Jim wrote:
H the K wrote:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html



I'm going to defy the truce, which I shouldn't do.

Had an interesting discussion yesterday. Out of a group three of us
dock neighbors, two just had Colonoscopys. Both had two polyps removed.

Third guy, a liveaboard who makes his living doing odd jobs, said he
(age 53) could never afford a Colonoscopy, as he had no health insurance
(or an actual job) he has other things to pay for.

I did some looking, a Colonoscopy costs from a low of $650, to about $3200.

The fourth guy, whose boat is between ours, age 55, has never had a
colonoscopy, wasn't there as he just had surgery for Colorectal cancer.
Starts chemo next week. No one knows this except me, so I couldn't
throw it out as an example.

I'm sure that the guy who cannot afford an exam would be taken care of
if he had cancer, and it would cost you and I far more than the cost of
the exam.

We don't put the effort into prevention, but spend a lot on treatment.

Wellness is cheap. Cancer surgery and chemotherapy is expensive.


I had a $20 co-pay for my colonoscopy. My union health insurance paid
the rest. The doctor was terrific, a woman with a raucous sense of
humor. She had me laughing before the procedure and when the anesthesia
wore off.

My wife got the photos of my "tract." She and the doctor agreed I was a
perfect asshole in every way that was important.

No one 50 or older should pass up this screening because of a lack of
money, and it should be done every five years.





--
A wise Latina makes better decisions than a dumb elephant.