Hey y'all!
So. Things are pretty messed up right now, obviously. I hope everyone's doing ok, and staying safe and healthy and not dying of sheer boredom (quarantine is HARD, y'all).
The good news first: I'm healthy right now, and so is my family. I'm so endlessly grateful for that. I haven't left the house in a week, and it'll probably be a lot longer before I'm able to go anywhere or interact with anyone, and yeah, that sucks a little bit. But I understand the importance of social distancing.
And here's the thing: If y'all have been following the news at all, you know teenagers generally aren't at a super huge risk of dying from COVID-19. The media keeps using the same phrase: the only people who should be super concerned are "people who are elderly or immunocompromised". And for most of y'all, that's a reassuring thought, right? Like, obviously it's scary if you have an older family member and you're worried about them, but you yourself are safe.
Unless, ya know, you're not. And for me--for all of the amazing PWD in my life--this is a pretty scary time. Because technically, we are immunocompromised. If we get COVID-19, our risk of complications is much higher than it would be for someone without T1D.
Now, why is that the case? There are two reasons. The first is that my lovely immune system is constantly busy attacking my pancreas. It's like... ya know how if you have a cold or some other mild illness, it makes you more susceptible to getting sick with something else, because your immune system can't multitask very well? Yeah, that's what my body is dealing with all the time. Yay. The other reason COVID-19 is dangerous for me is that if I do get sick, my blood sugar skyrockets. We're talking 300s and 400s for days on end. And in addition to being dangerous on its own, elevated bg also makes me more susceptible to infections--like pneumonia.
So, basically, if I get COVID-19 I'm automatically high risk. That's nothing new--I'm used to being labeled "high risk" for pretty much everything. But when we're talking about a novel coronavirus that no one knows how to prevent, it can feel sorta scary.
Because of that, I get really annoyed at people who aren't taking this situation seriously. I've seen my friends and peers--people whom I admire and respect--ignoring social distancing warnings or making fun of those of us who are, in their eyes, "overreacting". And as happy as I am that they're still having fun, I'm angry at their lack of understanding.
I've posted on here before about how T1D, and most chronic conditions like it, are invisible. An invisible condition presents a unique set of challenges, and at a time like this, it makes things extra difficult. No one looks at me and sees an immunocompromised person--they see a healthy teenager.
I guess my point is this: Even if you're lucky enough not to be immunocompromised, you are still a risk to the people around you. You don't know whether the people you come into contact with are immunocompromised, or have a family member who is immunocompromised. You don't know. So please, please, stay home. I know it sucks--trust me, I really do. But by going out, you're putting people around you at risk.
To my fellow PWDs--hang in there. Make sure you're stocked up on supplies (I know all the stores are out of alcohol swabs, so use those wisely; I'm rationing mine as strictly as I can). Keep your head up, stay alert, take all the precautions, but don't let the fear take over. We're gonna get through this together. I'm here for anyone who wants to talk!
Stay safe, everyone. Check in with the people around you. Love y'all so much!
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Let's get political!
Hey y'all!
Wow, it's been a super long time. How's everyone doing? I'm good--busy, of course, but good. (Happy tech week! We're all slowly dying but it's fine.)
Now, many of y'all know that last month, I attended the Iowa caucus. And I think all of you know--unless you, like, haven't been on the internet or spoken to anyone in the past several months--that the 2020 election is heating up, fast. Now I'm not gonna endorse any candidates on here, but the issues of this election hit pretty close to home for a lot of PWD, so I'm gonna break them down here!
So obviously, one of the most crucial issues of this election is healthcare coverage. Generally, the Democratic party is split into two opinions on the proper way to provide healthcare to Americans: Medicare for All, in which all private health insurance is replaced with one government-provided plan with no copays or deductibles, or a less radical plan which would allow people to keep their private plan or choose to opt into a government alternative.
So. Copays and deductibles. What are they? (other than the bane of my existence, lol.)
