George, I am just reading your post right now (#613):
Tell your Doc that Bob said to fix you up, because you're a heck of a good guy and you need to live @ least till 120 years old.
You're one of them Vikings with a heart made of gold and a mind made of steel guitar strings.
I'm with you man, on the road made of temples where children all live in peace.
I'll pray for you, but I would rather you give me the phone number of your doc, so that I can talk directly to him and see if I can get them medicinal herbs here on my island for your cure. Then I can send them to you, or him.
Prayers are nice, but science is even nicer. ...Or both together they form a human bond.
George, you're going to win that battle; your wife is by your side, and all your friends.
One day @ a time.
Tell your Doc that Bob said to fix you up, because you're a heck of a good guy and you need to live @ least till 120 years old.
You're one of them Vikings with a heart made of gold and a mind made of steel guitar strings.
I'm with you man, on the road made of temples where children all live in peace.
I'll pray for you, but I would rather you give me the phone number of your doc, so that I can talk directly to him and see if I can get them medicinal herbs here on my island for your cure. Then I can send them to you, or him.
Prayers are nice, but science is even nicer. ...Or both together they form a human bond.
George, you're going to win that battle; your wife is by your side, and all your friends.
One day @ a time.
Last edited:
George, we love you around here - don't die on us.
The problem is that when you're sick you don't enjoy much - your ability to enjoy things goes down the drain. I have no problems with death, it's just a thought, but I fear sickness. Sickness is real. Pain kills me.
The problem is that when you're sick you don't enjoy much - your ability to enjoy things goes down the drain. I have no problems with death, it's just a thought, but I fear sickness. Sickness is real. Pain kills me.
Guys, I don't plan on checking out any time soon.
Due to my 61 years in the Florida sun, I will likely have Basal and Squamous cell cancers for some time. If caught and removed early they are usually not a major problem. The one that recurred 6 times was allowed to grow for 2 months before I could convince a doctor to even do a biopsy. After the 5th surgery I signed a paper absolving him of any liability for "disfigurement" and he cut the evil thing out. It took a cut from my eyebrow well into the hairline to get it all.
Thanks for the concern, but at this time it is believed by all involved, including me, that this is another squamous cell carcinoma, which is local and easily removed.
This one went from zero to a 1 inch diameter half inch tall solid mass in 3 weeks, which is very abnormal. It is still growing. We all agree that speed is important here. I want this thing cut off and in for a biopsy ASAP, even if it means digging deeper later. It may not even be cancerous since it did not react to two different chemo's while the other 4 withered and died within 2 weeks. Considering my history though......I want it gone NOW!
A local surgeon can cut in the local hospital's outpatient surgery unit on Thursday. The "best hospital in West Virginia" (their words) is 30 minutes away, but I can't even get in for a consultation until next month.
If things do get ugly UPMC is an hour and a half away, so is Ohio State University's hospital, and the Cleveland Clinic is two hours away.
I have been to UPMC's cancer center with my mother in law when she fought Melanoma for 5 years. It is first class. Sherri has been to the other two with relatives for major surgery. OSU did open heart surgery on her father after heart attack #5. He flatlined on the table a year ago, but they got him started again. We were at his house today, he is still very much alive.
George,
I wish you a speedy recovery. It sounds like you're the best kind of patient - involved in your treatment and aware enough to intervene when the MD's aren't doing what is needed.
Bill
I wish you a speedy recovery. It sounds like you're the best kind of patient - involved in your treatment and aware enough to intervene when the MD's aren't doing what is needed.
Bill
Before Obamacare most large companies offered subsidized health care plans for their employees and their dependents and in my many cases retirees that met age and length of service criteria. It used to be done because it was the right thing to do, then it was because the majority of other large companies did it. Obamacare offered the appearance of alternatives, so IBM and a few others started scaling back their employee health care programs. That started the dominoes falling.
