…The Continuing Story of MR and the V.A….
If you think Veterans get free medical from the V.A., you’re wrong…. I spent over six hours at the V.A. yesterday and saw only two real doctors…. One for about five minutes and the other for 10 minutes…. You don’t pay in money, although, depending on your income, you do have a low co-payment, but you pay in time….. My first appointment was a follow-up on the surgery…. After 45 minutes in the waiting room, I finally got into an examination room….. In comes medical student A, a mid-twenties male, who wanted to know every symptom, action, and/or reaction in detail that I had experienced since the surgery…. He poked and proded around my neck, checked my breathing, pulse,etc… After about 30 minutes, he takes off saying that he and the doctor would return shortly…. 30 minutes or so later, enter medical student B, a mid-twenties female, who wanted to know the exact same thing as med student A…. I have to admit though, this exam was a lot more pleasant as she was a looker and very friendly (Who-hoo!)….. Again, this exam lasted about 30 minutes and off she goes stating that she would be back with the doctor shortly, and again another 30 to 40 minutes passed…. By this time I was starting to get worried as it was closing in on the time for my second appointment with my primary care physician…. I was feeling like a guinea pig and wondering if there was going to be a med student C and I still hadn’t found out anything, but it was the real thing this time and she covered everything I needed to know in five minutes or less including changing my medication….. I guess the med students had passed the right info to the doctor and I was a good training aid….. It was then off to the second appointment with waiting and more waiting, etc…. I guess it boils down to if you’ve got the time and don’t have a life threatening ailment where you’re going to croak in the next few minutes they’ll take care of you…. All-in-all, I think I received excellent care, even if it was sometimes s-l-o-w, and I am recovering well and should be back “in-the-pink” soon…..
April 7th, 2006 at 10:54 pm
The good news is all’s well that ends well. BTW, which one’s Pink?
April 8th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Floyd or Fred…. Take your pick….. BTW, the main surgery nurse’s name is Fredette – Now, who would name their child Fredette?…. And, not being politically correct, she is white, friendly, and cute too!…. Maybe I’m “Searchin’ for a Rainbow”…..
April 9th, 2006 at 3:44 am
MR, following your politically incorrect mode, have you watched a basketball or football game lately? Every game I watch, I hear a name I’ve never heard before or since. It occurs so often, you have to believe these people lie awake at night, trying to think of a name that’s never been used.