1st Day of Thanks&Giving - Access to Medical Care

And so begins The 12 Days of Thanksgiving . . . as we countdown the days until our one day a year of allowed supreme gluttony, I will join the many others who have been posting all the things they are thankful for. Also, since this time of year seems to remind us to give, I will share stories of people giving to those in need to make you even more grateful (hopefully) for the all the blessings we may sometimes take for granted.

I am thankful for the great medical care that is availiable to us in this country. Aside from whatever Obama or and politicians decide, there is no doubt in my mind that I am blessed just to be in this country. I am thankful that when my child is sick, I can take them to the doctor, they will be given medication that will, usually, be covered by my insurance, and I can bring them back to their nice cozy home where they will recover. I am thankful that we can recieve vaccinations for diseases that should have been irradicated long ago, but are still killing children in the developing world. (maybe one day I will get through my tears enough to post my story about my experience with malaria this summer in Uganda). I am thankful for emergency care and the comfort I have to know that I can dial three numbers and someone will rush to my aid without question. Mostly, I am SO thankful that when I am pregnant and when I deliver my children, or have them surgically removed, that I have access to a clean hospital and to educated medical personnel that I can trust.

Medical services in a developing country are far from adequate. Most of us are ignorant to the complications that can come from going through childbirth in unfathomable circumstances of poverty. Have you heard of fistula? While it sounds selfish to say that I am glad this is no longer a problem in the United States, I am also glad to know that someone is changing women's lives in countries that aren't so lucky. You need to watch this (at least part one).

If you want to see more, check out this documentary A Walk to Beautiful.