NetSwamp » Health

How To Fix Healthcare In America

Rick — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:00:45 +0000

This is not a new idea, and I can not take credit for it. It sounds easy, but it’s actually a difficult task…

All we need to do is take away the cushy healthcare plans provided to legislative, judicial and presidental office holders and other government employees. Have them use the same healthcare system the rest of the people use. I’d bet the healthcare problem would be fixed within a year!

The hard part…Getting them to pass a bill that does just that.

The REAL Problem with Healthcare in America – Insurance Companies!

Rick — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:45:55 +0000

The evil-empire in the healthcare world isn’t the Feds. It’s the insurance companies. I’m not trying to say that the government won’t screw-up healthcare. If it’s at all possible, they WILL regardless of which side of the isle you’re on. I AM saying the insurance companies have entirely too much power in the current system with the capability to set prices at both ends – what the insurance companies pay the doctors and what we pay for the privilege of having insurance. The only clear winners are the insurance companies.

Now, I’m all for capitalism. But, healthcare is the wrong place for the capitalistic attitude. Making money on the health issues of the public just seems vulgar. Co-ops on the surface sound good, but I don’t think they can get the economy of scale, due to their smaller size, that the big insurance companies do by bullying the doctors and the patients.

The healthcare debate has been raging on “The Hill” for months now, so I don’t prescribe to the notion that everything is being cobbled together or left unrevealed. The variations on the bills under consideration/consolidation stand as evidence to that fact. You can read them yourself, they’re available on-line. And the nonsense that anything proposed will cost the American taxpayer “out-the-butt” is bogus too. From what I’ve read of the bills, if properly consolidated and executed the largest portion of the costs are covered by simple redistribution of existing expenditures. Long lines resulting from a public plan? I can’t dismiss that. Ever been to an HMO?

Cooler heads need to prevail! If you believe the cost to the taxpayer is going to be astronomical, ok – it might be in the end, we ARE talking about our inept government after all. But, a significant portion of this rhetoric is fueled by the insurance companies. No one is talking about taking away what’s already available. If the insurance companies can’t compete with a government plan or co-ops, then they SHOULD go by way of the DoDo. But, please don’t parrot the diatribe spewed by the insurance companies and getting ugly at public meetings is a bit primitive.

Of course, if you’ve got a better idea, there’s millions of Americans waiting to hear it, please share. I believe it’s better to do something than nothing at all. If that means a public option, let’s give it a try. We can always change it later – everyone remembers how to vote right?

Freedom Today?

Rick — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:26:47 +0000

The doc was just in (4:30am). First thing he asked, “Would you like to go home today?” Duh!!

I’ve spent the last 2 hours waking every 15 minutes due to pain. I’m not in a good mood! Though it’s about the only thing he could have said that would “check” my tongue. This guy has my prescription intervals set to every 6 hours. That leaves me 2-3 hours of pain between doses. I’m not sure how you don’t figure this out based on collected data. Unless you just don’t consult the data.

It’s not just the PPN previously mentioned. It appears everyone on the night shift is boarder-line worthless. My IV alarm and my room mates both went-off multiple times last night. The alarms would have never been silenced had we not called the nurses station to have one sent down to turn it off. My roomy started cancelling the alarms on his own.

From my room it looks like the night shift does as little as possible. But I’ve only been here 3 nights. I suppose it could be they only actually work 4 out of 7 days.

I’m Trying to be a Good Patient – Really!

Rick — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:11:57 +0000

Take Rick, who doesn’t want to be in a hospital, add one bitch-nurse and you get instant asshole! I can’t seem to stop myself. I just pulled a ‘nasty’ on one of the good nurses and I shouldn’t have.

Last night, I asked the nurse assigned to my room a simple question; Can you give me something for gas? Her answer, “Best thing to do is get up and walk around”. Getting up and walking around is only hampered by pain, but it’s doable. She must not have heard of Gas-X or the hospital doesn’t stock it. Other responses she spewed last night lead me to believe she is just a piss-poor nurse (PPN). She’s very good at telling time: “It’s 2 hours until you can have more pain medication”. This nurse strikes me as one who wants to do just enough to get a paycheck. She doesn’t come across as one who cares about her patients.

My good nurse, Kristin’s response to the same question: “I’ll see what we have” was a way better response. I shouldn’t have added: “I’ve asked my wife to bring Gas-X to me”. Needless-to-say, Kristin said “They don’t like patients to bring-in meds without the doctors’ knowledge”. Kristin’s right! I understand why. I just made her a victim of my irritation with her colleague’s crappy attitude. I’m sorry!!

Kristin’s been very good. She’s working with me to try to keep the pain moderated. Example; The doctor stretched my med interval from every 4 to every 6 hours last night. The meds weren’t lasting the 4 hours, let alone 6. They have me on Dilaudid, 2 mg per dose. I asked Kristin if we could split the dose and do every 3 hours. She’s all for it! So we’re givin’ it a try.

She’s soooo good, she just brought me something for gas while I was writing this post. PPN’s like the one I’ve experienced here, become part of my irritation and intolerance while being held prisoner in the hospital. I’m trying not to share that irritation with the good ones.

Stuck Inside

Rick — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:53:25 +0000

Remember how you used to feel as a kid about being stuck indoors when you could be outside playing? How ’bout as an adult, feeling stuck indoors on a beautiful day (like today)? That’s how I feel right now!!

If it weren’t for the pain, being stuck here in the hospital would be unbearable.

Diverticulitis Strikes Again!

Rick — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:23:43 +0000

It ‘s hard to sleep through belly pain. Diverticulosis can be painful and difficult to live with. The last couple of days has been no exception. Last night was really rough. There was more pain than usual during an attack. It was accompanied by a deep body trembling chill and a mild fever.

Here I am, incarcerated again in the hospital at 7:30pm. The “adventure” started at 8:30am this morning in the E.R. There were less than a dozen people their when we arrived. Not too bad a wait to get in. Once the doctor was convinced that the diverticuli hadn’t perforated he was generous with the pain meds. Finally – relief!! Sort-of, the meds didn’t seem to take at first. The first round was morphine and it didn’t work!! I’m not sure what was finally used this evening, but the pain is under control and I might be able to sleep tonight.

After the CAT scan, the doctor determined I needed to be admitted so they could dump massive-quantities of antibiotic through a “straw” into my body. He confirmed diverticulitis. It’s likely I’ll be here ’til Sunday. With my luck and hospitals, it’ll be just long enough for me to become nasty and obnoxious. I’m not a “good patient”. It’s also possible I’ll be here ’til Monday too. That sets the odds of reaching the obnoxious stage, better than average.

It’ll be a while before I sound up-beat about not having an attack for nearly a year, as both my Mom and Dad pointed-out.

This really sucks!