the staggering cost of receiving medical treatment–is it worth it?

Let me be brutally honest here. I have a list of physical ailments and corresponding medications and therapies needed to deal with them that is a mile long. With situations ranging from heart failure and coronary artery disease to diabetes to numerous herniated discs in my neck and back to kidney failure to liver problems along with skin issues; I have little choice but to try and survive on my paltry $600 disability I receive monthly from Social Security.

My life is spent going to one doctor, therapist or procedure after another. My money is spent on various drugs needed to somewhat keep all the various conditions under control along with the co-pays and deductibles for all the visits and drugs. Just yesterday I say 4 doctors in one day and spent $100 in co-pays alone. My wife also had a physical problem yesterday which resulted in her seeing the doctor. The final bill for co-pays alone came to $125. She made $130 working over 8 hours yesterday.

Now granted, yesterday was somewhat unusual since I had two doctor visits that only come up every three months, but when an entire day’s earnings are used up just visiting doctors—Houston, we have a problem. Due to the treatment regimen needed to deal with my back and neck problems, I must see the Chiropractor/therapist/medical doctor three times per week for the next few weeks. This is a $100 per week commitment. To get the prescriptions filled to relieve pain and speed the healing process cost another $50. The gas to make the drives cost another $60.

We recently had to make the yearly decision as to taking the high or low option on insurance through my wife’s employer. The basic difference came down to whether the insurance would pay 70% (low option) or 80% (high option) and whether co-pays would be $35 (low option) or $30 (high option) for doctor’s visits. The difference in price for high vs. low was an incredible $45 per week. In other words it was going to take $45 more per week to get insurance to pay 10% more of the bills.

We, as usual, chose the low option with a $40 medical re-imbursement option. Even choosing this package, the cost per week is $85. Some would say that is a small price to pay to have decent insurance; I would say that we are thankful to have the coverage, but…

If I had to go in the hospital for any of my various maladies, I would be responsible for a $300 per day co-pay and then insurance would only pay 70% of the cost of all things done while in the hospital. A one week stay in the hospital would cost a staggering $3,000 or more probably. Needless to say, I avoid any trips to the hospital like the plague.

I put off getting a bridge put in my mouth for a year. This is the third of four needed bridges. Since insurance only pays a fraction of the cost, I was left to pay the rest. Last week, an astounding $4,500 was charged to my Care Credit account to pay for a major bridge, a crown and other needed work. Last year a similar bridge “only” cost about $3,500 which was slowly being paid off. I am now maxed out on this account so I can only pray for no more emergencies.

I had to get the truckload of mail order prescriptions filled last week. The bill was just under $500. Trying to find the means to pay all these bills along with everything else is frustrating and a lesson in how people end up hopelessly in debt. Even if there were no other obligations, staying on top of numerous and varied medical conditions ends up eating all available funds plus more. Yes, things like Care Credit help with Dental and Veterinary bills (a staggering sum to care for our sick dog which recently passed away), and hospitals will set up payment plans at times for big bills. But they also want you to cash in retirement accounts and drain savings plans also.

Everyone talks about the reason people like my wife and I are in the dire straits we are in financially is due to our irresponsibility concerning finances. They say because I am lazy and won’t go find a job and insist on being sick all the time we are in the mess we are in. Here is my question to those who blame me for all our woes. Should I, as Jimmy Stewart tried to do in “It’s a Wonderful Life” go jump off a bridge and at least end the constant draw on finances my ailments bring? Should I hope to get killed in an accident on the Interstate so my wife can collect from a couple of accidental death insurance policies I have? Am I to try, at almost 56 years of age to find work knowing I cannot faithfully show up and do the job?

One of the doctors I was at yesterday was in a foul mood. I was ten minutes late due the previous doctor talking on the phone for fifteen minutes with his financial broker. The doctor in the foul mood spent all of five minutes with me and was obviously upset for I was his last patient before leaving at 10:30 in morning. I could hear him complaining as the nurse did the pre-work about patients not respecting the doctor’s valuable time. I should have walked out then and there. How many times have I waited for hours on a doctor hopelessly behind schedule.

If I could survive without medical care, I would. If I could survive without prescription drugs, I would. If I could guarantee an employer I could and would show up daily to work and do the job without being in a drug fog, excruciating pain or having to leave to go to doctor visits three times per week, I would. Since I can’t, what else can I do but what I do?

I hate being a physical liability to not only my wife but society. Should I move to Oregon and ask to end this life? Am I to sit in front of stores with a can asking for alms? Am I to ignore all my medical conditions and let them slowly kill me? I wish those who quickly condemn some of us for the situations we are in would honestly look at what got us in them instead of blasting us with their self righteous and pompous sermons about responsibility.

The Perfect Democratic Plan to destroy the republican party has worked perfectly

Not that anyone cares or is listening, but to appease my conscience, I must state once and for all that Mr. Obama is the biggest fraud to ever make appear on the American political stage. Everything about the man, his message, his persona and his campaign reeks of lies and deliberate attempts to either cover up previous stories or embellish his image through fabrications.

