Humans of Clarkston - Debbie Bryson

Even one person without health insurance is too many.  Not only does it mean that this person suffers needlessly, but it also means that businesses suffer, hospitals suffer, families suffer, and communities suffer.

In Georgia today there are 1.2M without health insurance – the 2nd highest rate in the nation.  And with the recent passage of H.R. 1, current estimates suggest that an additional 750,000 people will lose their health insurance in the years ahead in our state.  We must do better.

Each one of these individuals has a story to tell, and this series – Humans of Clarkston – presents real stories of our patients.  

If you want to help someone like this, please donate today.  We cannot do this without your support.

Together, we are building a mosaic.  Grounded in both the beautiful diversity of our community and the ugly brokenness of our healthcare system, we believe a better world is possible – a world of healthcare for all. Join us.

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What is your name? Debbie Bryson (name has been changed for the purpose of this story to keep the patient anonymous).

What is your story?  I’m originally from Rhode Island, but I live in Stone Mountain now.  Over the past few years, I’ve been in the process of applying for disability— I have COPD, which has gotten to a point where I can’t work.  I used to run marathons and now I can’t even walk swiftly.  I live in a split level, and my bed is downstairs and the kitchen upstairs— sometimes I wouldn’t go even if I was hungry.  It was a huge effort and I’d have to stop half way up the stairs.  Because I’m unemployed, I don’t have insurance.  I can’t afford it, so I also hadn’t been to see the doctor.  I wasn’t able to afford my COPD medicine, and so I was having trouble breathing and coughing more, along with other pain I didn’t understand.  I was getting much worse and it  was affecting my family.  I put it off going to a clinic because there are people worse off than me— I have a home, I have food, so I put it off. 

How did you find out about MHC?  I found it from Google.  It seemed fancy.  I thought they are going to want more money than I have, that it was an expensive doctor, but the more you read the website, the more you learn about the story and how they are here for you.

Since going to MHC, I’m back on my medicine.  My symptoms are getting better.  I can make it up the entire set of stairs in my split level.  I had bronchitis from my allergies, and they were able to help me with that too.  I was also able to get physical therapy in the office for a generative disk with exercises that I can physically do.  It’s been helping!  Sometime my sciatica would be so bad that I couldn’t get out of bed because of the pain.  I haven’t had one of those episodes since I’ve been doing those exercises. 

What has MHC meant to you?  I don’t feel like I’m alone.  I have a team working with me.  I’m able to maintain my lifestyle and if my COPD gets worse, they help me in getting better.  I’m getting a monogram from Northside Hospital too— for free!

I want to emphasize that the staff at MHC care.  It’s always, “How are you doing?  Is everything going OK?” the second you walk in the door.  This isn’t rehearsed— they generally care.  They learn your name and treat you with respect.  Other places where destitute people go, you don’t get treated like that.  You get overlooked.  I can tell the difference from someone listening to me versus hearing me.  And at MHC, they hear me.

The people in there, it is a calling, it is their core.  It almost is making me cry how nice they are.  I’ve seen a lot when it comes to health experiences— having three kids, surgery, being in the hospital.  You can tell when medical staff are they are just doing their job or they actually care… that’s the difference at MHC.  Receptionist, nurses, doctors, every level.  They care that you are well and that you are getting better, and they do what they can do to help.  There are so many people who need this, and once I get income, I plan on making my own donation to pay it forward.