As much as I would love to complain about the healthcare systems, this looks more like some condition that he had for a month or two and didn't appreciate the severity. Based on the fact he complained about the cost, but never brought up not being able to afford it, its unknown if he didn't seek treatment earlier because he didn't know that he needed to, or that he couldn't afford it. Biopsies and specialists take time unless you are actively dying, and when he was seeking treatment, that did not seem to be the case. This is true anywhere. Unfortunately he ran out of time, pneumonia Lung issues is are no joke and there isn't really anything you can do about it until you know whats causing it, even then, sometimes there is nothing that can be done. There is another discussion at [email protected]
Edit: made an edit above, additional thoughts below
I will put suffocating because of coughing towards the top of the list of horrible ways to die.
Looking back through posts, I still don't know if he didn't seek help months ago because of cost or need. If it was cost, that sucks. I'm not a doctor, but looking into the two options presented, neither had a positive outlook. Based on posts indicating long covid and a recurrence of shingles, I will put him in the immunocompromised category. Whether cancer or fungus, prognosis on both is poor.
Is the healthcare system in the US too expensive, yes, no question. Its full of perverse profit incentives at every level and inelastic demand with near monopolistic supply. Did it make a difference here, I don't know, but I don't think it forms the basis for a compelling argument or complaint. If the biopsy came back and he couldn't afford treatment, this would be different.
His life ended in an unpleasant way I would not wish on anybody. May his contributions not be forgotten.
I'm not concerned with excuses, I want a healthcare system that puts human lives over corporate profits. There's no reason why his medicaid case should have been dropped because he was too sick to come in for an interview, or been discharged from the hospital after his biopsy when his condition wasn't stable, or put on the hook for an average year's wages for a single pulmonologist appointment.
this looks more like some condition that he had for a month or two and didn't appreciate the severity.
The biggest problem with mercenary healthcare is that people with no spare cash - ie 80% of us - will delay or skip a medical test in the magical hopes that next week or months they'll have the spare cash if they just sacrifice a bit more, and then they can get examined. People are too poor to both take up a new medical hobby and eat.
Based on the fact he complained about the cost, but never brought up not being able to afford it,
Because "affording it" ever happens?
its unknown [whether] he didn't seek treatment earlier because he didn't know that he needed to, or that he couldn't afford it.
Or both. Probably both, since the cost is guaranteed to be high.
Biopsies and specialists take time
And money.
There's a theme here but I'm not sure whether I'm making it clear enough.
It wasn't even pneumonia though, they did his scans and instead of doing anything about the things growing in his lungs they sent him home and gave him the run around
This is so heartbreaking to read. A week after seeing the specialist. That sucks so much, especially after finally recovering from covid :(
FA was a huge part of my fandom experience when I was a young fur. I never knew him personally, but this website that he made has had such a big impact on my life that it still feels like losing a close friend.