Quote:
Originally Posted by pshrynk
Ricky:
You have really bad Mondays...
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Sometimes ... and when I do, they are corkers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desertgrandma
If we seem to be bugging you its only because we are concerned......  |
Understood. But, I'm really good at triage, even when it comes to myself. Don't worry, I'll know if I get sick enough to bring a doctor into the mix.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel
1000 $ to see a doctor ????? you're kidding right ??? it doesn't even cost that much here to see a *surgeon* (i had a consultation with a surgeon recently : 80€, reimbursed completely). a specialist doctor is usually about 50€ and a generalist is 22€, assuming they respect the conventional tarifs. some don't and overcharge but you can avoid them pretty easily. national health insurance reimburses most of that. you can have a complementary health insurance you pay for which will cover the rest.
from time to time you hear people talking about reforming the health-care system here and suggesting we move closer to the american model. they must be on crack. i hope we never get anywhere *near* a model where it costs 1000€ to see a doctor.
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Well, the cost of the actual "seeing the doctor" part is probably closer to $200, however, I can guarantee you that they will perform a small surgical intervention, and the materials and other miscellaneous stuff will run about $300 more. Then, we have the cost of the antibiotics. This is where it really gets fun. The stuff they generally prescribe (two non-generic antibiotics to be taken over a period of two weeks), has usually run about $500 more.
So, when I say $1000 I mean for everything. But, please note ... the hospitals and clinics make beaucoup bucks charging for those little "extras" like a single bandaid or a single aspirin for about $10.00. I know whereof I speak.
If the infected area is small, usually doing the surgical intervention myself, and then draining and cleaning the wound and keeping it drained and cleaned for three or four days does the trick with no antibiotics. I kept the antibiotics I was given last time for just this type of situation ... where the infection is a little too large for a few poke-holes to work the trick.
But, what I wouldn't give for a good national health insurance system here. Because I've had cancer five times now and a stroke and kidney stones and (well, you get the general idea), I would have to pay close to $1500 each month in order to be insured. And even then they won't cover any pre-existing conditions ... which for me is damn near everything. So, what's the point??
In any event, the arm does appear to be getting marginally better as time goes on. I'll truely and honestly know by Wednesday whether not going to the doctor immediately was a bad choice.
That's the thing about choices ... they are simply a learning process. You make a bad one, then you own it and take the consequences.