I thought it might help personalize some of what I'm sharing by telling you a bit more about some of the women I'm meeting from both Tent City 3 and Angeline's. And since my interviews are now complete, I'm beginning to analyze and share these stories. No names, locations or ages are shared to protect confidentiality and safety of the interviewees.
Each interviewee has been gracious enough to share her stories with honesty, detail and beyond all else, enormous strength.
-A 20-something year old with dentures who has finally found the medicine that can best support her mental health needs yet can't get it covered by her current insurance.
-A woman who is badly injured from an on-the-job injury and knows that physical therapy is the only way to treat it so that she can eventually get off of disability. The irony is that her disability insurance won't cover physical therapy; it only covers medication, which doesn't work for her.
-A woman who is not allowed to see her son and every time she goes to the doctor, is asked about how her family is. And her response is often that she is stuck in a cycle of depression as the separation from her child leads her to feelings of deep sadness.
-A woman who feels extremely grateful for all of the services she is afforded as she is trying to earn a vocational degree and get back on her feet after fleeing a domestic violence situation.
-A woman who has been married for four years yet only spent two of them with her husband because of homelessness and the lack of any shelters for couples to live together.
-A woman who has been waiting for weeks and weeks to learn if her SSI application was approved and in the meantime, cannot get the medication for her mental health needs.
-A woman who is a cancer survivor but does not know where to go to seek follow-up specialty care to ensure her remission continues.
-A woman who is diabetic who is consciously trying to take control of her illness yet faces numerous challenges because of how hard it is to eat healthy when you're homeless.
-Several women who lie about their addresses when they go to the doctor or the hospital, knowing that if they put down a relative's or former personal address, they will be treated better. As some shared, this can mean a shorter wait time and a more compassionate provider rather than treatment under the assumption that they are simply there to abuse the system or get a new dose of narcotics.
-And one woman who paid me the best compliment I may have ever heard. After we completed the interview, she thanked me for taking the time and then shared that speaking with me made her feel special.
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