I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Could that secretary be a clone to the idjuts that sent me for a doppler (U/S) yesterday to look for a blood clot???  I reported the nerve pain in my arm on January 20 - if it HAD been a clot - I'd have been dead for a couple of months now.  Good thing my PCP has been along for the ride - I am having an MRI on Friday to find out which area of my spine is causing the problem - I think I need to find a new onc.

I think Gabby Gifffords is right on....the whole thing.  I also hope that these people who think so little of those who recognize the need for change, big change will soon be gone.  They do not belong in positions of leadership of any kind if they are forgetting the fact that WE elected them to do what we perceive and are convinced is the right thing. 

I hope the backlash just keeps on coming.  How many fiasco's do the Republicans want on their side of the card.  Not saying at all that some Democrats didn't lock-step with their filibustering fellow party members.  They too need to be shown the door. 

This one is I don't think going to go away and will be a rock around the neck of everyone who allowed themselves to be turned into gutless wonders.  It is crystal clear just whom is in the lobbyists pockets.  Well you know what the only saying is :  Marry in haste, regret in leisure.

Jackie

E - just sent you a pm

Sandy - AUUGHHHHHHHH...GET THEE TO A NEW DOCTOR.

Damn.  Haven't we got enough to worry about putting one foot in front of the other.

BTW - InterFaith Service in Boston, 11:00 am today - President Obama to speak, after our Gov. Deval Patrick.  Will be on NPR, expect networks will pick up some of it....

Sandy and GG sending boring vibes your way!!

NIH will a do a search for you.  You call in with your parameters and they email a list back.  http://www.cc.nih.gov/recruit/

GG- what do you mean, your radiologist didn't think your lungs were fine?  In my world, the radiologist's judgement trumps the MO, when it comes to scans.

I've been working on my MO, and now she has enjoined my PCP (CYA to be sure), to give me Metformin.  I missed the cutoff for the trial by weeks.  Atleast I won't be getting a placebo. http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01101438

These last few days feel crazy in this world.

Chickadee, how horrible.

Back to the gun bills - It's interesting and abhorent to me that the amendment that came closest to passing was an amendment to force states to honor concealed permits from other states (Cornyn Amdt. No. 719). I am beyond p.o'ed at several Democrats.

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00100

RR - I actually think that making the concealed weapons permit valid across country would be a good thing.  Anything that moves toward federal uniformity will (IMO) ultimately enable federal legislation.  I cannot, however, tell you how PO'd I am about the failure of the assault weapons ban and the expanded background check - to AT LEAST gun shows.  I can understand (disagree with, but understand) the difficulties that can arise from the personal sales, but gun shows???? 

GG - thanks.  I know what you mean about expectations and waiting. I tried both ways too - pretending all would be good and all would be bad.  I decided it was easier to distract myself.  Hugs

My DH has has terrible back pain for over two months but Blue Cross put him through 6 weeks of useless and painfyl physical therapy before they would pay for an MRI. And yet people say there is no health care rationing in the US. Phhht...

He finally saw a specialist today and may at least have a diagnosis soon. MRI on Monday/  All he has had so far is an x-ray which showed nothing.

Rosemary, my sister has to go for therapy on her spine even though x-rays show terrible damage and surgery is already scheduled. Somehow looking at x-rays that show a spine that is so contorted she will have to go through two surgeries and spend about 15-20 hours on the table isn't enough for the insurance company. She has to have a physical therapist sign off that therapy won't fix her condition. I hope she doesn't actually have to do therapy as she is in horrendous pain and there's no way it will help.

The "death panels" and "rations" in health care in this country are all run by the private sector. Medicare is more efficient and better run than private insurers.

The public sector - government - apparently makes sure to give this pivate sector more business by supporting murder weapons. ETA: This is not necessarily premeditated or intentional, but it happens when government coddles those private sector actors that support its expansionist, militaristic aims. 

That type of public-private collusion, my friends, is what is historically known as fascism. Government supporting industry to support the government's aims in a way that favors military expansion at the cost of human rights for individuals. Fascism exists in this country (thank you Ronald Reagan - your voodoo economics revolution started it, and Obama is having a hard time turning it around) and some democrats support it.

This is the America that we have:

PPS: Whoever thought Karl Marx would make more and more sense as time goes by. And I'm not calling for statism or an end to capitalism - just pointing to how a fascist system has become engrained in our congress.

...while the rest of the world moves forward....

It's interesting to me how many people in the US think they are not getting stellar care unless they are in the hands of not only specialists, but specialist hospitals.

Certainly there are some big teaching hospitals here, and some smaller ones who will send specific patients to a larger hospital if necessary. On the other hand, I have had excellent and really accessible care right here in my small town. The only thing I had to leave town for was radiation because our hospital doesn't have the equipment. If I hadn't wanted to drive the hour each way, I could have requested accommodation in the hospital lodge for a minimal price.

Specialist care isn't necessarily better care and more generalist care most certainly is not a death panel. There are just different ways of doing the same things effectively.