ECF Refugee Thread All welcome

[Atchafalaya]

Yeah, that. Couldn't remember the name. Guess I'm getting old.

It's the company you keep. lmao!

Yeah, I'm still paying the surgeon for my June 2014 appendectomy (though I've finally paid off the hospital and everyone else involved in it). Made a $20 payment yesterday, so I'm now down to $725 owed. I won't be finished paying by June, so it's going to take substantially over 3 yrs to get that paid for. But still way cheaper than if I'd had insurance.

Andria

Yea, that CRAZY! But I'm glad you've got it almost paid off now.
I've decided I'll get a lawyer for my jaw ----> or should I say "missing jaw" crud. Was going to make an apt today but got to lazy and decided to make chicken salad. Also, I was raised that suing was a sin and I have to admit it's difficult for me. But, I look in my mouth and see so much missing bone, and realize I shouldn't have to pay to have a bone graft.

 

[SirKadly]

It's the company you keep. lmao!

I've decided I'll get a lawyer for my jaw ----> or should I say "missing jaw" crud.

Darn Tootin!

 

[Atchafalaya]

Darn Tootin!

Yea. Nothing like pulling a hunk of fractured bone out your mouth at work while a coworker looks on in horror.
Oh, and did I say it HURT LIKE HELL? But that was only the 8th piece that came out so far...........

 

[Atchafalaya]

Darn Tootin!

I have no clue as to why every time I see someone say Darn Tootin, I think of this song.

 

[SirKadly]

Yea. Nothing like pulling a hunk of fractured bone out your mouth at work while a coworker looks on in horror.
Oh, and did I say it HURT LIKE HELL? But that was only the 8th piece that came out so far...........

 

[SirKadly]

I have no clue as to why every time I see someone say Darn Tootin, I think of this song.

And that one makes me think of this one

 

[chopdoc]

remember when I was a kid if one of us got sick mom would take us to the doctor, he would check us out and give my mom a handful of pills in an envelope and we would go home. We didnt have insurance and I dont ever remember my parents saying anything about the bill other than joking he didnt charge us a chicken or something like that. When did health care become so massive that it takes 10K a year in insurance just to be able to have an affordable co pay and why did we the people allow this to happen.

 

[AndriaD]

remember when I was a kid if one of us got sick mom would take us to the doctor, he would check us out and give my mom a handful of pills in an envelope and we would go home. We didnt have insurance and I dont ever remember my parents saying anything about the bill other than joking he didnt charge us a chicken or something like that. When did health care become so massive that it takes 10K a year in insurance just to be able to have an affordable co pay and why did we the people allow this to happen.

The people didn't allow it -- the fucking FDA allowed it, for their BUTT BUDDIES in the medical profession! They also allowed BP to set any outrageous price they like, for any drug -- doxycycline used to be a very inexpensive and useful antibiotic; now for a 10-day course it's like $120 or more!!! Shit like this is EXACTLY why the goddamned motherfucking FDA needs to be ABOLISHED! With torches and pitchforks!!!! Napalm! Guillotines! Fire bombs!!!

Andria

 

[Rickajho]

remember when I was a kid if one of us got sick mom would take us to the doctor, he would check us out and give my mom a handful of pills in an envelope and we would go home. We didnt have insurance and I dont ever remember my parents saying anything about the bill other than joking he didnt charge us a chicken or something like that. When did health care become so massive that it takes 10K a year in insurance just to be able to have an affordable co pay and why did we the people allow this to happen.

As long as this country is going to bow down and whorship the concept of "Free Market Economy" as being equal to a Democracy... well there ya go. Corporations are people too. And for some silly reason a bunch of people got together and decided putting a millionaire or billionaire or whatever the hell he is in charge - who seems to like putting former Goldman Sachs millionaires and billionaires in charge - was going make things better for all of us who aren't millionaires and billionaires... Yeah - good luck with the drain the swampy thing.

 

[chopdoc]

As long as this country is going to bow down and whorship the concept of "Free Market Economy" as being equal to a Democracy... well there ya go. Corporations are people too. And for some silly reason a bunch of people got together and decided putting a millionaire or billionaire or whatever the hell he is in charge - who seems to like putting former Goldman Sachs millionaires and billionaires in charge - was going make things better for all of us who aren't millionaires and billionaires... Yeah - good luck with the drain the swampy thing.