For the first time in the history of this country, the citizens will willingly elect someone to the office of the President who is absolutely not qualified according to the Constitution of the United States. No one who has thoroughly researched the subject has any doubts that Mr. Obama is NOT a legal natural borne citizen of this country. Whether born in Kenya, Indonesia or Hawaii; the lingering questions regarding his real birth place would have derailed and train wrecked any other candidate’s campaign years ago. But nothing sticks when thrown at the ultimate “Teflon” candidate.

Whether though his ties to shady characters, his opinions regarding Constitutional law, his self chosen minister or his paltry record as both an Illinois Senator and a United States Senator; Mr. Obama has proven himself to be someone who cannot be trusted to tell the truth or stand up and defend the Constitution of these United States of America.

Anyone so naïve as to think Mr. McCain could win this election has been smoking weed too long. There is no way the Democrats, armed with hundreds of millions of dollars of illegal contributions and thousands of top notch lawyers are going to let the Republicans “steal” another election. They will do whatever it takes, and I mean that literally, to get Mr. Obama elected whether through legal or illegal channels.

The whole process next Tuesday is nothing but a dog and pony show. The results are probably already stored in computers ready to appear legitimate next Tuesday night. There is no way on earth Mr. Obama will lose this election, for the results have already been determined and the landslide will be devastating to the Republican Party.

Except for Texas and notorious “red” states in middle and southeast America, the landslide of “blue” come election night will be catastrophic to the Republicans. Long before polls close out west, the map will be solid blue as all the democratic strongholds in the Northeast will be called the second their polls close. With Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia quickly being called for Obama, the election will be over the party in Chicago will begin before California’s polls close.

Of course the pollsters are saying the race is tightening, they don’t want everyone to stay home thinking their messiah has the election sewed up. Real polling date shows Obama ahead by a landslide in the Electoral College, and that is all that counts. They wouldn’t be investing 6 million dollars already preparing for the party in Chicago if there was any doubt to the outcome of this election.

The final nail in the Republican’s coffin came with Sen. Stevens conveniently timed conviction. Losing Alaska will no doubt push the Democrats to their coveted 60 seat goal thus eliminating any Republican filibusters. The Supermajority is in the bag and before the crowds die down in their wild celebrations Congress will already be heading back to Washington to start work on the 100 days which will forever change America.

The first 100 days of the Obama administration will alter the landscape of America for as long as she remains a country. The legislation which will be slammed through Congress with no one to stop it will cause conservatives to crack and die of heart attacks daily. Every socialistic measure to redistribute the wealth in this country will fly through Congress within weeks. Every wealthy conservative in this country will be making plans to move out of the country lest the government grab most of their life’s savings.

All the tax breaks pushed through Congress 7 years ago will evaporate and those who have accumulated great wealth will have no choice but to pay it to the government in the form of higher and higher taxes. Companies will start laying off workers, who will in turn unionize and force the companies to hire them back even if it bankrupts them. Doctors will retire early rather than run the gauntlet of the upcoming national health care system.

The vultures are circling even now, waiting to fulfill Sen. Biden’s prophecy about finding out just how strong Obama is. They might as well not bother for he will cave into every demand made by every group threatening the USA. Within a few months, the United States military will once again start to be dismantled just as it was during Carter’s administration. Compromise for the sake of peace will be the name of the game internationally.

At home, as one Supreme Court justice after another retires, President Obama will end up appointing upwards of four justices in four years. Of course everyone will breeze through the Democratic Congress with no problem. Within a couple of years, the entire face of United States government will have changed and there will be nothing the Republicans can do about it. Fairness doctrine will shut up the Limbaugh’s and Hannity’s along with all the other conservative broadcasters and bloggers.

Once the inevitable assassination attempt is made, the momentum to repeal the 2^nd Amendment will pick up stream. Before the NRA has a chance to stop it, there WILL be laws passed to make owning a gun illegal. With no guns, no freedom of the press and no money—the Republicans are rendered worthless. There will be no regaining of seats in Congress in 2010 just as there was none in 1934 after FDR swept into power in 1932 and took firm control of Washington for what seemed like forever.

So, white fairly well off Americans, get used to the idea of Robin Hood waiting to ambush you and steal all you have worked for years to accumulate. Yes, Mr. Hood will take your evil money and find ways to stash it in various Washington departments to be doled out to those who must be kept appeased to keep their vote for the coming elections.

The master plan was performed flawlessly and their messiah has done his job in rallying the naïve masses to believe he personally is going to fill their bank accounts with money, give them free health care and end all the expensive wars and quit wasting money on defending ourselves. Hey, if we are everyone’s buddy, no one will attack us and thus no need to waste all that precious money on troops or weapons. Nice plan, it’s just a crying shame it had to work so well.

Follow up to Sleep Apena Post–2nd Opinions sometimes are FANTASTIC

So I go to another sleep doctor today for a second opinion regarding my sleep apnea. Boy am I glad I did. It has been a long time since I enjoyed going to a doctor of any type, but today was actually fun. The office was wild and the doctor looked like he stepped out of a old television series. What counts is the end result, and it is 500 times better than I could have dreamed.

