I have received all of my care at the VA here in Tampa and while I did have a similar incident (Lori's DVT problem) I received unbelievable care.
Don't get me wrong, when I first went to the VA in 95, it was not nearly as good as it is now. Sure, there are still problems, but I think there are problems in every hospital. As for hospital insurance through physicians mutual, I only pay around $230 a year which equates to less than $20 a month. It pays me $75 a day if I become hospitalized. I have had the insurance since 1996 though, so it might cost more now. I haven't checked in a while. On 4/14/08, Merrill Burghardt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Your medical care sounds similar as the Veterans Hospital. I am poverty > income also which is exactly why having hospitalization insurance is > necessary. Do the math! My monthly payment is $46.00 which I am sure you > can manage. Once hospitalized it pays out $80.00 a day. Two or three days > in will pay the annual premium which puts all other days paid into clear > pocket money. How can you afford not to look into insurance if you know you > will be hospitalized? > > > > Merrill > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Lori Michaelson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > *Sent:* Monday, April 14, 2008 3:13 PM > *To:* Merrill Burghardt; quad-list@eskimo.com > *Subject:* Re: [QUAD-L] PAIN > > > > When using the acronym VA ... I am only familiar with it being Veterans > Affairs. If your question is to me... I am a little bit confused. Just > confused today anyway. LOL. > > > > If you ARE talking to me and asking me if I am using something for > circulation, etc. since my DVT ... just a baby aspirin a day. I was on > Coumadin for 10 years only because I was afraid to go off of it... because I > am immobile, etc.. But that arsenic can build up in your bones and I > finally called it quits about three years ago and have been fine with just a > baby aspirin a day. > > > > Lori Michaelson > > Age - 43 > > C4/5 complete quad, 28 years post > > Tucson, AZ > > > > > > On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 7:20 PM, Merrill Burghardt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > Tell me about it. Are you using the VA system? > > > > Merrill > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Lori Michaelson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > *Sent:* Sunday, April 13, 2008 12:38 PM > *To:* NICHOLE ROHLING; quad-list@eskimo.com > *Subject:* Re: [QUAD-L] PAIN > > > > I had a DVT (deep vein clot/thrombosis) in 1995 that was encouraged by > surgeries. I was also very, very, very lucky to have survived it because I > was telling doctors (my neurosurgeon and his staff hours away) my symptoms > and they were ignoring them even though they were classic symptoms of a > DVT! Hitherto ... I was not familiar with clots of any type so I was in the > dark. It was the Internet that saved my life essentially. > > > > With what I described... they should have wanted to at the very least > eliminate the possibility of a clot since I just had two surgeries with that > doctor and that is a primary thing to worry about after surgery. But > noooooo... I thought it was probably just swelling and I should wear some of > those tight hose. QUACK, QUACK > > > > I went around for about a month with my left lower leg very swollen and > very hard. I finally read an article on the net (I was very new to the > Internet back then and only knew how to look things up) and one doctor in > Washington state had an article about spinal cord injuries and folks with > MS. A sentence said "If one leg is significantly larger than the other... > it could indicate a clot." All I knew was that "a clot" was not good but I > had no idea that I had a DVT whereby all I had to do was move a certain way > to have it move directly to my lungs to kill me. > > > The very next morning I called my primary care physician and I went to see > him. He looked at it and said "I don't know... I don't think it could be a > clot but I will send you over to the hospital to have an ultrasound done." > Needless to say... I never left the hospital because it was a lengthy clot > and I was in immediate danger. > > > > DOCTORS! QUACK, QUACK! > > > > I think I'm on my 95th life because of so many negligent doctors. > > > > Lori Michaelson > > Age - 43 > > C4/5 complete quad, 28 years post > > Tucson, AZ > > > > > On Sat, Apr 12, 2008 at 4:55 PM, NICHOLE ROHLING <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > YES, CLOTS TAKE 4-6 WEEKS TO DISSOLVE SO I'M ON COUMADIN (?) TO THIN MY > BLOOD. MY INR LEVEL NEEDS TO STAY BETWEEN 2.0 AND 3.0 > > > > MR DR SAID THEY DO HAVE MEDS TO BUST CLOTS BUT THE RISKS FOR ME OUTWEIGHED > THE BENEFITS. > > > > I'M JUST THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE. > > NICKI > > *Quadius <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > Thank goodness you made it through it. They send you home with blood > clots? > Quadius > > On 4/12/08, *NICHOLE ROHLING* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I HAVEN'T READ ALL THE RESPONSES BUT IT WAS I HAD A DR AISEVERAL BLOOD > CLOTS IN MY RIGHT LUNG. > > > > I HAD DR APPT TUES AT 1PM BUT CALLED THE AMBULANCE AT 5AM. > > > > THE ER DOC IMMEDIATELY ORDERED A CAT SCAN WHICH SHOWED SEVERAL CLOTS IN MY > RIGHT LUNG AND A FEW IN MY LEFT. I WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND MY DR > HAD ULTRASOUND DONE ON MY LEGS AND SURE ENOUGH I HAD A CLOT IN MY LFT LEFT > BEHIND MY KNEE - NO SWELLING REDNESS OR HEAT. > > > > HE SAID THE SMALL CLOTS IN MY LUNGS WERE MOST LIKELY FLOATERS WHICH BROKE > OFF OF THE MAIN CLOT. > > > > I JUST GOT HOME AND AM FEELING REAL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE > > > > NICKI > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > -- > Lori > C4/5 complete quad, 27 years post > Tucson, AZ > > > > > -- > Lori > C4/5 complete quad, 27 years post > Tucson, AZ >