NEPA and Health

[LI2PA]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Here is a link to your ambulance corps: Bushkill Emergency Corps. Ambulance. I don't know anything about them - except what I read in that link. We have Pocono Ambulance out of Tannersville. You could always try contacting them and asking them about their services.

Thanks fisheye, my wife reminded me, that they are not too far from our home in Bushkill

[gypsyfam4]

I used this forum 2 years ago when we were deciding to move to either NEPA or Allentown area for our job. We researched and chose from the best information (found virtually) and are residing in NEPA. Although it is beautiful scenery and our home is lovely, we now wish we moved to Allentown. These are the reasons (after 2 years of observations and personal experiences) 1: the small town view of "outsiders" has affected my children in the small district. Not only students, but teachers & guidance counselors made it known that if you are a transfer, you will not be "one of us." There is very, very limited diversity in the area and even less acceptance of diversity. We're as white bread as they come, but from our living all over the world (military) we thrive with diversity and a well rounded life experience. THe school system seems to promote a cookie cutter style of students and poops them out at the end of their 12 years in the system. Thank god my kids remember their diverse background and are planning to spread their wings when off to college (NOT in NEPA). 2: Healthcare is very old school here. This is a problem for me since I have a rare lung disease and have gone through 4 specialists in the area who either have no knowledge in the disease or no experience in treating or not willing to work with other specialist to help treat me. I actually fly to Denver to a special treatment facility who specializes in my lung disease. I also found out that in NEPA if you choose a specialist, there is an unwritten rule that you cannot look for another specialist. I was told very rudely from said specialist that this is a small town and we do not take others patients. SO, if you make an educated guess (because you're not from the area) and choose a specialist who is not knowledgable in your specific special care, you're stuck with them!!! I now have permanent damage due to the wrong treatment and meds for my needs, which is why I searched for a real special treatment facility in Denver. I will look for someone in Philly, but I'm still very turned off from the scolding regarding specialist in this particular small town. I'm afraid to blind choose, again. I have some more reasons for our want of a "do over" to Allentown, but these two seem to be the most important. We don't dwell and we do love our home and focus on the good people as opposed to those who do not welcome us, so I'm not going to say we are unhappy. I do know from experience that this is an old school way of thinking and there are many generations of families who raise their kids, go to college nearby and return to the small town. I understand that and that is their choice, but there needs to be acceptance to newbies, to diverse families, to transient families and to all. I don't think you'll find it in small town living. Please don't look at this post as a put down, but when we made our decisions of which place to move to, we didn't think of asking these two very important questions about healthcare and acceptance of outsiders. Technically, the school grades were above average, but now we know that is because of the sameness of the district and the robot mobility of the staff, students and administration. Conclusion, if you want a wide range of healthcare and diversity, go to a bigger city. If you wish for quiet, retirement, leave me alone-type atmosphere, move to NEPA.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by gypsyfam4

I used this forum 2 years ago when we were deciding to move to either NEPA or Allentown area for our job. We researched and chose from the best information (found virtually) and are residing in NEPA. Although it is beautiful scenery and our home is lovely, we now wish we moved to Allentown. These are the reasons (after 2 years of observations and personal experiences) 1: the small town view of "outsiders" has affected my children in the small district. Not only students, but teachers & guidance counselors made it known that if you are a transfer, you will not be "one of us." There is very, very limited diversity in the area and even less acceptance of diversity. We're as white bread as they come, but from our living all over the world (military) we thrive with diversity and a well rounded life experience. THe school system seems to promote a cookie cutter style of students and poops them out at the end of their 12 years in the system. Thank god my kids remember their diverse background and are planning to spread their wings when off to college (NOT in NEPA). 2: Healthcare is very old school here. This is a problem for me since I have a rare lung disease and have gone through 4 specialists in the area who either have no knowledge in the disease or no experience in treating or not willing to work with other specialist to help treat me. I actually fly to Denver to a special treatment facility who specializes in my lung disease. I also found out that in NEPA if you choose a specialist, there is an unwritten rule that you cannot look for another specialist. I was told very rudely from said specialist that this is a small town and we do not take others patients. SO, if you make an educated guess (because you're not from the area) and choose a specialist who is not knowledgable in your specific special care, you're stuck with them!!! I now have permanent damage due to the wrong treatment and meds for my needs, which is why I searched for a real special treatment facility in Denver. I will look for someone in Philly, but I'm still very turned off from the scolding regarding specialist in this particular small town. I'm afraid to blind choose, again. I have some more reasons for our want of a "do over" to Allentown, but these two seem to be the most important. We don't dwell and we do love our home and focus on the good people as opposed to those who do not welcome us, so I'm not going to say we are unhappy. I do know from experience that this is an old school way of thinking and there are many generations of families who raise their kids, go to college nearby and return to the small town. I understand that and that is their choice, but there needs to be acceptance to newbies, to diverse families, to transient families and to all. I don't think you'll find it in small town living. Please don't look at this post as a put down, but when we made our decisions of which place to move to, we didn't think of asking these two very important questions about healthcare and acceptance of outsiders. Technically, the school grades were above average, but now we know that is because of the sameness of the district and the robot mobility of the staff, students and administration. Conclusion, if you want a wide range of healthcare and diversity, go to a bigger city. If you wish for quiet, retirement, leave me alone-type atmosphere, move to NEPA.

