So I know I missed it by a couple of hours but I have lots of stories/interaction with poverty on a daily basis. Its interesting that I deal with people in poverty everyday but when I come home all I look at is houses for sale on the MLS and how I can find the one I like best with 3 beds 2 baths, a nice great room and kitchen, in the perfect schools, in the perfect location. So to put myself in a place of self examination I thought I would write about the last patient I met with today.
Today I met with a 62 year old woman that lives in an efficiency apt. She lost her house to medical bills (2 open heart surgeries in 8 months) and it broke her bank. Also because of her poor health condition she couldn't keep her job. (12 weeks is all FMLA will give you) Do you know what her job was most of her life? She took care of disabled children that were placed in group homes because their parents for whatever reason weren't taking care of them at home. A total selfless act (she did get paid but not much) Where was everyone to help her in her time of need? The wealthy building more wealth. Do you think a hospital that makes millions every year would help her? Would the government step in; in such a crisis. No, she had to give up her house and everything she knew that was hers and turn it into cash to give to a hospital. Then she got government assistance but not until she was homeless, without food, without a job, and only had the clothes on her back.
So in the efficiency I was sitting on her couch, looking at her bed and dresser and to my left was her kitchen that everything in it was a arms length. If I had to guess her life was in maybe 350 sq.ft. and that was home. BUT in all this she said to me... "if I couldn't lean on Jesus through this I wouldn't be talking to you right now." She had her faith and that made her rich.
I ask every patient I see "is there anything I can help you with..." which could be in reference to many things but her response was... "yeah, can you find me some art classes to take or anything where I can interact with others..I feel lonely"
So when you boil it down the ability to spend time with others and enjoy life is what everyone wants. I can do that so much easier than my patient because I have money to do activities and I have a car that can get me to church and to see my friends. She has to rely on people to take her everywhere (she lost her car too)
People don't understand that we could be my 62 year old patient tomorrow. She would have never thought she would spend the rest of her life with a rare heart problem. That she would lose everything in 8 months time. If she wanted she could hate the world; being honest: I would in her situation. All my patient wants is a "normal" life. What she knows as normal but she will likely never have that back. Heart conditions don't go away. The government doesn't hand out more money. Now I know there is a whole other debate on those that abuse the system. I meet them on a weekly basis as well.
What I taught my patient today was where she could turn to for assistance with food, and how to find handicap transportation, and different senior centers that don't charge money. What she taught me is that when all else fails your relationship with God may be the only thing that keeps you going.
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