Best to check the politics at the door for many here believes the billionaire is far better than to socialist muslim we had.


The free market does work when government stays out of it and Andria is right, government got involved and it went down hill from there. Usually supply and demand sets the market. When the government gets involved wastefulness rules the roost and greed runs rampant. Yet that doesn't answer my question. When did it get so bad that you have to have insurance just to be able to see anything other than a charity doctor.

 

[AndriaD]

Best to check the politics at the door for many here believes the billionaire is far better than to socialist muslim we had.


The free market does work when government stays out of it and Andria is right, government got involved and it went down hill from there. Usually supply and demand sets the market. When the government gets involved wastefulness rules the roost and greed runs rampant. Yet that doesn't answer my question. When did it get so bad that you have to have insurance just to be able to see anything other than a charity doctor.

I've had some of the same concerns about the billionaire, but he's a far better choice than the socialist we had, or the libtard who opposed him on the ticket. Those people believe in that fantasy called "free money," never imagining that giving money to this one means taking it from that one. At least the billionaire is acquainted with real world economics: work = income.

There aren't any charity doctors that I know of, around here. Hospitals can't turn away anyone who has an emergency, regardless of their ability or inability to pay; I had to work out payment arrangements on my own, after submitting my actual figures for "household income" (none of which is earned by me) and the fact that I have no insurance. The lab and radiologist dismissed my bills, based on that; the hospital cut my bill from +$25,000 to $998; only the surgeon didn't cooperate, reducing my bill only a bit less than 1/3, from $3500 to $2750, which I'm still paying.

My own doc, whom I've seen for about the last 19 yrs, knows my situation; he requires bloodwork and other tests only when he feels they're actually medically *necessary*, not just because he needs a new car; he bills me, and allows me to pay as I can, because he knows I WILL -- it might take a while, but I always get him paid. For some tests he requires, he bills me at the "cost" rate; what it actually costs *him* to perform those tests. (this is why I still see a small-town doc, though I moved 25 miles away from that small town about 9 yrs ago.)

Andria

 

[The Cromwell]

As long as this country is going to bow down and whorship the concept of "Free Market Economy" as being equal to a Democracy... well there ya go. Corporations are people too. And for some silly reason a bunch of people got together and decided putting a millionaire or billionaire or whatever the hell he is in charge - who seems to like putting former Goldman Sachs millionaires and billionaires in charge - was going make things better for all of us who aren't millionaires and billionaires... Yeah - good luck with the drain the swampy thing.

A corporation is NOT a person.
If a corporation breaks a law is the can the corporation be put in jail?
A corporation is a conglomeration of a group of people not an individual.
Without the other people it is just a piece of paper.

the Corporate States of America.
Coming within your lifetime to your neighborhood.
Don't miss it.
Pesky government will be gone, just pay taxes and such to corporations.

 

[The Cromwell]

Best to check the politics at the door for many here believes the billionaire is far better than to socialist muslim we had.


The free market does work when government stays out of it and Andria is right, government got involved and it went down hill from there. Usually supply and demand sets the market. When the government gets involved wastefulness rules the roost and greed runs rampant. Yet that doesn't answer my question. When did it get so bad that you have to have insurance just to be able to see anything other than a charity doctor.

So don't talk bad about your guy?
LMAO

 

[chopdoc]

I've had some of the same concerns about the billionaire, but he's a far better choice than the socialist we had, or the libtard who opposed him on the ticket. Those people believe in that fantasy called "free money," never imagining that giving money to this one means taking it from that one. At least the billionaire is acquainted with real world economics: work = income.

There aren't any charity doctors that I know of, around here. Hospitals can't turn away anyone who has an emergency, regardless of their ability or inability to pay; I had to work out payment arrangements on my own, after submitting my actual figures for "household income" (none of which is earned by me) and the fact that I have no insurance. The lab and radiologist dismissed my bills, based on that; the hospital cut my bill from +$25,000 to $998; only the surgeon didn't cooperate, reducing my bill only a bit less than 1/3, from $3500 to $2750, which I'm still paying.

