Its four in the morning and i reek of burnt flesh and melted linoleum. A grease fire broke out in our kitchen as my housemate was trying to fry chicken. No one was in the kitchen when the fire started, but it didn’t take long before another housemate, gee, saw the hallway walls glowing red. When he rushed in to put out the flames, the pan tipped and poured down the left side of his body, tearing the flesh off his hand and foot. Numbed and full of adrenaline, he grabbed the pan and threw it outside. With it, he took the majority of the fire, saving the house and those of us in it. I heard the shouts, swearing, and what sounded like the walls falling down and i ran upstairs. I was greeted by charred walls, the sound of “fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck…” and a small fire just outside the door (which yet another housemate, dee, managed to put out with a broom). I turned the porch light on and found gee’s skin peeling away from the muscle. The fire was hot enough that it cauterized most of the blood vessels, so there was no bleeding yet. And the copious amounts of adrenaline pumping through his body meant that he was still unable to feel most of the pain and he remained very cognizant and alert. He asked if he should put water on it. I said no, but spared him the details that doing so could pull all the flesh off. “We need to get to the hospital,” i told him. “Don’t wrap it, don’t touch it and and don’t let it touch anything else.”
“i’ll call an ambulance,” said jay.
“no, no ambulance. we’ll fucking drive there. no ambulance.” I think it was partly gee not wanting to make a big deal out of it and partly him knowing that none of us could afford an ambulance. Hell, we couldn’t afford a trip to the emergency room, but it was better than having to amputate a limb.
Being the only sober one in the house, i took jay’s keys while he helped gee into the truck. The three of us went to the hospital together. Driving there, i thought about my EMT training and how much i had forgotten. In my head, i ran through the steps of taking vitals, but i couldn’t remember what was a normal blood pressure rate. The mind occupies itself with the strangest things.
It was shortly before our arrival that something had burst and blood started gushing out of gee’s foot. He was starting to tremble. I pulled up, grabbed a wheelchair and rolled him in while jay ran ahead and informed them we were coming. They rushed us immediately into a room and put gee on a table. He kept repeating “fuck fuck fuck.” And as the doctor and nurses asked the same questions over and over again, gee’s adrenaline began diminishing and he went beyond trembling and started shaking uncontrollably. They cleaned the wounds, put in an IV, pumped him full of a synthetic morphine, and then a doctor came in and removed the skin. The morphine calmed him down but it also caused him to start throwing up. They cleaned the wounds, gave a Tetanus shot, and then dressed the wounds. They tried to convince him to stay overnight, but, again, gee knew he couldn’t afford that. A nurse told him to come back in the morning to make sure they didn’t have to amputate. I couldn’t tell if she was serious or if it was a grossly improper attempt at humor. After a last attempt to get gee to stay, another nurse told us we had to come back in the morning. Gee threw up in front of her. Jay and i assured her we’d be back.
Sitting in the waiting room, jay turned to me and said “i can’t help but think of money.” I thought about when i got second degree burns on my legs. I fought going to the hospital because i knew i couldn’t afford it. But when i almost passed out, some good friends took it upon themselves to take me anyway. I never paid that bill and my credit suffered for it. Apparently Christain hospitals are able to forgive sins, but not debts. Then my hand found its way to my flesh. I thought about a conversation i had with a fellow teacher earlier in the day. I have four lumps (it started as one but they are multiplying and growing). They start out the size of a bb, but the oldest one is now about the size of a marble. I told her i was getting concerned but that i wasn’t going to worry about it (yeah, it doesn’t make sense). What i didn’t want to worry about was more medical bills. I can’t afford to go to a doctor and i can’t afford to take a day off work so i can sit at the health department waiting for them to schedule me for an appointment the day after i leave the state. Besides, the last time i went to the health department i passed out. I have a problem with people poking my genitals. She said i should worry about it and just take the day off to go to the health department. She’s probably right.
Gee is going to be alright, i think. The damage to the house is just aesthetic. And no one else was harmed. I feel a little better now. I just had to get some of this out.
