My Letter to Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s next movie, “Sicko,” is all about the health care industry. Dear Michael Moore,

Yesterday, I was joking with my Mom, that I should give you a call about my medical debacle to inspire your next movie! And today I received your letter in my Inbox. What serendipity!

I was in a auto accident on my way to Burning Man, August of last year. The jeep I was driving rolled three times and a rancher saved my life. I suffered severe injuries on my face and neck: shattered my left cheek bone, broke my nose and jaw, and fractured two vertebrae in my neck. But the most severe injury was the rupture to my left orbital globe, and now I am completely blind in my left eye. (though, I have to admit, I look damn good in a patch, arrrghhh!) I did not, nor do I have health insurance. I am grateful for the health care I received some excellent, some horrific. Now, I currently owe up to $150,000!!!

I am trying to bide time, exploring any and all options: I have applied for Federal Disability Aid and insurance, so far Medi-Cal has denied me, I will appeal. Last week, I met with a bankruptcy Attorney and I am looking into a personal injury law-suit. In two weeks I will be meeting with the Social Security psychiatrist for an evaluation of my mental health.

I am relatively young and creative, I refuse to let this debilitating debt hang over my head for the rest of my life. It is heart-breaking enough to have lost sight. There are days of gratitude, days of wisdom, days of wonder, and many days of questions… And each one of these days brings me further to rebuilding myself again.

If I was interviewed for your movie, I would want to thank the rancher, the helicopter crew, the surgeons for saving my life, and then go to Washington D.C. to lobby (or some good old fashioned cathartic ranting and raving) for Universal Health Care, or call for an overhaul of our Health Care system. And if there’s anything else I can do to help this cause, through your documentary — I’m game!

Check out my blog, ONE-EYD: everything you wanted and didn’t want to know about losing an eye ( http://www.tanyavlach.wordpress.com ) I will be updating it with pictures from my accident, from the hospital, and my new scleral shell! I have a plastic eye! (This was paid for by a benefit that my arts community threw for me. The government had no part.)

Reading your letter has encouraged me — I cheer you on, on my behalf and for the millions of others who are struggling out there!

Sincerely, Tanya Marie Vlach (my cell is 415.***.****, it would absolutely thrill me if I got a call from Michael Moore.)