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National Health Care? A doctor's point of view

This is a letter written Zane Pollard, MD, an ophthalmologist at St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta, GA.

Friends:

I have been sitting quietly on the sidelines watching all of this national debate on health care. It is time for me to bring some clarity to the table and as your friend by explaining many of the problems from the aspect of a doctor.

First off the government has involved very few of us physicians in the healthcare debate. While the American Medical Association has come out in favor of the plan, it is vital to remember that the AMA only represents 17% of the American physician workforce. I have taken care of medicaid patients for 35 years while representing the only pediatric group in an opthalmology group left in Atlanta, Georgia that accepts Medicaid. Why is this? For example, in the past 6 months I have cared for three young children on Medicaid who had corneal ulcers. This is a potentially blinding situation because if the cornea perforates from the infection, almost surely blindness will occur. In all three cases the antibiotic needed for the eradication of the infection was not on the approved Medicaid list. Each time I was told to fax Medicaid for the approval forms which I did. Within 48 hours the form came back to me which was mailed in immediately via fax and I was told that I would have my answer in 10 days. Of course by then each child would have been blind in the eye. Each time the request came back denied. All three times I personally provided the antibiotic for each patient which was not on the Medicaid approved list. Get the point- rationing of care. Over the past 35 years I have cared for over 1000 children born with congenital cataracts. In older children and in adults, the vision is rehabilitated with an intraocular lens. In newborns we use contact lenses which are very expensive. It takes Medicaid over one year to approve a contact lens post cataract surgery. By that time a successful anatomical operation is wasted as the child will be close to blind from a lack of focusing for so long a period of time. Again extreme rationing. Solution- I have a foundation here in Atlanta supported 100% by private funds which supplies all of these contact lenses for my Medicaid and illegal immigrants children for free. Again waiting for the government would be disastrous.

Last week I had a lady bring her child to me.They are Americans, but live in Sweden as the father has a job with a big corporation. The child had the onset of double vision 3 months ago and has been unable to function normally because of this. They are people of means but are waiting 8 months to see the ophthalmologist in Sweden. Then if the child needed surgery they would be put on a 6 month waiting list. She called me and I saw her that day. It turned out that the child had accommodative esotropia (crossing of the eyes treated with glasses that correct for
farsightedness) and responded to glasses within 4 days, no surgery was needed. Again rationing of care.

Last month I operated on a 70 year old lady with double vision present for 3 years. She responded quite nicely to her surgery and now is symptom free. I also operated on a 69 year old judge with vertical double vision. His surgery went very well and now he is happy as a lark. I have been told, but of course, there is no healthcare bill that has been passed yet that these 2 people because of their age would have been denied surgery and just told to wear a patch over one eye to alleviate the symptoms of double vision. Obviously cheaper than surgery.

I spent two years in the US Navy during the Vietnam war and was well treated by the military. There was tremendous rationing of care and we were told specifically what things the military personnel and their dependents could have and which things they could not have. While in Vietnam, my wife Nancy got sick and got essentially no care at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. She went home and went to her family's private internist in Beverly Hills. While it was expensive, she received an immediate work up. Again rationing of care.

For those of you who are over 65, this bill in its present form might be lethal for you. People in England over 59 cannot receive stents for their coronary arteries. The government wants to mimic the British plan. For those of you younger,it will still mean restriction of the care that you and your children receive.

While 99% of physicians went into medicine because of the love of medicine and the challenge of helping our fellow man, economics are still important. My rent goes up 2% each year and the salaries of my employees goes up 2% each year. Twenty years ago ophthalmologists were paid $1800 for a cataract surgery and today $500. This is a 73% decrease in our fees. I do not know of many jobs in America that have seen this lowering of fees.

But there is more to the story that just the lower fees. When I came to Atlanta there was a well known ophthalmologist that charged $2500 for a cataract surgery as he felt he was the best. He had a terrific reputation and in fact, I had my mother's bilateral cataracts operated on by him with a wonderful result. She is now 94 and has 20/20 vision in both eyes. People would pay his $2500 fee. However then the government came in and said that any doctor that does medicare work cannot accept more than the going rate (now $500) or he or she would be severely fined. This put an end to his charging $2500. The government said it was illegal to accept more than the government allowed rate. What I am driving at is that those of you well off will not be able to go to the head of the line under this new healthcare plan just because you have money, as no physician will be willing to go against the law to treat you.

I am a pediatric ophthalmologist and trained for 10 years post college to become a pediatric ophthalmologist (add two years of my service in the Navy and that comes to 12 years). A neurosurgeon spends 14 years post college and if he or she has to do the military that would be 16 years. I am not entitled to make what a neurosurgeon makes but the new plan calls for all physicians to make the same amount of payment. I assure you that medical students will not go into neurosurgery and we will have a tremendous shortage of neurosurgeons. Already the top neurosurgeon at my hospital, who is in good health and only 52 years old, has just quit because he can't stand working with the government anymore. Forty-nine percent of children under the age of 16 in the state of Georgia are on medicaid so he felt he just could not stand working with the bureaucracy anymore.

We are being lied to about the uninsured. They are getting care. I operate on at least 2 illegal immigrants each month who pay me nothing and the children's hospital at which I operate charges them nothing also. This is true not only on Atlanta, but of every community in America. The bottom line is that I urge all of you to contact your congresswomen and congressmen and senators to defeat this bill. I promise you that you will not like rationing of your own health.

Furthermore, how can you trust a physician that works under these conditions knowing that he is controlled by the state. I certainly could not trust any doctor that would work under these conditions.