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your story and the situation of not having insurance is one of the most screwed up and untenable realities of life in the u.s.
i’m glad gee seems to be okay, and i’m with your friend. you should take a day off and get those lumps checked out.
i’ll be thinking of you and gee today.
take care.
I’m glad your roommate was ok. As a Canadian, it’s always shocking to realize what life is like without universal health insurance.
Ay what a story. I hope your roommate is ok. The whole medical industry and insurance is a scary ass and sobering thing. Been there, doing that.
I’m still on my parent’s insurance, so it’s easy for me to forget what a privilege it is to receive medical treatment. Thank goodness you were there, vegankid, to think quickly.
jesus christ. jesus christ. first, i’m so fucking glad you’re friend is ok…i’m SO angry that we are in this position–do we risk permanate damage or do we become saddled with a life time of horrible credit/bills?
may this system rot in hell.
(oh, and i’m with everybody else, go get those lumps checked out…)
may it rot in hell, indeed. thanks yall for the words. i got home from work today and my housemates weren’t here. which makes me assume that they are still at the hospital. i’ll leave an update when i’ve got one.
jay, bfp - i’ve decided to go to the doctor tomorrow. more debt, here i come!
dork - oh sure, rub it in our faces:)
Damn I can’t believe I didn’t read this first. I’m so sorry this happened. Yes I agree the system must rot in hell definitely get the lumps checked out.
Why is everything so Upside Down? It is demoralizing really. Are we really that disposable in the eyes of big business and the government? Cuz I’m getting ready to see some heads rolling on the floor really.
you’ve got me terrified - please get to a doctor. you know i’ll pay for it if you can’t.
i’m so sorry about your housemate.
and hey, we’re looking for a talented organizer in our access to healthcare campaign…
good vegan, let us know how the check up goes–
Oh my god, vegankid, I am so sorry that you are all in this position. This is just so screwed up that you have to think about money when you need an ambulance or treatment or tests. It’s criminal. I hope your flatmate gee is ok. I am glad you are going to get checked up yourself. Words are inadequate. This is fucked up. Take care and let us know how everything is…
seriously vegan, let us know how things go and let me know how to best help
Hope you’re roommate and you are ok. Take care.
vegan, you better give an update dear…
update: i’m very sick. high fever, vomiting, ache all over. don’t remember yesterday. sleep more than i’m awake, cuz awake=vomit. going to the doctor tuesday.
my housemate went back to the hospital the next day to find out things were worse than they thought. he was taken to the burn victim unit in winston-salem, two hours away. he’ll be there for the next ten days undergoing surgery. the burns on the hand went through all layers of skin and caused major nerve damage. he may not have use of it anymore and they are grafting skin from other parts of his body onto his hand. three of his toes were completely burned and will either be amputated or reconstructed, i haven’t heard the latest update as to which.
thank yall for the kindnest and support. it means a lot. i probably won’t be around much until i start to feel better.
Take care, and hope you feel better soon.
Take care, friend. Please let us know how things are going.
That really sucks for your friend. I am a big fan of keeping flour nearby and never leaving the stove when I’m cooking with grease. That’s some scary shit.
I hope your friend feels better burns are the worst injuries to heal. I’m having smypathy pains for him. You’ll have to keep us updated.
Just go get yourself checked out; they have to treat you money or not. I’ve been there. I had to get my appendix removed when I had no insurance; they made some deal with my parents to pay $20 a month. I think it took like 10 years to pay the hospital. It’s unfortunate that this is the reality of no universal health coverage. It ends up making people a lot sicker. But it could be really serious, and then again maybe it won’t be. You never know.
I hope you and your friend feel better.
i’m sorry
Shit. Just shit. I’m sorry, too.
oh vegan, i’m so sorry to hear this. please please take care of yourself. my thoughts are with you and gee…
i’m feeling a lot better. The nice thing about being a health-conscious vegan is that i never stay sick for more than a few days. And until i started working at the preschool, i hardly ever got sick. The lumps are still there and i went to the free clinic today. And i called it. I took the day off to sit and wait all day just to have them tell me that i need to see another doctors. So i called for an appointment and the earliest they can get me in is after. i move. Well, i tried and i’ll try again after i move (assuming they are still there).
