•
Imogen Perez (age 25)
Word count: 1983
TW: sickness, hospital, money struggles.
(Not a Halsteads relative story)
Imogen's POV
I stare at the bill in front of me. Confused, angry, and anxious... I don't really know what to feel. I mean, I know health care in the US is expensive, but unaffordable? C'mon...
I have a good job. I'm a detective in the intelligence unit. My salary should cover these kind of things. Hell! We protect the city and what thanks do we get in return? Absolutely nothing. Not even a chance of paying my own medical bills...
I impatiently wait for my phone to stop ringing, and almost right away someone picks up the call, "Chicago Insurance and Co. How may I help?" A woman's voice reaches my ears. I frown, "Hi, I was just on a call with you about half an hour ago. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to cancel my current plan and return to my original one we had set" I announce. I hear tapping on the other side of the call, "were none of the options I forwarded any good?" She enquires. I bite my lip, "thank you but unfortunately not, my salary doesn't cover them. I'd just like to go back to my original service cover, I'll figure something out" I conclude,
After hanging up the phone, finishing the last details with the woman, I flop back onto my bed. How does anyone survive these days? Between medical bills, rent... the bare minimum. It's crazy!
I have an illness. A 'mystery' illness. Dozens of different doctors have spent the past 12 months searching for answers, anything for a diagnosis. Nobody has an answer. And believe me, doctors are expensive... Between multiple misdiagnosis' and pools of shedded tears, I'm out of options. They put it down to chronic illness, but they still can't give me anything more than that. Quite frankly, I'm past it all...
Most days I feel weak, tired, nauseous... even my muscles tend to stop cooperating by the time sleep comes around. My blood pressure is always low and so are my white blood cell counts. But when I take my medication the symptoms seem to wear off... and now I can't afford it. My apartment building just upped their cost of rent, and nowhere seems to be any cheaper than here. My car and life insurance upped also their prices, so much so that I can't even afford anything more than on-duty cover.
No more prescriptions, no more Medical appointments, no more pain relief. I'm back to square one, feeling hopeless and sick... but I'll find a way. I always do! I have to...
~
* one month later *
Things weren't too difficult at first. I mean, sure enough I felt the impact of no medication, but I could pop a few Advils and push through my day. Running after suspects seemed to be my only issue. The stars clouding my vision after any fast movement seem to knock me for six. But now I can't even wake up without feeling the shaky, weak, tingling sensation in my hands and legs. My head is practically spinning. My eyes are never really focused. I feel like the living version of death.
My appearance has changed so much. I look fragile. As if one blow would knock me to the ground and I would shatter into a million pieces, like a porcelain doll. Although, I'm trying my best to keep up at work. Despite my pale, weak, new approach... I'm still me. Makeup is my new best friend. I just seem to have lost my muchness... but yeah, I guess it's nothing a bit of makeup can't fix, right? Maybe even a few energy drinks wouldn't hurt either...