As it turns out, this doctor helped develop sleep labs and has an independent lab with the most sterling reputation in the area. He personally has trained the personnel at other labs, including the one I had my study at. He is currently the medical director of the sleep lab he founded.

I told him that I didn’t want to become addicted to “klonopin” as a way to relax to handle wearing a CPAP or BIPAP mask. He didn’t blame me. I told him the previous doctor had said I had the worst study results he had ever seen. Today’s doctor said, “he must not have seen too many”.

After looking over my study results he said I was only moderately severe and most of my episodes were “obstructive” apneas in the supine position. On my side, I had only a few episodes and they were more “central apnea”. He looked at the results of the study again and then stated that he thought it would be a waste of time and insurance money to repeat the test or to do it to “desensitize” me so I could handle the CPAP mask. He had a better solution.

He suggested my wife sew a pocket on the back of my sleep shirt with a way to close the pocket. I am to get a tennis ball and put in the pocket each night. Each time during the night when my body wants to roll over from the side to the back, it would feel the tennis ball and roll back on the side. He said this type of training lasts a short time and the habit of sleeping on ones back is broken.

That was it. That was the extent of treatment recommended by someone who was a pioneer in the field of sleep apnea. No CPAP machines, no threats of impending death if I didn’t get hooked on tranquilizers to handle a mask and no wearing political buttons on his white doctor’s coat either. Just good and sound medical advice.

The lesson I learned through all this is that sometimes it is a very good thing to seek out a second opinion on medical matters. Sometimes it is vital to seek out a second opinion. I know of people where it is a matter of life and death to get a second opinion. I have had close friends die of cancer that was not treated soon enough because of the lax attitude of their family doctor. I have had close friends endure painful treatment for diseases they never had due to mistakes being made reading test results.

If anyone reading this has obstructive sleep apnea that is far worse sleeping on your back vs. your side; I urge you to try the tennis ball approach to train the body to stay off its back. If it means being set free from the bondage of a CPAP machine, it would be worth a try. Of course if the apnea is “central” in nature, all the tennis balls at Wimbledon wouldn’t help. Good luck and good night.

Adventures in Sleep Apnea, CPAP and Sleep Doctors

So I go to the Sleep Doctor today to go over the results of a sleep study done earlier in the month. He proceeds to tell me it is the worst case of sleep apnea he has ever seen. In the three hours of deep sleep I had that night, I quit breathing 167 times. He said I had all the different kinds of apnea known to medical science.

This is nothing new to me. I had sleep studies done in 1997 and 2000 which both showed the same results. Both times attempts were made to fit me with a CPAP mask and I “freaked out” due to longstanding claustrophobia. Both of the previous times I was told I had to overcome the phobia or face certain premature death.

Due to a dramatic increase in physical problems over the past year, my cardiologist suggested I have another sleep study done. Thus the reason for the current test. If you have never endured a sleep study, consider yourself blessed. Electrical leads are placed all over your head and jaws and forehead and EKG leads are on the chest. Somehow you are supposed to sleep with enough wires attached to your head to cause Frankenstein to run in fear.

My main problem is that periodically when I sleep, my brain forgets to tell the lungs to breath. This is extremely troubling since breathing is supposed to be an involuntary activity. We do not sit around all day telling ourselves to breath. We just do it and never think about it unless we have a cold or other disease. It is very disconcerting to think that while sleeping, my brain ‘forgets” to send a message to the lungs to breath.

When we stop breathing, the body goes into panic state. Hormones are released which cause the heart to beat rapidly so the body saves itself. This is what shocks the lungs into breathing. The problem is the damage to the whole body repeated episodes of apnea have when repeated night after night. It is no wonder that I fight edema (fluid retention), loss of kidney function and inability to lose weight even on a very restricted diet. These, along with various heart problems, are classic symptoms of bad sleep apnea.

Now that I know how bad my situation is, I must wait a month until the next available opening in the sleep lab to repeat the study as the techs there try to fit me with various masks. To combat panic, I will have to take a heavy dose of a nerve relaxing medication. Oh boy, I look forward to that night with great anticipation.

I understand that I must do what needs to be done to compensate for this problem in my body. As much as I don’t want to endure the night of fittings and the hassle of sleeping with a machine helping me breath each night; I understand the consequences and accept that I must at least try to do what has been suggested. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but sometimes that is just the way life goes.

I sat with my elderly mother in a sleep doctor’s office a few years ago. She had had a sleep study done and it evidently was as bad as mine. She too could not handle the CPAP mask. The sleep doctor told her in no uncertain terms that either she figured out a way to handle the CPAP or she would die within a year or two. She did try the CPAP as much as she could handle. She died a little under two years from the time she saw the sleep doctor.

Since I don ‘t want to go through what my mom did, I must resign myself to doing what I have no desire to do and that is learn to sleep using the CPAP. Due to sinus problems I cannot handle the nice new nasal CPAP devices. This is too bad for they are much easier to deal with. Oh well, there are worse things to deal with in life.