Planning The Fun
14 minutes ago
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Checkup
The other day I was trying to figure out how long it's been since my last checkup at the doctor's. I think it's been something like 16 years. There was a time about 7 or 8 years ago when I went in to get a lump dug out of my hand. It wasn't a good experience. The nurse wouldn't listen to me when I said I needed a larger sized blood pressure cuff. The regular sized cuffs give a false higher reading.
Well, the doctor did a lousy job cutting out the lump. In fact, I still have it. Then he tried to push blood pressure meds on me. Later I had my pressure checked with the correct sized cuff and my pressure was normal. You don't have to be a nurse to check blood pressure.
Ever since I had to deal with a whole series of doctors chosen by Workman's Compensation I've had a bad relationship with the profession. They weren't trying to heal me. They were trying to deny job related benefits. In fact, I didn't start to get better until the system cut me loose. Alternative treatments improved my life immensely.
Logically, I know most doctors must be trying to help people. Once in a while I've even run into a doctor or two that's been of some service to me. Too bad it's a minority. To be fair, having to deal with Workmen's Compensation doctors skewed the numbers. One doctor told me I'd be dead before I was 45. It's great to be 58.
That's the background. Last fall my father passed away. Around that time I promised my kids I'd get a checkup in the spring. Well, it's spring. I've got an appointment next month. Let's see what he has to say, besides telling me I'm fat, like I don't know. He'd better not try to push pills on me that I don't need.
-Sixbears
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Ask around to find an old doctor with a bad attitude. They know what works and talk plain. They do it because they are lousy at golf and are bored.
ReplyDeleteMy wife told me to find a veterinarian because I was a ______.
Almost didn't make to the other comments because I was laughing too hard! :-)
DeleteGood advice on finding one good doc you can trust. Hard to do, but when you find him, don't change.
The old guy retired. He was gruff, fast and didn't mess around. Also knew his stuff.
DeleteSounds like it's time for ... "Meet the new doc. Same as the old doc."
DeleteI least I'm not a Workman's Comp case and can walk out of his office. I was really tempted to walk out on those WC doctors, even though I'd have lost my pension. It was a near thing. Maybe that's what they were trying to do.
DeleteI wouldn't be surprised. The older I get, the more I learn about widespread devious business practices. Turns my stomach. And within that category of corrupt business, insurance companies are near or at the top.
DeleteFor example, the first segment in the April 17th episode of "60 Minutes". It was a report on the widespread abuse of life insurance beneficiaries by practically all of the major insurance companies. In short, previously untold billions in unpaid benefits, even when they know the policy holder has died. If the beneficiary, for whatever reason, doesn't ask to be paid, the insurance company stays really quiet and pockets the money. And in the cases where the government has gone after them, the best resolution was that the insurance companies "settled, with no admission of guilt". And we wonder why it keeps happening.
Really an eye-opening story, in terms what, who, and how much.
Must be tempting to take a shotgun with you! I must say that in the past 6 months we have been very well treated by what feels like dozens of doctors and pretty much all of them have been superb. I am tempted to guess the difference is that the doctors over here in the UK are not pushing a private medicine agenda. Most are still in it to be doctors not money grabbers. So far. The present government seem to be hell bent into dismantling what is actually working by forcing more and more privatisation into the NHS.
ReplyDeleteArghhh. Joel!
DeleteThe US has the best medical treatment -for the very rich. The rest of us peasants have to make do with much less.
DeleteI'll avoid the full-blown diatribe that this topic deserves, but what really pisses me off is that the drive for universal health care, which was/is so desperately needed, was so completely screwed up (by compromises forced on the administration and written into law), that the resulting ACA/Obamacare is really a huge mess. To me, its only "accomplishment" was forcing people to buy overpriced, previously voluntary insurance from the same crooks who screwed the system up to begin with. Now, instead of the private insurance companies having to provide good service to get new business, their customers are required by law to sign up. Mindboggling that such a snafu is being blamed on the Democrats who never wanted this.
DeleteI am 100% for universal healthcare, but I feel forced to admit that I'm largely against the medical system abomination that we have now. At least we got a patient bill of rights out of that fiasco (no "pre-existing conditions" limitation, etc).
The patient bill of rights is the only reason I can get any sort of insurance at all.
DeleteI keep hoping the whole thing will fall apart so we can build something that works, even if all the insurance companies have to shut down.
I lucked out in finding a doctor who listens to me (most of the time) and who is willing to work with me. Hope yours is the same.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It would be a nice surprise.
DeleteNine years ago, the doctors wouldn't touch my stage 4 wife without the money up front, and we had no insurance, but we were able to scrape it together. Last year, a vet was willing to let our dog die, rather than wait for his $100. We were poorer that time, and the $100 was harder to come by than the 1000's a few years earlier. It's not hard to see what most are in for.
ReplyDeleteDang, sorry. Not surprised, but sorry.
DeleteI s'pect your of an age to be needing some statins, blood pressure meds and maybe something to help manage blood sugars. Just part of the lovely aging process...
ReplyDeletelater,
-Moe
What I want is steak and whiskey. . .
DeleteThanks Dad. Love you.
ReplyDelete