i think i feel a fever coming on

ok, here we go. In light of today's political events, which I'm sure half of the nation didn't even realize was happening, I feel the need to address, or at the very least wax opinionated, about health care. I don't want to get into a political debate, and this blog was never meant to be a political forum for me or my sweet reader, so I will say my peace and leave it at that.

I am definitely not against health care reform. But I am also for being an advocate for your own health, and being PROACTIVE in your health care. I am afraid this bill will make it tougher for the normal Joe to actually get his issues treated correctly, promptly and to his satisfaction. I can give you a PERFECT example of this. Ready? Take notes:

I have government health care. My husband is in the Army, I go to an Army clinic. Now, this clinic has a mix of Army and civilian practitioners, but the Doctors are still Government employees. I have an issue with my left arm. One day its just not working properly. After some internet research, and family background investigating, I come to the conclusion that I have some sort of Neuropathy. I call my insurance 800 number to make an appointment, and I am told I MUST see my Primary Care Manager (PCM) to get a referral, and the next appointment isn't for 8 days. I cant go 8 days with my arm this weak, I explain, and also, I might need to have an MRI. They get me an appointment to the Air Force clinic for that afternoon. I am somewhat relieved I am being seen, but this is not my PCM, I fear I wont get my referral, and even if I do, I HAVE to see my PCM for a follow-up, and will have to go through the exact same office visit with someone else. I also have to double check that my chart and information gets sent to my clinic. For some reason I am not allowed to hand deliver MY OWN chart information. So I see this doc, and thankfully he does get me a referral to a neurologist and for an MRI. WOO HOO. I have to wait 48 hours for my referral to go through, and when i call and check , they give my the neurologist across the street! Things are looking very good, I'm getting excited because i feel like i'm going to get to the bottom of why I cant lift my purse onto my shoulder. So I see this offpost Dr.and he basically tells me there is nothing wrong with me. Its all in me head, he doesn't see an issue, even after I show him several examples of how I cant lift my freakin arm :( He asks me to come back for a follow up after I get my MRI results. Not likely I think to myself. Now for my MRI, I had to wait almost a week, but in the defense of the MRI place, I could have gotten in sooner if I would have come in for an MRI between 1am-3:30am. I go in for my traumatizing MRI of my head, and when its over, I am told they will send my results to my PCM. I explain I need to take a hard copy with me, as I am seeing a neurologist off post. This is a no go, as the person who makes the copies is gone for the day (it's 5pm on Friday) BUT I can get it on Tuesday (3 day weekend) after 12:00 pm if I go to Madigan (our Army Hospital). So, I wait the weekend, after waiting all week, to find out if I have brain trauma causing my arm to function improperly. It was a little stressful. Tuesday arrives, and I drive over to Madigan, get lost three different times looking for the place i need to be, but finally after a 20 minute wait I get the results of my MRI, on a disc which I am supposed to take to my PCM OR my neurologist to have explained to me. Grrrrrr. So I call BOTH. I cant get in to see my PCM for 4 days, and the neurologist scheduled me for that week already, for a different issue, but I am told to bring my disk along and he will review it and get back to me. REALLY??? The next day, I get a voice mail from the Air Force clinic (thanks for sending it to my PCM like you said you would), with my results, which I am told look "O-kaaaaay" in the sense that it isnt perfect. So, I am now scared.
Come to find out, i had a sinus cyst, but my brain looked normal. Great news!!! Except for the fact that my arm is still jacked up, and now I get to start from square one which is trying to get in to see my PCM, for my fifteen minute window of an appointment, to try to figure out again what the hell is wrong with my arm.

For any of you who are still with me at this point, thanks for hanging in there. I know that was a boring, long-winded tale. and I have many more just like it. Kiss getting your sick kid into the doc on the same day goodbye. Kiss personal service goodbye.
Right now, this very moment take responsibility for your health. Don't wait. Be aggressive about getting your questions answered, and for the love of Christ, don't assume your Doc knows you better than you know you!

Here's to the downward spiral of, not only health care as we know it, but society.

good luck