Tuesday, January 1, 2013

What are some pros and cons of Socialized Medicine in the US?

Q. this is a topic for an argument paper I am doing for college.
Just looking for different opinions.
Thanks!

A. So let's look at a few issues relating to my life (which is, of course, what I'm most expert on) and perhaps you'll then be able to see things a little better: 1) I am a career single mother of two children, one, a son now 21, and the second a daughter, 13, who is a meningococcemia survivor/left foot/four left fingertip amputee w/ multiple subtle and far-reaching cluster disabilities as sequelae of bacterial meningitis. My daughter is on Medicaid and SSI both, which I have no argument about. I am ONLY greatful for this fact, even with all its attendant hassles. She's okay, and well-taken care of both by myself, and by the state, in regard to her SSI/Medicaid. I am a brittle diabetic, have a genetic blood clotting disorder that has almost killed me twice, and am in the process of losing my teeth. I need new eye glasses and do not have the money to buy them. I would be a MUCH safer driver if I had glasses, and I would feel both safer and better, too. I will not begin to talk to you about the daily pain I experience from the neuropathy in my feet, and now fingers, the several times daily excruciating charley horses in my legs (which are a symptom both of the meds I'm on (and paying for myself, I might add), and the fact that the nerves and capillaries in my feet and legs are in the process of dying), the pain in my legs from swelling from the thrombophlebitis that is sequelae of my genetic blood clotting disorder, and the fact that due to right lower quadrant lung damage, a cold can end up as bronchitis or pneumonia in me very, very easily. Don't get me started about the only guy in VT who makes prosthetics is an idiot who won't listen, and uses screwy unworkable designs (of his choosing...) and the resultant costs of having to drive 6hrs round trip to MA instead to get a workable, functional prosthetic for my daughter. I just keep going on, doing the best that I can, and I do NOT usually complain about how I feel or don't feel. I am acutely aware of it on a daily basis, however. I have no medical insurance, and neither does my son, so read that: If I get sick and or die, there is NO ONE to take care of my daughter. I am currently her sole caretaker. Every single time my son and I apply for Medicaid, which believe me, we very much qualify for, we get bounced off in less than 6 months, usually b/c Medicaid here in lovely VT wants some piece of paper or other by some date or other proving something financial that they already know about, already have on file, or have immediate access to by computer, and that they already have seen from me, most recently my birth certificate, proving I'm a US citizen (duh.) (which both Medicaid and the Welfare Department have known about and have on file and have had for years. And no, we're not on welfare or foodstamps, and haven't been for over a decade now. Medicaid is administered through the Welfare department in VT, as is fuel assistance.) As a single parent, and as a parent of two children who required surgery last summer, I think you can say I had a little more on my hands to accomplish than to provide paperwork to an organization that either a) already has it, and/or b) can seem to keep track of it when I do provide it. (My son had to have his left knee reconstructed. Ask me how many times I had some idiot from the VT Medicaid Department a) mail me paperwork having to do with his Right Arm, b) call me up threatening sanctions when I refused to fill out anymore paperwork having to do with his right arm or left arm, either (because he quite simply HADN'T injured it. I don't mind filling out paperwork once for a real injury, but when it's multiple copies, multiple mailings for an injury he never sustained (and I TOLD them that several times...), I'm making a firm boundary, thank you very much. These people LITERALLY do not know their LEFT arm from their right foot, and vice versa.) As a single parent, the only human being taking care of these two kids, something had to go, and in almost every case, I choose that it be paperwork as most other things such as car repairs, eating, cleaning the bathroom, cleaning the cat box, making dinner, getting medical care WON'T wait.

I do NOT drink or smoke usually. The only place I can see that we could cut expenses is to either eat less often or to get rid of our kitty who is my daughter's very best friend, sometimes ONLY friend. After our dog died from cancer, about 16 months ago, my kids wanted another dog. They beg me for one on a daily basis, but I won't let them get another dog because of the cost of caring for it: the food, toys, medical care, especially the cost of medical care for a dog.

But before we do that, two other issues: 1) The United States of America is now the ONLY industrialized country on the face of this Earth that does not provide Universal Healthcare to its citizens, period. The only other country that commits this crime against humanity used to be South Africa, but that ende


Why are my eyes extremely sensitive to light?
Q. It even makes my head hurt everytime I go outside in the daylight.

A. Even though light sensitivity may be a minor annoyance for many people, there is the possibility of it being triggered by an eye problem (corneal abrasion) or medical condition (meningitis) that causes eye pain, soreness and severe photophobia, even in very low-lighting conditions. There are several things your health-care professional may need to know to help determine the cause of your light sensitivity:

* How long has it been going on?
* Is the sensitivity constant or every now and then?
* Are dark glasses needed outside, inside or both?
* What makes it better or worse?
* Have your pupils recently been dilated with medications?
* Have you had exposure to chemicals, dust, pollen, sun or wind?
* Do you use any soaps, cosmetics or shampoo in or around your eyes?

This brings me to the part of your question relating to eye soreness. To better understand, it would be very helpful to know the following:

* When did the soreness begin?
* Is the pain or sore feeling in or around your eyes?
* Does it feel as if there is something in your eyes?
* Do you have other symptoms (fever, joint aches)?
* Do your eyes burn?
* Is the pain worse when you move your eyes?

It is important to know that your symptoms can run the gamut from minor to major concerns. For example, tired or sore eyes after a long period of working at your computer (eye strain) is minor and is not the type of pain needing urgent medical attention. However, it would be best to immediately call your eye specialist if your pain is severe, constant and includes any changes in your vision; if you need to wear sunglasses indoors; or if the photophobia is accompanied by fever, headaches, blurry vision or red eyes, as there may be a concern for meningitis.

