Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Black armbands for Badger, the Blogger

Nothing in my own life is worth blogging about today. I've tasted the horror of losing everything to cancer, and been lucky, so far.

Via Sills Bend, I learn of Badger the Blogger.

Badger is a US graduate student. Her husband was diagnosed with liver cancer.

There has been an online campaign to raise money for their medical bills, because they are under the unspeakably revolting US medical system, so having liver cancer entitles you to bankruptcy. Melbourne's Laura is helping out.

Read Badger's chronicle of the successive worst days of her life. She knows there's more to come.

Today is the worst day of Badger's life. And her son's.

Sometimes it feels trite to console people you don't know, but I think there's something in blogging that means we appreciate everyone who stops and thinks about our pain, and takes the time to leave a message. I know I do, and I've never been where Badger is.

If you are up to it, leave her some love.

Fuck life is a dirty bastard.

UPDATE: So are people who support two-tiered medical apartheid. I've been reading more of Badger's story, about how they'd taken medical insurance but it wouldn't cover a liver transplant, and the government told them to truck off and die, and how she couldn't even get his prescription filled because they were not rich enough to deserve treatment.

The same so-and-sos who support, implement, and defend this vile system go absolutely nuts when it comes to removing the feeding tube from someone who's been a vegetable for years.

So angry.

Happy armaniac returns tomorrow.

5 comments:

lucy tartan said...

You said it. You said it.

BwcaBrownie said...

armaniac I did a pointer from G A P to your post after I spent an hour reading Badgerings and Academic Coach. How frightening to have a US$79,000 debt added to one's personal grief. Coming soon to State 52.

Armagnac Esq said...

Thanks brownls! It's awful isn't it...?

Scrivener said...

Absolute agreement from me. What I can't figure out is why average Americans are so attached to our health care system, which is just abysmal.

BwcaBrownie said...

Went to Badgerings to leave her some love as suggested and found that 177 other bloggers have done so. Now I am NOT talking about the late Mr Badger here, but Scrivener: is it possible that all health care systems are abysmal and we have to ask ourselves 'where is it written that we deserve health help?' life is a jungle and we are a tribe of savages. So many people abuse their bodies and then squawk for instant top level assistance for the result.
and while we are getting medical I have to confess I just love Grey's Anatomy - is it The West Wing of the hospital or not?.