Only two days until I see Dr. G. and learn that, except for some continued chest pain (when I cough), and the feeling of fatigue if I run around doing things like shopping, I am mostly well. The CT scan came back with a radiologist’s report saying I have some small cysts in my lungs. They want another reading in six months, “just to be sure.” I am pretty sure what they want to be sure of is that I don’t sue them for missing something.
I have never sued a doctor, and believe me, I have had plenty of occasion to do so. It alarms and terrifies me how many doctor-mistakes cause thousands (250,000) of deaths every year. In fact, some statistics cite doctors as the third leading cause of death in the U.S. (Told you it was terrifying.)
But, to my thinking, doctors are humans, in spite of the myth circulating our society that they are deities. They just are not. And, frankly, I’d rather have the medical savings, health care cost reduction of NOT having outrageous malpractice suits, clearly causing doctors to up charges, than to have the human errors costing our health care system to skyrocket to the extent that some can be convinced government-run systems are a better answer. When a doctor has to literally pay millions for malpractice insurance, clearly there is some problem in the way we think. We do NOT need government to run things badly. We need people to stop thinking that a windfall of cash for an error is worth an overall costly health care system. Changing this one area, in my opinion, would make this whole health care cost thing cease to be a problem, and would correct most of what’s wrong: over-treatment and too many tests for instance. And, the other two areas would be for people to educate themselves and upgrade their healthful lifestyles. If they don't do that, they are going to get sick. As for me, I am positive that these cysts have been on my lung for years. And, yes, if there had been some malignancy, we would have caught it early, and I would be grateful. But, I knew it wasn’t that, and my usual intuitive self-diagnosis is dependable enough for me. I pray. God speaks. I will depend on that.
As for our society deifying doctors, it just has to change. Nurses may get close to deity, but not doctors. Most of my friends are nurses, or phlebotomists, or some other version of below-doctor status medical practitioner, and I can tell you, they are at least saints. (I always laugh when I call someone a saint, because, you do know that the Bible says every Christian is one.) But, I am using the Roman Catholic category of people who have performed at least three miracles, and who have been martyred--if not literally, at least in some fashion, like doctors yelling at them, when really they deserve medals.
OK. Back to me. :) Actually, I have some small cysts all over me. I am a cyst-maker! I know several people who are cyst-makers also. Now, I will have to devote my medical research to why some people make cysts and some don’t. My friend who is a doctor tells me no one knows, which, of course, makes me all the more sure I can discover this secret. In my next life I think I want to be a diagnostician. I have a knack for it. I could tell you stories of people I have helped with my intuitive ability to diagnose--unofficially, with disclaimers that I am not a doctor, and do not play one on television. Nonetheless, they were grateful, and they got well.
I especially am intrigued with Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo’s book on Eat Right 4 Your Type. Although I do not go with this 100 percent, I do think it is very interesting that the blood types I know seem to align with what he says, most of the time: O types get reactions of all kinds when they eat dairy; A types can’t have hot peppers or highly-acidic foods; B types eat most things with no problems, and seem to favor getting rare diseases rather than common ones. I don’t think I know any AB types, so I have no opinions on them. I will have to read the book again to brush up, and probably will have to find someone who represents that type, to round out my thoughts.
In any case, I am mostly back to normal and again heap on the thanksgiving for you all. It could have been worth losing two months of ambulatory life to have the followers and comments on my blog. It’s that important! So don’t make me get sick again to continue to have you all in my life--OK?
I enjoyed your blog yesterday and so totally agree about this litigous society we live in. Also wanted to share with you about the great doctor I head growing up. Dr. Stanley Doll in Fullerton CA was an internist and gave sage advice along with meds. Totally wouln't give out antibiotics to appease anyone, also said the most important diagnostic too he used was "listening to the patient". All these tests, tests, and more tests are just so outrageous and out of hand. When warranted, yes, but not as routine. Several of Ashley's friends have become pregnant and the ultrasounds every few weeks make no sense whatsoever. Two of her friends had early miscarriages (before 10 weeks), but had two sonograms each by then!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, have a good day! Toni
Toni. what an encouraging comment. May I post it with your first name only? Or Initial? Don't get me started on sonograms. I think some of these tests, although they deny it, could even CAUSE some of what they are picking up. I have seen babies who were hooked up to fetal heart monitors with BALD SPOTS ON THEIR HEADS from the electrodes screwed into their unborn skulls. How many centuries were most babies born without all of this? Childbirth, in 97% of cases (research, not my opinion) is NOT a medical event.
ReplyDeleteMost people have no idea how ridiculous some of these so-called "life-saving" tests are. I have more, but enough of my ranting for now. I just think this is the kind of dialogue I wanted to achieve with my comments. Thanks for your good sense.