One last thing, with this new healthcare plan there will be a tremendous shortage of physicians. It has been estimated that approximately 5% of the current physician work force will quit under this new system. Also it is estimated that another 5% shortage will occur because of decreased men and women wanting to go into medicine. At the present time the US government has mandated gender equity in admissions to medical schools. That means that for the past 15 years that somewhere between 49 and 51% of each entering class are females. This is true of private schools also because all private schools receive federal fundings. The average career of a woman in medicine now is only 8-10 years and the average work week for a female in medicine is only 3-4 days. I have now trained 35 fellows in pediatric ophthalmology. Hands down, the best was a female that I trained 4 years ago, she was head and heels above all others I have trained. She now practices only 3 days a week.

Zane Pollard, MD

Ragdoll Kitties

Quite by accident I have discovered a breed of cat that I don't think I can live without! lol! I went to the dentist the other day, and the hygienist had pictures of cats on the wall. She explained that she had four-legged children instead of two-legged ones and these were her two children. They were Ragdoll cats, she told me. I had never heard of them before, but one of them was so beautiful and its fur looked so soft! I did a little research later that day and read about them. From what I read, it seems that they are just about the perfect cat... they get very large (I love big cats!), their fur is very soft, they don't jump up on things a lot (I hate that!), and they are gentle and friendly. One site said that they act like puppies. I stumbled on a breeder's website and it just so happens that they are located about 30 miles from our home.

Of course, my son is all for getting a cat. He has been trying to get us to get one since we moved here; he loves cats. I thought my husband would flip out when I mentioned it, because we have been saying for a while "no more pets". But guess what he said? "OK!" oh, dear! When he got home he said, "Where's my kitty?" So, I guess we are considering getting a cat!

Healthy Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Here is a recipe for a healthy low-fat milkshake-like smoothie that is not too sweet and full of nutrition!

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (your choice of whole or low-fat milk; soy milk, rice milk or almond milk)
• 1 banana, chopped and frozen
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoon protein powder
• ice cubes, handful

Directions

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

That's it! Enjoy a creamy, frosty treat without any guilt!

Fresh herbs are expensive to buy but simple to grow

Why should you grow your own herbs?

Fresh herbs add life to a variety of salads, vegetables, dressings, and meats, but many of us find it hard to keep fresh herbs on hand for several reasons. First of all, it is expensive and inconvenient to buy a whole package or bunch of an herb when you only need a small amount for a recipe. Then there is the freshness factor: they are already several days or weeks old when you buy them from the store and always seem to spoil before you can possibly use them up. Wouldn't it be great to pick just the amount you need when you need it without having to go to the store or pay for an entire bunch? You can! Even if you have no gardening skills, growing herbs inside or outside is easy and fun!

How to grow your own herbs

Decide where you want to put them. You can grow herbs in containers indoors or out or in an outdoor garden. Most herbs will grow in partial shade, but they will do better with at least 4 to 6 hours of sunlight each day.

If you plant your herbs in pots, they can be terra cotta, plastic, metal, or the foam pots that look like terra cotta but are light and less expensive. Be sure that your pots have adequate drainage at the bottom since you don't want the roots to sit in water. Pot shapes range from round to rectangular, so use whatever will work for your space. Choose pots at least twelve inches in diameter - smaller pots can't hold enough moisture on hot summer days.

Choose which herbs to grow. If you are not an experienced gardener, you may want to stick to just three or four herbs so you don't get overwhelmed all at once. You can always add more later. Several easy to grow, low maintenance herbs are available, so personal preference is the deciding factor. Some herbs that are recommended for the beginning gardener are: basil, parsley, mint, thyme, dill, chives, and sage.


Buy at AllPosters.com


Planting your herbs. You can plant seeds, or buy small plants to re-pot into your garden. The cost of a small plant is usually about the same as a packet of seeds, which will grow many plants. If you only want one basil plant and it is the right season to find plants to buy it is probably smarter to just buy the plant - it is less work then planting seeds. If you want a lot of plants or if there are no plants for sale in your area at the time, you will want to plant seeds.

Planting seeds. One of the easiest ways to plant seeds is to push a drinking straw into the soil about ½”, remove the dirt and then slide the seed right down the straw and cover it up. Leave a 1 ½ to 2” space between each seed, add some water, and set the container in an area with some direct sunlight.

If it is cold out and you plant your herbs indoors, you might want to create a mini-greenhouse for them.To do this insert a long straw in the middle of the container and measure enough clear plastic wrap to cover the circumference of the pot. Wrap it around and secure it to the top of the straw with a small rubber band or some tape. This will help to keep the plants warm and speed up their growth.

Check your plants every day as they grow. Keep them in good light and water as necessary - when soil is dry to the touch. In hot climates, they will need to be watered every day unless it rains.

Harvesting your herbs. Once they’ve reached maturity, you can harvest leaves as needed. Simply snip off what you need with scissors. At the end of the season, you may want to harvest all the herbs for preserving for the winter.

For more frugal food ideas, see http://www.frugal-living-now.com/frugal-food.html

Planning a wedding? Make it a frugal wedding!

The average cost of a wedding in the United States last year was $20,398. If you are unable or unwilling to spend that kind of money on your wedding, there are many ways to cut your expenses and still have the wedding of your dreams. Start with checking out my Frugal Wedding Ideas page, and unleash your creativity with frugal ideas of your own!

http://www.frugal-living-now.com

Cure Most Ailments With Two Things You Have at Home

The following was taken from an article that I read. Some of these claims are pretty fantastic (unbelievable), but I am intrigued, so I plan to give it a try and see for myself.

Facts: It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'am Ban' TB (very effective) medicine or all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:

Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research Conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors Treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast. Within a week, of the 200 people treated, 73 were totally relieved of pain. Within a month, most of the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. This destroys germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured.

COLDS:

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:

According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.

PIMPLES:

Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach And at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. When the vitality of the body starts to decrease increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:

People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.