My husband is disabled and because of that medical services and hospitals, doctors, medications, health care and everything that goes with it are a part of our life and, obviously, its virtually a HUGE part of the American life as well!! In fact, I would say that it takes up moreorless 85% of this countrys way of life, which, to be honest, I am so totally shocked about!!

Anyway, my husband has just been assigned a new social worker, because his previous one had left, and she came round 2 see us one day last week, and, anyway during the conversation I told her that I had no real cause to b constantly visiting doctors and clinics and everything and I told her that I was virtually a very healthy person, due 2 my parents, particularly my mother giving, not only me, but my sister a very good start in life with proper REAL food as babies and children and, as a family, we lead a very healthy lifestyle!!!

Anyway, when I told my husbands social worker this, she virtually looked at me as if I was some weird freak of nature!!

Is being sick and ill and disabled now, in the USA, the normal way of life now????

I am totally shocked!!!!!

I am 52, and I have never ever had a mammogram!!!!
[Edited 2/28/10 6:13am]

I definitely see a difference in the way sick ppl are treated here in the UK as opposed to the US.
In the times that I have been to the GP here in the UK, they are less apt to hand you a script for your ailments.

One time I went to the states for my allergies/sinus infections and left with 5 different scripts.

I worked in Clinical Research in the states and it was very easy to get volunteers. Who would not want to get treated by seeing a dr, getting blood work and monitored on a regular basis and get paid for it? As opposed to going to the dr, barely getting looked at, handed scripts without knowing anything about them.
It is totally different here for many reasons.
My mom commented several times when she visited from the states that she could not believe how much better the produce is here in the grocery stores. It is mostly locally grown and not shipped in from other countries.How nice it was to buy food without partially hydrogenated oils in it and the ingredient lists were not a mile long.
She was in total shock when she saw the sign that said 3 kiwi's for 39p.
She was stunned how cheap the food is here.
I guess all of that makes a big difference in ones health.
The states has some big issues when it comes to health care and I hope they get on the right path to making the necessary changes.

Desire2006 said:

That does not make you healthy.
You can get a free mammogram here at 50.
In the states, my dr wrote me a script for one at 35 along with a colonoscopy.
Why? Because she could. When I called to schedule the mammo, there was a 4 month waiting list.
Looks like the insurance companies are making a killing off of that.

U are right!! I mean, take for example, ground beef!! In the 90s when we lived over here in the US, it used 2 b top quality stuff, but now the UK has far better top quality ground beef and even meat in general, than here in the USA!! The ground beef here would b allocated as dog food in the UK!!!!

No wonder more and more people here in the USA are far more sicker now!!!!

wtf. 52 and never had a mammogram??

you're proud of that??

I admire your patience Val

No - I don't spend 85% of my time at a doctor's office.

I go a couple times a year, if that. Once for an annual exam and the occasional sickness or ailment - but that's pretty rare for me.

MrsMdiver said:

I have had no real cause 2 get a mammogram!! I think I will know MYSELF if something was wrong with me, I know my body THAT well enough!!!

you're right


sweet dreams

AndGodCreatedMe said:

Well when u consider that women are getting breast cancer now far younger(even in their 20s now and in some cases in their TEENS!!!) than they used 2 and, heres me, at 52, never ever had my FIRST mammogran exam, I AM proud of that!!!!!
[Edited 2/28/10 6:47am]

AndGodCreatedMe said:

I should have added that I did not end up having either procedure. I made the appt 4 months in advance but by the time the appt came, my insurance had changed and they would not cover a mammo at my age.
As for the coloscopy, I did not have either. In my line of work at the time, we did Irritable Bowel studies and the dr that did the colonoscopies did not recommend an invasive procedure like that at my age.


Saved me lots of $

I have known women to have breast cancer with no signs or symptoms. So if they are still doing the free mammo screens here when I am 50, I will have one.

Desire2006 said:

Good luck with that.

Desire2006 said:

I applaud you.

Like getting brestcancer has anything to do... why the fuck do I bother?

I'm glad you're healthy though.

Desire2006 said:

I don't think being a nutty broad makes you a freak of nature, but thinking that never having had a mammogram will somehow prevent you from getting cancer DOES make you a nutty broad.

MrsMdiver said:

healthcare should be affordable to anyone. it's a shame that check ups are skipped because of money.

(I think I spoke to Phil on facebook )

sp edit.
[Edited 2/28/10 7:06am]

Pls.

Everyone who reads this. get ur check ups!! teeth, balls, boops whatever!

just do it.

AndGodCreatedMe said:

It is a shame though some dr's in the states get carried away ordering things that are not needed.

At the end of the day, I think it is about balance and taking care of yourself.
The US is a great country and it makes me mad that there are so many ppl going into debt over their health.


yes, you were talking with him and he said you just suddenly disappeared.
and

AndGodCreatedMe said:

Ok but NO ONE is going near my boops!

