pretty quick!

Passed out from the pain. Had to have not one, but three surgeries. If it weren't for Obamacare and the Medicaid expansion here in OR I'd be in debt far and above what I could ever expect to repay in the rest of my lifetime.

Oh, I still have one more surgery to go, BTW.

Where in OR are you? I live in WA and do some work in OR. Love Portland, Eugene, the coast, Bend and Ashland!

stuff like this renews my zeal for a universal single payer plan!

They make money on everything, including death and illness. There is literally no one fighting for people any more.

I had to make two visits to emergency room this weekend for similar illness. Is it prostate related?

Good luck and I agree with you about healthcare.

hope you're on the mend also! I should get my prostate checked also.

be a struggle. K&R

EVERYONE should be covered medically. I feel that by not having universal health care in the US, it is a national disgrace. We had the chance to go that way after World War II but fuckers like Ronald Reagan campaigned hard against it.

And yes, Single Payer NOW!

BTW: I love your name!

You just never know when something is going to happen! Healthy people are healthy ... until they are not, and regardless of what we would like to think, we just don't know when that could happen!

Again, so glad you are ok!

I just worry about the folks who are uninsured!

Pennsylvania didn't expand medicaid. If I want insurance it's $500 a month, with no subsidy available. I just had to reapply for medicaid (will be denied again), so that I can have my cataract removed. The Doctor will do it pro bono, but the hospital wants paid if possible.

The ACA, is not health care, it's insurance. I want something like my 84 year old mother has (medicare). As long as there are greedy corporations & inefficient politicians we are doomed to the unequal treatment of citizens.

and I'm not sure that will ever happen because we live more in a corporatocracy than a democracy.

and I also think that as the citizens of this nation age, there will be more and more clamor for a universal payer system.

Glad you're OK health wise and financially

bit what about those who aren't and those who are financially vulnerable?

Lots of people die everyday who would be around if they had health care and a decent job.

But there was no need for the socialist rant. Things in the US are good the way they are. Go back to Europe if you don't like it...
-*Sarcasm*-

and have also been told that I endanger the capitalist system and need to have my US citizenship revoked and sent back to Germany!

and it is a national shame!

The two things (among many) that we accept in America that drive me crazy are:

1) That Health Care is still viewed as a for-profit privilege - a sacrilege to me
2) That Education is not provided beyond High School - an embarrassment to us all

Good luck in you recovery...a similar event happened to my grandmother and it took my brother and the fire department breaking in her door to get her out of the bath tub and to a hospital. Unfortunately for Grandma, that was the last time she was able to see her house, though she is still with us - albeit in assisted living and at great expense monthly for her care. She will run out of money sometime next year and we have already had to sell her house and car and most of her possessions to extend her that far. Beyond that, we haven't discussed it much as a family because of other, more pressing health care concerns for my mother.

Its been heart-breaking for the family since Grandma is in late stage Alzheimer's and cannot understand what has happened to her or recognize any of us and Mom is now run out of chemotherapy options to keep her persistent cancer at bay. Grandma's plight seems almost too cruel to bear at times, but I am extremely thankful for my father's health insurance and Medicare that have allowed my mother an extra 12 years of life that her mother never had (the same cancer that took my mother's mom is taking her from us as well). I cannot imagine the heartbreak for families that have lost loved ones due to a lack of insurance or money.

Best wishes to you for a full recovery.

I feel that Health, Educations, Corrections, Utilities and transportation should never be privatized!!!

a civilized nation, one that put the well-being of its citizens before all else? one can dream, yes?

I had emergency surgery in 2012 for a ruptured appendix, and was similarly fortunate to have decent insurance. You are quite correct: it is absolutely insane that we don't have single payer!

I count myself very fortunate to have received first rate care at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. My surgeon warned me, immediately post-op, that there was a very high chance of infection given that the appendix had burst, but luckily, I had no infection afterwards, and my two small laparoscopic incisions healed without incident.

Glad you are on the mend!

our country is still barbaric in more ways than one.