Summing up, here�s what you need to know: People with lighter-colored eyes tend to be more sensitive to bright light, as are those taking certain medications (doxycycline, tetracycline, furosemide), so speak to your pharmacist or physician about medications that may cause photophobia. Dry eyes may cause your eyes to feel sore. Even though they are dry, the feeling of being watery (especially when exposed to bright light) may occur due to poorly spreading tears, or less of them.

When it comes to photophobia accompanied by eye soreness or pain, there are common eye concerns to consider. These include but aren�t limited to:

* uveitis (inflammation of the inner portion of the eye)
* iritis
* conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin, clear membrane over the white part of the eye; the conjunctiva also lines the eyelids)
* contact-lens irritation or complication
* sunburn (yes, eyes can experience sun damage)
* refractive surgery
* migraines
* retinal detachment
* Sjogren�s Syndrome (inflammatory autoimmune disorder)
* burns to the eye (welder�s flash)
* a stye or chalazion (these can create eye pain and sensitivity as they grow)
* corneal ulcer
* a foreign body in the eye or irritation.

The symptom of light sensitivity may be your eyes� way of buying time to heal from one of the conditions causing the eye soreness. Given your concern and combination of eye complaints, it is important to visit your family physician or eye-care specialist. It�s better to catch a problem early and to be reassured than to be shortsighted and let it fester.


How inportant is it to get my hearing checked? *serious answers only*?
Q. i am 15. and i got meningitis a month ago. i am over it but i think it ruined my hearing. i dont even relize people are talking to me.

what can a doctor do? should i see one? my family says i will go evenually. how inportant is this? i can hear most loud things. and i am DEATHLY afriad to have to wear hearing aids!!! i cant go to high school like that!!!! i dont want to go to the doctor to find out. i'm scared. will it get worse?


HELP!!!!!

A. Post-lingual hearing impairment is a hearing impairment where hearing loss is adventitious and develops due to disease or trauma after the acquisition of speech and language, usually after the age of six.


In some cases, the loss is extremely sudden and can be traced to specific diseases, such as meningitis, or to ototoxic medications, such as Gentamicin. In both cases, the final degree of loss varies

I have some degree of hearing loss in my right ear due to otitis media (infection in the middle ear) as a child.

And I don't blame you for any apprehension about the use of hearing aid. They look so tacky. However, I strongly urge that you should be examined by the doctor. You need to be immediately referred to an audiologist for in-depth hearing test to determine the degree of your hearing loss. And find therapeutic measures before it's too late for intervention to avoid total hearing loss. The test is not painful at all.


There is a modern procedure now called the cochlea implant. It's a surgical procedure to apply this small hearing device in your inner ear. This will not be visible at all to the naked eye. You might check into the possibility of having your sinuses drained; as meningitis sometimes affect the sinuses. Sinus congestion can also affect the hearing..


As i was growing up, I usually asked to sit to the front of the classroom; as I can not hear very well from the back. when i watch DVD movies, i also put on the subtitle mode to help me. I try to concentrate to hear with the good ear. And I don't hesitate to ask anybody to repeat if I didn't hear what they just said. I try to face them directly or be within hearing range. My family members and friends are well acquainted with my hearing problem.


In time, maybe your hearing problem will resolve itself. Remember, that as we get older, our hearing diminishes anyway. I just try to speak clearly, and slower and not necessarily loud. Moreover, there are a lot of modern very miniscule hearing aids avialable in the market nowadays.


Ultimately the affected person may bridge communication problems by becoming skilled in speech-reading, accepting elective surgery to use a prosthetic devices such as a cochlear implant, using a hearing aid, or acquiring skill in sign language for communication.


In more serious cases, bacterial or viral mengitis can cause hearing and/or speech loss, blindness, permanent brain and nerve damage, behavioral changes, cognitive disabilities, lack of muscle control, seizures, and memory loss. These patients may need long-term therapy, medication, and supportive care. So consider yourself lucky, if you only suffer some hearing problem from this deadly disease. I know a lot of pts died from this fatal disease.


What are some interesting facts about Brain Cancer?
Q. I have to do a project on Brain Cancer and I have to list some interesting facts. Please help and thanks. =)

A. Totally go with Tia on this. GBM is the most deadly brain tumor, with survival generally less than 2 years. A friend of mine lived almost 2 years. It just kept growing, even with all the different chemos. A friend of mine's little boy lived a little over 2 years and once it grew back, there was no stopping it.
I had oligoastrocytoma, grade 3. I had symptoms for at least 3 years before I was diagnosed and it's been 3 years since I was diagnosed. My average time to regrowth is 5 years. My average survival-10 years. Many symptoms are mistook for other problems, high bp, eye twitches, shimmers in vision, tingly fingers, feeling something in your ear, deja vu, etc. One fact is, most are diagnosed after a seizure. You want a very interesting example of survival? Look up my friend George Plym. He's been studied by drs. He's known around the world. He was dx at the age of 12, in 1967 and has had multiple surgeries and treatments. He got lymphoma from radiation. He go chemical meningitis from chemo. He now has a small tumor that's being watched and he also is missing a chunk of skull, replaced with titanium mesh. He also has skin cancer on his head that can't be treated because his skin is so fragile. Nice guy.





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Title Post: What are some pros and cons of Socialized Medicine in the US?
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