O.T. ~ Get medical checkups.

[Terry Keeley]

Good heavens Keeley, a person with experience in both systems who replies with an even-keeled, thoughtful and helpful note, without immediately taking other posts and AMPLIFYING YOUR HYPERBOLIC REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM RESPONSE TO LEVEL 10!?

I dont' know if the site will recover. What fun is there in learning facts and reading considerate posts? Geez.

Ha! What surprised me, especially after hearing stories like Teach's $95K hospital bills, is how relatively cheap diagnostic testing is in the US. Even websites "advertising" procedures:

Medical Imaging Buffalo | Diagnostic Imaging Buffalo

Need an MRI? $350. CCTA? $750. PET scan (which I couldn't get here BTW)? $2K.

God bless America.

 

[Freedommachine]

Ha! What surprised me, especially after hearing stories like Teach's $95K hospital bills, is how relatively cheap diagnostic testing is in the US. Even websites "advertising" procedures:

Medical Imaging Buffalo | Diagnostic Imaging Buffalo

Need an MRI? $350. CCTA? $750. PET scan (which I couldn't get here BTW)? $2K.

God bless America.

Wow, we must be getting ripped off here in Ohio then. The last MRI I had done on my knee was $3600. The entire appointment only took an hour.

I remember thinking that I'd be better off scrapping my mills and picking up an old MRI machine lol. Nice and clean, no more chips, coolant or deadlines to deal with. Think about it, "24 hour MRI service, walk-ins welcome"

 

[GregSY]

Lordy.

"you may die waiting, but you'll get good care." That's really saying a mouthful. You might (not may) die waiting? Other than the bullet, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? An essential element of good health care is time. Operating on a dead person doesn't do them much good. Nor does waiting 6 months for a cancer operation when the cancer is spreading every day. I see this sort of dismissal in lots of liberal behavior, and it's inexcusable. Time is often all that matters.

As for the continued (and lame) attempts to employ the old liberal tactic of 'everyone else is doing it'.....the facts will remain what they are. Old doctors vote Republican? True enough. But so what? That's completely overlooking the elephant in the room - the majority of health care workers are liberal and vote that way. The majority of dollars that are funneled into lobbying and campaigns are liberal dollars. Fact. Fact. Fact.

A group of old doctors might sit around and talk about politics - but it's the big dollars that make a difference. Those dollars are sent to Democrat candidates. Period.

Sigh. Old liberal tactics seem to go one forever. Diversion, Rationalization. Projection. Ignore the fire that's engulfing the top 5 stories of the building and instead scream about the smoke that's polluting the atmosphere.

 

[Chip Chester]

When I went to schedule my last physical the receptionist asked me if I would mind seeing a female PA instead of my own doctor. (snip) She asked why and I told her that the PA likely had smaller fingers.

As it turned out my doctor told me that they don't need to do the rubber glove thing anymore which was fine with me.

My second-last 'digital' exam was done by a urologist who was female, a slim 5'-nothing. Luck of the draw there.

I had a biopsy done (benign, as it turns out) that used two computers -- one for live ultrasound imaging, and another for an overlay of previous scans, so the docs could see exactly where to sample. It was right after a Microsoft 'patch Tuesday' and the computers were definitely not playing well together. Was on the table with a probe up my butt for an hour until they found the one nurse who could get things going. Windows is an actual pain in the ass.

In the smallish room filled with gear and about 6 urology medical students, there was one student we'll refer to as 'Bubba' who was every bit of 350 pounds with short fat fingers about the size of a 50-taper mill holder. Though he didn't get the exam honors, I'm going to guess his future practice may be limited by that fact...

 

[CITIZEN F16]

As for getting bitten by a friend's cobra, or even a coral snake...NFW would you find me anywhere near that. The closest I get to snakes (even so-called good snakes) is 1 ounce of lead shot.

The last two years a ring neck snake has lived in a drain pipe running under the concrete slab at the side door to my shop. As I go in and out it goes back in the drain pipe in a hurry. You would think it would get tired of doing that, I don't know if it goes elsewhere for the winter or hibernates in the pipe. Non poisonous snakes don't bother me. I actually found a copperhead one morning on the side door slab. No way am I shooting at something on cement. Threw a bunch of ammonia on it and it could not go back into the woods fast enough.

 

[PeteM]

. . . The majority of dollars that are funneled into lobbying and campaigns are liberal dollars. Fact. Fact. Fact.

A group of old doctors might sit around and talk about politics - but it's the big dollars that make a difference. Those dollars are sent to Democrat candidates. Period. . . .

One can see why you never cite sources, except some "Fact. Fact. Fact." of your own imagining.

In the real world, we can actually find data on where medical practitioners donate their money and where healthcare corporations and CEOs (typically bigger bucks) donate their money.

