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The BARF Medical Thread

budman said:
I have zero faith in the system. I am pissed, but we will see what shakes next week.
I have just heard terrible stories about the Medical folks finding out what is going on but taking months and months to do anything proactive.

It is cool that getting a blood test that you get the results within hours. I appreciate the tech to fix my leg and all that, but getting through the maze on everything Medicare throws at me sucks.
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There are differences between insurers and providers. I haven't yet had to navigate Medicare and am not looking forward to it. This has been the year of deferred maintenance for me, as we have a good plan and I’ve aleady hit out of pocket max for the year. With two back surgeries and a hernia repair behind me this year, I’m looking at knee surgery sometime in October.

The knee issue has plagued me for over 30 years. It locks at times, if bent more than 90 degrees. This happens at inopportune times, like partway up a climb, or in any number of other activities where it’s not only painful, but a safety risk.

The usual suspect in these cases is a torn meniscus. Over the years, I’ve had it scoped twice and they did indeed find tears. The meniscus was cleaned up, doctors both said the knee wouldn’t lock any more and it began locking immediately after returning to activity.

I recently revisited the issue. My PCP referred me to a local provider in our area, who clearly wasn’t interested in finding the root cause. I then found a group with UCSF in Redwood City, who have been a lot more rigorous in diagnosis. They have a plausible theory on the cause, which they suspect is that the meniscus has torn loose from the tibia and is sliding around, periodically getting stuck in the joint. There are tears again, but we all think this is an outcome of the tissue getting locked in the joint and not the reason the knee is locking. The condition they suspect can’t be seen in MRI or any other static imaging. The most straightforward way to definitively diagnose is insert an instrument, tug on the meniscus and see if it moves. If it does, they know what to do.

Most providers wouldn’t do this. I’ve looked for a long time to find someone whose playbook isn’t to attribute the issue to what they see most of the time, but rather to understand what it is THIS time. Fingers crossed that they’re on the right track.
 
My Medicare experience has been very good, though I do want to review Part A, B, ef G, supplemental, extra, aspire, etc are is… pretty lamely confusing, but hey. Just need to update myself on what is the latest. It is a moving target, methinks
 
Both my grandfather and his son (my uncle) died from prostate cancer. Grandfather 73, uncle 86. So there is the possibility I will die of prostate cancer as well. But so far I’m clear. And I’ve read that having sex, including masturbation, is helpful in that regard. I have no qualms about masturbating and have done it all my life. I’m now almost 75. Hopefully I’ll die from something else. And if I do get prostate cancer, I’m not sure I’d do anything about it. I’m getting close to the end of my life and I don’t want any procedures that will fuck me up while only giving me a bit more time on this planet. I’ve lived a full life and I have no fear of death.
 
Neighbor across from me has stage 4 prostrate cancer that has spread to his spine, liver and elsewhere. Unfortunately for him, Stanford really dropped the ball on his treatment and he's paying the price.

Both my brothers had bladder cancer and I recently had a CT scan and scheduled for a follow on cystoscopy with my urologist, who will review the CT results as well. Hopefully all is clear.

Both myself and wife are very satisfied with original Medicare with the G plan supplement. Besides the initial yearly, one time copay, everything is covered.
 
Second opinions are good. Stanford was my second and I was pleased with the care. My first doctor said I should have Stanford do the surgery because they had better equipment and cause chicks don’t actually dig scars.
 
Jammer said:
Neighbor across from me has stage 4 prostrate cancer that has spread to his spine, liver and elsewhere. Unfortunately for him, Stanford really dropped the ball on his treatment and he's paying the price.
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Unfortunately for him, there is nothing that can be done now besides keeping him pain free. Once the cancer has metastasized, there is virtually nothing that can be done.

Sometimes people can live for years with cancer. Sometimes people die quickly.
 
ST Guy said:
Unfortunately for him, there is nothing that can be done now besides keeping him pain free. Once the cancer has metastasized, there is virtually nothing that can be done.

Sometimes people can live for years with cancer. Sometimes people die quickly.
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A quick death is a blessing in disguise. My sister in law has PSP and it is a slow, painful journey. My brother died from a heart attack and it was a quick passing.
 
Butch said:
I have prostate cancer.
Swollen nut, saw my doc, she sent me to a specialist.
Bloodwork, MRI, biopsy indicated cancer
Specialist, Dr Hu, is some young hotshot with HIFU

That was a year ago. I recently had another MRI. Results good, but non conclusive.
Monday was another biopsy. It was so easy I accused Dr Hu of faking it, just for fun.
Yesterday Dr Hu called with results; no cancer!

The treatment has been remarkably successful. Happy dude here.

My team is my primary care doc Dr Pascua and…
Hu, Ha and Ea. Seriously. All (relatively) young men. Awesome team.

I had prostate cancer?
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Awesome result. After reading this I'm going to change my urologist. Mine seems to be on a mission to remove as many prostates as she can, she has a model of the pump that they fit to treat ED right in the middle of her desk. WTF?
When I first visited her, I asked about alternative treatments, and she was very negative towards anything that wasn't full removal.
So far, I'm OK but it seems to become inevitable with advancing age.
 
Jammer said:
A quick death is a blessing in disguise. My sister in law has PSP and it is a slow, painful journey. My brother died from a heart attack and it was a quick passing.
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Yes, it is. Though pain free from a heart attack is rare. Though often it doesn’t last long.

My father died of a heart attack when he was only 54. He was in pain when I last saw him in the hospital. His last words to me were “It hurts, Willie, it hurts”. He died later that day.

Little did I know but in a few years I’d be working in the field of cardiology. At the time he died, balloon angioplasty was still being developed.
 
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bikewanker said:
Mods consider this a no photos request.
I’m with the budman, the crashes were worth it despite the collarbone and recently discovered old cracked ribs.
Generally speaking you kids are making me feel good. Only worked out during the racing days which are long gone but what memories. Occasional aches, arthritis, one kidney and still bothered by maleopause or is it the concussions.🤔
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Pics or it didn’t happen!
I’ll do a poll.

Edit… I’ll run it by the other mods
 
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Pics are too good not to share…

…My big toenail would ingrow occasionally, and with today’s technology suffering is optional. Yesterday I had my nail customized. Procedure was painless, though the did give me good drugs for recovery.

I don’t think I will be able to get my foot in a moto boot for a week.
That is painful.

Gross? Fascinating?
My doc, Matt Smith, is awesome. I met him 25 years ago for some other foot thing. He is not a kid anymore. And he has long hair.
 

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