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In these days of travail, obesity, and cheap wine, I’ve concluded that society has become brain-numbed and seems to accept lying and thievery as standard operating procedure—no big deal, I mean, everybody does it except, of course, our favorite politicians. Oh no, it’s always the other guy; the other party. We’re like the three monkeys when it comes to our own house. “Learned” ignorance abounds. But my case for this essay isn’t politicians nor their lockstep sycophant followers. No, this blurb is about health care, and the way we are (willingly) manipulated for a buck. Last August for the second time in 10 years, I fell victim to a large kidney stone. At first, I thought (hoped) it would pass, but after 39 sleepless hours went to the Emergency Room. I was given a morphine drip, and sent off to obtain images of the calcium/oxalate deposit. A 7mm stone was lodged in the ureter, a 5mm tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. It wasn’t going anywhere. Meanwhile the kidney was swollen from working too hard. A stent was installed in the ureter to provide a bypass, and take excessive burden off the kidney. I was told the stone would be turned to powder by a laser, the stent removed, and all would be well. Great! Let’s do it! Well, they said, not so fast. Let’s wait two weeks, bring you back in, and perform the procedure then. I’m wondering why the wait when they were already setup, but (ahem) the OR had to be scheduled, the physician had other appointments, yada, yada. Okay, okay; however, I began to think I was not only a patient, but also a “cost center”. Fast forward: the insurance company was billed $58,000. Meanwhile, I was given several prescriptions for meds to take in the meantime. Ah, ha! As for taking meds, I admit to being a neophyte. That is, I don’t normally take any—as in zero. My numbers—height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.—are the same as when I was a twenty-year-old. I have been blessed with robust health. My 32-inch waistline is gone though (sigh). Anyway, I began popping the pills as prescribed—never reading the literature provided (dummy me)—and after four days felt uncomfortable pain in my joints. Further, when I went to the gym, exercises where I routinely push 90 to 100 pounds were out of the question. I struggled with 50 pounds. I figured maybe the guy with the scythe was after me or maybe—just maybe—it had something to do with the medication. I decided I’d better scrap my cavalier attitude and read up. Ciprofloxacin was prescribed to combat potential bacterial infection. The literature said to beware if you have an aneurysm. I happen to have an aortic aneurysm, which I disclosed in writing in four documents I was required to fill out, plus told six of the medical staff orally. What gives? Does no one read or listen? Further, ciprofloxacin could also cause problems with tendons, bones, joints, nerves and cause muscle weakness. Such symptoms could last for several months or be permanent. Damn! I threw the pills away, but the damage had been done. Later, when the stent was removed, and the stone zapped another stent was installed to be removed after another several weeks. What?!? This made no sense to me, but since I am not a physician figured I would do as told; meanwhile being suspicious. It was prescribed that I again take ciprofloxacin every 12 hours—and since that caused me pain—acetaminophen-oxycodone four times a day. So, I was to take a med that causes pain, and counteract it with a habit-forming pill that removed the pain, but did nothing to repair nerves, bones, tendons, etc.? No way! My brain logic suggested they were trying to convert me into a pill-popping clown dependent on never-ending refills, and turning into one of those old farts who brings in a veritable suitcase full of meds with each visit. Better living through chemistry with those in the medical treatment profession hand-in-hand with big pharma to extend life albeit one with poor quality. The longer the life, the more medical services and medication can be sold. That, my friends, is pure thievery; and a leading attribute for why Islam refers to the West, and particularly, the US as the Great Satan. The inference is that all we care about is money-grabbing. A parting thought. I heard a scientist once say that our planet is designed for about 2 to 2.5 billion people. I recall as a sixth-grader a publication known as “The Weekly Reader” declared US population had reached 170 million, and the Earth was at 3 billion. The article was written with alarm, and suggested population control was a good idea. Today, Earth’s population is nearing 8 billion in spite of record numbers of abortions, and life-expectancy has increased from 65 to 78 years in my lifetime. People are being kept alive on ventilators, and addicted to pill after pill many of which counteract each other. Keep ‘em alive; sell more drugs. We seem to be okay with Nature’s Law of natural selection—survival of the fittest—for all living organisms except humans. Maybe that is because of all living species, we’re the only one that knows we’re going to die; and man-oh-man, do we fear that biological reality. We are presently experiencing a so-called pandemic albeit one where 99.9-percent survive. Of the 200,000+ who have died in the US, the CDC quietly announced that only nine-percent actually died of COVID-19; and they were over 70-years-old and had other serious medical conditions. Mass hysteria? However, in my opinion, this could be a setup for a real planet-killer. Why? The Earth is being stressed beyond reason, and will self-correct. Meanwhile, the pill-pushing alliance of pharma and physicians will continue duping a gullible, death-fearing public and get richer. Don’t even get me started about those misguided people who wear masks while driving solo. I’ll close with a letter to my kids, to wit: I’m not completely sure what has gone awry during your lifetimes. Physicians used to care about patients. Politicians used to be at least sneaky when they lied, not like today when they say, “I never said that”, and there are six video examples that they did; or a president who repeated on television over 60 times, “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.” Of course, neither was true, and he knew it. Worse is the fourth estate—the media—who used to at least pretend to be objective. Now they are advocates, and journalism be damned. But karma insists we get the society, government, and media we deserve. People make it easy for them. That is, so many seem to be lost in the noise of existence, all but sleepwalking through their lives, oblivious to the world around them. They’re hypnotized by their mobile phones, ignoring others they pass. People are self-centered and uncaring, and pay little attention to things on their periphery. The bogymen take over and no one cares. So, I need to give you an apology. You see, over the years I’ve told you there’s no such thing as monsters. I’m sorry that I lied. By Gene Myers
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kidney stone, meds, ciprofloxacin, oxycodone, population, pandemic, pharma, ,
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