I can't remember the first time I read a story by Franz Kafka, the Czech writer. Was it your class Martha Hamby?
Anyway, he wrote about the absurdities of bureaucracy in the pre-WWI Austro-Hungarian Empire. If you think all this talk about the deep state is new, you're wrong. It's the by-product of any bureaucracy, no matter how well-run.
I've had many occasions to experience the modern, U.S. version of it, and if you're dependent on government-funded medical care, like me, you've experienced it, too.
Throw in federally funded housing, the food stamp/TANF/commodities program, and a host of others, and you have a recipe for one big gigantic headache, which is what I've got right now.
It starts with Medicare, which I have to use just because I'm eligible. Do you think a private insurer would insure me? Hell no!
"But wait," you say. "Can't you get a Medicare Advantage plan and/or a supplement?"
I can get an advantage plan, but because I live in the middle of nowhere, there are only two available, both rated 1 star and I can't get a supplemental plan because I'm not 65.
So... when I got a pacemaker at Lovelace's Heart Institute last October, I also got a bill for $2800. Okay fine. If it does the job it's worth it.
"Come back in 6 months for a device check," the tech said.
Three weeks ago I started having some serious cardio issues, but I wasn't exactly sure what or why. Symptoms included dizziness, lower extremity edema, palpitations, breathlessness, high bp, low O2...
Scary stuff.
My PCP got me in to see the cardiologist 1 day before my scheduled 6 month device check.
That was last Wed. He was so clueless. The best he could come up with was a varicose vein.
Say what? You've got 6 months of data and that's it?
I was too shocked to speak. I had 3 episodes of cardio-something just sitting there trying to control my anger, especially when he said it would be at least 3 months before he could get me in for an ultrasound on my leg.
I went home and then back to the Institute again on Thurs for the device check, 75 miles each way, 300 miles on bad tires in two days.
When I'm called back to an exam room, I tell Lisa the Tech the same list of symptoms I told the cardiologist.
"Let's take a look at the recorder data," she says.
Ten seconds later, we're looking at it.
Boom. There it is. Hundreds of episodes. A-fib. V-tach. A-fib+V-tach at the same time.
"Why didn't the cardiologist look at this?" I asked, trying not to die right there and then.
She just shrugged and said, "I can't say."
Can't say, or won't say?
"Does nobody monitor the data from pacemakers, or let people know when they're in trouble?"
"Yeah, we do" she said, "But it's not covered by your insurance."
WHAT???
"I'll get you in for a nuke stress test asap," she added.
Which is what the cardiologist should've done, had he only checked the pacemaker data.
"When was the worst episode?" I asked Lisa.
"Tuesday the 16th at 5:03 pm," she answered. "18 seconds. A minute later, 11 seconds, then 11 seconds again."
I knew exactly what happened. Just thinking about it made me dizzy, like I was on the verge of a panic attack. I had to sit down, and if you know me, you know I never sit.
I thought I was gonna puke.
"What?" Lisa asked. "Are you okay? What happened?"
I took a few deep breaths, then I told her what I saw that day...
Ya'll stay tuned for more. This is a 100% true story and it's just now getting good.
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