CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING IN A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT 

Princella Snow is happy to no longer live near standing water. Standing water breeds mosquitoes and allows the mosquitoes to spread infection.  In February of 1990 she was immobilized with a severe case of 1encephalitis due to mosquito bites. Princella’s brain was swollen, full of fluid due to the infection. She recalls being told that a mosquito had left its larvae, which begin to grow on her brain tissue.  Due to the infection, she had to be retrained regarding all motor skills and suffered long and short-term memory loss and damage. In order to get the treatment, she needed, Princella was placed in a rehab facility in Benton, AR.   Six months before she was stricken with encephalitis, Princella gave birth to a baby girl.  It was very difficult trying to take care of her baby all while suffering from that debilitating illness. 

After her diagnoses, Princella was considered disabled. She has been on Medicaid since 1990.  She is still receiving SSI Disability due to the lingering effects of encephalitis; severe headaches, lupus, memory problems, ulcers and hypertension.  She often forgets things and says that people think that you are crazy when you forget things.  Luckily, she does not listen to what people say and tries to go on with her life in the small community of Holly Grove, AR in Monroe County. 

Going to the doctor use to be quite often, but lately her visits are not as frequent. Princella sees a local provider in Clarendon and does not have to travel far to see her provider.  Specialist visits are on a as needed basis. 

When Princella first started receiving Medicaid, she had co-payments.   She was paying $10-$20 as a co-payment for her medications.  Thankfully, as of the first of this year she is no longer required to pay this. Her caretaker comes in five days a week 2-3 hours a week and assists in performing activities that she is not able to perform. 

When asked what her life would be like without Medicaid, Princella said, “I would not be able to afford my medicine or to see the doctor.  I would not have been able to receive the treatment that I received for my encephalitis.”  After everything she has been through, Princella shares that it would be ok with her if she never sees another mosquito. 

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Stock Photo Credit: https://www.medindia.net/patientinfo/what-you-should-know-about-japanese-encephalitis.htm