During our interview, this storyteller continuously gave thanks to Legal Aid of Arkansas and for receiving Pregnant Women’s Medicaid. Dejasia has a pending application for Medicaid. Her testimony and I do not say that lightly because her story is more of a testament as she relates her experience. 

Dejasia was working five years ago when she became pregnant. Her job provided her with insurance and things were going well. Unfortunately, she had to leave her job, and this left her without insurance. She applied for Pregnant Women’s Medicaid. The process for approval seemed like an eternity. Dejasia says that she was about to pop! In other words, she was close to her delivery date. She was receiving prenatal care at the local health department. She really needed to see OBGYN that she was entering her third trimester. Finally, she was approved for Medicaid. The story does not stop here. 

Her pregnancy had been without complications. A delivery date was scheduled for her because her water had not broken. Dejasia went into labor. Complications came about in that her baby was in distress. Dejasia was given medication to assist her in dilation which had not occurred. Her baby was not receiving enough oxygen and Dejasia was told by the medical staff to breathe with all her strength. She had to take deep breaths so that her baby could breathe. Dejasia’s vitals were low. Her condition was causing the baby to suffer. While lying in bed, semi-conscious, Dejasia heard her baby’s father ask if she was going to make it. Dejasia did not want to hear the answer. Lying there, she was praying for her baby’s life and her own. Dejasia delivered a healthy baby boy by C-section who is the joy of her life and is now age 5. This experience changed her life. She does not know what would have happened if she had not had Medicaid to cover the delivery. She may have been turned away like so many other hospitals have done to pregnant women. Her Medicaid was approved at the right time. It is her belief in God and to redirect her life that helped her to get through this.  

Once again, she is working and had insurance, but she changed jobs.  Since she changed jobs, she has applied for Medicaid for herself and her son. It has only been a couple of weeks since she applied, but she is patient and awaiting a decision. Thankfully, she has not been sick nor has her child. 

Throughout our conversation she continued to state her appreciation for the help she received from Legal Aid of Arkansas and for receiving Medicaid. From what she has been through, a few weeks of waiting for approval is not going to turn her around. She is on a path of greatness and is willing to wait.