accident story

[victor steinbok]

Very nice account of the accident and recovery--a lesson to all in the 45-65
range, when the body is often more confident than it can actually hold out.
Being overall healthy is no guarantee against accidents. Glad you're making
a solid recovery--that's where the "overall healthy" part come in.

But I did note that one slight addition can make an important point:

Overall, though, I know I’ve been pretty lucky — lucky not to have been hurt
more seriously, lucky to have gotten good treatment and lucky to be healthy
and physically active at 55.


This is all true, but you were also lucky, in some ways, to have the
resources to take care of the problem. I am assuming that insurance was
implicated in this--but, if not, personal resources are also important. And
you had the luxury of transportation and flexibility with work schedule that
others may not have. All these things seem trivial until one does not have
them. You often hear conservative commentators claiming, "Look how great the
system is working! I had a problem, I went to the best doctors and they took
care of me!" (Or a member of the family--whatever!) The next implication is
usually that we don't need a health-care reform. No mention of the resources
that were available to them and not available to others. That's why, I
think, it is important to make the point in the opposite direction--yes,
through the confluence of factors, I came out on top, but where would I have
been if I lacked the resources that I had? I just don't think this is a
trivial issue, even if the focus is on something else.

Please don't take it as criticism. It's not meant to be. I just wanted to
point out an opportunity.

VS-)

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