I'm currently sitting in a doctor's office. This isn't a new occurrence. In fact, if waiting rooms offered loyalty points like a credit card, I’d be in the titanium high-roller tier. This is often the theme with chronic illness: time and burden.
It's a burden for me; it's a burden for my loved ones, as it often takes me away from them and the many happenings in their lives. It's a burden for the caregivers and the system as a whole because of the financial cost and the fact that our healthcare system is extremely overwhelmed. Not only that, but it is all just... a burden.
We are very fortunate in the sense that we have insanely good healthcare. Like, really good. If we had to pay for my annual care out of pocket, it would be close to half a million dollars, and that's just for regular treatments and checkups. But we only have to pay a maximum of $3,000 annually. Woohoo!
I’ve had over 21 personal doctor visits in the past year alone. That doesn’t include the ER or urgent care runs. That’s nearly two a month. Two a month might not sound terrible, but keep that schedule for eight years continuously and tell me how it feels.
You might be thinking that I'm completely full of it, and you know, that's a fair assumption. "Oh, so just because you see a lot of doctors, you're an expert?" Yes. Damn right!
It is exhausting for all the reasons I listed above, AND I'm still sick! Bobby Brokearm gets to go to the doctor for an acute injury, get some physical therapy, and actually get better. That doesn't happen for me. I don't get better, and I am excellent at following orders. All of this is just to stymie a rapid descent into disability.
So, yeah, I'm an expert. Said in Keanu Reeves' best John Wick voice. Let me tell you why.
I am a casual observer of all the systemic problems in health care. I often hear people say, "I'm glad we don't have socialized healthcare! America is the best!" First off, pull your head out of your ass and do a little research and traveling. Our healthcare is NOT the best. Sure, we attract plenty of top doctors because of capitalism. Most people like to be compensated well, and if the opportunity is there, they will take it. Does that mean that everyone gets to see those doctors? Nope! Be prepared for months-long wait times all while you gradually sink into medical despair. This point is exceptionally ironic because "wait times" is one of the largest reasons people are against socialized medicine.
Now, I'm not saying that other doctors are bad. Quite the contrary, in my vast experience, most doctors I've dealt with have been excellent. Most. BUT, you'll still experience insanely long scheduling times to see them too. Why? Because, as I've stated before, the healthcare system is overburdened. Is this the fault of the doctors? Absolutely not. It's the fault of the capitalist system that's invaded healthcare.
"OMG, Beard-Dad, are you a commie bastard?!" First off, kindly direct your head to the nearest garbage disposal. Second, no. I just don't think profiteering belongs anywhere near healthcare. It muddies the waters and provides poor patient experience and high physician burnout.
What is one of the first questions someone is asked when seeing the doctor? "Do you have insurance, and what insurance do you have?" Why TF does it matter? (I'm well aware they need to know who to bill... besides me.) Help me without my quality of care being affected by the insurance I carry. Many people will tell me that it doesn't matter. Those people are called liars, as I've witnessed this repeatedly firsthand. The extent of my care is based specifically on what my insurance "covers". Which, lucky for me, is just about everything!
Which leads me to the crux of this specific observation. I'm on socialized healthcare. It's true! The government has set prices on my behalf, negotiated drug costs to almost nothing for me, and carries the brunt of the financial burden.
The VA is the truest version of socialized medicine in the country, and ya know what? I get the same level of care there that I do in the civilian systems.
One of the weirdest reasons I'm an expert on healthcare is that I usually know more about my disease than many of the doctors I see. I get it; unless you're a neurologist or someone specializing in MS, you probably aren't going to be too knowledgeable on it. Here's the problem with that. Oftentimes, my MS overlaps with other ailments that are written off by doctors under the umbrella of having MS.
- "Numbness and tingling? Probably the MS."
- "Gastrointestinal issues? MS."
- "Your body hurts? Just part of the MS."
It drives me crazy when I see a specialist and this is their default conclusion without even giving me a proper exam. I will concede that most of the time they will do appropriate testing, but their initial inclination is always, "Oh yeah bro, MS. Duh."
Well. That's about it. I'm going to continue waiting to see this doctor as I have been waiting for the last two hours. And I'm not counting the four months it took to get this appointment. Why? Because I'll continue to take care of myself the best way I can, even when the system is as broken as my body. I also want to offer a sincere thank you to all the doctors, nurses, and professionals that have helped me and continue to do so because they're good people. Thank you for consistent work in trying to make me feel better. Your efforts are noticed and appreciated. Just stop telling me, "It's the MS."
Dad out.