Flu Stuff
This last 10 days I have had the joy of experiencing the swine flu. So far I have missed 70 hours of work (from a 4/10 schedule) and multiple fun event opportunities. This is the most work I have ever missed due to illness is over 25 years of employment.
If you get swine flu and need assistance, I am now immune, so ask if you need anything!
For me it all started with a bad cough. If I had not stayed home from work on that first day with the cough I could potentially spread this crap to many people, some of whom are part of "vulnerable" populations.
If you even suspect you have this crap STAY HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHERS. I cannot think of anyone I dislike enough to curse with this stuff.
Stuff Done Right:
1. I kept my sick ass home from work!
2. Did not bother my Dr.. I knew I had the flu (body aches, fever, felt like crap) and there are dozens of web sites with credible advice on how to deal with flu symptoms.
3. Lots of naps and cuddling with the kitties!
4. Once I had symptoms of breathing problems (could not take deep breaths, felt gurgling in chest) on day 6 of the flu, I called and went in to the Dr.
5. Did the recommended chest x-ray, which showed that the flu had opened the door to pneumonia.
6. Canceled dental appt.
Stuff Done Wrong:
1. Poor communication to my support person that I was running at 5-10% energy and really needed more help with everything from dishes to having food made for me.
2. Tried to pretend I was "really better" after 4 or 5 days, leading me to push too hard.
3. Driving. Looking back, I should not have been driving, I was too sick to be safe. Asking for a ride would have been the better solution.
Through this flu I have been grateful for health insurance. So far, my out of pocket costs (office visit and medication co-pays) is in the $85 range. Just in meds, my insurance has paid over $130. I am scared to think about how much the chest x-ray would cost if insurance did not pay for it.
One of the things I have been thinking about throughout this saga is how we, as medical consumers, can either control or run up a medical services bill.
What is the point of people calling and insisting on seeing the doctor when you have a virus? Unless you have other symptoms (such as shortness of breath), there is not a THING a doctor can do for you! All you do by insisting is waste the time of the entire medical office, expose everyone at the office to your virus and run up a bill for your insurance (presuming you have it). Crap like this is what helps run up the overbloated American health care bill. We as a society need to pull up our big kid panties and just deal with it when we are ill rather than expecting the medical profession to present us with the magical cure-all.
If you get swine flu and need assistance, I am now immune, so ask if you need anything!
For me it all started with a bad cough. If I had not stayed home from work on that first day with the cough I could potentially spread this crap to many people, some of whom are part of "vulnerable" populations.
If you even suspect you have this crap STAY HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHERS. I cannot think of anyone I dislike enough to curse with this stuff.
Stuff Done Right:
1. I kept my sick ass home from work!
2. Did not bother my Dr.. I knew I had the flu (body aches, fever, felt like crap) and there are dozens of web sites with credible advice on how to deal with flu symptoms.
3. Lots of naps and cuddling with the kitties!
4. Once I had symptoms of breathing problems (could not take deep breaths, felt gurgling in chest) on day 6 of the flu, I called and went in to the Dr.
5. Did the recommended chest x-ray, which showed that the flu had opened the door to pneumonia.
6. Canceled dental appt.
Stuff Done Wrong:
1. Poor communication to my support person that I was running at 5-10% energy and really needed more help with everything from dishes to having food made for me.
2. Tried to pretend I was "really better" after 4 or 5 days, leading me to push too hard.
3. Driving. Looking back, I should not have been driving, I was too sick to be safe. Asking for a ride would have been the better solution.
Through this flu I have been grateful for health insurance. So far, my out of pocket costs (office visit and medication co-pays) is in the $85 range. Just in meds, my insurance has paid over $130. I am scared to think about how much the chest x-ray would cost if insurance did not pay for it.
One of the things I have been thinking about throughout this saga is how we, as medical consumers, can either control or run up a medical services bill.
What is the point of people calling and insisting on seeing the doctor when you have a virus? Unless you have other symptoms (such as shortness of breath), there is not a THING a doctor can do for you! All you do by insisting is waste the time of the entire medical office, expose everyone at the office to your virus and run up a bill for your insurance (presuming you have it). Crap like this is what helps run up the overbloated American health care bill. We as a society need to pull up our big kid panties and just deal with it when we are ill rather than expecting the medical profession to present us with the magical cure-all.