They cant cure it (depressed, yoga, plague, physician)

[twixcookie]

I am not talking about finding ways to be healthy, I am talking about whether it is worth walking the fine line healthwise to grow old. Maybe it's better to die in our 50s. Maybe that is what nature intended.

[JenLee]

Twixcookie, you say you are in healthcare, well so am I. I'm an RN and I've spent 34 years working ICUs, mostly CV-ICU. I'm not there now due to a workplace injury; I'm unable to return to the bedside now.

So you want to know why you should try to take care of yourself? Just go into an ICU and take a look at the patients there. The ones who are in and out of an ICU quickly have taken care of themselves. The ones who didn't take care of themselves are there for much longer; and you should see the bills wrack up then.

You think your piddley little $100/visit clinic visit costs money, well, I was hospitalized for 6 days recently (NOT in ICU!) and it was over $30,000. Yes, my insurance paid for part of it, but I was stuck with close to 1/4 of that bill too. I know an uninsured 25 y/o man who got stung by a couple of bees; his hospital bill for 3 cardiac arrests and treatment for anaphylaxis (a sever acute allergic reaction) and 2 days of hospitalization was $64.000. Because he's uninsured, he made a deal with the hospital and he will be paying about 1/5 of that amount. How, you may ask? Because all of us are subsidizing the rest of the bill. This young man was fortunate in that his life was saved and he is taking care of himself and trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

I just get really upset with the sick people who didn't take care of themselves and the the rest of the US taxpayers ends up paying the rest of the bill because the guy who didn't take care of themselves.

High tech medicine costs a bundle these days. Research costs money too. And I have news for you: the doctors aren't getting rich at this point; most are losing financial ground every year. Insurance companies and drug companies are the cash cows in medicine these days.

I'm an insulin resistant Diabetic type II; I monitor my glucose and A1-c closely because I don't want to have kidney disease, nor do I want to have a limb chopped off because I didn't take care of myself.

It's kind of like cars: DO the relatively cheap preventative exams (mammograms, pap smears, PSA's, etc) and you won't have to pay for the more expensive engine overhauls.

[JenLee]

I know I'm going off topic here; but there are 2 things we all need to think about when it comes to US healthcare these days. The first one is the financial burden of our healthcare; the second one is personal responsibility.

1.) Total medical care expenditures among all of the uninsured in 2004 (including both those without coverage for all or part of the year) are almost $125 billion. Over $40 billion of that was uncompensated and will never be collected. About 60% of that is hospital bills, 20% is doctor bills. The federal government will foot about 2/3 of that uncompensated bill to hospitals, but the doctors don't get those government dollars unless they work for public health or service programs (VA programs, Bureau of Primary Care programs, the
Indian Health Service, etc.).

So who is footing the bill? WE ARE! The average person's medical insurance policy has close to $1000 extra added on just to pay for the uninsured. And we are all paying for the uninsured with our taxes (after all, *we* are the source of the Federal Governments money).

2.) By personal responsibility, I mean that we have to take responsibility for what our state of health is. So we have a genetic tendency for a high cholesterol? Taking pills is modern medicines' way of fixing that; however, you can do so much more by finding a diet that is low cholesterol and enjoyable and also engaging in activities you like that provide exercise. Exercise really will make us feel better; we just are so unused to it that it's hard to get into a regular habit when we haven't done it for so long.

That 3 mile walk doesn't fit in with your daily schedule anymore? How about a 20-30 minute walk to decompress after work, and either taking the stairs at work (for a few flights anyway) and/or getting up and marching in place for every commercial break while watching your favorite TV show in the evening. And turning off that "one-eyed monster" -the TV or the computer- for at least an hour a day and doing something else instead.

Our modern lifestyle is unhealthy. We'd all feel better if we did some small tweaking of our habits and start moving more and take better care of the marvelous "machine" that is our own body.

And if we take better care of ourselves, our healthcare expenses will be lessened.

[southdown]

I think the OP gives it all away in the title of the thread "They can't cure it"

Who is 'they'?

Your body is your responsibility - not 'theirs' and if you make it sick or vulnerable through lack of care, poor nutrition or abuse, then it is your responsibility. You may fall sick through no fault of your own - but it is still your body, and your recovery or health levels are within your control.

