Hello DU, I'm back and I'm blaming the insurance industury for what happened to me

The insurance companies are the main reason why I lost my eye sight. Seven years ago, I had a good job working for a Satellite Television company. One day, I noticed that my eyesight was getting worse and worse. Over the next eighteen months, 3 cataract surgeries later, I lost my job. As a result, I lost my insurance.

My doctors informed me that the cataracts were coming back and it was a matter of time before I go 100% blind. In a panic, I started trying to find more insurance. Each insurance company said that I couldn't get insurance because I had a pre-existing condition. I started to loose hope and at the same time, my eye sight got worse and worse. Eventually the denials from the insurance companies forced me to wait months and eventually, I lost my eye sight in my left eye. Luckily, I did find an insurance company willing to cover me but the damage had been done. Looking back on it years later, if I had to do it all over again, I would have never left my job, especially if I knew it would cost me my eye sight.

Two weeks ago, I shared my story with the President and received a response from him. While I'm hopeful that maybe we might get a health care bill, I can't help but feel bitter at being denied insurance at a critical time that could have saved my eye sight. It left me extremely depressed and sad for almost a year. I can't tell you how many of my friends and family was worried about me. A company out of the North East, Cigna (I believe) came to my rescue and if it wasn't for that company, I would be 100% blind today and not able to be with you guys.

I took a break from Democratic underground for the last few weeks or so and now I'm back. I'm so angry and outraged particularly at the Republicans and their lobby war machine. Many of the same people I see on the news have Medicare like I do and don't realize how they are hurting it for the rest of the folks who don't have health care. I can't help but wonder if we had a system like they do in Canada or Great Brittan would I be blind today.

I am so happy you are back here and able to share that with us. I am also really sorry you lost sight of one eye. How devastating that is and it could have been prevented so easily.

I had heard that CIGNA was a good company. I just got approved for Commonwealth Care in MA and am so grateful and relieved but I had to move here from where I really wanted to be in order to get it. It is so frustrating and infuriating that the very people who have health care are against helping those who don't. They do not see the consequences or they just do not care.

I wish I could find a way to help you. I hope things get better for you and for all of us soon.

I make no apologies for my harsh language after reading your story. Miserable bastards at the insurance companies wouldn't cover you because of a pre-existing condition. That just stinks. Glad you are at least able to see out of one eye and my deepest sympathies to you. Good luck to you in the future. :hug:

Thank you for sharing your story with us, and especially for sharing it with the President. I hope it helps the cause.

Wouldn't you be covered by it?

I have written him numerous times without any acknowledgment that he even received the communication - and my daughter's story is pretty compelling.

I only received medicare due to the fact that I lost my eyesight in the first place. When I initially applied, I was expecting a long fight based on conversations I had with other relatives. TO my shock, I got approved the first try. What also pissed me off was this. I got put on medicade for like 3 weeks and then they switched me to medicare. I should have fought that decision.

As for what I did to get a response from the President, I went to whitehouse.gov and I told the same story I did above. I urged the President not to give up on a public option. I recently emailed my story to Moveon.org as well. I doubt this will happen, but it would be awesome if they used my story in one of their ads.

The problem I have with the conservatives and those Blue Dog democrats is this. It's so easy to forget that the people who voted you into office are human. I'm so envious of all of you who can come and go when you please. Who can get behind the wheel of a car and drive where ever you want. Who can see in the dark and not bump into things. Who can move around your house without having to feel where you are at. Who can walk in public without holding on to someone's arm. (On that note, I can't tell you how embarrassed I felt when I had to do that).

Some times I sit here in my room and cry because I'm limited in what I can do. The hardest thing for me is to ask for help. My friends will back that up. I don't like accepting help from people because it makes me feel undignified. So when you meet with your Senators and your congressman, please use my story to tell them that people who need health care don't wind up like me.

I'm very sorry for your situation. It's wrong that you have suffered this way, and it's wrong that our system is designed to make money for the likes of the Bill Frist family, instead of care for people like you. There's no excuse for the USA to have the worst health care system in the western world, on a dollar for dollar basis.

Canadians do it better at almost half the cost per person. Why? Because their priority is health care, not health care profit.

You say that you feel limited in what you can do, but by writing to the people in charge and getting your message out there, you are doing more than the vast majority of people with 20/20 vision can be bothered to do. Your story and fighting spirit is EXACTLY what the politicians need to hear at this time.

By applying your time and energy to this issue, you are making your voice heard clearly above the babble and lies of the RW propaganda machine. You may have lost some of your ability to see, but your inner VISION is 100%

but would it be too much trouble if you can help this post get to the greatest page? Maybe someone important can show our elected officials this or maybe someone from MSNBC will see it and use my story.

Didn't they remove that clouded tissue and replace it with an implanted lens?

That is what they did with my Mom and my Dad when they had cataract surgery. Dad's surgeries were a few years ago, and my mom just had both her eyes done in the last six months--so this is not a new technique or anything unusual.

I'd seriously suggest you might want to consult with a different eye Doctor.



Laura

It was an option I would go. As it stands right now, the only hope I have of getting my vision back is through stem cell research.

the cataracts, that is, might be that smoking a little herb now and again can help. It was one of the first "medicinal values" touted, and i personally know one person who couldn't live pain-free without it (MS). Degenerative disorders suck. I have IBS and manage mostly without too many horrific days, but when it gets REALLY bad, smoking helps.

:shrug:

is if you have 3 eyes.

I think the poster is mistaking the condition for something else

:grouphug: for loyalkydem