Copays--The baseline fee that you pay for a prescription, doctor's visit, etc. These aren't always super high, but they add up incredibly quickly, especially for things like insulin.
Deductibles--Mhm. These are... the worst. Basically, you have to pay a certain amount every year before your insurance kicks in at all. For people with a preexisting condition like T1D, deductibles are often super duper high.
If you have T1D or any other chronic condition, you know how screwed up our current healthcare system is. I have friends who have to ration their insulin because their insurance wouldn't cover all the meds they needed. I'm fortunate enough to have good health insurance, but even so, I'm well aware of the huge financial burden that T1D places on my family. I also have to fight to receive coverage for the things I need to manage my condition.
I've spent the past several days locked in a battle with my insurance trying to get them to continue covering my CGM, and I've been struck by just how little they seem to care about helping me. Like, I'm not tryna rant, but... this system ain't working. I've wasted so many hours on the phone with this provider and that provider and my insurance company has no interest in working to figure it out. And the thing is, my case isn't out of the ordinary. Insurance companies care more about profit than they do about our lives.
Like I said, I'm not endorsing a political candidate or even a political ideology. But I just want y'all do be aware that something needs to change. Maybe you have strong feelings about this--maybe you don't. But if you're lucky enough to not have to worry about being able to afford medication, or meet deductibles, of fight for a medical device that you need to survive... take a second to think about the rest of us. And then go out and VOTE for whatever candidate you believe will do the best job of fixing this broken system.
This will be my first election in which I'm eligible to vote, and I'm so excited to make my voice heard and support whichever candidate I believe is the best choice for our country. I hope all of you do the same! Register to vote here: https://ova.elections.il.gov/
(Did this turn into a PSA? Maybe. But seriously y'all, voting is so important. Also, Big Pharma sucks. Ok byeeee)
So obviously, one of the most crucial issues of this election is healthcare coverage. Generally, the Democratic party is split into two opinions on the proper way to provide healthcare to Americans: Medicare for All, in which all private health insurance is replaced with one government-provided plan with no copays or deductibles, or a less radical plan which would allow people to keep their private plan or choose to opt into a government alternative.
So. Copays and deductibles. What are they? (other than the bane of my existence, lol.)
Copays--The baseline fee that you pay for a prescription, doctor's visit, etc. These aren't always super high, but they add up incredibly quickly, especially for things like insulin.
Deductibles--Mhm. These are... the worst. Basically, you have to pay a certain amount every year before your insurance kicks in at all. For people with a preexisting condition like T1D, deductibles are often super duper high.
If you have T1D or any other chronic condition, you know how screwed up our current healthcare system is. I have friends who have to ration their insulin because their insurance wouldn't cover all the meds they needed. I'm fortunate enough to have good health insurance, but even so, I'm well aware of the huge financial burden that T1D places on my family. I also have to fight to receive coverage for the things I need to manage my condition.
I've spent the past several days locked in a battle with my insurance trying to get them to continue covering my CGM, and I've been struck by just how little they seem to care about helping me. Like, I'm not tryna rant, but... this system ain't working. I've wasted so many hours on the phone with this provider and that provider and my insurance company has no interest in working to figure it out. And the thing is, my case isn't out of the ordinary. Insurance companies care more about profit than they do about our lives.
Like I said, I'm not endorsing a political candidate or even a political ideology. But I just want y'all do be aware that something needs to change. Maybe you have strong feelings about this--maybe you don't. But if you're lucky enough to not have to worry about being able to afford medication, or meet deductibles, of fight for a medical device that you need to survive... take a second to think about the rest of us. And then go out and VOTE for whatever candidate you believe will do the best job of fixing this broken system.
This will be my first election in which I'm eligible to vote, and I'm so excited to make my voice heard and support whichever candidate I believe is the best choice for our country. I hope all of you do the same! Register to vote here: https://ova.elections.il.gov/
(Did this turn into a PSA? Maybe. But seriously y'all, voting is so important. Also, Big Pharma sucks. Ok byeeee)
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