My own doc, whom I've seen for about the last 19 yrs, knows my situation; he requires bloodwork and other tests only when he feels they're actually medically *necessary*, not just because he needs a new car; he bills me, and allows me to pay as I can, because he knows I WILL -- it might take a while, but I always get him paid. For some tests he requires, he bills me at the "cost" rate; what it actually costs *him* to perform those tests. (this is why I still see a small-town doc, though I moved 25 miles away from that small town about 9 yrs ago.)

Andria

Before Obamacare there was charity hospitals and charity clinics around here. Since Obamacare most of them have shut down. My ex's family had used them for years and it was competent healthcare yet in older not that well kept up facilities. They still have state provided health units where low income women can go get their yearly exams and birth control for free.

So don't talk bad about your guy?
LMAO

At times you take the cake Bob.

 

[Rickajho]

A corporation is NOT a person.
If a corporation breaks a law is the can the corporation be put in jail?
A corporation is a conglomeration of a group of people not an individual.
Without the other people it is just a piece of paper.

And yet, the Supreme Court missed that nugget...

Corporations, at their inception, used to be subject to the will of the people - real people. Local government could kill a corporation if it was deemed a corporation was not acting in the interest of the public. That is the public - not the shareholders.

the Corporate States of America.
Coming within your lifetime to your neighborhood.
Don't miss it.
Pesky government will be gone, just pay taxes and such to corporations.

Can you say "deductible"?

 

[chopdoc]

And yet, the Supreme Court missed that nugget...

Corporations, at their inception, used to be subject to the will of the people - real people. Local government could kill a corporation if it was deemed a corporation was not acting in the interest of the public. That is the public - not the shareholders.



Can you say "deductible"?

From a legal stand point your right. In the eyes of the law a corporation is considered a person.

 

[Atchafalaya]

*

 

[Rickajho]

Best to check the politics at the door for many here believes the billionaire is far better than to socialist muslim we had.

Yeah... No...

The free market does work when government stays out of it

See "1900 - 1920's"

 

[MyMagicMist]

So I'm uninsured.

Uninsured here as well. The testosterone treatment I use daily costs around $95 per dose. That is $2,850 per month as there is no generic for it. My blood pressure medicine runs about $300 monthly if I recall correctly and it is generic. Pain medicines run about another $100 per month. I would estimate all in medicines run about $3,500 per month.

Even had I a highly decent j.o.b or career (which face it there's no longer careers as those died 30-40 years ago) I might see insurance costs similar to yours, or in an even higher bracket. It would not be affordable insurance. That is if I could even get coverage for the testosterone what as it is considered non-essential and per-existing.

Agree with you it is better to not be part of the system. Although, I will admit being thankful of the social welfare system to a degree. Not the kind here to feel entitled to that help but do know I am grateful for it. Rather would not have any issues of health at all, nor have such astounding costs of medicines. We play the cards we are dealt in some aspects of life as we genuinely not capable of being a dealer.

Much in life for me exists in such a state. "You sir, have to accept that 'it is what it is' and live with that." Would that I have capacity to make alterations, ... (sighs) I'm not sure where I would begin.

If I could wave my magic wand
I'd set everybody free

I'm not one to believe in magic
Though my memory has a second-sight
I'm not one to go pointing my finger
When I radiate more heat than light

Presto

And yes, I am someone that enjoys listening to Rush. Might not fully agree with Ayn Rand's perspective, yet do appreciate a healthy dose of objectivity. Do like Mr. Peart's vision.

 

[MyMagicMist]

Corporations, at their inception, used to be subject to the will of the people - real people. Local government could kill a corporation if it was deemed a corporation was not acting in the interest of the public. That is the public - not the shareholders.

I think we, meaning the world at large, need to return to this state. Then, I also like the idea of Ubuntu Contributionism. Yes, I know isms are normally seen as the evils of the world, this one though seems rather beneficial and not evil. Further, don't look at me too much I also endorse anarchy. By anarchy i mean a system without leaders. I do not mean lawless immorality running amuck and "might makes right", "only the strong survive" mentality when I talk of anarchy.

 

[The Cromwell]

Yeah... No...




See "1900 - 1920's"

Sadly no one made it thru the primaries that was better than Obummer.

Ahh the Robber Barons...And trumps son is named Baron

 

[AndriaD]

Uninsured here as well. The testosterone treatment I use daily costs around $95 per dose. That is $2,850 per month as there is no generic for it. My blood pressure medicine runs about $300 monthly if I recall correctly and it is generic. Pain medicines run about another $100 per month. I would estimate all in medicines run about $3,500 per month.

