Monday

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

Ricky:

You have really bad Mondays...

Sometimes ... and when I do, they are corkers.

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.

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.

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.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Sometimes ... and when I do, they are corkers.

"The silicon chip inside her head
gets switched to overload..."

Cheers,
Marc

[RWood]

Zelda, I just saw my doctor last week and the bill was $82 before insurance and $12 after. Generic drugs are ~$4 a month without insurance at several places like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, or Target. This is lower than the same generics at other stores with insurance. The insurance only seems to help when the drug is a brand name and is on their "favs" list. (One brand name drug is not on their list at $140/month but another brand name is on their list at $32.month, go figure.)

[pshrynk]

The difference between an office visit (about $100-200) and an Urget Care / ER visit (about $1000 - 1500) is that the UC/ER is alwyas open, doesn't take appointments, and is there for the walk-in trade. Also, UC/ER deals with more "urgent" types of things, such as Ricky's arm falling off from gangrene caused by a scorpion sting and exacerbated by self-surgery. (Add to you list of things to read "Bag Balm and Duct Tape.")

Some day, when I'm bored, I'll start a thread on health care in America so you can see the depths of feeling about this. If you thought the Blatantly Political Rant was entertaining...

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

The difference between an office visit (about $100-200) and an Urget Care / ER visit (about $1000 - 1500) is that the UC/ER is alwyas open, doesn't take appointments, and is there for the walk-in trade. Also, UC/ER deals with more "urgent" types of things, such as Ricky's arm falling off from gangrene caused by a scorpion sting and exacerbated by self-surgery. (Add to you list of things to read "Bag Balm and Duct Tape.")

Some day, when I'm bored, I'll start a thread on health care in America so you can see the depths of feeling about this. If you thought the Blatantly Political Rant was entertaining...

looking forward to that one.

100$-200$ is certainly better than 1000$ but still makes my eyeballs pop out of my head (now would that be a case for Urgent Care / ER ?).

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

The difference between an office visit (about $100-200) and an Urget Care / ER visit (about $1000 - 1500) is that the UC/ER is alwyas open, doesn't take appointments, and is there for the walk-in trade. Also, UC/ER deals with more "urgent" types of things, such as Ricky's arm falling off from gangrene caused by a scorpion sting and exacerbated by self-surgery. (Add to you list of things to read "Bag Balm and Duct Tape.")

Some day, when I'm bored, I'll start a thread on health care in America so you can see the depths of feeling about this. If you thought the Blatantly Political Rant was entertaining...

Now of course, the problem with appointments is getting them. I had my stroke on a Tuesday. I called my doctor, I told his desk staff that I had a stroke. They told me the first available appointment was on Friday.

So ... I went in on Friday, and they realized I had had a stroke (oh my ... you think???) Suddenly I'm an "ermergency." I asked them why, if I wasn't an emergency on Tuesday, they were going to treat me as such on Friday.

That was back when I still had insurance. Gate keepers is what they call those doctors. Gate keepers. Like letting you get medical care is some exclusive club.

Huh ... trash truck is really early today.

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

looking forward to that one.

100$-200$ is certainly better than 1000$ but still makes my eyeballs pop out of my head (now would that be a case for Urgent Care / ER ?).

As mentioned, the minor emergency visits are not that expensive out here. It's the surgery and antibiotics that will kill you (unless they are generic and on Walmart's list). There aren't that many doctors out this way ... and few, if any, actual hospitals. Most of the doctors come up one day (sometimes two days) a week to see patients. Otherwise, you go to Fredericksburg or Austin for medical care. (Although, I did notice a very small hospital in Burnett ... but that's almost the same drive time as Austin.)

The antibiotics appear to be working. The redness has stopped spreading and is actually diminishing. Also, the itching is getting manageable with calamine. It looks like I'm going to survive. Hooray. (As the little rabbit says "clapity clapity".) This is a very good thing because I don't want to miss the party tonight. Never a good thing to miss a free meal.

[badgoodDeb]

Well, post again tomorrow and tell us how the arm is doing (oh, and how the party was!). I've been thinking about you and wondering, so I'm glad I found this post.

bgDeb

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Well, post again tomorrow and tell us how the arm is doing (oh, and how the party was!). I've been thinking about you and wondering, so I'm glad I found this post.

bgDeb

The arm is doing much better .... whole lots better. I'm just going to stay on the antibiotics for a week or two. The redness has reduced to where it's just around the bites themselves.

The party was GREAT!! Sandra Moon did all of the cooking and made some of the best lasagna I've ever had ... and wonderful spinach dip, and salad, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. And there was a really nice white wine served ... and I had three glasses (so I'm a bit snockered ... but not too bad).

A couple who just finished building their dream home on the top of the ridge came (we don't get a lot of the ridge people at our parties ... most of them are ... well, snobbish is the only word that I can think that describes most of them.

I came home, painted the dishwasher (it has a wood facing), and then I'm going to put one more coat of magnetic paint on the doors (I think this brings the total on each door to nine coats ...) and then I'm going to read for a bit and go to bed.

G'nite ... and thanks for thinking about me. That was really nice of you.

[RWood]

Be careful Ricky, with your magnetic personality and those magnetic chalkboards you could get stuck. Judging from the avatar picture of the Duckbilled Armadillopuss, it may be hard to get yourself un-attracted. (It would also seem to be impossible to scratch a bite on the bill except with the tail if that is even possible.)

Glad to hear that you are doing better.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Oh ... I see ... yesterday was pick on Geoff C ... so today is pick on Ricky day?? Well .. have at it people. I can take it.

Not at all - this is a concerned "pick" to make sure you keep well and us entertained...

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

If we seem to be bugging you its only because we are concerned......

Seconded (or is that thirded?).

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

The arm is doing much better .... whole lots better. I'm just going to stay on the antibiotics for a week or two. The redness has reduced to where it's just around the bites themselves.

The party was GREAT!! Sandra Moon did all of the cooking and made some of the best lasagna I've ever had ... and wonderful spinach dip, and salad, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. And there was a really nice white wine served ... and I had three glasses (so I'm a bit snockered ... but not too bad).

A couple who just finished building their dream home on the top of the ridge came (we don't get a lot of the ridge people at our parties ... most of them are ... well, snobbish is the only word that I can think that describes most of them.

I came home, painted the dishwasher (it has a wood facing), and then I'm going to put one more coat of magnetic paint on the doors (I think this brings the total on each door to nine coats ...) and then I'm going to read for a bit and go to bed.

G'nite ... and thanks for thinking about me. That was really nice of you.

Brill, keep up the good work....(antibiotics and wine?)

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by RWood

Be careful Ricky, with your magnetic personality and those magnetic chalkboards you could get stuck. Judging from the avatar picture of the Duckbilled Armadillopuss, it may be hard to get yourself un-attracted. (It would also seem to be impossible to scratch a bite on the bill except with the tail if that is even possible.)

Glad to hear that you are doing better.

Well, the personality may be magnetic, but the physical form is repulsive ... so it allll balances out in the end.

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Not at all - this is a concerned "pick" to make sure you keep well and us entertained...




Seconded (or is that thirded?).



Brill, keep up the good work....(antibiotics and wine?)

Not something I'd recommend with all antibiotics, but whatever it is I'm on (and I can't tell you for certain because at some point I lost the bottle) doesn't seem to be affected by wine.

No parties until next Tuesday, however. The Moons are going back out of town ... so I have to fend for myself in the food and drink department. Back to my regular diet of chocolate, popcorn, sodapop and fruit rollups. Yum.