1) For healthcare practitioners it has morphed a bit; particularly among women doctors. They (and male physicians in some specialties) apparently seem to think our healthcare system is screwing patients: The Political Polarization of Physicians in the United States: An Analysis of Campaign Contributions to Federal Elections, 1991 Through 2012 | Pediatrics | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network

2) One notes for the latest campaign cycle (this from Investopedia):

"The biggest industries represented among Trump donors overall this cycle were Health Services, Casinos/Gambling and Finance. Only $8,021 came out of the former president’s pockets this time around, versus $66 million in 2016."

3) There's also information to be found on pharma donations (aka bribes). These used to go predominately to Republican candidates. Now that some Democrats are talking about reform - and they're sort of in charge for a while - multiple Democrats are being given checks they can't seem to refuse. However, whoopee, Republicans are still in the lead: Two-thirds of Congress cashed a pharma campaign check in 2020

As that article states: "Drug industry lobbyists viewed Republicans’ control of the Senate as critical to the industry’s interests. "

On the party preference front, an increasing number of doctors (often women) are voting for better healthcare over bigger paychecks. On the donation/bribes front, corporate healthcare is investing wherever it thinks it can buy regulatory and tax preference - and still somewhat more Republican than Democrat.

We'd all (except for the companies buying political favor) be better off if we got the hidden money out of politics. One might note (looking at the 2020 cycle) that we're being screwed by "health services," that "gambling" is pretty much taking over sports (ESPN now hugely supported by gaming and gambling, for example), and big "finance" continues to screw us - only visible to most in the next big bust.

 

[Thunderjet]

They're lying^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I don't believe ANY sources any more when it comes to the covid thing.

I did notice that there was no mention of how many republicans AND democrats own stock in the three vaccine manufacturers. I wonder why that is.

That's what trillions of dollars does to the discourse.

Create non-believers everywhere.

 

[jim rozen]

Sigh. Old liberal tactics seem to go one forever.

And YOU won't quit yammering on about politics. Typical trumper, can't shut up even though he lost.

 

[PeteM]

They're lying^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I don't believe ANY sources any more when it comes to the covid thing.

I did notice that there was no mention of how many republicans AND democrats own stock in the three vaccine manufacturers. I wonder why that is. . . . .

The information on stock ownership is available. Of no use, though, for someone who won't believe any source, any more.

It's likely that most of us with a 401K or a retirement plan own stock some of these companies. Pharma is among the most profitable sectors, right up with finance before the crash. Most any fund will have at least some J&J and likely Pfizer stock in its holding. Moderna, being more of a startup, is held more narrowly.

Here, for example, is the stock ownership of the first vaccine approved (Pfizer): Pfizer Inc Profile: Members Invested • OpenSecrets

I wouldn't worry much about someone with a few thousand worth of shares, especially if held in a stock fund.

We did have at least four senators who received intelligence briefings in the early days of Covid and then went on to dump stock holdings in anticipation of a downturn. Still worse, two of them kept publicly downplaying the threat, while dumping their stocks.

There's also some hypocrisy. For example: Fact Check: Does Anti-Vaccer Marjorie Taylor Greene Own Stock in Three Vaccine Manufacturers?

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Doo that to me and You'll get something shoved in your face.....a wee bit more lethal,
and there is no antidote.

That is a perfectly rational response, to an irrational fear, to a post that was intended for someone else. To stay on topic, seek medical help.

 

[reggie_obe]

Get off your ass and make an appointment. Cancer is a silent killer.

I don't know of any of my nearly same age friends who have has prostate exams or colonoscopies... You can lead a horse to water, but....

P.S.~ during the Lymphona battle, they did a few P.E.T. scans on me. I said "this is a wonderful idea, why don't they do these routinely to scan bodies for cancer.

Answer: $$$ to the 10th power.

True, cancer is serious, but a PET scan is not a test to be used indiscriminately or frequently.
You are exposed to 8 times the amount of background radiation you receive in a year. The radioactive tracer is eliminated in your urine, so afterward you are encouraged to consume vase amounts of water to dilute and eliminate it quickly.

 

[Terry Keeley]

True, cancer is serious, but a PET scan is not a test to be used indiscriminately or frequently.
You are exposed to 8 times the amount of background radiation you receive in a year. The radioactive tracer is eliminated in your urine, so afterward you are encouraged to consume vase amounts of water to dilute and eliminate it quickly.

I have an ENT friend in Alabama that told me PET scans are routinely done after treatment for most cancers then again two years later (the period with the highest recurrence rate).

Here they only gave me CT scans of the head and lungs, and only once three months after treatment. I was treated at one of the best cancer hospitals in the world (Princess Margaret) but I do believe cost was a factor in it.

 

[GregSY]

Liberals are also experts at citing references which were compiled by other liberals. And ignoring references they no likey. Hmmm...like the layers of an onion, liberal muck begets liberal muck. As for owning stock (something for which Pelosi openly admits to insider trading), that's notably different than buying politicians. Anyone can buy stock...but only the elite can buy a senator.


