It’s All in Your Head

[cathschaffstump]

Well. Just got off the phone with my gastroenterologist, and I'm not sure what to think.

There's a lot of good news. I do not have the bacteria that creates ulcers. I don't have ulcers. My biopsies are normal. I'm going to get some good old Carafate to help my esophagus heal after this flare up. I've had it before and it works.

We don't know what's causing the gas. This is where things get a little hinky. The nurse told me that I probably swallow air. I'm supposed to chew more slowly, not talk while I eat, continue to avoid carbonation, and that should do it. I also need to lose weight (nothing new there) and experiment with food, seeing what does and doesn't make me gassy. I suppose I should keep a food diary or something like that.

These guys are the medical professionals. They are supposed to know what they're doing, so I'm going to go with the program. However, it seems odd to me that belches that shock the gastroenterologist are suddenly written off to poor eating hygiene. I'll try this plan, but I won't be afraid to push back if my symptoms don't improve in a couple of weeks. I'm taking their advice seriously. Part of me, regrettably feels that once they determined my trouble was nothing life-threatening, they could brush me off. I'm..not satisfied with my overall treatment in the system.

My problem is a first world problem. I'm lucky that it's not more serious. Let's talk about the other side of serious.

Jim Hines wrote a great post last week about health care. Besides some excellent facts and figures, he talks about the recent death of Melissa Mia Hall, who died of a heart attack because she didn't have health care and was afraid to go to the doctor to have her chest pain checked.

What a wicked system we have fostered in the US, when people can be brainwashed into the idea that your health is less important than your financial health, to the point that you are afraid to seek help when it's a matter of life and death. I am ashamed to be part of that system.

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Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

Comments

[ithilwen]

We badly need single-payer health care. The way we currently tie health care to employment is insane! Unfortunately, too many people here seem to be brainwashed into thinking sensible health care reform represents a Communist plot, so I don't see how we're ever going to manage to get things changed.