New here-need some help
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| Mon, 08-15-2005 - 10:01am |
Hi,
I was originally diagnosed with JRA 9 years ago, treated and in remission for 7 years. A few months ago it flared up in my knee again. Thank God it has stayed in my knee, as I'm a violinist and it has never affected my hands or arms. Anyway, I don't have health insurance until I start doctoral school in a couple weeks. I did see a doctor in the town we just moved from, and am still unable to pay the bills. That visit, which included a cortizone shot, draining the fluid, and analyzing it (not infected), made things better for a couple of weeks. I didn't have the rheumatologist prescribe anything because I lacked insurance to pay for medicine. Just took ibuprofen, and iced it. For the past two months, my knee has been swollen and I'm hobbling around. I take 3 ibuprofen 4 times a day, which helps with the pain, but I still limp all the time. Just wondering if trying to walk on it will make it worse, and how much damage may have been done to the joint since I haven't been able to see a doctor? Anyone have any other suggestions on what I can do?
Also, I recently got married-and this should be one of the best times of my life. The RA has made me feel so confined-what kinds of exercises, or activities can I do?? I dont' have access to a pool for another couple of weeks...We just moved to a new area and don't know many people yet.
My husband has been wonderful, and I do have an uncle who has RA, and my MOm has lupus. So some people in my life can understand. But they have insurance, and are being treated.
I'm sorry I have to meet all of you in such a frustrated state of mind-I just want to go back to being who I am when RA doesn't suck the life out of me. I'm 25, and I feel like I'm 80! Any suggestions for how to lift my spirits and how to cope would help greatly. Thanks so much. -Eileen

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You just have to wonder -- here's an issue that affects everyone in this country, even the young and healthy (they do have parents, children, and accidents). Everyone is upset about the system. You cannot mention the word "insurance" in a group setting without hearing multiple horror stories. Yet, we can't seem to DO anything about it. Have we created such a complex problem that we are unable to find a solution? Or, more likely, are the solutions just too painful for us to bear for the present? Will we have to wait until the problem is even more unbearable to be able to stomach the solution? Now, if we could just answer those questions, we could get on to the less pressing problem of world peace.
Molly, you are not alone with your rheumatologist problem at Kaiser. Do you know that Kaiser in the Denver metropolitan area has ONE rheumatologist (and I imagine he is the only one in Colorado for Kaiser). An elderly friend of my mother-in-law was referred to him by her regular Kaiser doctor when she developed a problem and was told that the wait for an appointment was approximately a year. She ended up in the hospital with PAL (the sudden onset one that affects all joints at once--not sure of the real name) and got to see the specialist that way. Kaiser here is very popular with those on Medicare as they have a pretty good supplemental plan for a reasonable fee. You would think that they would have a decent rheumatology department since they are courting all those elderly joints.
I don't know that I have the only answer, but I bet I could come up with a pretty good plan if someone asked me to do so. I know that the first thing I would do would be to staff my office with the poor, disabled, elderly, or others who had to deal with the system. I wouldn't hire the insurance companies, healthcare businesses, and doctors who created the problem to solve it for me.
So there!
Rosemary
Bravo Rosemary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs,
Vicki
I feel your pain. My husband is self-employed or sometimes works with others but on a contract basis. The only affordable insurance coverage for him is through my employer. Even if I hated my job, I would feel I had to work to provide insurance for us as the cost would be prohibitive and, in my case, impossible to obtain.
You know what is really sad--paying $12,000 a year for insurance coverage and having it be a "bargain" as opposed to paying for your medical bills yourself and foregoing insurance. I've seen some people who gambled that it would be safe for them to go without insurance, for a month or two or three, who found themselves in a real pickle when they became ill or were injured during that short time period. Of course, for some, there is no choice--i.e., a single mother laid off from her job and collecting $1,200 a month from unemployment compensation whose health insurance for her family would cost $1,000 a month.
It's terrible for so many to have to pay so much of their disposable income for something they sincerely hope that they never have to use.
Rosemary
Rosemary, Thankyou for the explanation it is shocking to say the least. And I sincerly hope we do not follow suit ( I have said this before) I just find it hard that the one of the most wealthiest countries in the world does not champion its citizens.
But I suppose it is not really our governments which "run" our countries it is the commercial world, big business and along with that is the drug companines, and they are all hungry beast, and we are the fodder. Lell.
You have my vote!!!!!
Molly
Rheumatoid Arthritis - Ask the Health Librarian
Molly
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