My brain tumor could have been catastrophic. The UFT gave me security and peace of mind.
I had just gotten married and was only six months into my second year of teaching at Curtis HS when I woke up one morning in 2000 and couldn’t see out of my left eye. The ophthalmologist who examined me found a tumor almost immediately — he looked into my eye and could actually see it, that’s how large it was.
My wife and I were both very new as teachers and we were overwhelmed by everything. We didn’t know how to decipher what we had available to us in terms of doctors and drug plans. UFT representatives guided us through the whole process. The ability to speak with someone who was knowledgeable was a tremendous help.
After I had surgery to remove the tumor, my doctor told me I would never be able to have children because it had destroyed my pituitary gland. My wife was devastated. My doctor set up a regimen of experimental hormone therapy. If we had had to pay for it on our own, it would have been astronomical — close to $10,000 for the year. There’s an extensive list of medications I had to — and still have to —take. If I didn’t have the UFT Welfare Fund prescription drug plan, I don’t think I would be able to afford it.
I don’t even know how to describe how we felt when we found out my wife was pregnant. I now have three beautiful children. My doctor calls my kids miracle babies. We were very fortunate to have found the right doctor and fortunate to have a health plan that would allow us to have that medication.
There’s nothing worse than being sick and having to worry about anything other than getting well. I never had to deal with the stress of worrying about paying for medical bills when I was in the hospital. If I didn’t have the medical coverage that I have and have access to the medication that I have access to, who knows what the outcome would have been?
Jason Bresowsky is an ELA teacher at Curtis HS on Staten Island.
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