Eventually, we will have "universal single payer health care", but we will get it one state at a time, it it could take decades before the redder states adopt it.

before we get to that point. To me this is a national disgrace and I have been saying that for 30 years!

glad you are ok now.

quite a scare.

You are right single payer for all is the only right way to go.

I have insurance, but it is crap insurance and I am scared to death that something will happen and I will need to use it for some reason. And I am so much luckier than so many.

With regard to the US - it is nowhere near a first world country should be with providing healthcare (innovations is another thing) and it is truly sad that this wonderful country can be number one of healthcare spending and yet be 37th in the world for providing quality care. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_ranking_of_health_systems_in_2000)

From Time Magazine:
The U.S. ranks worst among 11 wealthy nations in terms of “efficiency, equity and outcomes" despite having the world's most expensive health care system

The U.S. health care system has been subject to heated debate over the past decade, but one thing that has remained consistent is the level of performance, which has been ranked as the worst among industrialized nations for the fifth time, according to the 2014 Commonwealth Fund survey 2014. The U.K. ranked best with Switzerland following a close second.

<snip>

Despite these shortcomings, positives noted include the breadth of reforms spearheaded by the Affordable Care Act, including new databases for transparent information and financial assistance for low-middle-income families in gaining coverage. “Those efforts will likely help clinicians deliver more effective and efficient care,” the report concludes. [Let's hope so...PumpkinAle]

Her appendix burst. She was in the hospital five days. Her bill was about $45k. She isn't presently in school and her employer didn't offer insurance.

Thankfully she was still eligible for our insurance because she lives at home and is under age 26 (she is 20). She (or more likely we) only have to pay just under $1000. A hella lot better than $45k!

She still has to go back to have her appendix removed. Her appendix has a stone in it, so it will keep getting infected if it isn't removed. It was so severely infected when she initially went in that they couldn't remove it.

Oh and one more thing, I always crack up whenever i see your username gopiscrap!

prayers and healing wishes for all of you!

gopiscrap

Good to hear you was given the help you was in need of - and is okay today - and are not totally in debt for the rest of your life..

I had a rather unpleasant experience myself last year - ended up in hospital with pneumonia a kidney failure - and arthritis - all who was rather unpleasant - and two who could have ended in a untimely death if I had not managed to get into a hospital - I ended up staying in the hospital for 3 whole weeks - in a rather week state of affairs - but thanks to the medical help I was getting - I was able to walk out the hospital 3 weeks later - well enough to came home...

In the US I would have either been dead - because I was not getting the medical need I was in need of - or in so much debt I would never, ever be able to pay it back for the rest of my natural life... But thanks to the fact that I was not living in the US - but in a country with Universal Health Care - or single payer care as you want to call it is in the US - I was able to walk out of the hospital - without any debt to my name at all.... In the US I would have been at least 450.000 in debt, maybe more as the medicine I was getting possible was rather expensive - I was in very bad shape when I came in - the doctor at the emergency room asked me why I was able to even walk in the door -after some bloodwork they discovered I had CRP of 660 (Thats very, very bad as it should in a healthy person be lower - much lover, like in the range of 5-10 cpr pr 1000 ml blood - not 660 pr 1000 ml blood )... And should be on a stretcher rather than on my two feet's - I guess I'm just extremely stubborn I answered... But I have to say - I was very gratefully when I could lie down - and let the doctors take care of me.... I was in a horrible shape to be honest... They was really afraid for me for some time, but I managed to get strong enough for a surgery - and had a plastic tube into the trouble-spot so the urine from the kidney could get out more easy - And they also discovered why I had had the problem for a while - non of the kidneys worked as they should - one worked just 25 percent - the other 75 percent of normal.. So I use to say I have two kidneys - who togheter is the same as one healty kidney... Even it is some truth to it... Over the summer I belive it wil be another surgery to more permament fix the troblespot - and hopfully it wil do the tric for some of the prolems I have with the kidney - but I guess I have to keep and eye on the kidneys for a while - and to be somewhat carefull about what I put into the body - a lot of water is one of the key indegrence to keep it flowing and the kindney bussy doing what it should do - rather than going on strike!

