Jan Flora wrote in message ...

My mom, a lifelong nurseryman, has COPD now. She's on oxygen 24/7,
since age 74. She's 78 now.

The MD's think it's because of lifelong exposure to vermiculite
in her greenhouses.

She never smoked and was never around smokers. She's an RN.

I still use vermiculite in my potting mix (Cornell mix, same as my mom
always used) but am careful to not breathe around it. Don't know why, as
I'm a smoker.

Since we don't have health care for poor people in this country, I'm
going to die young, so may as well drink and smoke and not worry about
it. The govt. doesn't give a shit about anyone who's poor and votes
democrat anyway. If we can't kick major bucks to the Repub's, no one
gives a shit about us, so we die.

Jan

It is not just the poor that cannot get healthcare. Anyone with more
than a hangnail of a pre-existing condition is deemed un-insurable.
After all, who can make a profit on somebody that they know is going
to get sick and actually USE the healthcare insurance.

Linda H.