the gar spot

fiction and musings from a gay black dude with delusions above his station

Menu
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • SIN AGAINST THE RACE, a novel
Menu
the gar spot fiction and musings from a gay black dude with delusions above his station

For the Love of Healthcare – A Call for Help

Posted on May 29, 2015 by gar

In 2012, I explained my reasons for supporting President Barack Obama’s reelection. One word: healthcare. The Affordable Care Act had not yet begun so its benefits at that time were still largely an unknown. I just knew that if Mitt Romney had been elected, he would have trashed it, despite having instituted something very similar in Massachusetts when he was governor there. And I did not want that to happen because I knew that I had siblings for whom the ACA would prove most beneficial.

I was correct. Though ultimately my brother Robert did not survive his cancer diagnosis, at least he didn’t have to worry about paying for the treatments he received. Because of ACA’s expanded Medicare provisions, and because California was smart enough to take advantage of them, Robert was covered.

And now my sister Tania is benefiting from ACA. She has contracted a similar, bizarre ailment that took me out for a bit last fall. Only in Tania’s case, she required some minor surgery. She continues to heal up and improve, though with some setbacks, as are possible during a serious illness. However, thanks to the ACA, her copays are not in the tens of thousands. A single-payer healthcare plan, of course, would be the answer. Then she would have no expenses at all, the same as my brother. We’re not there yet.

Tania is a professional make-up artist — check out her blog on all things make-up. She is a musician. She is also a professional baker. She’s a triple threat, and more besides. Brimming with creativity and grounded with business training — she attended a business-themed magnet high school before going to UCLA — Tania is a freelancer. The ACA was made for folks like my sister, folks who go into business for themselves as freelancers or entrepreneurs. And it helps. However, needless to say, she has not been able to work while she recovers from her ailments. And while her medical bills are lower thanks to ACA, they exist nonetheless.

I set up a GoFundMe page to help her with expenses. We set a goal of $5000, which we are approaching thanks to many wonderful, generous donations. Please donate to her fund, if you can. I’m hopeful that she will be back on her feet soon. She has too much more to do, more to give.

Many thanks. Love you madly.

© 2015, gar. All rights reserved.

2 thoughts on “For the Love of Healthcare – A Call for Help”

  1. gar says:
    May 29, 2015 at 2:39 pm

    Thank you very much, Norm, for the continued love, prayers and good wishes. All the same back to you and yours. Peace & music!

    -gar

    Reply
  2. norm abejon says:
    May 29, 2015 at 10:41 am

    right on Gar….you definitely speaking on this….prayers for Tania and all your family….I’m still amazed by all the talented/hard working/gifted and giving Russells !!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

SIN AGAINST THE RACE, a novel–Click image for info

Sin Against the Race

Contact

  • email gar

Twitter

Follow @the_gar_spot

Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

Facebook

Subscribe by email:

Archives

Blogroll

  • Life During Wartime – The Trump Years
  • Patricia Dunn – Author
  • Philip Robinson, poet
  • The Outspoken – You're Welcome
  • Uppity Negro Network

Interests

  • Cassini Probe @ Saturn
  • Daily Kos
  • Doctor Who
  • KCSM – Jazz 91
  • Makeup to Go!
  • The Root

Tags

99% african-american AIDS Bay Area bigotry Billy Strayhorn black Black Lives Matter climate change Duke Ellington dystopia dystopian fiction gay growing up gay healthcare history homophobia jazz LGBT LGBTQ literature marriage equality music North Korea novel Oakland police brutality politics queer queerlit queer lit racism rant reading Religion Republicans Romney SATR science fiction Sin Against the Race Trayvon Martin Trump women in jazz writing

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
©2025 the gar spot | Theme by SuperbThemes