Paying to Survive (Day 6 of 30 Days of Truth)

Day 6 – Something you hope you never have to do.

I never want to have to deal with another serious/chronic/autoimmune/terminal illness. Not in a family member, not in a friend, not in myself. It is so draining, in every way.

One thing I don’t understand is the cost of medication. And treatment, for that matter. It makes no sense. How could it cost so much money for a person to preserve life?! Governments intervene to regulate the prices of bread basket items, seemingly because we need them to live. What about medicine? What about treatments like chemotherapy? What about rehabilitation? How does it cost thousands and thousands of dollar to preserve life? To treat illnesses, to ease symptoms, to slow the decline… Why?

I’d rather not have to deal with illness in anyone close to me. It’s a difficult, trying time. Coming to terms with the diagnosis, learning about the condition, reviewing treatment options, finding the money, fighting insurance companies, getting emotional support, preventing relapses, raising awareness. There’s so much involved in it. At the end of the day, we do what we must. We do the best we can with what we have. We try to get what we don’t have, but realize we need. It feels like a never-ending game of tug-of-war. But we do it. When we have to. Because we have to. I don’t want to have to. But I will. If I do. But I hope I don’t. Ever again.