My Feelings on Healthcare

This is a sensitive issue for me.  One of my immediate family members was diagnosed with cancer ten days after his twentieth birthday.  He had surgery and radiation therapy.  He had (and still has) health insurance.  It did not cover all the expenses.  Living cancer free does not mean you are free of the expense incurred from getting sick.  For one year you must get scanned at least every three months to make sure the cancer has not come back.  You should get these scans at least once a year after that.  Those don't come cheap.  The day after his daughter was born, he found out that the radiation therapy damaged his hip resulting in osteo-necrosis, or death of the bone.  His hip was literally crumbling away.  After six months of mind-numbing, debilitating pain he was forced to have his hip replaced at the age of twenty-four.  With insurance his medical bills are huge.

I do not claim to understand the complexity of the healthcare issue.  I passionately feel that it is not okay for someone who develops cancer to fight for their life and then fight to get out of debt.  I just don't understand.  My loved one took care of himself and now works hard to take care of his family.  I put a random Facebook message about healthcare because I don't know how to help him and I was frustrated by the debate.  I don't yet know what the right change is, but something has to change.  When you beat cancer your life should start again; how can you live when debt is strangling you?      

Running the Gamut

I woke up this morning resolved to find out what was the status of my job prospects.  Oh, I am getting ahead of myself.  I quit my job at the restaurant.  Honestly, I was miserable.  My dear friend Annie gave me a stern talking to and suggested that I find a new way to define happiness.  I am a supportive, loving wife and that is AWESOME!  I did some real soul searching and realized that I cannot continue to be unhappy--so I quit.  Of course I gave two weeks notice!
I haven't stopped applying for jobs.  I don't talk about it, I just do it.  I applied for a job at UF and finally got an interview.  It was the best interview of my life.  I answered all the questions well, I made myself available and open to anything.  I left knowing I got the job.  Today I found out I didn't.  I called to see if they had made a decision.  I was told (without asking mind you) that I was their top candidate and "I just feel so bad saying that because we chose someone else".  I was devastated.  This isn't my dream job; it's just a job I need and would have rocked.  The world doesn't make sense to me.  Now, I'm mad.  How can I learn from this?  What is there to improve upon?  Should I try not to be the top choice?
So, I applied for an historic preservation job today.  I got a call this afternoon.  I had a phone interview, and while I'm not getting my hopes up at all, it's a step in a positive direction.
I'm exhausted.  I've cried, yelled, and now I feel optimistic.  Here's hoping....