Letter for health care

This I sent out to people that I thought could make a difference. The President of the US, his Vice President, Senator Collins, and Snowe, as well as Congresswoman Pingree, Gov Baldacci, and media contacts. The only one that has responded up till this posting at all, was Congress Woman Pingree with a generic letter.

09.14.09 From: David L. Storer 379 Cumberland Ave #1 Portland, ME 04101 207.415.3188 NatureDudeME@yahoo.com To: All listed below, I will try to make my point, while keeping this as short as possible. I am writing because of the health reform that is being attempted, and think its time to share my story, as well as time for you, to support it. I am a Maine born and raised, Army Veteran, who lives now with Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Depression and other things relating from a surgery in Scottsdale, AZ, after my family practice Doctor (Dr. Lawrence Kramer), misdiagnosed me, and sent me home on bed rest, medicated me with something I was allergic to. A lot of this has been told to me, because I do not remember this time well. May 2000, I ended up in the ER at Scottsdale memorial hospital, in AZ where I lived at the time. My lips, fingers, toes were blue, I could hardly breath. I was quarantined, made stable, then they did the Radical Thoracotomy to my left lung, and Thoracic region, due to an Empyema/infection. Causing spine, nerve, and muscle damage. At first they thought it was HIV, then it was bacteria from my mouth, they continued to list many things. 3 months after my release, they said it was Valley Fever. I am still unsure to this day. I was sent home, I could not walk, toilet myself, feed myself, and was told I would be lucky to make it 6 months. I received no Occupational Therapy, no Physical Therapy, or other services. A friend of mine, lugged me out of the wheel chair at the hospital, drove me home, lugged me inside, and cared for me, until I could care for myself, giving up his own job, and life to do so. I was told by Dr. Kramer, that my insurance (Aetna) would not cover x-rays, so he could diagnose me, I was told by him also that my insurance did not cover the services (I felt I needed) because of the diagnosis. It was in those crucial days, weeks and months that might have made my life worth living, or at least, less painful. When I was up and around weeks later, and at work for 1-2 hours a day, he admitted that he "dropped the ball", that it was his fault, and he did not ask for these services, because it came out of his bottom line. He thought I was dieing, and would not be around to do anything. Not like it mattered, in AZ its very difficult to find someone to help, a lawyer to sue, not even the medical license place was any help. My friends boxed me up, and help me get home to Maine to Die. My job that transfered me, refused the transfer once I got to Maine, My Family refused me, I got a job, tried to work, I stayed with a friend that ended up kicking me out, because he could not tolerate me being in pain. I lived in a Tent for a month, then someone at work help me find an apartment, then 1 month later, the job, decided they could not tolerate me working there in this much pain. I isolate, am very private, can not even think what will happen this afternoon, everything is gone, except pain. I live on Social Security Disability, Medicare, Housing. No help from the VA. I "make too much" for medicaid, for anymore than a small amount of food stamps ($14.00), all of my dreams, wants, even needs are gone. I do not take somethings because I can not afford them, DHS has all these loop holes to go though to even try to cover anything, and still if I do what they say is needed it changes, or too much time has passed. I can have a personal care attendant, but there is no money to pay one. Any devices I need I have to buy. No dental care, no eye glass care, limited on appointments for anything, while watching people flock to Maine for services, I can not not receive, but they get with in minutes of arriving in Maine. I could go on, but I wont. I am asking that you all, support President Obama's Health Care Reform. As it is now, Insurance is for profit, not for the health of Americans. This reform is the closest thing to what we need, like what those in Government office get. I hang on, hope, wait, and it cost ME personally with every breath. PLEASE see what our current health care is costing Americans. Give someone like me a chance to have dreams again, breath, live, think, feel with less pain, and possibly be able to work again as well. PLEASE!!!!!! Thank you and Sincerely, David L. Storer cc President Barack Obama Vice President J. Biden US Sen: O. Snow US Sen: S. Collins US Rep: C. Pingree Gov: J. Baldacci Valley Fever Story: http://valleyfeversurvivor.com/vfsmb/viewtopic.php?t=116