WHAT MADE YOU GRIMACE & GRIT YOUR TEETH TODAY?

Friend of a friend was a dentist who'd gone into research. He'd sit on the city bus reading the journal "PAIN."

I'm guessing he often had the seat to himself.

It's only about 2.5 weeks now.

I'm much like the woman from hell at a med office, in my past - well, I've explained how I've done that once before, and it helping - so this is difficult, the waiting - but not just that, it is all the mickey mouse dealing, like when I got the needle biopsy done on one very bad day. **** that the lame clinic needs to send me to UNM when I am already a long time patient.

I've done brazenness to good avail, back when I had regular old insurance. I've even done it here in NM, sans insurance, by virtue of having interesting diagnoses to intrigue the first answerer on the phone.

But, I'm aware of the help system, totally incredibly unbelievably overwhelmed.

If worse comes to worse, I'll rampage in my way.


on melanoma, I agree - I can be off on the guess. I am just about never worried about it. This time I am.

On the other hand, I'm irish, perchance a new freckle.

So, just curious ...
What are people who do blood & urine tests, ECGs etc, called in the US & Canada?

I think your pathologists sound like they lead far more interesting lives than ours do!

Listening with considerable concern, osso.
But will have to respond later.
Gotta rush out for a haircut now .....

Haha.
Sounds like a fun guy.

Good thoughts to you, osso. Hope it's just the luck and unfortunate pigment of the Irish, indeed.

lab techs. Usually lab technicians. Those of us with degrees and internships and passing fancy state or national titles, back then, were lab technologists. Pathologists here are mds with advanced training, often very advanced. People who take your blood, now, are mostly phlebotomists, sorry, but relatively uneducated. Back in my time, the rest of us did that too.

I do remember that advanced lab techs could get on to owning and running labs.
As usual, I wasn't interested in all that (smacks self).

We use it both ways, too. Just about all tumors and cysts are sent to a pathology lab to determine if they are truely benign. They do lots of other things as well. Pretty good position for a doctor that doesn't like to be around sick people.

Oh good grief, osso!

No one should have to wait 6 weeks to receive a consultation from their own clinic for something of such concern!

And you shouldn't have to go to an emergency clinic for such things. (a 24 hour wait in "emergency"?)

This is seriously worrying.

This is the way it works here, osso. (at least in my part of Oz. Assumimg the same or similar in other parts ...)

You go see your GP because of an ailment.

The GP, if she/he needs further information, refers you to a pathology clinic for tests ..

Those test samples (blood, urine, etc) are then sent onto the clinic's laboratories for assessment.

You then see your GP again to hear the results of the tests when they're available.

An entirely free service (assuming your doctor is willing) from start to end, under Medicare.

Similar here:

you go to your family doctor (GP or interior specialist) because of an ailment.
If necessary, they make the test (blood, urine etc) in this practise, send those test to a laboratory.
You get the results mostly the next day, sometimes a bit later.

That's all paid by your (mandatory or private) health insurance.

In the case of some (low paid, or not well off) Australians on Medicare, Walter, the whole process is paid for through taxation.

Coming back here after years only to find that msolga has already gone to sleep...

No, I haven't G.

It's still early here & a friend just dropped in for coffee for a while.

Are you still here, that's the question?

The Prince Lives!

That should probably be on 'what made you smile today'.

awwwwwwwwwwwwww

Got a call this morning from my mate Len.

He wanted to try out the boat - it hasn't been out since his bike accident in January. The weather is not brilliant, but it looks like the rain has moved on - and it's not too bad, now, considering it's mid-winter.

Get showered, dressed, organised and head over to his place, load all the stuff in the boat, move the cars, open the gates, hitch up boat trailer to car, clear the decks, and.....

start to pull trailer out - and there's a shrieking noise. What was that noise - no idea!

Len gets out of car, I get in, put it into gear ... and try to take off - while he listens for the noise.

Stop! Turn engine off! Trailer brakes have locked. Fiddle with techy things on trailer, get down and look under wheels. Lots of rude words and grunting!

Disk brakes have jammed. Can't be fixed today. More rude words. Unhitch boat trailer, Len takes off in a flurry, apparently drives around the block to calm down.

Unload the boat, put covers back on, move cars, close gates, go inside and eat lunch sandwiches - and then it starts to rain again!

Bah! Fooey!

OH MY!

or the shortened version OY!

Gliding would be such less effort

((((Margo))))

every.time.you.make.me.laugh.oot.loud. I can hear you from here.

just to let you know - my table and chairs that turned up - got it all out the box, lubbly jubbly, very excited - NO DAMN FIXINGS for the table - not one, not one screw, not nada - had to pack it all back up in the big huge box again and another one being delivered on Tuesday. Grrrr. Will take the next box apart this time before the carriers leave. Light fitting I bought (beautiful it is!)... had smashed dangly glass bits - had to caniballise two other light fittings to get one that had no chipped glass! (Other 2 are going bavk!!! Took S-boy and I over an hour to get all the dangly glass in the right place. BUT - it's gorgeous - love my bedroom light. YaY.

Gliding would have been easier.

Hugs to grumpy b*gger Len

Back to my paintbrush

My legs hurt cause I went dancing last night after a long time. Not used to it. Now hobbling around