Comments | ubiquirk: Sick and 'Sicko'

ubiquirk

Sick and 'Sicko'

Jul 09, 2007 09:31

I'm really glad I didn't have to go off to a conference this last weekend because it gave me time to rest and get a start at kicking a sinus infection. How do I do so? Well, for me, I spray a lot of zinc solution up my nose, take a homeopathic remedy, and take zinc lozenges to keep it from spreading to my throat. Then I try to sleep as much as ( Read more... )

culture, politics

Comments 14

firefly124 July 9 2007, 14:18:15 UTC

Sinus infections are evil. I hope it's surrendering to the assault you've unleashed on it and you feel better soon.

Everything about how healthcare is paid for in this country is very badly broken. I'll take a pass on the movie, as I already see enough of it, though mostly on the Medicaid and even moreso Medicare side of things.

ubiquirk July 9 2007, 14:28:14 UTC

Everything about how healthcare is paid for in this country is very badly broken. I'll take a pass on the movie, as I already see enough of it, though mostly on the Medicaid and even moreso Medicare side of things.

And you know - he doesn't even touch on those programs. He sticks to people being denied necessary care, and that was harrowing.

Thanks for the well wishes!

firefly124 July 9 2007, 14:56:17 UTC

He sticks to people being denied necessary care, and that was harrowing.Which happens with those as well. I have two clients in particular who are dependent upon Medicare, which is much worse than Medicaid. Both were put in life-threatening situations because they kept getting bounced back out of the ER. Part of it is prejudice against people with mental illness, because of course you can't believe a word they say as it's all crazy (even if they have direct-care staff backing them up), but another huge chunk is Medicare not being willing to pay for necessary diagnostic procedures and treatment. That is the thing that scares me most about moving to a single-payer system, because that's what we have for a home-grown model, and it's extremely poor ( ... )

ubiquirk July 9 2007, 19:06:24 UTC

Yes - he kept showing all of these people in dire straights being denied care because it 'wasn't covered.' Excuses were: 'it's not necessary' or 'the procedure is too experimental.' Meanwhile, the person died. I'd say that's pretty damn necessary, and I don't care how experimental it is. Goddess, the hip-replacement thing is just another example.

Moore did attack the new Medicare D prescription plan too - it's clear that it only made things more expensive for seniors while drug companies continue to reap profits.

Sick and 'Sicko' anonymous July 9 2007, 15:25:53 UTC

My review of Sicko: Archibald Cox's ghostly hand reached up from the earth but Brit Hume said this was an illusion caused by misaligned camera optics.

http://shimmykat.blogspot.com

Re: Sick and 'Sicko' ubiquirk July 9 2007, 18:58:16 UTC

I take anything said by FOX news with an entire shaker of salt!

septentrion1970 July 9 2007, 16:07:32 UTC

And to think some people dream of instating insurance-company industry instead of our social security (which consists of everyone paying a bit to cover the expenses of everyone). They obviously don't spread those statistics around.

ubiquirk July 9 2007, 18:59:02 UTC

Moore actually went to Canada, England, France, and Cuba to show that socialized medicine works!

ltgarrix July 9 2007, 16:47:11 UTC

I am truly saddened by our health care system. It's the haves and the have nots. There needs to be a decent safety net for those not insured. I will agree that I think for profit HMOs have helped create the problem ( ... )

ubiquirk July 9 2007, 19:03:27 UTC

Oh, I agree - but preventative medicine is not a focus of our physicians. They get one semester of nutrition out of all of their years of schooling. And they are literally seduced by drug companies, so the mindset is to prescribe once a problem occurs. MDs are rewarded by giving sick people drugs. In England, however, the system is now set up to reward MDs who help their patients get healthier so that they won't need drugs.

And the for-profit HMO's are horrible - people die because they're denied care.

ayerf July 9 2007, 21:21:22 UTC

The NHS over here in the UK does get a lot of bad press and grumbles, but it sounds a lot better than what I've heard of the system in the USA.

Things like colds always hit me hard, so you have my sympathies. I suspect that the M.E. afflicting me (and quite possibly still afflicting me to some degree) has something to do with my troubles, knocking my immune system for six. It sounds like you have it far worse.

ubiquirk July 10 2007, 02:26:15 UTC

The NHS over here in the UK does get a lot of bad press and grumbles, but it sounds a lot better than what I've heard of the system in the USA.

I have to agree - it was fine when I lived in England.

Yes, the wonky immune system means I catch things easily and then have to hope it doesn't overreact into an attack (which is why I can't use echinacea). Do you use homeopathy? I quite like one of the Nelson Bach formulas - Colds & Flu. I don't know if they call them the same thing over there, but it comes in their newish clicky thing in the turquoise box.

ayerf July 10 2007, 07:49:18 UTC

That sounds really nasty!

I'm not sure if it counts as homeopathy, but I should be rattling with the number of vitamin and mineral pills I've been taking for years. I also tried acupuncture before I recovered sufficiently not to need it. That and I found it too painful to put up with, although I understand that traditional chinese acupuncture is something different and more efficient.

ubiquirk July 10 2007, 14:48:52 UTC

Homeopathy is a bit different, but it is natural medicine just like herbs and using vitamin/minerals. You have one of the world's biggest companies in England - Nelson Bach.

I have also had mixed success with acupuncture - I really believe in it and have seen good practitioners. Then, I went to someone new once, and it hurt like hell, so I definitely think you have to go to someone who knows what they're doing.