Gee is still in winston-salem. His surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. He seems to be in pretty good spirits. His parter drove out there a couple of days ago and his mom showed up yesterday. So he hasn’t had to be alone. Unfortunately he won’t be getting back until after i leave. But i’ll be staying in touch and leaving updates here.
Thanks yall for all the support. It means a lot.
that’s great about gee…
grrr about your experience with the doctor…will they have a free clinic at your new home–might be better off waiting a few more days to move!!!! (like you haven’t put off moving for long enough!!)
there’s nothing i hate more than going to the free clinic–cuz you are right, you might as well plan on sitting around for a good three or four hours in the waiting room, than another hour or two in the office–what a pain…
please do keep us updated–
This whole situation is so messed up - I’m sorry. I hope your roommate is okay.
I say, get the treatment and “DON’T PAY.” “Fuck a credit rating!” If fear of a bad credit rating can stop us from getting justice or even attempting, we’re in bad shape indeed.
We are already paying for healthcare, whether we are insured or not, because we already pay for the uninsured through higher premiums and other taxes.
This gov. has the money to provide 100% coverage, OUR money; but they’ve seized it and transferred it to places like Iraq. And we allow them to. I believe one way to bankrupt this bankrupt system is to bleed it and starve it. To not participate or to make use of it to cripple it.
max - i’m not sure how to respond. i know you mean well. what you say is all good revolutionary rhetoric, but it hasn’t been my experience. as someone who has been living with bad credit for as long as i’ve been able to have credit, i can tell you that i’m ready to have a little room to breath. what has having bad credit meant for me? no college education. can’t open utilities in my name. can’t buy a car. can’t buy a house. which means constantly being owned by landlords (and often the worst kind of landlords… the only ones that will accept people with bad credit). i’ve been a squatter and i can tell you that i’d rather not have to live out of a backpack and constantly worry if the cops are coming to kick us out. and considering the lack of solidarity with squatters in most places in this country, its not the most conducive tactic for peace of mind. And i’m tired of having to mooch off of other friends’ good credit.
i agree that the credit system is messed up. and the healthcare system. and welfare system. pretty much anything having to do with capitalism. but its not just the fear of not having bad credit, its the injustice that actually comes with having bad credit. if there were a campaign to not pay hospital bills and instead, say, send them to the Tommy Thompsom at the Department of Health and Human Services, then i’d participate. But when i’m left out here alone in the cold, i’m not gonna depend on anyone else to keep me warm. And that, unfortunately, means worrying about getting out of a bad credit rating (which i’m still three years away from doing, if i don’t fuck up).
I’ve heard the ‘don’t worry about credit’ line before. most of my friends are anarchists. and a fair amount of them come from solid middle class backgrounds and have never had to think about financial insecurity. And folks like that are always lecturing folks like me about how we are too caught up in the system cuz we care about the little things like not being owned by landlords. I’m not implying your a middle class anarchist kid, just saying i’ve heard it before and i still don’t buy it.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. now…
UPDATE: After a week in the hospital, gee is finally going into surgery today. However, the doctors now say that they burns may have gone all the way down to the tendons and ligaments and such. Which means they won’t be able to graft the skin back on yet. First they will have to attach “fake skin” and then graft gee’s real skin onto that. If this is the case, he could be in there for a few more weeks. We just got his bill from the local hospital that i took him to. It runs at about $1200. He is now looking at tens of thousands of dollars of debt without any source of income (as you can imagine, he can’t work without the use of his hand and foot). I told him that i would try to raise as much as i could to at least cover the cost of this first bill. So any money that yall send to the donation button on kevin’s blog will go to gee’s fund instead of to me. I will also be setting up a button soon too. But i will also be finishing gee’s website next week. He’s an incredible artist (as you’ll see) and the site will be used for his portfolio. Those with more money than myself can buy the art to help support gee, too. If you can help, please do!