As for snakes....recently a 'good snake' visited my shop. I almost stepped on it as I walked out the door....it was a big-ass snake of more than 3 feet, a yellow bellied water snake. According to the internet....it's not poisonous but has a nasty temperament. It went under a workbench....which is how I had time to identify it. Since it woulda made a mess under there that woulda taken lots of effort to clean...I decided not to introduce him to my good friend, Mr. Winchester. I left the door open overnight and it fucked off by itself.

So....in the late 70's my father would hire Mr. Diaz to do tractor work. Mr. Diaz had an old yellow International. One day he showed up and spent a long time talking to my father before he started working...turns out, Mr. Diaz had a 2 year old daughter who had been playing in their yard. She came across a good snake, which wasn't in a playful mood. It bit her on the corner of the eye socket, and despite being taken to the hospital...she died within a few days of an infection that spread into her brain. This was not a poisonous snake, mind you, it was a good snake. That's why every time I violently rearranged a snake I remember Mr. Diaz and I remind myself that there are good and bad snakes. The good ones are the ones who have successfully undergone my violent rearrangement program.

 

[jim rozen]

liberal muck begets liberal muck.

But it takes a *real* republican to go to jail!

Ex-Giuliani associate Igor Fruman sentenced to one year in prison.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/paul-manafort-gets-a-47-month-taste-of-whats-coming-for-trumps-tools

Lock Him Up

 

[Thunderjet]

It's likely that most of us with a 401K or a retirement plan own stock some of these companies.

It's also dammed likely that NON of us gets to make law regarding their use and distribution, sale, price and all the rest.

Straw man that.

Stop lecturing me about who I can believe when every one of us has been sold a bill of goods for 2 years.........Not two weeks to flatten the curve.

Screw saint Fauci and his scrubbed book deal.
He's a tool.

 

[GregSY]

Watch what you say about Fauci, he's a liberal icon.

As for "But it takes a *real* republican to go to jail!".....here we have another example of the old, old liberal tactic of diversion. When someone points out the fallacy and hypocrisy of your entire platform, ignore it and instead point the finger at an anecdotal incident which involves one person. And be sure to mention an irrelevant fact, such as who he is an associate of. Toss in some innuendo if you can. Yawn. Hey! Did you see Ronald Berkley - an associate of OJ Simpson - was arrested for speeding? He reportedly hates black people, too.

 

[Big B]

They're lying^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I don't believe ANY sources any more when it comes to the covid thing.

I did notice that there was no mention of how many republicans AND democrats own stock in the three vaccine manufacturers. I wonder why that is.

That's what trillions of dollars does to the discourse.

Create non-believers everywhere.

It seems pretty crazy that they won't believe anything from anyone except for their cult god trump who is a proven pathological liar. But that's where we are now.

 

[Big B]

It's also dammed likely that NON of us gets to make law regarding their use and distribution, sale, price and all the rest.

Straw man that.

Stop lecturing me about who I can believe when every one of us has been sold a bill of goods for 2 years.........Not two weeks to flatten the curve.

Screw saint Fauci and his scrubbed book deal.
He's a tool.

You mean the Dr. Fauchi that was trumps head of epidemiology for his entire term? If he was so bad why didn't your cult god replace him. He replaced most everyone else every few months it seems.

 

[Big B]

Watch what you say about Fauci, he's a liberal icon.

As for "But it takes a *real* republican to go to jail!".....here we have another example of the old, old liberal tactic of diversion. When someone points out the fallacy and hypocrisy of your entire platform, ignore it and instead point the finger at an anecdotal incident which involves one person. And be sure to mention an irrelevant fact, such as who he is an associate of. Toss in some innuendo if you can. Yawn. Hey! Did you see Ronald Berkley - an associate of OJ Simpson - was arrested for speeding? He reportedly hates black people, too.

The republicons went after Hillary and every other Democrat they could find during Obama/Bidens 8 years running the country and came up with zero criminal charges, let alone convictions.

Contrast that with the trump misadministration and there were felony convictions early on that kept happening through the entire presidency. Luckily for those criminals, trump pardoned them.

You crazy trump supporters just refuse to see the criminal intent with the republicons even when it is staring you in the face. Cheating on elections is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the republicans cheating. They learned from the best, bigliest cheater in the history of politics in the USA. Your guy cheated on all three of his wives and you all still worship him. It's just crazy.

The only thing that I can figure out is that most of them spent 30 years listening to flush limbaugh and are now fully brainwashed.

 

[standardparts]

The republicons went after Hillary and every other Democrat they could find during Obama/Bidens 8 years running the country and came up with zero criminal charges, let alone convictions.

Contrast that with the trump misadministration and there were felony convictions early on that kept happening through the entire presidency. Luckily for those criminals, trump pardoned them.

You crazy trump supporters just refuse to see the criminal intent with the republicons even when it is staring you in the face. Cheating on elections is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the republicans cheating. They learned from the best, bigliest cheater in the history of politics in the USA. Your guy cheated on all three of his wives and you all still worship him. It's just crazy.

The only thing that I can figure out is that most of them spent 30 years listening to flush limbaugh and are now fully brainwashed.

Big B ---- Returning to the topic of this thread which in your case should be---Have you had your mental health checked?