LafayetteLady
Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007 From: Northern New Jersey Status: offline
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I'm sorry to hear about your mom. One of the problems is that the doctors who take Medicare and/or Medicaid are just short of incompetent, and those programs pay such an astoundingly small fee for the services, the doctors are going for quantity over quality. I had to switch to a Medicaid doctor when I lost my insurance. He typically smelled of alcohol, so he rarely looked you in the eye. Since becoming injured and diagnosed as a diabetic, I have been prone to UTIs' and recurrent kidney stones. The first appointment I had with him, gave him a urine sample and when I asked for the results, they said there were "traces" of blood in my urine. I explained that this seemed to be a continuing problem, and the response was that it was "traces." I told them that I didn't care if it was just traces or the bloody fucking Nile, it didn't belong there and needed to be looked into. Then when he was filling out forms for Social Security, he also did some kind of pulmonary test. He came back in and said that I had 71% lung capacity. That's it, no referring for more testing or anything. I was kind of dumbfounded at the time and didn't say anything. On my next visit, which was for blood work results (diabetic, get stuck every three months, along with the urine), after basically demanding the actual information of the results (he kept just saying, it's fine), I asked if he thought some kind of follow up might be in order after that pulmonary test. His response? "You smoke so it doesn't really matter." Excuse me?! I demanded a chest x-ray. This guy was seriously pissing me off. He also kept telling me my A1C was good, and when I pressed for the actual number, he said it was 7.6! He had nothing to say when I pointed out that number was NOT good. I made the decision right then that I would not continue to see that doctor. Even though I can't afford it, I do without so that I can pay my old doctor (who was great) and get good medical care (at least at the primary level). Went to him for the results of the chest x-ray and it was perfectly clear. I signed the paperwork, and my medical records were requested from the asshole doctor, but they still haven't gotten them and it's been a couple of months. Now the lump on my thyroid has increased in size and another biopsy needs to be done. I have to apply for charity care at UMDNJ (local teaching hospital/med school) to get treatment because my insurance doesn't cover it. The hospital is nearly an hour away, and the soones appointment I could get is MAY 2ND. I have to do the same thing for the multiple kidney stones I have been suffering with for the last 6-7 months. I have a very narrow ureter that is not able to pass most stones, but one of the stones is 5x8mm and is causing a partial blockage and urine is being pushed back into my kidney. NOT a safe situation, but the local hospital won't remove them, they insist I get outpatient treatment. Of course, you aren't going to find a specialist who takes Medicaid, so no treatment for me. The next available appointment at UMDNJ's urology clinic? JULY. My doctor is pretty concerned and on my last visit we went over everything I need to stay on the lookout for should the lack of proper medical treatment cause a serious infection or worse kidney failure. No one should have to deal with what your mother went through, what the woman in the OP went through, or what I am going through. I shouldn't have to joke with my doctor that I might as well wait until I go to visit my friend who lives in Germany in November to get treatment. I've saved for this trip for so long, but now I have to look into whether or not I can utilize their NHS as opposed to simply planning my vacation? It's absolutely ridiculous. The saddest thing about the OP? It was a religious hospital.
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