Why Should I Trust and Believe in the Government?

My husband worked hard all his life. He worked as a machinist. He worked at General Dynamics where the tanks for war are made. He worked where the occupational hazards were very dangerous to the health.

His first wife died at a rather young age, but not before he had to go to an easier job, because before his wife died, he had to be available to care for her. He became a security guard.

Years later, when I met him, he was a security guard. He was 59 years old. His work as a security guard was getting difficult for him, he had to go around checking out buildings on the premises, and his breathing was getting hard for him.

During this time, he was going to the Veterans Clinic, one thing I must add here is, when we met he was on no medications.

When he moved here, in 2001, and went to the V.A. Clinic, the doctor put him on all kinds of medications, and I feel he pretty much just pacified him.

He never was really told what his exact problem was. Maybe asthma, bronchitis, or maybe even emphysema. He was told back in 1997, that he might be on the borderline of emphysema. This new doctor just guessed and gave him his meds and sent him on his way.

Finally when my husband was 62, he had to take early retirement due to his health. He couldn't get full retirement unless he was disabled. He applied for disability and was denied. The V.A. Clinic didn't help him out, because as far as they were concerned he wasn't disabled. He just had a breathing problem, which they put him on a nebulizer, so he should be able to work. They also gave him a walker, because by this time he was having trouble getting around.

We couldn't wait to get him to a real doctor and get some answers to exactly what his problem was. So when he turned 65 and started receiving Medicare, we got him a primary physician at our local hospital. They ran tests on him and told him he has COPD which has a life expectancy of 4years. I am wondering just when the 4 years started, one year ago, two, three..we just don't know.

He is now where he can't do much at all without being breathless, this includes something as simple as going to the bathroom. The doctor says his lung capacity isn't to the point of him needing oxygen yet.

He applied for the full benefit of his social security, and was once again denied. They seem to feel that he can still work. They don't live with him and see what he goes through every day. I do.

Way back when he first applied and was told he could still work, he went to see about a job..he couldn't make it through the building, to keep up with the person showing him the layout of the place. They definitely wanted his expertise in the job he would be doing, but they couldn't hire someone who couldn't get around. I don't think they want anyone working for them with a walker and having to be on a nebulizer all the time, naturally they didn't tell him, the real reason why he didn't get the job, that would be discrimination.

I am so sick of the Government playing God with our lives. None of us ever know how we are going to end up, and if our lives, in the end, depends on the government to take care of us..we might as well all hope for an early death.