Day two of two away from the sawmill fund me tromping up there to try and get a diagnostic scheduled as ordered by my FNP. It takes a freakin' act of Congress to get it scheduled because they are only done once a day. She scheduled it in her office but I would have had to cover the co-pay on it which is written off by my employer..a very nice perk. Lest we think that they're being overly nice, that makes up for the 500 hours of sick time that most of us old timers lost in the sale. It all comes out in the wash I reckon. Besides, if Romney wins and starts handing out vouchers we can all just find our own medicine doctor and practice herbal stuff. I have seen privatization utilizing politically tainted contracts in our very own TennCare model. The first five years of that program were a cash cow for pharmacies and physician offices, many of them managed by people who cared little or nothing about the clients. It was during this time that fraud was rampant in the physician's office via self referral of diagnostics. Vendors were rolling in money for free food to entice the medical community to buy the biggest and best there is to offer in terms of lab analyzers and other diagnostic instruments. However, most docs have realized that the headache of having to sustain a practice in this day and time is becoming more and more out of their league, thus they practice for corporations. Not a bad deal, all things considered.
There is a certain peace that comes with looking back at all that struggle and learning in healthcare and realizing that my specialty is only a small part of the big picture, one that most folks don't even know exists except for when the doc spouts out numbers of critical values at their bedside. The clinical lab is usually under the direction of a pathology group as is the histo side of things. He or she is the one who looks at biopsies and say yeah or nay on the suspicious cells. Radiologists read the images that are made by their techs and add to the diagnosis. Nurses are expected to be able to pull all that together for the doctor while providing basic patient care. It's a way of life that can be very stressful and tiring but provides lots of opportunity to "do no harm". Mistakes happen in our industry just like any other but when the human life is involved it's ever so important to remember that doctors are not perfect, nor is the science of healthcare. Gross negligence is one thing, and there is plenty of that to go around, mind you. HOWEVER: There are more ambulance chasing personal injury attorneys per square mile in West Tennessee than any other place on earth. Morgan and Morgan my ass. Oh, and Corey B. Trotz!! You can thank these idiots for the price of a doctor's office today.
Lunch with my WA cuz was fun and involved adult beverages which is always good. It feels like cheating to have a margarita with lunch because normally I have to go back to work. We talked easily and intimately about a number of issues that are facing both of us. She is five years older and a whole bunch wiser in many ways. We have a lot in common as I trudge my way toward 60. Her sister died not too long ago so it's up to her and a handful of others to watch after her 86 year old mom. I visited my parents' today and found Ms Faye cooking fresh greens and beans for lunch, bought at yesterday's farmer's market by the church. While I was counting pills (and daddy was staring at his watch) I heard Mama rambling around in the closet with her blind self looking for a particular bright blue outfit given to her by Carrie because it was Ms. Ruth's. She's like that with her clothes and it'd become a priority since she found out what she thought was pink was actually red and nothing matched. *sigh* I do good just to have on two of the same socks, ya know?
We feared that Faith was pregnant again after this last round, and she probably was considering all the blood around here lately. The birth in February just about did her in, ya'll. Nine years is way too old for babies. Ryder is already huge at 7 months with long lanky legs and a peculiar head that's cute as hell. Oscar is mean as heck, and Sam can be really annoying and needy. Lily is just a bitch, pure and simple. She's probably paying me back for almost killing her as a kitten with doggie meds. Note to self: When it says on the box "do not use on cats" take heed. That baby had seizures for 24 hours!
It's quiet here today with only the whir of the central unit moving around the dusty air in this old house. The ceiling fan in the office that magically began turning again after five years has stopped again. I'm sure there's a message up in there somewhere especially for me from Mrs.Council.
Happy weekend ya'll.
^j^
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