Leroy Barber's Blog
March Newsletter - Just a Number / 03.23.09, 11:16 AM
Dear Friends,
The next two months I will focus on our team members and try to give you a glimpse of life from their perspective. Becky is one of our team members in New Orleans who experienced injustice from her neighbor’s perspective. Below is her story.
When we first arrived in New Orleans, part of our orientation to the city involved finding the police station, fire station, and medical facility that was closest to our house. At the time, we discovered that there was not a medical facility even remotely close to where we live. Where was the justice in that? How were the people in our neighborhood supposed to get the medical care that they needed? I hadn’t given the situation more thought until this week. On Sunday night, I became aware of a pain on the back of my right heel. By Monday morning, it was clear that I had an infection on the back of my foot that was getting bigger and bigger.
After searching the internet for doctors in the city, I came across one that was on a familiar busline. As far as I could tell, the rest of the doctors could only be reached by car. I called first thing in the morning on Tuesday and was told that they don’t do appointments. You just show up and wait to be helped. Perfect. I needed antibiotics before this infection got any bigger.
I took the bus to the medical clinic that I had found. My foot was really painful at this point so I was anxious to see a doctor. I opened the door to the clinic and saw a room full of people who were waiting to be seen. All eyes were on me as I signed in at the desk. Everything about the place felt sterile. The chairs were all full, so I sat on the floor against the wall. There was no guarantee that I’d even get to see the doctor. The clinic closed in 2 hours, and there were about 20 people ahead of me. All I could do was wait. I sat there for a few minutes feeling really uncomfortable because everyone was still staring at me wondering why I, a white girl, would be going to a medical clinic in that part of the city. Then, I saw a sign on the wall that read “Cash Only- No Exceptions.” My heart sank. I only had $20 in my pocket, and $20 wasn’t enough to see the doctor. I had planned to pay with credit card. There was no budging on their policy. The receptionist refused to even hear what I had to say. I was totally at the mercy of “the system.” That’s a frustrating place to be, and it was unfamiliar to me. Disheartened, I took the bus back home and decided to try again somewhere else on Wednesday.
I’ve seen a lot of injustices since I’ve been here in New Orleans, but I had never personally experienced anything like what happened at the clinic. The woman patients were given no respect. It was dehumanizing. Their level of pain didn’t matter. Their own schedule didn’t matter. At the end of the day, the payment was what mattered. It’s crazy to me that, for some, this is the only kind of healthcare that is available. I was only able to see a different doctor because I had a friend who was able to drive me there. [Praise the Lord that my foot is doing MUCH better!] Many people in my neighborhood don’t have cars or don’t know how to drive. Aside from the transportation problem, you have to have cash to pay for the medical services. The sheer cost of medical care keeps many people from seeking it. A place like the clinic that I went to on Tuesday is all that is available to them. Something needs to change.
What changes the life of the poor is when we experience just a little of what people go through. Becky and many of our team members do that daily. Neighbors are not heroes, just people who take up the causes of those they know and love. Please continue to support our work with your prayers and financial support.
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