On Saturday, June 6th, I took the lead for President Obama's Public Health Plan through the Organizing for America. President Obama says we need to fix health care this year. He walks a tight rope because if he goes too left, it looks like communist medicine. If the goes too right, it looks like business has bought him out. He wants Reduced Costs, Guaranteed Choice, and Quality Affordable Health Care for all. A base minimum plan where another plan would step in for extra costs of care. June 6th was the planning meeting for a June 27th community service activity. I chose to host my meeting at my local library, because my house is too small to hold a meeting with non-neighbors (strangers). We had 32 people attended the meeting I hosted! Now that amazed me! When I got the email about the meeting, I search on this website for one near my house, there was none. Everyone bandwagoned at the last minute. And while I do not like that, whatever... My meeting was the first planned in my area because that is the way I roll... I operate in that manner!
So after getting and printing the "Host Guide", I put the materials together to share with the attendees, I organized a time & location, I coordinated with OFA to make sure I had the latest accurate information. I paid for the copies and I do not have a job! I conceptualized, developed and formalized the Powerpoint slide presentation--ME!!! MYSELF!!! NO ONE PAID ME!!! And I get treated like "the messenger" of OFA because I support the President's Public Health Plan. Health care, in all forms, are important to me, personally. I have been involved in Health Care for ~30 years!!! It is my training as a research scientist in molecular genetics with a Ph.D. It is my business and I act on it. Health care MUST change and the POTUS has requested us to do activities. No one is forcing anyonw to do these activities, it is a request! If people choose not support the POTUS, that is their choice. But Health Care Reform must happen this year, absolutely! The question is how?
Because I have chosen this route, and was attacked by the few 2-3 people who never have set anything up themselves, my chronic health condition has acted up through a severe panic attack, deep depression and agoraphobia!. I want to do a community service because I know how beneficial it is. I love community service from my days as a church deacon and a member of my Sorority. But, I must say for the brainstorm, people did present several good ideas, i.e. educate people about health reform, why it is important, at a health group that supports homelessness, disabled and elderly, etc. The core group who liked to work thought of a "Pea Patch" efforts and healthy eating and getting more people to share their health stories and volunteer.
Then I read my local newspaper, and the articles bashed President. There are several reasons why. This experience left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. And while I can see some rays of light, 9 people said they want to plan a community service event with me, it still says you get some looney tunes that actually DO need psychiatric evaluations. I didn't see them PLAN a meeting... NO ONE told them to attend my meeting. I continuously emailed them that this meeting was "scripted", so that if they disagreed with the activity, they did not have to attend. I am a health care person NOT a policy person on healthcare. I just want something different from what we already have. I would prefer reduced costs, maintain choice, and quality affordable health care for all--what the President asked us to do. However, I can get that uplifted in my community, I would be overjoyed to be a part of that, have my business a part of that and go down in history to make that difference!!! But, planning an COMMUNITY SERVICE event to be yelled at sucks, when I am unemployed!
Breathe... Next steps: PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR SHARE YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH STORIES with the Organizing for America (OFA) they will be documenting to Congress how many people submitting stories. The website is ~here~ And try to do some kind of community service on June 27th, like meet with the sick and shut-in, nursing home visitations, helping out with medical needs at some marathon or 5K, whatever you are comfortable in doing... Even teaching healthy cooking or mental health care self-management. Do online tools for health care--which is what I wanted to do--but some folks nixed that idea. If not me, then who? If not now, then when? I just need to calm down with guided imagery, an behavioral health appointment and I want to take some powerful sedatives!
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