I am sorry to hear of your lung disease. I hope that your Denver doctor offers you the correct treatment and that you fully recover.

I have a married sister that lives very close to John's Hopkins and they fly to the Cleveland Clinic for her husband's heart specialist. No matter where you live, if your health is at stake; you will look for the best. My feeling is that can be taken too far. I am sure that some patients die traveling long distances to seek 'better' treatment. It worked out with my brother in law - but it could have easily gone the other way. On the other hand; having hope is half the battle.

I am curious where in NEPA you ran into small town thinking? It could not have been in Monroe County - there are not too many 'locals' left (probably just me and my wife - just kidding). Just about everybody around us is from NY or NJ. I work at one of the larger employers in our area and I am the minority. Once or twice a year we might bump into somebody we had known for a long time at the store. Although my area was 'close minded' many years ago; I just think it would be an unfair criticism today.

[Cpt.Trips]

Thanks for speaking up Gypsy. Your reasons are just a few more as to why moving to NEPA is just a mistake. And a big thumbs up to all the friggin cheerleaders here who just sold you a load of crap as to how wonderful the area is.....

[gypsyfam4]

Cpt Trips, I do not blame anyone for my choice to move to NEPA, I just didn't know the right questions to ask when asking. I most certainly don't blame anyone on this board who were kind enough to offer their perspective of their hometown... I would expect home pride (cheerleaders) for their hometown. We chose NEPA because we'd rather look at the gorgeous mountains and not the back of someone's house or development in Allentown. We most definitely got the beauty and that is why we don't complain...God given beauty! Again, I'm not complaining, just stating a diferent perspective of what a familiy may be looking for. Like fisheye stated, we all take care of our health in different ways and mine was finding the best care for my needs... something this area does not have. There are many people who love a small town (my husband included) but when you get older your needs are different, when you're sick, your needs are different, and when you have a family with school age kids, your needs are different. "Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're going to get...."

[Cpt.Trips]

Gypsy, I honestly applaud your positive outlook when all what you have been through is taken into consideration. I also commend the feeling of not asking the right questions may or may not have influenced your final decision. That being said, I'm most certain if you asked the regulars in this forum, they all wish I would fall off the face of the earth never to return. Why? Because I'm one of the very few who make it a point to tell people looking to relocate to NEPA what an overall mistake they are about to make. Quality health care is just one of many as you soon found out. By the way, Forest Gump may be one of my all time favorite movies. But let's not forget that box of chocolates analogy was repeated over and over by a guy with an IQ of 80. Best wishes to you.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by Cpt.Trips

Gypsy, I honestly applaud your positive outlook when all what you have been through is taken into consideration. I also commend the feeling of not asking the right questions may or may not have influenced your final decision. That being said, I'm most certain if you asked the regulars in this forum, they all wish I would fall off the face of the earth never to return. Why? Because I'm one of the very few who make it a point to tell people looking to relocate to NEPA what an overall mistake they are about to make. Quality health care is just one of many as you soon found out. By the way, Forest Gump may be one of my all time favorite movies. But let's not forget that box of chocolates analogy was repeated over and over by a guy with an IQ of 80. Best wishes to you.

Not all of us are disgruntled with our area. I have never been robbed. Our son had a first rate local education and went on to Cal tech. I have never had any health complaints - other than our local hospital (I would chose hospitals in Allentown probably over local - if I had a choice).

I also don't waist my time looking back at mistakes I made in the past. No matter where anybody moves; it only takes one bad neighbor to ruin your experience. I also know that you cannot make everybody happy - no matter how hard you try.