30 Thankful Days in Photos: Day 19

Please note: I don't intend to have a political discussion, but just want to express my experiences.
I have been without health insurance a few times in my life. It's terrible. I've become very ill during these times. I was too sick to work, too old to be on my parents' plan, and single. And the only thing I could do was pray that somehow some charity would pick up the $100,000+ tab for my hospitalizations, tests, and medications.
I've had to forgo treatment because I didn't have insurance; thus, becoming very sick. It is a conundrum.
Even when I was young enough to be on my parents' plan, the co-pays for each doctor visit, each medication refill, each test, ER visit, hospitalization, etc. were a hit on the budget. I don't know how much my parents paid out-of-pocket for me, but I imagine it's in the thousands of dollars. I still feel guilty about it, but I try to put it in perspective: if one of my nieces or nephews needed such medical attention, there would be no question that I would do all I could to pay for it.
I applied for Medicaid a couple of times. It is routine to deny a person the first time out no matter what. It's terrible. I could barely walk.
Recently, I had to go off base to see a doctor. I've known for a couple of years that my thyroid has been underactive, but doctors have been hesitant to diagnose me because it's been borderline. Because I work in the medical field, I always follow my labs and have seen the trend. Finally, once I saw a German doctor, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. It may sound a little funny, but I'm so thankful for the diagnosis! I was given a common thyroid medicine to treat it. And it is AMAZING the difference I feel! It's not really anything I can explain except for how tremendously normal I feel. My body feels like it's in balance.
I had to fill this prescription at an off base pharmacy. I was afraid at first because I didn't know how much it was going to cost. Because I've been without insurance before, I understand how incredibly expensive medications can be. I knew I would be able to claim it and get a refund from my health insurance, but I still had to pay out-of-pocket first. Total cost for 100 tablets: €13. That's about $19. I was very surprised. Even so, if I'd been a German citizen, it would have been free.
So, although our healthcare system is crumbling, I'm very thankful I have health insurance. I'm thankful for my medicines that keep me healthy. My hope is that there will be a smart healthcare reform where everyone can benefit, because everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live a happy, healthy life.