OK, if you don't care about yourself or what happens to you - fine. But don't blame 'them'.

Or are you saying health insurance and drug companies are after your money and don't care about your health. Well, yes, we know that.

[JenLee]

Originally Posted by twixcookie

I am not talking about finding ways to be healthy, I am talking about whether it is worth walking the fine line healthwise to grow old. Maybe it's better to die in our 50s. Maybe that is what nature intended.

IF you just want to die in your 50's, I'd suggest you go far away from modern healthcare then. The last two years of life are pretty danged expensive in our present system, and the costs just keep going up. We've made so many medical advances that it's pretty hard to just up and die in your 50's these days, even if that's what you wish. We've learned how to prolong life; but we've also learned how to prolong death. And it's a very fine line between the two, especially for younger patients.

[Towhee]

Twixcookie, it sounds to me like you are depressed. I am 75 years old. I have put up with High blood pressure, Fibromyalgia Syndrome and arthritis for more that half of those years. I take 2 differant typed of BP meds, and 2 types of prescription pain meds, besides lots of minerals and vitamins. I am a Christian, and consider the next life us much more desirable than this one, but I have responsibilities that I hope to live long enough to take care of. The main one is an aging husband who depends on me for so many things.
I checked your profile, and see you are divorced. I do not know how long ago that took place. Could it be part of your depression ? Do you have family that needs you ?

Do try to count your blessings, and I hope you find that you have a lot to live for. 55 is too young to wish to pass on.

My life has improved, over the dreadful times that I had physically...when I had no insurance to get medical care. My BP has been reduced in just the past year or so. I have a great doctor who works with me, not against me. She respects the fact that I do not want to take any prescriptions for meds that are probably going to do more harm than good.

May God bless you.

Marian

[BCG8]

Great observation southdown. you're right, our health is our responsibility and it is wise to research our options for better health. it seems like a lot of people feel their health is not in control and maybe that's what keeps them sick.

[Beth56]

Originally Posted by Marianinark

Twixcookie, it sounds to me like you are depressed.

I agree with you Marian. I thought so too. I'm glad you addressed it.

[Mike409]

Originally Posted by twixcookie

But everyone is missing my whole point...why?
All one is doing is prolonging the inevitable!

The assumption is I have a bad diet. Actually, I don't...I love vegetables, cannot tolerate dairy, so that eliminates a lot of bad foods. I don't bake anything anymore, no cookies or goodies. I eat a lot of fish and organic eggs, some organic chicken.
I don't eat a lot of refined carbs.
I used to walk 3 miles per day.
But none of that changed a thing. Why? Because I have insulin resistance and it is much stronger than what I can do to overcome it. Exercise is supposed to help. But let's face it, 3 miles a day is hard to keep up when you work all day.
I went down to a mile, and still, that's not enough.

All this for what, a few more years?

Wow, to each his own, I guess is the answer. Of coarse, I could be wrong, just trying to help, but are you depressed?

You say why, I say why not? Their are millions of people who actually enjoy exercise and being fit and WANTING to live longer. I've had HBP since I'm 14, it's hereditary for me. I've tried a lot of things to lower it without meds, nothing worked, so I stayed on medication. I'am now 39 years old. Why did *I* choose to keep my BP under control? Because I didn't want to die at 16,17,18,19,20's,30's, *I* wanted to continue to live, for no other reason.
Obviously, at anytime I could get cut down, from numerous causes. For the most part, I have no control over that. But, HBP I can contol, so I choose to take that route. So far, I've lived a full and happy life and I'll continue on that path, if I can help it, because I enjoy living. I don't fear death, but I'm not too sure I'll enjoy it. So , I try and stick with the sure thing.....LIFE.

That's cool, if you just want to let God, the Devil, whomever/whatever end your life, it's up to you. I wish you luck.

But, I do have a question. If your having chest pain, that you may think is a heart attack, will you go to a hospital or just lay down and say why go to the hospital?

[CosmicWizard]

Consider that suicide is a permanent solution ( death ) for a temporary problem ( depression ).