General Medical issues thread

[cove]

I received the doctor information from our Sydney building concierge and it was a 1800 phone number. The person answering the call established that Mrscove was a patient of a medical group in Perth who subscribe to this service around Australia. The following things surprised me. He wrote legible English instructions. He laid out the three medications on our desk after giving her a stabilizing shot. The bill was picked up totally by Medicare. He drove to our apartment and parked up the street. The "parking police" in our zone can tow vehicles away. He saw an identical vehicle to his in colour and make getting towed so he was the lucky one that night. I had offered him parking in our building but he knew it would lose almost 20 minutes to get in and out of level B4 which is underground 4 levels down. The medications cost $30 and saved me searching for an all night pharmac_ on a long weekend. He had to go back to his car to get a medication.
Tonight Mrscove is sleeping peacefully so I think we should be ok to travel but I will watch to see we aren't rushing home.
I am a happy person from this story.

 

[Flashback]

He wrote legible English instructions.

There you go! Not a real Dr then!

 

[cove]

He told me he practiced hand writing in school so that was a big relief seeing I am not a guessing pharmacist.

 

[beefarmer]

He told me he practiced hand writing in school so that was a big relief seeing I am not a guessing pharmacist.

the wonders of ondansetron and a jab of maxolon hey !

 

[Quickstatus]

Surprisingly the doctor was free and the medication he carried saved me having to find an all night

Except now ScoMo has to find the $50 or so. He will prob add it to the national deficit. Then at EOFY transfer to national debt account.

 

[cove]

The medical system is not actually free for Mrscove and myself because we pay the ATO plenty personally each year.
I found the NSW Health helpline helpful as well so right now I am quite happy with all of the NSW health system that we tested.
Had dinner with Scomo but not this visit.

 

[Pushka]

For the first time in a long time I have withdrawn more from Medicare than I have put in this calendar year. Plus the blood thinner alone 'should' cost $500 a month but I only pay $38 for PBS. So - as I will be on it for life now, well, do the sums.

 

[Quickstatus]

Most people put in much less in a lifetime than they will withdraw. Make the levy 5-6% and it will be close. Most come from your overall taxes. 80% taxpayers consume more tax revenue than they pay in payg taxes
Add indirect taxes "fines" and the % is a bit less but not by much

 

[blackcat20]

Depends on the specialty. Rheumatologists - good ones take that long IF they accept your referral. They know it will be a long term relationship so their booking space is limited.

An ENT. Planning to get a referral this weekend...hopefully can book in soon and get it done. Though I assume it will need to be carefully planned around flying (I assume you shouldnt fly for a bit after but I dont really know).

 

[cove]

Quickstatus I think 10% would cover it now and not 5 or 6 per cent.
Humans are not all built to last but we do better than most cars with regular check ups.

 

[Flashback]

An ENT. Planning to get a referral this weekend...hopefully can book in soon and get it done. Though I assume it will need to be carefully planned around flying (I assume you shouldnt fly for a bit after but I dont really know).

I think it was 6 weeks after I had my 'nose job' done some time ago!

In other news, it looks like my little friend from early on in the trip has decided to rear it's ugly head again - 2 hours before my longhaul flight, doh! :shock:

 

[Cossie]

Hmmmm, root canal treatment, what a joy! Where are those drugs..........

 

[Pushka]

An ENT. Planning to get a referral this weekend...hopefully can book in soon and get it done. Though I assume it will need to be carefully planned around flying (I assume you shouldnt fly for a bit after but I dont really know).

I think that you do need to stop flying for a while? That is the issue for MrP's current FIFO routine and scheduling surgery. At least, that is his excuse for avoiding it.....

I think it was 6 weeks after I had my 'nose job' done some time ago!

In other news, it looks like my little friend from early on in the trip has decided to rear it's ugly head again - 2 hours before my longhaul flight, doh! :shock:

Aw cough!

 

[Quickstatus]

Quickstatus I think 10% would cover it now and not 5 or 6 per cent.
Humans are not all built to last but we do better than most cars with regular check ups.

Geez I'd hope not. I think health expenditure still only about 7% then less the private stuff.
However the point is correct. The expectation these days is pay your levy (insurance) for an entitlement to unlimited health care expenditure.

There is no sustainable insurance product with lifetime unfettered unlimited coverage. Except Medicare - it's sustainable because the govt make some like Cove pay net taxes to fund it + borrowings for recurrent spending.

 

[penegal]

Glad mrscove is on the mend.

Definitely best not to travel when unwell. I made that mistake once on a 7 hour segment. I was fine for the first half hour, then it was one of the worst 6 hour periods of my life.

 

[penegal]

Gastro may be on the rise with the advent of the "Melbourne 2016" strain of norovirus.

Of course some of the popular press is a bit over the top. I am not sure it will be an epidemic / pandemic, but as always a good reminder to be careful with food hygiene and stay home if you are sick.

 

[Quickstatus]

Gastro may be on the rise with the advent of the "Melbourne 2016" strain of norovirus.

Of course some of the popular press is a bit over the top. I am not sure it will be an epidemic / pandemic, but as always a good reminder to be careful with food hygiene and stay home if you are sick.

Strict hand hygiene and stay home is much much important. Alcohol hand rubs
outbreaks relate usually to breaking above 2 rules than poor food hygiene. AKA P&O

 

[penegal]

Strict hand hygiene and stay home is much much important. Alcohol hand rubs
outbreaks relate usually to breaking above 2 rules than poor food hygiene. AKA P&O

Yeah, I could have worded that better.

I think some people are a bit OTT with cleaning hands (and others vastly inadequate). It's not cleaning hands before you touch food, or put stuff in your mouth which is the highest risk activity.

 

[JohnK]

Strict hand hygiene and stay home is much much important. Alcohol hand rubs
outbreaks relate usually to breaking above 2 rules than poor food hygiene. AKA P&O

They installed the hand sanitizers in the office so I was using them regularly. Around the same time the skin on my right hand started peeling every couple of weeks. Very painful.

GP put 2 and 2 together. Guess which had to go?

 

[Pushka]

They installed the hand sanitizers in the office so I was using them regularly. Around the same time the skin on my right hand started peeling every couple of weeks. Very painful.

GP put 2 and 2 together. Guess which had to go?

Amputation?

Currently in the process of updating my medical alert bracelet now I have to wear it all the time. Current one is too surgical. There are some rather nice ones out there but some of their prettiness could mean that their purpose might be overlooked.