Comments on: Keith, thanks for letting America see the world that I work in everyday

By: Okay, I’m just gonna have to go all Doctor on you now | thehitjob.com

Okay, I’m just gonna have to go all Doctor on you now | thehitjob.com — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:22:58 +0000

[...] it was important for me to go over some of this literature. The literature makes approximately the same point that Keith Olbermann made approximate monthly go when he talked about having health insurance being [...]

By: Where’s the Outrage? » Okay, I’m just gonna have to go all Doctor on you now

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:19:46 +0000

By: Nice to see a politician with a pair of balls… « Willpen’s World

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:57:34 +0000

[...] Where’s the Outrage?: Dr. Errington Thompson says…”Keith, thanks for letting America see the world I work in every day.” [...]

By: Angie

Angie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:33:07 +0000

My care was first rate. They waited a week before doing surgery to see if the lung would stick by itself. It was most likely caused by a bleb bursting. Apparently I had very early emphesyma, after being a long term smoker. Which I am assuming would complicate treatment options in the US given the narrow parameters insurance companies seem to utilise when authorising treatment. Would my smoking history have prevented payment?

It was self-inflicted, I suppose (although not many smokers have lungs collapse), however there was absolutely no hesitation over treatment options because of my smoking. I needed treatment and got it.

I didn’t realise the situation you have with lack of research. Again, hope things improve for your country. It’s criminal that your citizens don’t get the proper care. Our system is far from perfect (no dental, for instance) but it’s good to have.

By: ecthompson

ecthompson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:13:20 +0000

I’m doing what I can. I spoke at a rally this evening. Exhausted. more in AM.

By: ecthompson

ecthompson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:12:30 +0000

Angie -

Thank you for visiting from the land from down under. I truly appreciate it.

You had an ordeal. Glad you were able to endure. BTW, it sounds like you had the best of medical care. this brings me to one of my points, we need better research. What is the best treatment for a pneumothorax? Who should get surgery? What agents are the best at causing the lung to stick up to the chest wall? We don’t know these answers. We have recommendations from the best and the brightest but not the best of data. Only a government funded study will give us that information.

Thanks again.

By: Angie

Angie — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:29:51 +0000

Ouch! I can relate to your motorcyclist…I had a spontaneous pneumothorax a few years ago and had a tube inserted (not at all pleasant) then, after a week, a thoracotomy and pleuradesis (?sp). After another week they were able to take the tube out. This was only a “small” collapse for which they initially sent me home to see if it would fix itself. It didn’t so I was admitted to hospital immediately.

Two weeks in hospital, surgery, medication and a chest x-ray every day… $0. I’m in Australia and didn’t have to worry about a thing.

Good luck fighting the fight, hope you get some resolution. Universal healthcare rules.

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:08:08 +0000

Thank you for speaking from the place where it all matters. I wish more doctors would start pushing the isssue… I am hoping with the latest review of the cost of how much people will have to pay will show that the government option is the only way to go. I heard that the cost to a family of 4 making an income of 65,000 after the tax credits is still going to be over 11,000 dollars. It would get rid of medicaid and the Chip program I think once the figures start coming out for this Co-op program that people will realize it is still too much money coming out of their pockets for nothing. Plus they state it will take over 10 years to get it totally working. We can do this now by expanding all of the programs now working. Medicare, Tricare, Medicare.