How Healthcare Works, LLC

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been home recovering from viral pneumonia. How did I get it? I’ve been walking to get where I need to go—often in cold, wet weather, through snow or rain, on roads that weren’t made for pedestrians. People have told me to “just walk” several miles to work or to buy a cheap bike—even though I’m 53 years old, living in a region where winter weather can be unexpectedly harsh and public transportation is limited. The nearest bus stop is five miles away. It’s not that I mind walking. I actually love walking and even created a whole wellness resource around it. But there's a difference between walking for health and being forced to walk for miles just to survive because no other option is available. That’s not wellness—that’s struggle. I took this picture one day last Spring.  I was walking home five miles from the bus stop  after a long day at work in my $19.25/hour day job.  This ongoing lack of transportation has affected nearly every area of ...

by Jeanette R. Harrison, MPH Today, I’m proud of how far I’ve come, even as I face another unexpected hurdle. I realized too late that I forgot to clock in my hours on Friday, and by Saturday morning I discovered my paycheck was missing an entire day’s wages. For someone struggling financially, even a small setback like missing a day of pay can be a huge hurdle—especially when every dollar counts. That missing amount is the final piece I need to settle my mediation agreement—a commitment that’s already cost me nearly $6,000. It's only $200, but it might as well be $2000.  I took this picture on a walk several years ago, and it was a representation of how even a lone, fragile flower can be strong against a storm.  My day job is incredibly tiring. Working long hours in an entry-level position and spending two to three hours a day on a commute while living in working-class poverty isn’t just physically exhausting—it wears on you emotionally, too. After another tiring day, I fou...

by Jeanette R. Harrison, MPH I wanted to take a moment to share an update and express my heartfelt gratitude. Thanks to the incredible generosity of others, I was able to make my rent payment with a 24-hour extension. Your kindness made a huge difference, and I can't thank you enough for stepping in when I needed help. The very next day, I received my paycheck, which allowed me to catch up on my electric and gas bills, pay for Uber rides, and grab some groceries. That support not only helped me get through last week but also left me with a little extra for other essentials, including transportation to and from work this week. Mosie and I had a few days where we could relax and practice some stress reduction.  Tonight, I am waiting for a payment from an outside organization to be credited to my account. This organization helps with eviction prevention in our area and has served many families, working on the front lines of the rental crisis in Ada County. They have been an invaluab...

by Jeanette R. Harrison, MPH   Update: Navigating Mediation and Overwhelming Stress I want to share an update on what’s been happening over the past few weeks. In a desperate bid to avoid eviction, I participated in mediation and signed an agreement requiring weekly payments. I have to make these payments or else I can still be evicted. Even though I paid several thousand dollars already in less than two weeks. Those initial payments drained every bit of money I had. Without the generous help of people stepping in at critical moments, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get to work or even afford a meal over the past two weeks.  I feel like giving up a lot of days. I pray  and wonder how I will make it through this time. Still, I keep looking for those rays of hope.   Now, I’m facing another urgent challenge: my next payment is due this week—the day before I get paid. I reached out to several contacts who are supposed to be helping me for guidance, but they all s...

A Night That Changed Everything One night in February 2020 changed everything for me. I had been with my ex for 12 years, and as I sat in my home office working on my second poetry book, There's Only Reality , I was haunted by old wounds—mean words from college acquaintances who insisted I wasn’t meant to be loved. That evening, while listening to relationship advice on Audible, my ex walked in and casually announced he’d been openly dating someone else. I replied softly, “Okay, I guess we’re done.” With that, he demanded I move out of the home we’d built together so his new girlfriend could move in. I pleaded for time until October, but the reality was sinking in fast. This picture was taken at holiday time in 2020. Women from college kept reaching out to list my flaws and blame me for my failed relationships. Their words were especially cruel as I struggled to survive.   Starting Over Amidst a Pandemic When COVID-19 hit in March 2020, the world seemed to freeze while I was forc...

by Jeanette R. Harrison, MPH  One night in February 2020 changed everything. I was living with my ex—someone I’d been with for twelve years—while working on my second poetry book, There's Only Reality . I poured my heart onto those pages, even as cruel voices from my past reminded me I wasn’t meant to be loved. I’ll never forget the hurtful words from some college acquaintances: “Some people just weren’t meant to be loved, Jeanette.” Even though love is a human right, their bitterness cut deeply. My dog, Mosie, has been with me through this massive life change. She was an anniversary gift years before, but she turned out to be my source of hope and salvation.  This photo was taken in 2020, shortly after I moved to Idaho.  That evening, while listening to He’s Not That Interested, He’s Only Passing Time on Audible, my ex unexpectedly entered my home office. Wrapped in the comfort of my writing chair, I was unprepared when he said, “I just want to tell you that I've be...