The Rant Continues

[gja1000]

I had lunch with a Nurse Practitioner friend of mine this past week. She has her own practice with a doctor in a little town near the lake where Gary is fishing. I was telling her my woeful story of trying to get Gary's neck injection scheduled, his medications ordered, and getting his insulin pump supplies increased to match his needs. She just shook her head and said that I was motivated and knew what I was doing and I persisted until I got what was needed. However, she went on to say that most of her patients can't or won't do that and they just give up. When they come in to see her days/weeks later, they have not scheduled their procedure or they are not taking their meds (even the essential ones) because they couldn't get what they needed so they just gave up. It is so scary to me that this happens, but i know it does. I remember being told that Gary's doctor wouldn't approve something and I knew that was not true - but most people would have just believed that, and thought OK, I guess I don't need that medication or whatever. It's just too sad.

[DianaB]

I'm not to that stage of life yet and it scares me to think that getting health care will be so difficult that I'll give up. I hope that Gary appreciates the fact that he's in good hands!!

[Janet]

Wow...I feel the same as Diana. It's getting scarier and scarier to grow old. Sure wish you and Gary didn't have to deal with this.

[judy]

My doctor told me that a lot of doctors up here are not accepting Medicare because they pay so slowly! We do have good clinics here though, but for a doctor not to accept at least a percentage of indigent patients is just wrong!!
They do make an awful lot of $!

The drug companies and the insurance companies need to be regulated. I do not like the idea of government control over everything, but at some point, greed outweighs rights of commerce!!

It is a slippery slope, but too many people are without health care and medicine.

My dental insurance company is a good example...I just went down to the city this week for him to fill in another form!

[DIANE W]

Goodness it must be so worrying for everyone, i understand the health provision is very different in the States to ours in England, when i hear your stories, i thank my lucky stars that we dont have that worry, we have unlimited access to free health care (well we do pay through our National Insurance and Taxes), but it is free at point of access.

Your right it is good that a person has someone looking out for them, i remember when i was at the hospital with my Aunt, some patients didnt have any visitors at all, and i was so concerned about decisions that were made, about their care, with out someone looking out for them.

Even now i am the only carer for my Uncle..... and i have to double check his medication, sometimes the pharmacists make mistakes, and what worries me is if the older person lives alone and doesnt realise it is a mistake

[DianaB]

Your pharmacist makes mistakes???? My daughter used to work in a pharmacy and that is a HUGE no-no. You need to change who you go to. That can be deadly.

[judy]

Brandon was in a very good hospital, but it is in Albany, a large city. They are all understaffed. She had to be there 24/7. If she had not insisted and fought for CAT scan, they would not have found what was wrong with him. The physician on the floor also sent him home without one medication, and an undated prescription for pain meds, which could not be filled legally. Luckily, the surgeon is a wonderful doctor who called to see how he was and is going to straighten everything out.

Brandon's roommate was an 8 week old baby who was so abused by her father. It was on the news, and is in all of the newspapers. Jessie wanted to take her home! The doctors were discussing giving her morphine because she was crying.
She does have a lot of damage, but one nurse carried her whenever she could get time, and she stopped crying. Babies need to be held,not given morphine!

How is your national health plan, Diana? I find the Obamacare plan very confusing, and I really do not know what is offered by it. A lot of people here are very much against it. Do gov't health plans work out well?

[DIANE W]

Originally Posted by DianaB

Your pharmacist makes mistakes???? My daughter used to work in a pharmacy and that is a HUGE no-no. You need to change who you go to. That can be deadly.

Actually Diana, we have changed, we moved from the one attached to his Dr's, to one 7 miles away, they still deliver his medication every month, i watch carefully, I make sure he gets all he needs. They annoy me though as he has regular medication, and yet still they leave things off, which means i then have to chase around.
I just feel sorry for older people who perhaps havent got anyone to look out for them, and do these things, it must be hard on them.