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Impatience

I will be getting my right knee replaced in thirteen days. I have met with the surgeon to discuss the surgery; met with his assistant to go over my pre-operative steps; discussed with a hospital nurse which of my medications to stop before my surgery and when.  My wife scheduled her Family Medical Leave months ago.

But I have life to get through before then. Final exams occur next week. I have a couple more class meetings before then. I'm still meeting with students for office hours and by appointments.

The cortisone shots that have allowed me to function (walk without pain on flat surfaces but still needing the elevator to avoid painful stairs) are wearing off and I can't have any more this close to surgery. So I am beginning to limp. I think I can make it through final exams without using a cane.


I have good health care through my employer. I am affluent enough to pay for the co-pays. Why do I merit these when so many of my fellow citizens don't?


Why does our economic status determine our freedom from physical pain? Why is that our default moral choice? What noble principle requires us to treat people better or worse based on their wealth?


I have lived with these questions for decades. I felt as if under Obama and Biden we were moving toward a better society with respect to health care with agonizingly small baby steps. Trump has come down hard on treating the wealthy better and the poor miserably.

So impatient.

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