The thing is, I also beleive in prevention being better than the cure!! If u could PREVENT a lot of illnsses, by a proper balanced diet with FRESH fruit and vegetables and eating things like liver and fish, wholegrain foods like pulses, and wholewheat pasta, maybe once or twice a week and then regular exercise and abstaining from such filthy habits as smoking, over-drinking, illicit sex, then I think u would give yourself a fighting chance at having good health!!!!

But the thing is, the good old US of A sadly doesnt promote that much!!!

Also, when I was a baby, and then toddler, and the same with my sister, packet, canned, jarred baby food wasnt that much available as it is now, so, hence, my mother used 2 puree proper food down to give us and that is one reason why we had such a good start in life, cos we had all the right vitamins and nutrients right from the start!! Its totally shamefull now what mothers feed their babies and kids on now!!!!

Prevention is key, but so is early detection, especially with cancer.

yes.
prevention.

that's why you have a check up!

PunkMistress said:

Are you the orger formerly known as Gold319 or whatever her name was? The one who´d constantly praise America and bash the UK whenever possible?
Overuse of exclamation marks ? Check.
Overuse of question marks? Check.
Overuse of caps lock? Check.


Anyway, I don´t think that American produce or food in general is that bad in the USA...sure, the strawberries look perfect but are almost taste-free but in general, it depends on where you live in the USA and where you go shopping. Most of the stuff in the UK is much, much more expensive than produce and goods in, say, Germany or Holland, and the quality is not much better. Some UK products ( like UK made Freshetta pizza and UK made Mum deodorants) are even three times more expensive in the UK than in Germany....I wonder why ? Those things are MADE in the UK and should therefore be cheaper there, right?

I was pleasantly surprised everytime I stayed in the USA. Maybe because I expected worse and got decent stuff there....and the sheer variety was overwhelming. But again, it all depends on where you shop and whether you study the labels. Most of the products in the USA that are bad for your health are bad for your health in Europe as well, especially those hydrogenenated fats.

When it comes to meat I may agree with you because as far as I know they use some hormones there that are not allowed in the EU but other than that and some GM fruits and veggies, I don´t really see any huge differences.


The best produce can be found in the southern hemisphere of Europe, in places like Spain, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Israel etc.
Italy is surprisingly very expensive,too.

Totally forgot to answer your question.

I´d say "YES!!!" ( with at least three exclamation marks).

KoolEaze said:

I loved the produce we found in Sardinia.


I wish I was there right now.

I'm in my late 40s. I take no medications, haven't had a cavity in over 35 years, and have never had a major illness.

I'm hoping to be like my great-grandma. When she was 84, she went to the hospital for a gall bladder operation. When they were admitting her, they asked, "Now, ma'am - have you ever been in the hospital before?" She looked at them like they were crazy and said, "Well, sure!" They asked, "What for?" And she replied, "To visit people!"

She had seven children, all of whom were born at home. One day, when she was nearly 90, she got up in the morning, walked into the bathroom, and just dropped dead.

I have a 93-year-old grandma who's in good health, too. Both of my grandfathers lived to be 90. My other grandma died at 75.

I come from good stock.

Genesia said:

My grandparents on my mother's side are like that. My grandmother passed away in her early 80's and was never sick until she got sick and died; my grandfather on that side is 91. He hasn't had any serious health issues until the last few years.

My grandparent's on my father's side are a different story. Both passed away much younger and were riddled with health problems in their later years. My father's mother always told me never to get old. But they both smoked like chimneys all of their lives. I think that was a big contributer.

CarrieMpls said:

Smoking can definitely do it. Especially in folks who are genetically susceptible.

The thing is here in the USA, I cant eat the bread(I cant even eat the brown, wholewheat or wholegrain bread because its so sweet), the margarine here is so sickly(even the I Cant Beleive Its Not Butter variety, which is what I used 2 buy in the UK, cos it was more disgestable) it makes me wanna puke, EVERYTHING here is so loaded with sugar and is so sweet!! The cheese here is all rubbery and processed and totally lacks taste!!

No wonder theres more and more illnesses and diseases like diabetes here!! I personally beleive that Americans need 2 get back 2 basics and learn what REAL PROPER food is and start learning to cook from scratch using FRESH REAL ingredients instead of relying on packet stuff like Hamburger Helper and DiGornios Pizza and TV Dinners!!!

DONT ANY OF U WATCH RACHEL RAY?????

OR ARE U ALL JUST "TOO BUSY" TO COOK NOW?????
[Edited 2/28/10 10:59am]
[Edited 2/28/10 11:00am]

I'm still waiting on the prescription that cures broad sweeping generalizations...some people could benefit from OD-ing on that sh*t.