That's ungodly. But not surprising that a hormone is so expensive; when I was enduring peri-menopause, the only thing that ended the constant heavy bleeding (3 out of every 4 wks) was progesterone, and it was expensive too, but fortunately I did have insurance at that time, or I could NEVER have afforded it. (same for that Effexor I was taking around the same time -- when that company my husband worked for got liquidated and our insurance went away, is when I had to start weaning off that Effexor. The only thing that saved me was that my mom had filled a huge, high-mg scrip for herself, then found they didn't work for her -- so she gave them to me, and we broke the capsules down into ever-smaller doses into gelatine capsules so I could wean off it slowly.)

Andria

 

[SirKadly]

 

[AndriaD]

My husband and I are living proof that even for those with some celtic heredity, there IS Life After Alcohol.

Andria

 

[The Cromwell]

Alcohol tastes like horrible.

 

[Atchafalaya]

Alcohol tastes like horrible.

Yeah I have decided to give alcohol a break for a while myself.

 

[JuicyLucy]

I haven't had a drop since Christmas - kinda miss having a glass of wine with dinner sometimes though

 

[AndriaD]

I haven't had a drop since Christmas - kinda miss having a glass of wine with dinner sometimes though

I miss good wine, and cold beer, absolutely the most. Really don't miss tequila at all, though that was what fucked up my liver so thoroughly by the age of 31.

Andria

 

[Atchafalaya]

I haven't had a drop since Christmas - kinda miss having a glass of wine with dinner sometimes though

I poured the rest of my baller wine down the sink earlier. I woke up with a horrible hangover today and I'm just too old for this. I don't know why but I started drinking more and more when I quit smoking.

 

[Atchafalaya]

I miss good wine, and cold beer, absolutely the most. Really don't miss tequila at all, though that was what fucked up my liver so thoroughly by the age of 31.

Andria

Yeah hard liquor can do it to you quick.

 

[Atchafalaya]

It's Friday night and I'm sober. Good feeling. Hope everyone had a GREAT St Patrick's day!

 

[SirKadly]

It's Friday night and I'm sober. Good feeling. Hope everyone had a GREAT St Patrick's day!

Hope you did too!

 

[AndriaD]

I poured the rest of my baller wine down the sink earlier. I woke up with a horrible hangover today and I'm just too old for this. I don't know why but I started drinking more and more when I quit smoking.

My last hangover lasted for THREE FUCKING DAYS... and even after being sober for 30 days, I still had the shakes. Truly it was awful. But a hangover is the liver's SOS call.

I used to resent the hell out of sober Fridays, or sober Happy Hours, or sober Xmas... but after nearly 25 yrs of sobriety, I wish I'd started years earlier, maybe I wouldn't have fucked up my life so drastically that it took 25 fucking years to fix it!

Andria

 

[Atchafalaya]

My last hangover lasted for THREE FUCKING DAYS... and even after being sober for 30 days, I still had the shakes. Truly it was awful. But a hangover is the liver's SOS call.

I used to resent the hell out of sober Fridays, or sober Happy Hours, or sober Xmas... but after nearly 25 yrs of sobriety, I wish I'd started years earlier, maybe I wouldn't have fucked up my life so drastically that it took 25 fucking years to fix it!

Andria

Oh my gosh Andria that's horrible. I couldn't imagine having a 3 day hangover. Or shaking for days!!!! I just feel like I've been over doing it and it's getting somewhat alarming for me so I'm deciding to nip it in the bud before it gets any worse. I'm 54 anyway and don't need to be partying so much. So, I'm hopping on the wagon with you.

 

[SirKadly]

Speaking of wagons, I'm gonna come clean with this thread. For months now I've been dual using but my actual smoking was light enough that I still felt way better than before I started vaping. A few weeks ago, partly because of some major stress in my life, my smoking went way up (almost 2 packs a day again) and my vaping became practically non-existent. I've been starting to wake up in the middle of the night lately coughing so bad I can't catch my breath. Serious smokers cough, and way more frequent than before I started vaping. I've cut down some the last week or so but it's still bad.

Soooo... I have decided if Atcha can hang up her wine glasses then I can toss my smokes. I just smoked my last cigarette.

