360 http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/tag/Health Care Stories en-us © 2009 Rocky Mountain PBS http://www.rmpbs.org/rss/RMPBS.jpg http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/tag/Health Care Stories 100 100 In September 2009, four Western Slope residents participated in a special digital storytelling workshop on their journeys through the health care system. The workshop was conducted by the Center for Digital Storytelling. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/565/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/565/rss Wed, 30 Sep 09 14:23:00 -0700 On March 14/15, six Pueblo-area residents participated in a special digital storytelling workshop on their journeys through the health care system. Here are their health care stories. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/426/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/426/rss Tue, 17 Mar 09 09:17:00 -0700 T.R. Reid, veteran correspondent for The Washington Post and a Denver resident, recently traveled the world for the "Frontline" documentary "Sick Around the World," to see how other industrialized countries manage their health care systems and what we can learn from them. In the following video segments, T.R. Reid introduces excerpts of the film and relates it to Colorado. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/360/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/360/rss Wed, 03 Dec 08 10:52:00 -0700 A few years ago I was extremely healthy, being a skier, hiker, bicycler, etc. I would regularly do the Incline in Colorado Springs.In 2004 I developed a slight cough that got really bad. Nothing could curb it. Only massive steroids. I went to Jewish in Denver, where I was "an interesting patient". Eventually I was put on Sporanox (an antifungal) after 5 months I started losing weight. I lost 25 pounds in a month. My blood pressure went from 110 to 160. I developed glaucoma.  I was taken off Sporanox, and one week later I massively clotted up (all 5 lobes of my lungs). I have (or more likely developed) Anticardiolipin antibodies. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/349/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/349/rss Wed, 05 Nov 08 08:09:00 -0700 My husband Doug and I are both retired.  We both feel fortunate to have Medicaid and Medicare Part B but know that you can only get so far with that.  I won't tell our ages, but I am sure you can make a close guess. It's funny how mom never told us that much about the aging process.  I guess it's something that we all have to "experience" for ourselves. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/348/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/348/rss Wed, 05 Nov 08 08:08:00 -0700 As part of our "Critical Condition" outreach, we invited nine Coloradans to participate in a special digital storytelling workshop on their journeys through the health care system. Here are their stories. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/342/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/342/rss Tue, 28 Oct 08 12:47:00 -0700 A problem with the health care system in this country is that it is a bureaucracy that feeds itself and we pay for it. I think the health care in can be improved by making it more efficient.Last year one big toe was bothering me, an ingrown toenail became infected. In the week or 2 that I was hoping the problem would just subside I got a sore throat. I wasn't too painful but now I had a sore throat and a sore big toe that I knew needed a doctor's attention so I called the nurse of my heath insurance hotline. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/340/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/340/rss Mon, 27 Oct 08 07:44:00 -0700 This is my story.  Since I started by menstrual cycle at age 14 I have suffered from severe menstrual cramps and PMS.  At age 19 I was diagnosed with Fibrocystic Breast Disease and the doctors suggested that I cut back on my caffeine intake.  Over the many years no doctor ever gave me any suggestions or recommendations on how to get relief from cramps or PMS besides cutting back on caffeine and taking Midol for cramps.   The Midol aggravated my Fibrocystic Breast.  Once I was on the birth control pill I did get relief from the severe menstrual cramps and some PMS relief.  I was on birth control pills for approximately 5 years.  I started to get concerned about taking birth control pills for that long that I stopped and we used alternative methods of birth control.  I had my first child at age 30 with not complications and he was a nature birth.  I had my second child at age 33; he was breach so I had a C-Section.  I nursed for 13 months so during my pregnancies and nursing I did not have a menstrual cycle.   I had no problems with both pregnancies.  My first delivery was under 5 hours.  For the most part I consider myself to be a healthy individual. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/339/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/339/rss Mon, 27 Oct 08 07:40:00 -0700 I have had 49 surgeries. 6 of them were tumors removed from my neck and head.  Several were attempts to reopen my nasal ports, bionectomies, Laprsocopies, Phyrangial flap, sinuses remodeled.  Planters Faciitis and Tarsal Tunnel, Hysterectomy took out 5 tumors and 4 cysts. Hernia, Cataract removed from right eye age 9, muscles tightened right eye age 10. Getting ready to have my colon removed due to Colon Inertia in Denver sometime in the next few weeks. