Posted on 06/16/2010 7:44:21 PM PDT by Gondring
(AP/CBS) Uninsured and too broke to pay for medical care to treat her painful shoulder injury, a Niles, Mich., woman shot herself in the same shoulder and went to the E.R. in hopes of obtaining free medical care.
By law, hospitals must treat emergency patients even if they don't have insurance.
Kathy Myers' troubles started when her 80-lb Golden Lab yanked on his leash during a skirmish with her Chihuahuas. The big dog yanked Myer's shoulder as well, injuring her rotator cuff.
After a month of agonizing pain, the unemployed 41-year-old used her in-laws' gun to take matters into her own hands. She placed icepacks and pillows around her head and neck, and then pulled the trigger, according to Wood TV 8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Myers says she made a rational choice: she had hoped that the doctors who mended her flesh wound would also fix her rotator cuff.
But her plan didn't work out quite the way she had hoped. Last Thursday doctors treated the bullet wound, but instead of fixing her injured shoulder, they gave her some antiinflammatory drugs and sent her home.
Though shooting yourself to get medical care may seem a bit extreme, Myers told reporters at WSBT-TV in South Bend, Ind., that she has no "suicide wish" and that she "wants to live" despite her problems.
And her problems may only be increasing. Besides being in even greater pain, Myers might have to go before a judge to face a charge of firing a weapon within city limits.
Myers, who recently lost her job with an Indiana hazardous-waste removal company, is one of 1.2 million Michigan residents without health insurance.
She has money for dogs but not for insurance? Funny.
She seems quite pleased with herself for someone in such pain.
Dogs, smokes, tattoo’s......
Talk about clueless. Are you in favor of decimating our entire system in order to cover everyone?
Those Chihuahuas documented ?
There’s yer problem.........
No. Its about seizing control of the people.
The Gubmint will be overlords of our very lives.
I’d need to know why she had no money before I’ll give her my pity. How much does it cost to feed an 80 lb dog a month? Maybe that money would have been better spent on an insurance policy.
And I would think a bullet wound would hurt more than a torn rota cuff. But that’s just me.
I am well aware we need a health care bill that WORKS.
Obamacare ain’t even close to slightly functional. Its going to kill us instead.
she should have waited for obamacare they would have cut the wrong arm off...
I tore mine. The doctor said not to use it for 6 months and it would heal. Or, he could do surgery, and it would heal in about 6 months. I let nature take it’s course. This woman should have used her one good brain cell for something besides a tattoo and dogs, and researched the matter. She needed to take control of her own life. And quit being stupid.
I’ve had 2 herniated discs for 8 years and no doctor for 6 years. I am NOT going to shoot myself!
How about they do as responsible people do who don't have insurance, make arrangements for payments, when my daughter needed surgery and I had no health insurance, I made payments for 6 years paying it off, guess what, I paid it off and not once did I consider shooting her where she hurt to get "free" health care. If that makes me out of touch and lacking in compassion so be it. I have helped friends and family out when they needed help with medical expenses.
Also it says she recently lost her job. Which I guess would mean she should be getting unemployment and her health insurance would carry on via COBRA for at least 18 months after she was laid off.
Something fishy about the story.
Oh yea.
In my opinion, you made a wise decision. I have known several people who have had the surgery, including my wife and nothing good came out of it for any of them, sometimes it makes it worse, just ask my wife.
The economy is targeted because these people are communists. When that’s taken/collapsed, then yes, control of the people is assured.
Dear God help us.
Some how, a whole bunch of Canadians manage to purchase healthcare and flood Michigan medical centers.
How did a clueless socialist last on FR for so long?
Yep.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.