I am Kim J Altland, I was born one-half of a set of conjoined twins. My brother failed to develop fully. I have had over 50 reconstructive surgeries.
At 18 my doctors asked if I wanted disability, I said no. I believed the lie, “If you work hard and you try your best, help would be given.” Therefore, I went to work knowing I could not give 40 or 50 years of service like my grandparents. I tried to pay ahead. I joined the fire service and helped with local political campaigns. As I worked, people praised me for not taking the easy way out and going on disability.
In 2011 my health started deteriorating and I looked for the help I believed would be there. I applied for disability and was denied. Subsequently I reapplied. After 7 years, I still have no disability. Because the judge felt when I chose to work it proved I was not disabled. Somehow, magically my ongoing conditions where irrelevant and being over 50 had no affect on them.
I sit in my house unable to participate in life or be of some benefit to society, I developed depression adding to my health problems.
If I had any type of help, I could have spent the last 7 years being productive, not a burden to my family and friends. Funny how not one person who had praised me for not getting disability wanted to help in any way when I could not work.
All too often, people with medical problems are pushed off. We are viewed as not being worth any effort or help, and this makes blaming us for not being productive easy. We must put an end to this cycle of abuse and neglect.
Years ago Will Rogers said “Let this country get hungry and they are going to eat, no matter what happens to budgets, income taxes or Wall Street. Washington must not forget who rules when it comes to a showdown.”
Far too long we have been hungry for an end to Racism, Militarism, Poverty, and Environmental Destruction. We stand here today together. This is a non violent protest of Ideas, Faith and Justice. This is not an Army of violence, guns and bombs.
In our unity we are stronger than they are. We will bend like the reed in the wind. We will be heard like the thunder rolling across the sky. They will be toppled like the Oak in the storm.
We must remember that healthcare is a human right, and more it is a necessity. Without healthcare, all we have left is pain suffering and death.
For this reason healthcare is like the air we breathe and the water we drink.
It is a necessity it must be provided equally and fully to all people. It is time we demand the help we need not just for ourselves but also for the good of our families, our children and our communities.
*****************************
This content originally appeared in Put People First! PA’s semi-annual newsletter, The Keystone. The Keystone is a great introduction to Put People First! PA, our work, and our community. It’s all written by our members for our own communication and education, and for supporters and new relationships to get to know us better. Each issue features reports from our work, news about our victories, stories about the health care system and the other issues affecting our communities, and poetry and artwork. Check out past and present editions here: Newsletter Archive.