From CNN intern Emily Landrieu

Kathy Myers is one of the 1.2 million people living in Michigan without health insurance. After an accident with her dog, Myers withstood a month of intense pain in her right shoulder. Unemployed, uninsured, and unable to afford a doctor to look at her shoulder, she took matters into her own hands.

Late last week, Myers, who’s 41, became desperate and shot herself in the same shoulder. Her idea was that by shooting herself she would be in emergency care and force the doctors to not only fix the gun wound, but her previous shoulder problem as well.

Myers told local Michigan affiliate WSBT that doctors told her “it would have to be life threatening or imminent danger for them to do anything.” In order to make this so, she fired one shot that went through the shoulder, exiting the rear. Soon after, she was in emergency care. The doctors gave her anti–inflammatories and treated the bullet wounds. Without insurance, she was unable to get a CT- scan or MRI and was sent home.

Now, Myers is still in pain and hasn't gotten medical attention for her original shoulder injury.