What? Didn't I mention that I was having foot issues? Specifically lots of heel pain and the X-rays showed some bone spur growth? No? Yes? Maybe?
Well, I finally got around to getting an appointment with a podiatrist. Let me tell you, I like this guy. He's kinda young, funny, very good at explaining things and totally for solving things "naturally" if possible. Point in fact, he hasn't operated for bone spur/planter fascia issues in oh... 7 years or so. Yeah, he's that good at getting people to solve it without surgery.
It was kinda funny though, he was explaining what was going on and how everything was connected and using some big words that I'm guessing most people don't know because he seemed to be trying hard to find better words. You should have seen the relief on his face when I said that I understood what he was saying about origins and insertions because I do have a biology degree... (even if I don't use it and have forgotten about 80% of it.... but that's a whole different story...).
He was also full of useless trivia... like the fact that orthotic inserts have been shown to go back to ancient Egypt and were made out of clay and straw. So, yes, now this is stuck in my head too... at least for now.
He's also the first doctor that I've ever been to that has ink... yes, I mean tattoos. He's got partial sleeves that were poking out from the bottom of his scrubs sleeves.
Anyhow, on to my treatment of my stupid foot pain that's been keeping me out of the woods... I've got a few different stretches to do because the root of all this pain... my Achilles tendons are tightening up because I'm getting older... As Dr. S. said "when we get older everything that was tight gets loose and everything that was loose gets tight". That and he wants me to get some inserts for my shoes from the sporting goods store. Eventually he'll get me "real" inserts, but wants me to try these first. Whatever, I'll do it if it means I don't have to get my feet (as this does end up occurring bilaterally in almost all cases) opened up and I can avoid the shots.
Which brings me to a very real observation of why the health care system is so borked. In talking Dr. S. said that most clinicians push shots because they're cheep, easy and make them lots of money. He doesn't believe in that though. (He deals with the same thing himself and did the shots for a handful of years before he started taking his own advice.... now he's more non-shot than before.) He told me that the insurance company will pay him $70 for just sitting there and talking to me (which he did for about 20-30 minutes, more than most docs!) or he'd get $370 if he gave me the shot. He didn't tell me how much the shot would cost him, but I doubt it was anywhere near $300.
This is the problem, insurance companies pay the doctors too well to treat the symptoms and do procedures than to treat the underlying causes. That's part of why I like going to a DO instead of an MD... DOs at least are trained to look at causes, not just symptoms... same results, different approach.
It also explains why doctors are so quick to get you in and out... the more patients they see, the more $70 fees they can collect from the insurance company, on top of whatever copay they got ($25 in my case for a specialist... can I tell you how very lucky I am to have the insurance I do... and I don't need a referral either!)
Anyhow, I'm not so sure we need to go through all this hoopla that's in the current bill about health care more than we need to cut out the waste and get doctors focused more on treating and preventing the cause, not just encouraging them to clog the system with high payoff procedures. (That and make sure those getting public assistance aren't abusing it... I'm all for helping out those that need help, but the people who find ways to get more than they need or turn around and do things like sell their food stamp money for cigs or drugs... well... those people should be jailed for fraud at the very least.... that and why are we paying for people who aren't legally supposed to be here anyhow? ...that's a whole different debate and a hornet's nest I don't feel like stirring right now.)
Ok, I didn't mean to turn this into a political rant, but hey, it's on everyone's minds right now.
As for this weekend, no idea as to what's going on. It's raining at the moment and the weather is looking pretty unsteady. I think we'll just take it easy. Wednesday my aunt and uncle and parents are coming up for dinner, which will be fun. And next weekend is our trip down to Delaware! Vacation, finally!
But, that's about all you're going to get from me this morning. I've got to throw some clothes on and get my butt out the door.
Peace to all and may your feet be healthy and your doctors cool... and above all, may we all be able to afford them when we need them!
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