The irony is killing me, literally

Well, my back, anyway.

I can't afford to go to the chiropractor. Why?

Because my health insurance premiums are too high.

Let me repeat that.

I can't afford to get my health taken care of because the health insurance premium I pay each month to keep me and my family healthy is so out-of-the-park expensive compared to our income that I can't pay the out-of-the-park expensive co-pays.

Of course, if my child is peaking a fever of 104.7 then $30 is a small expense compared to her well-being. If I am doubled over with a spine as crooked as a Chicago politician, then OK, $30 it is. But if Mama is feeling a little stiff, it hurts when I move my neck like this, and there are knots the size of walnuts across my shoulders, then $30 is a bottle of milk, a loaf of good bread, and an afternoon at the skating rink with my children. I can keep my neck immobile while performing a perfect pirouette, no problem.

Now, some could say, stop yer gripin', at least you have insurance. I know, I know... don't get me started on that subject. I think it is despicable that families are having to decide if that fever of 104.7 is worth a trip to the ER or if they can just ride it out with some Tylenol and a bath. But that's not my topic today. The bottom line is, this insurance business is a bunch of rotten broccoli: touted as an essential anti-acci-dant but not worth one penny of what you actually get, and leaves a really bad taste in your mouth.

I went back to work for the sole reason we needed health insurance. My husband's employer offered it at an insanely high rate. My place of work offers a more reasonable premium (and when I say reasonable, I mean, are you freakin' kidding me?). I don't want to be working but I also don't want my children (or my junk-food lovin' husband) to be without insurance in the case of an emergency. So everyday I tear myself away from my writing to go sit in a dank office with a office mate who talks into the phone as if the person on the other end is actually at the end of a can and string in Alaska just so I can, after paying the insurance and daycare costs, bring home approximately $3.53 a week. Does that make ANY sense?

Stuck. I have to stay at work in order to get "affordable" health insurance which we don't use on a month-to-month basis because we are essentially healthy, can't use because we don't have $30 for the co-pays, but can't lose because it is insurance for an unknown future.

So, today I am eagerly awaiting the "crowning" of our new leader. I am not expecting miracles from him, just a little more judicious policy-making... and a nice deep muscle massage for me achin' back.