After surgery " he could not afford to have the stitches removed"

more on remote area medical, a wonderful organization

Some people waited overnight two days in a row for a chance at an appointment.

Fabrizio Mangandi, 41, was one of the lucky ones who got a wristband. The Ralph's grocery clerk lifted his shirt to reveal stitches. He recently had his gall bladder removed. His said after his insurance charged him a $5,000 deductible he could not afford to have the stitches removed.

"I'm already in debt," he said. "This is disaster relief."

Jeff Washington, 39, of Los Angeles and wife Lakishi Washington, 33, brought their 5-month-old son Ausar to the arena at about 8 a.m. They were turned away shortly before 11 a.m. when it was clear there would not be enough wristbands to go around.

The family does not have health insurance and had not seen a dentist or optometrist recently. The Washingtons said that without the clinic, the scores of people waiting behind them would probably just go without care.

Some ahead of them in line said the felt both fortunate for themselves and bad for those left out.

Eugene Martensen, 34, a disabled cabinet maker from San Pedro, got a wristband after waiting overnight. He surveyed the line of people who came later and were being told there was no more room, including would-be patients with canes, walkers and wheelchairs.

"It hurts me to see an elderly person left out and I get in," he said.

Organizers more than doubled their capacity to treat patients this year, from about 19 medical stations to 40 stations, said Dr. Natalie Nevins, the clinic's medical director. But the extra room does little good without volunteer medical professionals to fill it.

"We need optometrists and ophthalmologists desperately," Nevins said.

Of eight women's health rooms available Wednesday, only three had doctors volunteering, Nevins said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/free-medical-clinic-booked-solid-too-few-medical-volunteers-cause-delays-.html

I removed them myself. Its not that tough

After getting 12 stitches in my hand at the ER, the doctor gave me the surgical tools as a memento. So of course, I removed the stitches myself, a few weeks later. It beats making a second costly trip to the doctor!

And on cats.

I am not aware of any law prohibiting a non-licensed person from removing his or her own stitches.

Charging money to remove them from someone else would be a different matter.

You don't want to drag bacteria into the hole.

"Suture Self"

Parents took me to see the doctor to get stitches put in but we always went to her to have them out. She took care of all the neighborhood kids like that (and it didn't even cost us a chicken!). Nowdays there'd be fears of lawsuits, malpractice and all that.

:banghead:

Why should we have to pay for health care for others? Because we can.

.. where working poor can not afford even the basics of health care...

And reform doesn't kick in for.... 4 more years?

These days people would consider a job at Ralph's to be a 'good job'. Guy still can't afford good medical care.

Everyone gets to see a doctor.



Parts of this country are sliding into Third World status.

:cry:

I'll just let that hang there.

Kind of reversed/strange IMO - the insurance company can sell your belongings as salvage if you have a total loss, but if you die you are worthless to them (they might even have to pay money). I guess they figure someone else can come along at take your place (with a policy). Can't collect on a soul, that I know of.