Everything in this article rings true. In particular, I inherently refuse to go to the hospital because I only make a humble living and can't handle a medical-scale financial shock, and I resist anything that feels like I could go back to 30 years ago. I'm seeing a doctor at a more crunchy-granola place though, because it vibes differently though she's still a credentialed doctor and it's no different from seeing one at a hospital: Medicaid's got me. But it's less scary to see a real doctor in the trappings of a hippie haven, so that's how I'm able to do it.
It wasn't a very long period of homelessness thirty years ago, but it did leave an indelible mark. The article is worth reading even if it too is scary. You guys can be scared of this and I'll be scared of seeing the doctor, and we'll all manage somehow :)
But I agree with you it's good this is on the front page. I am so sorry for these people.
I did _not_ enjoy reading. They were horrible stories and very depressing (the worst, for me, was Anna, and I'm not going to describe what happened to her in this comment.)
There was something very deep about this. I've had these moments before (from both sides), and while they are rare it's a very deep realisation of how different our internal monologues can be about the same situations.
Dictators don't like when population thinks they have some universal rights, next thing they will start asking for them en masse and who knows what will be outlandish next, like tackling corruption and oligarchs who stand above the law? Common citizens are an afterthought, state is built to primarily cater to needs and whims of its paranoid greedy leaders.
Its important for people like me, who passionately hate war russia is waging on Ukraine and its perpetrator, to be reminded that there are tons of good folks behind that wall of arrogance, stupidity and aggressivity. Pity they mostly feel like they can't change anything so they prefer drowning their despair in vodka and trying to look elsewhere. Maybe more digital age will eventually give them some wake up call, there is always hope even in darkest places and darkest moments.