Man Joins Army to Help Ailing WifeHe Loses Job and Insurance, She Battles Cancer

ct. 19) -- Two of the nation's most pressing issues -- unemployment and health care -- have come together in a personal perfect storm for one Wisconsin family.
Bill Caudle of Watertown was laid off in March from the plastics company where he'd worked for 20 years. Unable to find another job, Caudle -- on his 39th birthday -- enlisted in the U.S. Army to get the health insurance his wife needs to continue her battle against ovarian cancer. Michelle Caudle, 40, discovered she had cancer in 2006 and underwent surgery, followed by two rounds of chemotherapy. In May, her doctor told her there were signs the cancer was back and she would need to endure more chemo.
The $136 monthly cost of insurance for the family rose to $497 when Bill's severance package ran out last month and was due to jump to $1,370 in January. Michelle worked part-time at a restaurant to help pay the bills, but the job did not provide insurance.
With no employment prospects in sight, Bill decided his best option was to sign up for a four-year hitch in the military -- even though it meant leaving his high school sweetheart to fight cancer on her own. The Caudles have three children and Bill's decision also meant he would be away for all of his youngest daughter's high school years.
The Caudles didn't attend any of this summer's heated town hall meetings on health care reform. They know politicians and interest groups on both sides of the issue would like to use their story to score political points, the Journal Sentinel reported. They want no part of it.
"We're not activists," Michelle told the newspaper.
All of Michelle's energies will be devoted instead to beating a deadly disease and caring for her children while her husband goes through basic training with recruits half his age at Fort Knox, Ky. -- nearly 500 miles away from home.
Bill is scheduled to finish basic training and begin his new life as an Army communications equipment specialist in mid-December. Michelle would still be getting chemo by then, the paper said, but she hopes to feel well enough to travel to Kentucky for her husband's graduation. Aol News

I'll bet as this becomes more public....someone will help them out.
Oprah would be a good canidate. She helps so many people.

It is so sad that he is forced into taking drastic measures and having to live apart, when this is the time they should be spending precious time together.

That was a very touching story to hear.I wish we all could have free health care like some countries have.The Government pays for all the health issues.I think i read some where that Canada had this plan?I feel our government is so corrupt with greediness and everyone is out to make a buck,we pay so many taxes and new taxes being invented and our government is still in the red,something is wrong their.

We here in the UK are very lucky, fortunate and privileged, we do have our free NHS (national health service) though we do go on a waiting list to be seen, or we can choose to go private (at a cost) to get seen almost straight away.

Vanilla2 wrote:We here in the UK are very lucky, fortunate and privileged, we do have our free NHS (national health service) though we do go on a waiting list to be seen, or we can choose to go private (at a cost) to get seen almost straight away.

I'm curious..do companies offer private as an incentive to hire someone?

Whiteshaman we can take out a private hospital Insurance policy if we choose,there is a vast selection to choose from by many company's, depending on our needs, we can pay monthly, this is on top of our NHS, it just gives us quicker appointments instead of being on the NHS waiting list, and offers better hospital choices, but can become expensive as each year premiums go up, irrespective of whether we make a claim on it.

Interesting! Thanks!