Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Doctor's Visit

We both went to the doctor about three weeks ago, Norma for her hip that we feared she damaged in a fall in Mexico and me for my semi-annual blood tests. We got lab orders for the respective work and waited to hear. We got no call back on Norma's hip but I got a call to come in to "discuss" my lab results. I hate these calls! They get you on the edge of your seat until your appointment thinking you have some serious problem he has to tell you about in his little room where you cannot run out and kill yourself. Or something. Today I went to see him.

Aside from slightly elevated blood sugar, my results were perfect! The outrageously high PSA test results (11) I got last year have not been repeated and my PSA has since remained in the low "normal" range (1.5). My kidneys, which failed and were repaired with massive steroid doses about 15 years ago are still functioning perfectly. I am a fine specimen! Considering.

Norma's X-rays came back showing the previous (2007) break healed and "without convincing evidence of complication". In other words, whatever happened when she fell in Mexico, even though it kept her in pain and off her feet for almost two weeks, did not show up on the X-ray. It was probably a bruise.

We have his clearance to head out for more adventures whenever we want! Total cost for all these visits, tests, lab work, X-ray readings, etc? $30 (for the PSA test which is not covered by Canadian medical coverage). The rest was free!

16 comments:

  1. In spite of some negative issues, from time to time, our medical system is 2nd or 3rd to none in the free world. It's a godsend!

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  2. Good news for you both. Let the adventures continue.....

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  3. Kevin, I understand you do not like the Canadian Medical System but how much would this have cost in the USA? Probably more than you pay in medical premiums and taxes for the entire year. Socialized medical works.

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  4. Croft
    You are correct. Health insurance costs alone have delayed our retirement plans. $1200 - $2400 per month (depending on deductible) is more than we can afford until Medicare kicks in (which we have paid for from payroll deductions).
    Bill in Nebr.

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  5. It's not so much that I don't like it Croft, I just think it could easily be so much better. One of the problems is that people think it's "free". There's so much waste in the system because people think they can run to the doctor every time they have a runny nose, AND PEOPLE DO. Institute a $50 deductible for EVERY doctor visit and the waste will drop right off. The second major problem is how "western" society has allowed the people who work in the medical field to be put on a financial pedestal.

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  6. How many dudes can get away with writing the words "I am a fine specimen" ???
    Not many, besides you :)

    p.s. Please let the lovely Norma know her Island zombie deer have finished off both of my columnar sweetgum trees and have started on the trembling aspen. They are happy, healthy and very well fed.

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  7. good news! I'm glad you are ready for more adventures!

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  8. So nice to get a clean bill of health, now you are good to on another adventure, safe travels. Thanks for the reminder on the cell phone alarms.

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  9. No argument here, our healthcare system is the best I know of. As for to many visits I can only speak for those folks I know and very few of them look forward to going to the doc, even though it is not chargeable (not free) so like me probably do their usual annual physical and average less than one other visit per annum.

    Over here west of the Rockies we manage to get the PSA test for free but I think the doc has to make some commment about how the digital exam was not conclusive to enable it to be a non-chargeable item.

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  10. I am a two visit a year guy myself, a result of having to monitor my kidney function after the years ago failure. Norma goes on an "as required" basis which has amounted to about ten visits in her lifetime. We are not big time abusers of the system.

    I would strongly object to Kevin's "$50 per visit" charge because although it would be no problem for me, it would cause serious problems for a low income family who would have to choose between taking a child to the doctor or buying groceries. This is why we have socialized medicine in the first place.

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  11. With our policy we have a substantial deductible and a $35 per visit co-pay. And this is a case of employer/employee shared health insurance (union negotiated - thank you very much). The co-pay seems like an impediment and the deductible an attempt to disuade us from going in for medical care. And the fact is that the low income cannot afford any health insurance and people die needlessly. Single payer universal health care would be the answer.
    Bill in Nebr.

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  12. And how would you address the problem of waste in the medical system Croft?

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  13. Put doctors on salaries working out of clinics and use generic drugs wherever possible. Run the entire system Provincially and get rid of expensive "Regional Health Districts". As it is, a good proportion of Canada's health costs go to bureaucracies when it should go to patient care.

    Just for a start.

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