Personal Experience With Health Care Essay: Mountains Beyond Mountains

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Mountains Beyond Mountains My personal experience with health care has been obscure and limited. I grew up very poor and spent the majority of my life in low income housing. We had virtually no health care and after a while, it began to take a toll on my family’s well-being. My sister and I had check-ups every other year, but no other benefits such as dental care. In second grade I had several health complications. For two weeks I had constant pain in my chest and couldn’t go to school. Even when it became unbearable, my mom refused to take me to the E.R. because she knew the medical bills would be outrageous. I had to pass out from the pain for my mom to finally take me to the hospital, where I was admitted into urgent care. My lungs were filled with fluid and I had a terrible case of pneumonia. I had to get numerous tests done and even had to stay the night while my condition stabilized. The bills from the hospital were – as predicted – outrageously high, but my mom was happy that I was able to come home. The doctors said that if I had waited even a day longer, I probably wouldn’t have made it. This frightening event made me really wish someone like Dr. Paul Farmer was present in my life or in America in general. After reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, I was amazed that such a person existed without my knowledge. He is a dedicated and amazing pioneer for health that is completely devoted to his cause. He is a talented scholar and his journey through Duke University, Harvard University and medical school seemed close to effortless. He is compassionate and a champion for the poor and destitute. Every day he makes it his mission to fight for their rights to be heard, cared for, and saved. He simply sees the world from a diffe... ... middle of paper ... ...schools and I was recently accepted into the Woodring College of Education for spring quarter of 2014. This book has inspired me to try my hardest to make a difference in people’s lives. As a teacher, I would be exposed to students from all walks of lives and cultural backgrounds. In order to meet all of their needs, I will use Farmer’s approach to cooperating with the Haitian beliefs that may not go hand and hand with western medicine. He learned that their beliefs could influence how they get care, and how they perceive him. I will overcome cultural barriers that could be present in the classroom by always keeping an open mind and helping those that direly need it. By incorporating health education and infusing movement in the classroom, I could be part of the public health movement and keep future generations healthy and educated, much like Paul Farmer.

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