Written by Jess Banks
I’ve always believed in the power of stories.
As a teacher of history and literature, I use personal narratives to bring lessons and lost eras home to students in the present. And recent research has shown that stories are uniquely effective at imparting shared values and empathy. But the fight for healthcare reform taught me how stories can transform the world.
When my family moved to Minnesota about three years ago, we lived without health insurance for four months while we applied for MinnesotaCare. I’d saved up for a doctor’s visit to get continuous care for my fibromyalgia and depression, but the doctor I’d picked refused to follow the treatment plan I’d been on for over a decade. We couldn’t afford to “shop” for a good doctor through out-of-pocket visits, and I was forced off all my medications. I became couch- and bed-bound with pain and exhaustion. I couldn’t look for work or explore the city we’d moved to–even taking my sons swimming for an hour was enough to use up all the energy I had for the day.
I truly recovered once our MinnesotaCare coverage started, and I was able to resume life as a worker, a mom, and a member of our new community. When I saw TakeAction’s call for MinnesotaCare success stories, I couldn’t wait to tell mine. But by the time an organizer followed up with me, we were already living an even more amazing story.
My son Connor, who was nine at the time, has Asperger’s Syndrome. This form of autism makes sudden change very difficult to roll with, so when I ended up in the hospital for a week with acute pancreatitis and his teacher went on sudden leave of absence, feelings of fear and helplessness overwhelmed him. He became suicidal, and we feared for his safety at home and at school. Thanks to MinnesotaCare, we never saw a bill for the partial hospitalization program that got him expert help to find his balance again. We were able to focus on healing our son and our family, and celebrating his tenth birthday was a milestone I sometimes feared we wouldn’t reach.
I felt honored to share this story to ensure the continuation of MinnesotaCare’s lifesaving work, along with the new Affordable Care Act coverage that would make a difference to millions of other Minnesotans. And while I never expected to see my family on the front page of the Pioneer Press when I gave that interview, I was glad to hear from legislators and neighbors that my family’s story directly influenced their opinions about health care reform, especially the establishment of quality mental health benefits. My experience inspired me to expand my community organizing work, and showed my sons that speaking up has the power to make life better for everyone. I’m so grateful to TakeAction Minnesota for giving me the chance to contribute to Minnesota’s legacy of great health care.
