Thoughts
Caffeine is gradually leaving my system and focus on work product is gradually getting easier. The transition back to a normal life was eased today by a massage appointment that had been set since before this mess started. Yay foresight!
Two cancer items in the news:
- This Yahoo news report first [via Naladahc]. I swear I did everything I could to prevent this cancer, and then some.
- Second comes this L.A.Times piece. Not that I would have ever voted for Davis, but I can’t believe anyone with half-an-ounce of common sense would ever compare news of a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness with the pain of receiving the news that a politician, even a beloved husband-type politician, is unpopular during an economic disaster downturn. Someone needs to get out of government and back into the real world.
The LA times article wouldn’t load, but I got the gist through your description. The Times comment and your appropriate wailings toward idiot/insensitive/unthinking (and “unthinking” is the biggest problem) front desk types cause me to extend an unwelcome hand in saying: welcome to my world!
Remember when I was in Sacramento protesting? I came into e-mail contact with the woman who heads up the California Victims of Crime program. She advertises herself as a “victim of crime” because HER BROTHER was murdered (clearly using her brothers murder to advance her career)! To which I responded “then we need to reclassify ‘victim’ into categories of ‘direct victim’, ‘indirect victim’, or ‘Level I victim’, ‘Level II victim’, etc. Because you are NOT a victim of crime.” Same theme as the LA Times deal. Personally I hate the word ‘victim’, but…
And yes, I’ve been “released as a patient” twice (once accused of lying about my condition — do these scars and surgery reports lie?), called a drug addict (to my face) due to pain med regimen, told “I didn’t go to med school for this”, etc., etc.
Medicine today is just like waiting tables…turnover is the game. For the most part Doctors are just high paid wait staff for Ely-Lilly, the HMO’s, etc. The doc wants 4 runny noses an hour…that’s turnover that can show profit. Walk in with a disease or significant injury residuals and just hope they’ve found a way to “find the money” or they’ll be lookin’ to get rid of you.
But, toward a more enlightened view, as I’ve told you on the phone, my thoughts are with you my friend…I hope you come into contact with some of the few capable, caring, competent, med people that are out there and manage to keep the idiocy of our broken medical system at arms length. Remember, don’t trust them, do your own work and then TELL THEM what they will do.
And, when all else fails, there’s very little that a frothy, cold beer can’t fix!