 

[Atchafalaya]

Speaking of wagons, I'm gonna come clean with this thread. For months now I've been dual using but my actual smoking was light enough that I still felt way better than before I started vaping. A few weeks ago, partly because of some major stress in my life, my smoking went way up (almost 2 packs a day again) and my vaping became practically non-existent. I've been starting to wake up in the middle of the night lately coughing so bad I can't catch my breath. Serious smokers cough, and way more frequent than before I started vaping. I've cut down some the last week or so but it's still bad.

Soooo... I have decided if Atcha can hang up her wine glasses then I can toss my smokes. I just smoked my last cigarette.

Oh my gosh that is great news you go guy

 

[Atchafalaya]

Hey Lucy I am watching seventies Soul superstars on television and it's making me think of you

 

[SirKadly]

Oh my gosh that is great news you go guy

So what do you think, is it time for a

 

[SirKadly]

Hey Lucy I am watching seventies Soul superstars on television and it's making me think of you

Hmmm, seventies soul...

 

[Atchafalaya]

So what do you think, is it time for a

You bet! I won a dance contest to this song in the early 80's.

 

[SirKadly]

You bet! I won a dance contest to this song in the early 80's.

Cool!!!!
Or actually I guess that should say Kool!!!

 

[Rickajho]

I haven't had a drop since Christmas - kinda miss having a glass of wine with dinner sometimes though

I still use it in cooking. Does that count for anything?

I just got bored with booze. Sowed them wild oats a long time ago. (working in a bar for a while probably didn't help either.) Got's my common sense back once I hit the blackout phase. Used to be: Woo Woo Party! Now it's: Woo Woo ZZZZzzzzZZzzz... Two beers and I'm done.

 

[Rickajho]

Speaking of wagons, I'm gonna come clean with this thread. For months now I've been dual using but my actual smoking was light enough that I still felt way better than before I started vaping. A few weeks ago, partly because of some major stress in my life, my smoking went way up (almost 2 packs a day again) and my vaping became practically non-existent. I've been starting to wake up in the middle of the night lately coughing so bad I can't catch my breath. Serious smokers cough, and way more frequent than before I started vaping. I've cut down some the last week or so but it's still bad.

Soooo... I have decided if Atcha can hang up her wine glasses then I can toss my smokes. I just smoked my last cigarette.

You know it's funny about that. ("funny"?) Before vaping I thought it was gonna be stress that could still drive me right back to smoking. In the same year I completely quit with vaping I experienced 3 classic major life stressors, including dead people, major financial trauma and whatnot. I was surprised that I didn't go back to smoking - because everyone says you will if you get stressed. My attitude at the time was "Ok, this is bad. But I'm not going to allow all that to make it worse by starting to smoke again."

Of course I was completely quit at the time - so I didn't have the second option in play. And you do see the reports on the boards of people who go right back to smoking when stressed. All I'm saying is that isn't necessarily a universal reaction once vaping comes into play. Surprised me anyway that I didn't go there.

 

[AndriaD]

Well, as I said, I've been sober for nearly 25 yrs (Aug 14 is my sobriety date); I've been quit smoking for almost 2 2/3 yrs... and I don't miss smoking ONE IOTA. Even if I got a real craving... I've got fucking WTA in the freezer, I'll be vaping that rather than smoking again. Maybe it's because I'm a real tightwad and it pisses me right the fuck off, how the gov't is profiting from disease and death with cigarette taxes. But when my mom died in October... I went to an AA meeting, a real "closed" (alcoholics only) meeting, th first one I've been to in YEARS, because I CRAVED numbness so hard, I was afraid I really might drink again, even after all these years, this long habit of sobriety. There truly is no cure; recovery is one day at a time, for every alcoholic. Anyone who thinks they're an alcoholic, who quits for a while and then starts back, and they can really "handle it" (not go back to drinking themselves into a stupor with alarming frequency)... that's not really an alcoholic. Because alcoholics don't become able to "handle it" just because they quit for a while. If I had a single drink tonight... that might be all I had tonight. But tomorrow... it would be much easier to have another, and that probably wouldn't be a single drink, even if I didn't get truly drunk. But you can bet your ass, I'd be drunk again before the week was out,. and I don't know if I could survive it to get sober again; it very well might lead DIRECTLY to my death.

