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Your health is your only true wealth...
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In spin class I'm told my dear friend and family dentist Brad had a heart attack and nearly died the night before (at the athletic club). His heart stopped and lucky for him the Defib was steps away. Today I went by and visited him at the hospital and he's going in for a double bypass. Here is a 47 year old man who would be the last person you'd guess would have heart disease. The antithesis of the sedentary, overweight American male, the heart surgeon will probably think this guy has a hemi under the hood. The moral? All the exercise in the world will not prevent a heart attack. I suggest you get your yearly physical, EBT(a CAT scan of the heart), PSA screening and Colonoscopy if you're an older athlete. I'm no doctor, but Brad had no idea he was in a risk group. Most of us think we're OK because we workout all the time, but...then you wake up in the hospital if you're lucky.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [schubwa] [ In reply to ]
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Interesting .... I very similar story just occurred at out Y. I looked up in the directory to see where you are from because the stroy is so similar. You are right - just being in shape does necessaily mean you are healthy.

David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [schubwa] [ In reply to ]
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Well, without wealth you can't afford health. I've gone long stretchs without health insurance or with health insurance so poor they didn't pay claims reliably and I got stuck with most them.

You're right...... But if your insurance doesn't cover it- you're SOL.

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [schubwa] [ In reply to ]
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My father had 5 bypasses at 48.....his father died of heart attack number 2. Dad's cardiologist requested to see me.....diagnosis...lippoprotein A disorder....in laymans terms....my LDL's are smaller than the avg Joes...hence they are more apt to get in the cracks of your arteries and collect plaque....had it not been for this testing, i would have had a heart attack most likely in my 40's as well.....no matter how much exercise, diet etc....it wouldnt of mattered...oh yeah, the cure..2000mg of time release niacin a night....goes to the liver and puffs the LDL's up to normal size....as for Tom's comment, I went to the e-room 3 weeks ago for a kidney stone....got an IV and a cat scan....nothing else...cost..2500.00....after insurance that leaves me with over 500.00 out of pocket..talk about SOL.....that hurts worse than the stone.
Last edited by: imanbri: Jan 19, 04 7:40
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [imanbri] [ In reply to ]
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<<as for Tom's comment, I went to the e-room 3 weeks ago for a kidney stone....got an IV and a cat scan....nothing else...cost..2500.00....after insurance that leaves me with over 500.00 out of pocket..talk about SOL.....that hurts worse than the stone.>>

I feel your pain, brother. A few weeks ago, I went to the ER for three-count 'em-three stiches for a cut on my wrist. $1,200.00. That's not a misprint. Twelve hun for three stiches. Oh yeah, I don't have insurance, so I'll be swallowing the whole shabang.

Brett
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [schubwa] [ In reply to ]
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I completely agree with your sentiment, but would rephrase the title. I have seen many very ill people who are truly blessed with friends, family, etc. You're dead on about the health, but I just wanted to put in a plug for the other stuff.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [timberwolf] [ In reply to ]
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"That's not a misprint. Twelve hun for three stiches. Oh yeah, I don't have insurance, so I'll be swallowing the whole shabang."

Holy Jeeze. $400. per stitch. That was one expensive nurses aid. I'll probably get flamed again as a lib-commie for saying this but you should move up here with us in Canada. Our government health insurance pays for something like that and wouldn't cost you a cent (except thru your income taxes). But then you guys south of the border are always telling us that private insurance is the better way since it is the capitalist way.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [schubwa] [ In reply to ]
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Just curious, was he an abstainer. You might find this article on red wine interesting. I'll have my usual glass or two tonight as my heart protection.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1719675.stm
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [cerveloguy] [ In reply to ]
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<<Our government health insurance pays for something like that and wouldn't cost you a cent (except thru your income taxes). But then you guys south of the border are always telling us that private insurance is the better way since it is the capitalist way.>>

I don't think it is a issue of who's system is better. My concern with attempting to duplicate Canada's healthcare system here in the U.S. is the fact that giving money and power to U.S. politicians is like giving whisky and car keys to teenage boys. In Canada, the national healthcare system might be working fine. I just know that if we here in the U.S. tried something similar, it would be disaterous.

I don't begruge a doctor from making a good living, since it is an important role in our society that requires a high degree of knowledge and skill. There are other parts of our system that are fouled up that results in the need to charge $1200.00 for three stiches. I have no doubt in my mind that a healthcare system run by U.S. politicians (of either party) would result in me paying more than $1200.00 per year in ADDITIONAL income taxes and I would be getting a much lower quality of care than the excellent care I received that evening. Again, to prevent any misunderstanding, I'm not saying that is how it is in Canada, I'm just saying that a centralized, government run system in the U.S. would be a circus show and the wrong people would be getting rich.

Brett
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [cerveloguy] [ In reply to ]
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Cerveloguy,

Brad is not an abstainer, as I've enjoyed libation with him during tours and after races. I'm confident he knows of the anti-oxidant qualities of red wine as he is a health professional. The only problem with fine Cabernet is limiting oneself to just a glass or so each night. I did start taking my baby aspirin everyday as I'd fallen off the wagon.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [timberwolf] [ In reply to ]
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speaking of goverment spending, the evening news just said that the 18% fuel tax we pay for road improvement hardly reaches the roads, rather it is used for politicians pet projects.
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [timberwolf] [ In reply to ]
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"I'm just saying that a centralized, government run system"

In Canada it's actually a provincial system, each of our provinces runs it's own systems but also receives some monetary support from the fed gov, but the provinces can allocate fed money as they see fit. Sort as if you set up a US system that varied state to state. Each state could determine what is covered and the system would be funded by a combo of state/fed money. That describes the basics of the CDN system. Also, although I live in Ontario, I'm covered in any CDN province that I may be visiting.

The Canadian health system is not perfect but is certainly more equalitarian than that in the US. It certainly has it's faults and weaknesses but IMO it sure as hell beats coughing up $1200 out of pocket for four stitches? What would something major have cost you if you can't afford decent private health insurance?
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Re: Your health is your only true wealth... [cerveloguy] [ In reply to ]
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<<The Canadian health system is not perfect but is certainly more equalitarian than that in the US. It certainly has it's faults and weaknesses but IMO it sure as hell beats coughing up $1200 out of pocket for four stitches? What would something major have cost you if you can't afford decent private health insurance?>>

Actually, it was only three stiches. On the itemized bill, I did also pay $178.00 for 2 cc's of tetanus vaccine.

Perhaps a state run system with reciprocity would be better than one run by the federal goverment. Most likely, it would be easier for us citizens to keep tabs on versus funneling billions and billions of dollars to Washington D.C. where it would dissapear into oblivion and ER doctors would be getting paid a whopping $30k a year, something I could see our federal government accomplishing (I might be exaggerating a little bit).

If something major was to happen to me, I would probably be paying for it the rest of my life. Thus, one of many reasons I decided to get my butt in school, learn a usable skill and eventually get a job with health benefits. Fear can be a good motivator, at times.

I like the idea of quality, low cost healthcare for all. However, the execution of such an ideal is frought with pitfalls when beuracracy is added to the mix, especially at the federal level (here in the US).

Brett
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