Today, I was the patient

A few weeks ago, I suffered an injury after bracing my fall onto a cement tennis court with my elbow and shoulder. It was some fun times.

I didn't get it looked at after it happened, because the next day, I was off to camp where I would be surrounded by nurses and doctors who would surely be able to help me, right? Wrong. Pediatric cardiologists, oncologists and even ER physicians had only one reaction when I asked them what to do: "You didn't get it X-Rayed?"

So, that's just what I did this morning at Austin Sports Medicine. And, fortunately, there was no damage to the bone. However, Doc thinks I might have torn cartilage, and prescribed a MRI scan.

In comes my first experience as a patient when health insurance did diddly squat. Cigna only covers MRI costs after you've met your deductible, and mine is $500. This is small potatoes compared to what many people face every day in medical bills, but it certainly got me fired up and a heck of a lot more empathetic to those without health insurance.

Because I actually was considering not having the MRI scan done just to save money. I mean, Doc said it's just a 50-50 chance it's torn, in which case I need surgery.

Back to health care being a specifically emotional issue. Our bodies are all we got on this planet. Sure, there's that whole matter of the soul, but what good does that do you if you can't walk or eat or function while you spend your time as a living being. And, then there are all those people who don't believe in a soul, so for them, truly, the body is all they've got.

So, why is it that anyone should ever have to choose between getting proper treatment and saving a dollar? This should not be a debate for those who choose to look after themselves and seek out a medical solution to their ailments. It should be a welcome mat that says, "Give me your tired, your poor, your yearning masses to be free."

As Emma Lazarus wrote for the immigrants forever imprinted on the Statue of Liberty, we need to remember what we stand for in America, and continue to fight for a much, much, much better health care system than the one we barter with today.