveNationWNC.org.