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/338/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/338/rss Fri, 24 Oct 08 14:27:00 -0700 When I was working, as a guard at DOC in Illinois and then as a Masters Level Clinical Social Worker with Licensure in Illinois, I had very good health coverage. I never doubted it would ever be different. However, when I was forty-eight years of age, I was diagnosed as being adult ADD. This explained many problems and advantages I had in a total of approximately 20 years of employment in these fields, as well as my entire life in actuality. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/337/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/337/rss Wed, 22 Oct 08 07:59:00 -0700 I think I'm an example of the middle class, which is being squeezed from every direction. My health care is tied to my job. When I don't have a job, I am uninsured. I am a very fit, active and healthy 30-something who applied for individual health coverage in April, after losing my job and not being able to pay for COBRA, which is prohibitively expensive. In the past, I obtained BlueCross/Anthem coverage with little trouble. But this time, the questionnaire was much more intrusive and I would up being offered a premium which was MUCH higher than what was originally quoted for my age because I was honest and said that I suffer from the occasional migraine. The premium they wanted was close to $400 per month and they lump in this type of headache in with much more serious afflictions, such as epilepsy. So, I went without coverage for two months, until I got my next job. But what if something happened to me during that time? Who would pay for it? Unemployment benefits don't include some form of health coverage, which I think is criminal. Aetna's individual coverage also includes a preliminary "nursing department" phone call that pelts you with a barrage of very intrusive, embarrassing questions and they even demanded pathology reports from my doctor, going back 7 years. Frankly, the number of uninsured will continue to rise unless the insurance industry is stopped. If you ever have even the most minor medical problem, they will find an excuse to raise your premiums or drop you all together. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/329/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/329/rss Wed, 08 Oct 08 12:52:00 -0700 I had an on-the-job injury that led to me losing my job and my health insurance.  Two months ago I developed some hoarseness.  I went to my physician at Metro Community Physician Network (MCPN).  The evaluation was done and resulted in a recommendation for a direct laryngoscopy, so I was referred to an ENT specialist.  With the help of the patient navigator at MCPN, I was able to see Dr. M Tralla (previously a volunteer physician at MCPN) in his office.  At the time of my first visit I was told by the front desk that I needed to pay $450. up front.  I didn't have the money so I left.  I was called by the patient navigator and was told that the physician services would be free, and this was communicated to the office staff.  I was seen at the time of my second visit.  After the exam he told me that I needed a biopsy of the vocal cord.  The physician service is donated, however, I would have to pay for the facility service.  My son had to co-sign a promissory note so that I could get my health services at the facility.  The surgery is set up for mid-October. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/326/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/326/rss Mon, 06 Oct 08 12:12:00 -0700 GBS typically attacks without warning, generally after one has suffered an infection, and patients are often completely paralyzed, breathing only with the help of a ventilator. I was lucky; my paralysis was partial and my recovery took months rather than years as in some more severe cases. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/325/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/325/rss Mon, 06 Oct 08 12:10:00 -0700 I have a large family there are 8 now living in my house. This number includes my husband and I his 2 children and our 4 children. We have health care through our work on my spouse and I however to insure the children was over 500 dollars a month. With this many children and all the other costs for life, like well food we cannot afford this coverage. For many years I took the kids to the doctor without insurance. The doctor's office kindly gave me a cut rate. I finally got to a point when I could afford to find a basic plan for each of them outside of the company, or so I thought. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/322/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/322/rss Fri, 03 Oct 08 07:59:00 -0700 For over a year I complained to my doctors that I fell down a lot, felt dizzy at times, fatigued all the time and my voice would change pitch after 1 PM. I was told that I just was an old man at 64 and needed to go on Prozac.My nurse doctor asked me if they had taken a Thyroid test - no they hadn't, and I was not aware that it required a special test and was not part of an ordinary blood test. I was tested and found to be Hypothyroid needing to go on synthroid therapy. http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/321/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/panorama/index.cfm/entry/321/rss Thu, 02 Oct 08 12:15:00 -0700