Scared to Death

OK, here's the thing. I'll be 40 in a few years, and have been dreading that magical age when I get my first mammogram. I've heard stories. Anyway yesterday the government announced new recommendations about women and breast cancer, and let me tell you, as much as I dread getting a mammogram, I am scared to death of NOT getting one. They have decided that instead of women getting a mammogram every year starting at age 40, they should only get one every other year starting at age 50. Did that news strike anybody else as odd, even alarming? Something like 1 out of 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime, and they have been telling us for years that early detection is key. A lot of money is spent on breast cancer awareness to educate women to this fact.

So why are they suddenly telling us that we don't need to be so proactive about breast cancer now? Hello? I'm willing to bet it has everything to do with the government thinking they are taking over health care in the near future. Think about it. If they can change the standard of care now, they won't have to pay for all those silly mammograms later because that isn't the standard anymore. It is called health care rationing and it is scary business. Darn scary!

And yet so many people are out there thinking how nice it would be if health care were free. HA! It won't be nice, it will be a disaster of immense proportions. It is not government's job to be in the health care business. Our founding fathers, who were inspired from God, by the way, knew the government's job was to protect us from our enemies and then get out of our way so we could be free to prosper. We have come so far away from that idea, and the government has gotten their grubby hands into everything. Can you name any government-run program - besides the military - that the government has done right? Welfare? the mail system? Fannie and Freddie? Medicare? Social Security? How about Cash for Clunkers? Nope. Disasters all. Now they want to get get their grubby hands on my breasts. Back off!!!

When we were in France a few months ago, we listened to a lot of BBC radio and watched a lot of BBC TV, because it was in English, of course. Literally all we heard were folks calling in to complain about the government heath care. It was constant! People calling in with horrific and sad tales that they were being denied care or having to wait way too long for basic care. It was really eye-opening and really, really, really scary. I felt like we were listening to our own future (only with a British accent.) We don't hear much about this stuff across the pond, but from what I heard, heath care (or lack thereof) seems to be the biggest issue among the British people today.

Why on earth do we want to do that to our own country and dive head-first into the the cesspool that is socialized medicine when those who are already there are certainly not yelling "come on in, the water's fine"? What's the rush? The rush is that the American people might start paying attention, start asking the folks from other nations, the ones floating in the cesspool who are groping the slick sides trying desperately to pull them selves out, what government run health care is really like.

At 20% of the economy, taking over health care is the ultimate power grab by the federal government, and in the end it is not about helping people, (there are plenty of ways to help the uninsured without the government taking over everything.) Ultimately it is about power and will result in a loss of freedom (and LIVES!) - like the freedom to be proactive in my own health care and get a mammogram when I turn 40.

Oh, and did I mention that they are also recommending that women DON'T need to do self exams anymore. What? WHAT? They don't want us to find a lump and come running to them, I guess. "Research suggests" that self exams and mammograms before 50 are not worth it. Well, I bet that they were worth it to all the women who found breast cancer early and are alive today to tell about it. Just saying.

Please, please people! We need to keep our eyes open and see these things for what they really are. Lets get our voices heard and end this government takeover of our health care before it is too late.

Sorry. This isn't a political blog. This is a family blog. But then again, health care and breast cancer are not, and should not ever be, political issues. They are family issues, aren't they? Ultimately this is all about family, my family, and I am scared to death to turn their health and their lives over to the government to decide what care they should or should not receive.

There, and that concludes my rant... for now.