Bloggishness v.3.5

There have been times that I have had a doctor I liked and wanted to keep. Then I changed jobs….

Now, I have Kaiser. There is a huge Kaiser medical center in town, and each time I require something simple like a prescription I have to go there.

Today I went to the huge four story ultra-complex multiple building-named-after-a-tree center for the routine female tests. I was in and out in less than an hour. I find this amazing, after the three hour visits that were actually fifteen minute visits surrounded by long waits for the doctor/nurse practitioner to enter the room….

I have come to appreciate the conveyor belt approach to medicine. The days of the family doctor who knows you since you’re two months old are nostalgic history. Viva la HMO. I was back to work in no time.

The upstairs neighbor is busy tonight, trundling his furniture to and fro, apparently with very large people still sitting in it. (I am going solely by the sound of it all, mind you - there might be skiing elephants, or rolling rhinos, or perhaps he is stripping the flooring with a hand axe.)

That’s okay, however, as I am listening to MASH episodes at full volume to cover the noise.

Viva la neighborness.

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How much does it cost to spend an hour and a half in the ER?

2905.48. That’s not including the doctor who bills separately.

I have two choices according to the hospital. Pay lots of money each month for nine months, or a little each month for three f’ing years. I’m making a third choice; when i get my tax refund next year, it’s going to whittle down the bill.

I make one thousand more per year than the max to qualify for the poor people’s program that pays the bill for you. I am poor but not poor enough; I am too broke to afford this but not broke enough to get help. Welcome to America.

Moral of the story: when you don’t have insurance, don’t leave home or do anything to increase the risk of injury that might need medical care.

Last Saturday I hiked 9 miles in 90F weather, on exposed ridges at ~7000 feet elevation.

Sunday I slept most of the day. I think that the four liters of water I drank on the hike did not offset the heat exhaustion. Not Good.

Still somewhat tired this week. Not wanting to get up for work in the mornings. Thinking I’m too old p’raps for pushing myself into the out of doors.

But! Tioga Pass opens tomorrow. I may yet go backpacking in Yosemite.