When I took the buyout from Motorola they stated that I would have retiree health care coverage for Sherri and I at an affordable rate. In the past month I have received a letter stating that ownership of the pension plan and its liabilities have been sold, and the retiree health plan is no longer. The employee health care plan will be revamped next year.
Obamacare offers several coverage plans on a sliding cost scale. A low income family can get minimal coverage for nearly zero cost. A retired couple, both with pervious health issues (US) will pay about 5X what the Motorola retiree plan would have cost. In my case the plan premiums for the same level of coverage that I have now will cost almost half of the pension payments that I may or may not get. A working middle class family with 2 kids will pay more too, often a lot more.
These two events have me rethinking retirement and now actively looking for a job. Do you think that there is any employment available for a 62 year old RF engineer within 50 miles of where my new house is being built? NOT. If I had known that this was going to happen, I would not have moved here. I would have stayed within commuting distance of a major employment center.
When I took the buyout from Motorola they stated that I would have retiree health care coverage for Sherri and I at an affordable rate. In the past month I have received a letter stating that ownership of the pension plan and its liabilities have been sold, and the retiree health plan is no longer. The employee health care plan will be revamped next year.
Obamacare offers several coverage plans on a sliding cost scale. A low income family can get minimal coverage for nearly zero cost. A retired couple, both with pervious health issues (US) will pay about 5X what the Motorola retiree plan would have cost. In my case the plan premiums for the same level of coverage that I have now will cost almost half of the pension payments that I may or may not get. A working middle class family with 2 kids will pay more too, often a lot more.
These two events have me rethinking retirement and now actively looking for a job. Do you think that there is any employment available for a 62 year old RF engineer within 50 miles of where my new house is being built? NOT. If I had known that this was going to happen, I would not have moved here. I would have stayed within commuting distance of a major employment center.
Healthcare
The company subsidized health plans came into being after WWII, mostly due to competitive forces for increased company perks, as an incentive for the best and brightest. Unfortunately, those original hospitalization indemnity plans morphed into total health care coverage in the '70's, and many specialty physicians grew insanely wealthy (think cardiac and orthopedic surgeons).
The 700# gorilla in obamacare is the complete failure to deal with the morass involved in health care claims processing for all but the simplest preventive care encounters. Eliminating pre existing exclusion clauses is about the only good to come out of the mess. All of the major insurers seem completely inept at adjudicating their responsibilities, but somehow manage to collect premiums due VERY efficiently. Go figure, eh? This problem predates obamacare by about 25 years, when steep cost increases in the early '80's tanked a number of plans (and companies). The rise of consolidated health insurers (Wellpoint, UHC, Aetna, etc.) made up of sometimes 10's of incompatible smaller entities, as well as 3rd party administrators (Beechstreet, First health, Multiplan, etc. etc.) further screwed up insurance coverage.
This total failure to address the operations end of healthcare has created an unworkable and unwieldy misunderstood billing and coding system; now we have ICD10 and all the quality measures imposed on an already broken system... 18,000 codes in ICD9 going to 67,000 codes in ICD10. Gee, I wonder how that's working out??
Remember, the world is mostly run by "C" students... 🙁
John L.
The company subsidized health plans came into being after WWII, mostly due to competitive forces for increased company perks, as an incentive for the best and brightest. Unfortunately, those original hospitalization indemnity plans morphed into total health care coverage in the '70's, and many specialty physicians grew insanely wealthy (think cardiac and orthopedic surgeons).
The 700# gorilla in obamacare is the complete failure to deal with the morass involved in health care claims processing for all but the simplest preventive care encounters. Eliminating pre existing exclusion clauses is about the only good to come out of the mess. All of the major insurers seem completely inept at adjudicating their responsibilities, but somehow manage to collect premiums due VERY efficiently. Go figure, eh? This problem predates obamacare by about 25 years, when steep cost increases in the early '80's tanked a number of plans (and companies). The rise of consolidated health insurers (Wellpoint, UHC, Aetna, etc.) made up of sometimes 10's of incompatible smaller entities, as well as 3rd party administrators (Beechstreet, First health, Multiplan, etc. etc.) further screwed up insurance coverage.
