Reply to message from [log in to unmask] of Fri, 14 Mar
>
>With all due respect to the HMO concept (none), I saw an interesting
>cartoon today in a doctor's office. A woman is talking to a man in a
>coffin, telling him she is almost finished getting a written referrel
>from the HMO doctor to allow him to go to a specialist. Is that funny? I
>think not, is it too close to the truth? I say yes.  With all the modern
>advancements in medicine, i am afraid that the HMO style of letting
>businessmen administer medical treatment, or I should say administering
>the PREVENTION of medical treatment, is a step back to the dark ages!
>the mindset that the bottom line rules, puts medical treatment on the
>same level as appliance repair. If a dishwasher breaks down after it is a
>few years old, and the repairman is slow in arriving, and parts are hard
>to get, the manufacturer will quickly suggest "buy a new dishwasher, this
>one is hard to fix, obsolete, etc." Great, they can't fix the product and
>now they get to profit from the sale of a new one! With an HMO, using
>that logic "Well the patient is getting old, the disease is hard to
>treat, or cure, so we'll just let him die, and we can save a lot of money
>for our stockholders" I am not anti-business, or against a fair profit
>for providers of medical care, I just don't think it should be a cash cow
>at the expense of the patient or his/her family.  In a restaurant the
>person who handles the "unclean" cash, is not suppossed to handle the
>food. I think the medical profesionals should not be involved with the
>the finances of the institution, when they have to deny the best
>treatment to save money.   Remember, these are the folks that send a
>mother  home in less than 24 hours after giving birth!
>
>
>
>[OO] LOOKING FOR RADIOS!
>Ken Becker
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>On Fri, 14 Mar 1997, Elizabeth Leslie wrote:
>
>> Thanks to you all for responding on this.
>>
>> Ken, full marks for lateral thinking.  But if ever I was faced with a
>> choice that made me emphatically opt for 'improper' medication this is it.
>> I did joke to Ernie recently that 'I need a wife,' but this is not quite
>> what I had in mind!  But it did make me chuckle.
>>
>> Beth
>>
>> >Beth, just tell him you demand a sex change operation, so you can get
>> >proper medicationI If he is working for an HMO and trying to save money
>> >by giving you cheaper meds, he'll have to realize the meds will cost his
>> >employers much less than the surgery! (Just kidding!)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >[OO] LOOKING FOR RADIOS!
>> >Ken Becker
>> >[log in to unmask]
>> >
>> >
>> >On Thu, 13 Mar 1997, Barbara Mallut wrote:
>> >
>> >> Beth... I was appalled to read that you're being  WITHHELD l-dopa!
>> >>(Sinemet or
>> >> the equivalent).  This seems like an issue of   _CONTROL_  to me, rather than
>> >> the practice of a responsible and caring physician.
>> >>
>> >> Since PD is a disease which effects each individual is a somewhat different
>> >> manner from every other individual having the disease, what possible
>> >> difference could I take if you were  a male, head of household, working to
>> >> support a wife and kids, and going to lose your job because of the disease
>> >> making dramatic inroads into your life?!   The disease IS terrible, and
>> >>you DO
>> >> have it, and you're YOU... This is NOT a gender issue or an occupational
>> >> issue, and your physician MUST be appraised of that!!
>> >>
>> >> If the MD then won't prescribe what IS the drug of choice for most
>> >>people with
>> >> PD    then get another doctor!  Even an internist or family practitioner ....
>> >> heck, even a PEDIATRICIAN can prescribe you Sinemet!!! (or the equivalent)
>> >>
>> >> This is NOT a "gender-related" disease, its' a HUMAN-related disease.  Your
>> >> life IS your life.  You'll NEVER be that male your MD has declared you not to
>> >> be.  You're going to be YOU for the rest of your life, and your physician
>> >> SHOULD be treating you with the most useful drugs for YOU... the person you
>> >> are, not this fantasy he THINKS should get this valuable drug!
>> >>
>> >> And Beth... don't you DARE trash your research project!  WHEN you're on the
>> >> right medication, and possibly also an anti-depressant,, you'll be raring to
>> >> finish that research and to move on with your life.
>> >>
>> >> YOU GO GIRL!!
>> >>
>> >> Sending a buncha love your way....
>> >>
>> >> Barb Mallut
>> >> [log in to unmask]
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ----------
>> >> From:   Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Elizabeth Leslie
>> >> Sent:   Wednesday, March 12, 1997 3:20 AM
>> >> To:     Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
>> >> Subject:        Symmetrel
>> >>
>> >> I'm seeking a bit of guidance on this.  I've seen the neuro today.  He
>> >> agrees I need treatment.  He agrees l-dopa would make me fully functional.
>> >> He sent me away with a script for Symmetrel!  He told me it could take me 3
>> >> months to feel any benefit from it.  He did agree - a touch reluctantly,
>> >> perhaps even a little sheepishly - that if I were a guy with wife/family to
>> >> support and at risk of losing my job he would not withhold l-dopa.  (One
>> >> good thing tho' - I did find out from him how/where to get my Selegiline
>> >> cheaply.  That's a relief.)
>> >>
>> >> Guess what folks?  I'm not feeling so :)  Getting ready to trash my research.

>> >>
>> >> I'd really like to hear from anyone who takes/has taken this med.  And any
>> >> other advice you care to fling my way will be welcome.  Off-list is fine.
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >>
>> >> Beth
>> >>
>>BETH,

HOW DARE A DOCTOR THINK THAT IF YOU WERE A MAN ...... FIRE THE DOCTOR!!!
FIND A NEW ONE.  YOU DESERVE THE BEST CARE AND IF THE DOCTOR CHOOSES NOT
TO WORK WITH YOU, THEN FIND ONE WHO WILL.  YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING. ALSO, DO
NOT GIVE UP YOUR RESEARCH.  IT IS GOOD EXCERCISE FOR YOUR MIND.
I HOPE I WAS NOT TOO FORWARD, BUT I DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE BEING TREATED LIKE
THEY ARE NOT AN IMPORTANT PART OF SOCIETY BECAUSE OF ILLNESS, ECT.

NANCY MULLEN ([log in to unmask])
>
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