After I got out of the hospital - I even got physiography - paid for by the same system as my legs was rather bad being in a bed for 3 weeks - I still have some problem with my knees - they are not exactly up to old habits - but at least I'm able to walk properly - even though I do believe I would have problems running - even if a bear was in my footstep Anyway - i got well - even though I later got an infections, who shut down the kidney again - and I ended up in the same hospital - and had another surgery to put in a little plastic tube into the area where the trouble was was, and the infection was stopped - and I was able to walk out of the hospital again - after a week - the first couple of days I even had the luxury to even have the room for myself - with a TV, luxury I would say - but then I was put on a 4 mans room - without any TV - but I had my Ipad with me so I was entertained as they have wifi there..

Every civilized country have in some way or another universal health care - it is just the US who deny the people coverage of health care as part of your country's "contract" with its people - and people is fooled into believing that a public option when it come to health care is the same as pure communism... With death panels and it all... If a majority of americans had know - what universal health care really is - and not the spin fox news and conservatives is giving you - then I guess US would have had universal Health Care... The ACA is a step in the right direction - but it is a small step compared to what a public founded health care is...

Diclotican

hope you mend well and stay strong!

Gosipcrap

I'm fine now thank You. And i guess i have mended well Since last time i ended up in the hospital, but I'm little more tired than before so i guess it have had some effect om my overall health, but i manage.. I can be Somewhat stuborn pepople say of me... And i seldom complain of the state of affairs either..

Diclotican

Have a speedy recovery.

St Joes or Tacoma General? My family has had good experiences at both.

I have found them to be a pretty good hospital even though they tore down our church.

87 - 2001. Been in DuPont since 2001. Also found St Claire's to be very good.

We should try and get Puget Sound DUers together this summer. Who would be in?

it was on 5th and MLK Jr Way right next to the hospital. They low balled the congregation with the threat of eminent domain. Also said they would have to leave the land bare for 5 years but instead started building 7 months after FUMC vacated the site.

Is anyone surprised anymore? Maybe I'm too cynical, but honestly don't think so.

I remember the church...what's in it's place.....new addition to the hospital?

they said that they had to have it for an emergency room. There is a small chapel with FUMC stuff in it though. In fact one of the pictures they used is a picture of everybody in front of the church right after the Cindy Sheehan vigil on Aug. 17, 2005

attention is not readily available. Very pleased to hear you are better. That, can be so dangerous. The way the health system works in this country is brutal, and we are NOT at the top of the list for quality care, and we are also something like 50% more costly than the next country down the list for costs. It is a total ripoff for many the way the system works.

I have trouble taking antibiotics because they don't agree with my digestion by any stretch of the imagination. I've had trouble with them since the 1980's.

It turns out that the liquid form doesn't screw with me, but Blue Cross denied coverage. They want me to FIRST be put on the one that makes me sick, and THEN have proof that it doesn't work.

Having corporate CEO's determine your health care decisions isn't all as great as the republicans would have you believe.

I had a similar issue with antibiotics and told my new dentist. He sent me to the health food store for the refrigerated probiotics and they worked well. Totally different experience.

cows, chickens and pigs....which we eventually eat. In fact, I do a whole bunch of different types of probiotics. Our whole population would be better off if we were all treated for excessive yeast in our systems.

the poor do not have to be turned away any more.
we have countycare, it is a medicaid option, and i believe is also available to anyone who does not qualify for medicaid, but it uninsured. it is a county hmo. that means you can go to cook county hospital, still a premier public health institution.
i know it is free for most, but not positive if there is a sliding scale.

cook county has been in the vanguard of putting the aca to work. we got a waiver to start a year ahead of schedule, because we were already ready.

the sheriff is actively using this to help the mentally ill that fill too many of his cells. and er's are now open to anyone who is poor. they just sign them up for countycare, and take care of them.

it is early days, it will take some time to show results, but watch this space for news from the bluest of blue.
we do it right here. its a new day.