This total failure to address the operations end of healthcare has created an unworkable and unwieldy misunderstood billing and coding system; now we have ICD10 and all the quality measures imposed on an already broken system... 18,000 codes in ICD9 going to 67,000 codes in ICD10. Gee, I wonder how that's working out??
Remember, the world is mostly run by "C" students... 🙁
John L.
I'd say A students who think they're sooooo much smarter than C students, about everything, is more accurate.
Not my experience; the "A" students (not necessarily "booksmart" "A"'s) are busy transcending the fray and insulating themselves from the hohum world around them, as well as designing and managing production of all the stuff the "C" students want
The "C" students buy expensive toys and services believing that to do so is a sign to the world of their success and wealth.
John L.
The "C" students buy expensive toys and services believing that to do so is a sign to the world of their success and wealth.
John L.
Smart cookies who often turn out the dumb suckers.
(don't give me that look, I've always been an idiot)
...Canada. 
Hey George, if things get too complicated for your own taste over there, with the health care system, or anything else, anything @ all; just give me a call and I'll book you an appointment with my own doc over here. ...She's awesome. 🙂
I haven't seen a doctor in 20 years BUT the last time I saw one I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance - acute appendicitis. I didn't even say hello I just screamed to him: it hurts, it hurts a lot here!!! I was in agony and I often think that I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for modern facilities. So I have to thank progress for all these extra 20 years (so far).
So when I think that other eras were more attractive to live in...I have to think it again.
So when I think that other eras were more attractive to live in...I have to think it again.
Also goes for less attractive eras/areas, in the good ol' commie bstrd days you still would have had to set the clock yourself to secure a position in the line-up for the bakery store.
In a couple of years from now, I intend to spend most of my time in the Caribbean.
In which case I have three choices :
A - have my main residence in Cheese-hole.
B - primary residence registration in the Caribbean, medically insured there.
C - as B, but with a separate foreign medical insurance package, costs close to $10k each a year.
Up to a couple of years ago, B was not an option.
Option A means paying taxes in The Netherlands, plus building up a state pension at a rate of 2% a year (live abroad for 25 years, lose half)
Financially, choice B is the most 'attractive' one.
Does also imply that I would have to be treated locally.
The island hospital has a long-lasting cooperation with the largest hospital in Eindhoven, where I received my training.
The doctors in the Caribbean had their education in The Netherlands, or e.g. in the US.
But the island hospital e.g. doesn't have a vascular surgeon. Patients with vascular problems are treated by the five general surgeons, who run their own show, and have zero interest in letting a vascular specialist enter.
Treatment of vascular patients hardly delivers income for a surgeon though, it's more profitable to chop off a leg.
With option B, if my luck ran out, I'd be taking a 31/2 times higher risk of having to go shop for a parrot !
Last edited:
My take on it is that the ObmaCare didnt get all the way thru its planning and was blocked and fiddled with and left for another admin to attempt to finish. The 'plan' was to take the health of individuals away from the insurance industry and model it more like other countries. Still with doctors doing the work but without the unchecked rising costs for profit incentives. I hope the next admin is able to complete the plan so this generation will get the help we need in an affordable way. I am hedging my bets with two places to go to.... stay here (in emergency) or go ooverseas where the costs are affordable. USA does an excellent job -most of the time-- in finding the problem --but we are not good at cures other than cut it out/off as a cure. More preventative measures would also be welcome..... long before a problem occures..... a lot of health issues are preventable. But getting old and frail and weak and sick and dead isnt preventable, unfortunately.
Enjoy every moment to the best you can... while you can.
-RNM
Enjoy every moment to the best you can... while you can.
-RNM
Last edited: