h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

have had occasion to involve myself with the 'medical establishment' and will echo your sentiments about not trusting the bleeps as far as i can throw them. i also, and indeed, echo your thoughts that there ARE many caring Real People in the medical 'food chain' and those are the ones that i indeed 'trusted my life' to.
there ARE 'open-air' MRI machines now, so that claustrophobic feeling that may require sedation in some 'patients'is somewhat eased.
having an MD in the near vicinity is a MUST. i had a heart problem, oh 14 years ago now actually, and the best thing the local hospital did was ship me to the Cleveland Clinic, where i (several times) watched my heart beat on a teevee set, from inside and out.
i know a bit about where you are writing about, Quiz, and i have other medical stories in a similar vein.....or artery.
(and all i had to write about this week was dog poop, while you're writing life-and-death.......this boy just ain't right. !!)

Life-and-death can make for really entertaining stories. So can dog poop. (We've got goose poop around here.)

The MRI was no big deal, but I refused to take the contrast agent. I mean, the technician is in another room watching a computer screen. If a patient were in serious trouble, nobody would know out until they found the body 20 minutes later. (Interestingly, the tech told me that the contrast agent isn't really necessary in all cases, but it's 'easier' just to give it to everyone. Nothing like acting in a patient's best interest. I suspect that, in the list of priorities, the patient comes just above the janitorial staff who clean at night.) I expect there will be some 'discussion' about this with my doctor on Monday, but he's a new doctor so I intend to break him in right. After that I get to go argue with my dental insurance carrier, who apparently feels that you're not supposed to replace the filling in a tooth that's being crowned, even if there's a bit of decay underneath.

I 'resolved' my medical issues, though, by owning a few mutual funds that concentrate on medical delivery and systems stocks. This way, every time Quizzical the Consumer takes it in the shorts, Quizzical the Investor does quite nicely, thankyouverymuch. (I oughta write an investment guide.)

And speaking of writing, the World Figure Skating Championships begin on Monday, so I'm going to try to write up something for your column.

okay, i'll stick with the doggie-doo, and you write the skating. Shazz can decide what slot to put stuff in.
you have a definite knowledge of the medical industry, and good on you to try to make money on the money you have to spend to go thru their 'procedures' for treatment.
i got 'caught short' for the heart deal in '91, but Cleve Clinic hooked me up with the first and only time i've been on welfare, and i dropped that after six months of pills and rehab.
at last report, my heart is 95% and i just have to watch my diet, no meds, so i caught it in time.
i got lucky or something.
(one never knows, does one ?)

Anything to do with the heart is scary stuff. I'm glad you're doing well, and without meds too. I've heard nothing but good things about the Cleveland Clinic. If I ever find myself in a desperate situation, I'll probably go there.

Have you been following the discussions about the bankruptcy reform bill? Large medical bills are the second most common reason for people going bankrupt (the first is loss of a job). (Political comment alert!) I find it ironic that the folks who are responsible for running up such huge deficits have their knickers in a twist over the poor souls who get themselves into financial trouble. As usual, the little guy is getting nailed, while the fat cats have provided nicely for themselves. Oooo, it makes me so mad!! (There goes my blood pressure.)

Back to skating...

i have a dear, darling, simply a trusted friend from both our views, who has had to up her meds for near-to grand mal siezures (four in the last year--scarey.) we have investigated ordering her meds from canada--her big sister is an RN and bro-in-law partner in a med clinic in pittsburgh as a GP, so i think/ hope she has sound advice (and NOT from me.)
as i keep saying, if we don't take care of ourselves, we can't even hope to take care of others, and i share your distain for the politicos, The Establishment, as it is.
why else are we on H2G2 ?
antidisestablishmentmentantarianism, and i ain't tried to tripe THAT in a long time.
must be a sunday afternoon, with baseball on the radio......