>   Not bad...I pay $65 at my clinic. I've had several foot surgeries...arches
 > built in at 11 (I was born without them), then in the last 12 years, I've
 > had nails removed off two of the toes off of each foot (after having freak
 > accidents, as I'm so klutzy), plus plantar fasciitis (bone spur) surgery on
 > both feet (done at the same time). Plantar Facsiitis is the most common
 > condition seen by podiatrists.

Since our taxes are higher, to pay for free medical, that's likely the same
cost as my $50.

 >   When the weather conditions change, the scars on my feet really bother me.
 > The HMO I have is sending a female nurse practitioner by this Friday for an
 > exam...she's going to have fun when she sees my 22 page medlist. 

My wife had this surget on both feet at once as a child; still hurts; one is
currently growing & is painful to walk on.  It's not considered necessary
surgery, so she can't get in during covid restrictions.  She found a natural
remedy that seems to be working (involving massage & cold) at reducing it.

Enough she's happy to be back in her Pilates routine.

 >  GP> Had my big toe's nail & matrix/bed removed a few yeares back; my GP
 >  GP> sent me to a General Surgeon who did it (he died since, & General
 >  GP> Surgeons just tefer all foot surical stuff to a podiatrist  This guy I
 >  GP> had was exceptional)

 >   The worst part was the anesthetic they applied before removing the nail.

Neither was bad -- I sat there, wide awake, watching it all be done & no pain.

Years ago, in Emergency, when I kicked a closet door & shattered a big toenail
thast dove up into my toe (ouch -- near the torture they used in VietNam to
extract info--pulling mails, or shoving bamboo spikes up under them)

The doctor prepared to yank out tyhe offending chunk of nail. I stopped him,
explaining I have hypersensitivity ojn that side & could he pleae anesthetize
first. He said it'd be so quick Iu'll nor fee;; I argued, saying since my
stroke, it will.

He sighed angrily & asjked the nurse for 5CCs of some drug.  She pulled it out
of the closet & stasrted saying, "Dfoctor, you know this is only a t.." wnere
he cut her off & ordered her to just bring it & the syringe.

He drew up a lot of the fluid into the syringe then injected it beside the
bro9ken nail (AIIIIIIIIIIIII OOOOOOHHHHH, that hurt!"

Then he waited a bit (went to check on another patient, so I peeked at the
bottle (it's a topical); the SOB was so put out at me daring to argue with his
self-declared divine self, he went out of his way to hurt me!

I wrote a letter of complaint, naming names, times, etc, but heard nothing back
.I assume a buddy of his(or he himself) saw my complaint & deleted it.

Never again; next time I get the right CCs on my letter & follow up with the
proper authorities(over the doctor).

I know a lot more now about medical stuff, that I'll not be easily fooled
again.

 >   Shortly after I was discharged from the hospital the first time after the
 > first atrial flutter diagnosis, I turned in the financial assistance form.
 > I have not heard a word back from them, so they either wrote it off, or it
 > is going through insurance. I surely am not going to bother them about it.

Of course not. It's not for you to revisit until/unless you receive another
bill or letter of demand.  Hopefully they did just kill it.

If they have an online billing system, you could discreetly check,but better to
just give thanks & move on. . 

 >   That happened with another local hospital...they wrote the whole thing
 > off.

Too many Canadians have no clue; yes your system is broken, but not as bad in
the details as people up here think/say it is.

I know that most major hospitals/cities require doctors to work so many hours a
year pro bono in hospitals or neighbourhood clinics specifically for those who
honestly cannot pay.

 >   Sounds like Groucho Marx as Doctor Quackenbush. He's taking this guy's
 > pulse, and quips "Either this man is dead, or my watch is stopped!!". 

Or the guy who was complaining of the cost to fix a broken bone & the doctor
said he'd touch up the xray to show it as fine, for just $200.

 >   When I served on jury duty in Little Rock 25 years ago, apparently the
 > lawyers were getting at least $1000 an hour. As a juror, I got $20 a day.

Well, that stipend isn't meant to replace income; it's just a lunch stipend,
really or transportation (if you bused in)

I was called to jury duty for a trial thaty was expected to take 9-12 months of
being in seclusion; I wrote back & begged off as I have a family of 4 to
support & I have adapted tools at home to deal with my disability. I got a
letter back immediately excusing me. My lawyer friend said its easy - they call
up usually 10-20X what they need just to be able to excuse for any good reason.

I'll do my first one some day in the future.

Your friend,

<+]:{)}
Cyberpope, Bishop of ROM
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