That's just how alcoholism is.

Andria

 

[Atchafalaya]

Well, as I said, I've been sober for nearly 25 yrs (Aug 14 is my sobriety date); I've been quit smoking for almost 2 2/3 yrs... and I don't miss smoking ONE IOTA. Even if I got a real craving... I've got fucking WTA in the freezer, I'll be vaping that rather than smoking again. Maybe it's because I'm a real tightwad and it pisses me right the fuck off, how the gov't is profiting from disease and death with cigarette taxes. But when my mom died in October... I went to an AA meeting, a real "closed" (alcoholics only) meeting, th first one I've been to in YEARS, because I CRAVED numbness so hard, I was afraid I really might drink again, even after all these years, this long habit of sobriety. There truly is no cure; recovery is one day at a time, for every alcoholic. Anyone who thinks they're an alcoholic, who quits for a while and then starts back, and they can really "handle it" (not go back to drinking themselves into a stupor with alarming frequency)... that's not really an alcoholic. Because alcoholics don't become able to "handle it" just because they quit for a while. If I had a single drink tonight... that might be all I had tonight. But tomorrow... it would be much easier to have another, and that probably wouldn't be a single drink, even if I didn't get truly drunk. But you can bet your ass, I'd be drunk again before the week was out,. and I don't know if I could survive it to get sober again; it very well might lead DIRECTLY to my death.

That's just how alcoholism is.

Andria

I quit drinking for years when I went through my divorce because I had a small child to raise on my own. It didn't bother me not to drink. It was really only since I moved back from San Antonio that I started to drink some on the weekends. But I don't know what in the heck got into me after quitting smoking. I started drinking every Friday and Saturday night. Then, this week, I've been on Spring Break from work and drank WAY too much. I'm thinking of leaving the drinking behind for good this time though (unless I have a few beers at a parade ----> or maybe not) because at my age, a hangover feels BAD BAD BAD.

 

[AndriaD]

I quit drinking for years when I went through my divorce because I had a small child to raise on my own. It didn't bother me not to drink. It was really only since I moved back from San Antonio that I started to drink some on the weekends. But I don't know what in the heck got into me after quitting smoking. I started drinking every Friday and Saturday night. Then, this week, I've been on Spring Break from work and drank WAY too much. I'm thinking of leaving the drinking behind for good this time though (unless I have a few beers at a parade ----> or maybe not) because at my age, a hangover feels BAD BAD BAD.

The thing to really look at is, did you get drunk even when you didn't intend to? Or drink when you didn't intend to? If the temptation to drink, or to drink more than you KNOW you really ought to, overrides your stated intentions... that might be a problem. The whys and whens and wherefores are totally irrelevant. If any compulsion overrides your good sense... that's always a problem, no matter what is involved. And one of the biggest problems with alcohol is that consuming it can completely destroy good judgment. That's why I can't have EVEN ONE -- because that's just the start switch.

Andria

 

[Rickajho]

I have no clue as to why every time I see someone say Darn Tootin, I think of this song.

And whenever I see a set like that I think of this:

 

[MyMagicMist]

I had one cigarette toward the end of last month. Well, only half of one actually. Bummed it from father-in-law while working in some firewood.

Finished half and could not keep on to finish it all. Tossed it away. He asked a bit later if i wanted another, pulled out my mod and declined.

Think it was kind of a matter of not being able to have time for holding the mod, in that moment, which led to dangling the cigarette from my lips. I no longer bum cigarettes if I can keep from doing so. Do not want them.

That noted, I do not beat myself over a stumble now and then. Last I checked my feet were still from clay.

 

[Rickajho]

I'm so far out at this point from my last butt I don't see any point in considering one. In my case the goal was to get away from them on a permanent basis. Coming up on six years of having done that I don't even have the idle curiosity of what the experience might entail - just because I could. Besides, it took about 5 years of being fully quit before the last of those random cigarette cravings finally stopped - don't want to reinvent that wheel again.

 

[SirKadly]

Good morning and GFY on this fine Saturday!

For some reason I was thinking about all the things that I used to play with or do as a kid that are now considered too dangerous, things you are no longer allowed to do or no longer allowed to buy. Now I know that lots of you think that it's stupid protecting people from their own idiocy, but let's not sugarcoat the truth here...