My dog is my best friend....

[DatWifey]

Wow, what a relief to read your latest update, Mike.  It's always tough when you know they're old and aren't sure if a sudden change like that is something serious, or just a passing bug.

 

My boss showed this to me the other day, and it seems somewhat appropriate in here since everyone who has come into here seems to be a dog-lover, and should be able to relate if they really are :)

 

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dog_paradox

[datzenmike]

That was good... I like the fuck hondas part. Thankyou.

[denmarkboy]

50 % positive vibes, 50 % quack doctors = 100% relief .. glad to here you and your coffee buddy are doin better .

[Seeker > 620 KC]

I've had 2 people doctors from two different health providers who disinterestedly treated me like a mere number in their overloaded HMO caseload.  They both diagnosed me with a serious illness needing surgery to remove part of an organ. Both refered me to surgeons who eagerly wanted to filet me like a fish from rib cage to family jewels in surgery to remove part of one of my organs that isn't surgery friendly. It is kinda like cutting a sponge in half and having to carterize every little cut fragment of sponge fiber due to the air pockets in the sponge.

 

 "Side effects of the surgeon's surgery (not the diseased organ:)  a very high probability of be a diabetic for life and have to be on insulin, high probability  of having to take digestive enzymes every single time I eat for the rest of my life, and could easily have debilitating painful infection from the surgery for the rest of my life that could prevented me from working a simple desk job, and could be on disability for life.

 

I was scared and called on an old hippie friend who was an MD and treated me long before I entered the HMO world. He conferred with his anastesiologist brother and both started googling my disease. Turns out there is a surgeon close by in San Diego who has been doing these same surgeries successuly for 6-7 years using the new scope technology with very little side effects. I got a consultation, he got my insurance to cover it, and I am alive and well today with zero side effects today due to his new methods and skills. Afterward I asked him why the previous two doctors and medical insurance providers didn't even tell me this new surgery and method is available. His response...they don't know how to do it, and they don't want to sub-it-out and pay my surgeon to do it.   To them it is all about lookiing like they know the best thing for you, and money.  They would rather butcher me, and make me take life altering risks than simply telling me ne technology exists at another hospital/provider, and uglier yet they don't want to pay for it.

 

My biggest life lesson learned...be stubborn, don't make any snap decisions unless you're in the emergency room,  don't take anything a doctor tells you at face value, ask every friggin question you can, don't be afraid to be blunt, and most of all if it doesn't feel right... RUN the other way to ask someone else for a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th opinion.  I've been on this planet 57 years, have no degree, and have had lots of doctors. I just dumped my most convenient doctor at a clinic one mile away cuz their whole office is disfunctional, and the doctor is uninterested.  

 

Doctors are like mechanics...many of them hate their jobs, do a mediocre job, and that is all it is to them...a job and an income. The really good doctors who are passionate about their proffession are really hard to find.  Vets, are the same way, and I feel many of them discount it further cuz they're not working on people, just animals. Fuck Em! I just hate these people.  

 

Network within your neighborhood, ask every one in your daily life you run across for referrals including the delivery guy, the mail person, office co-workers, management, people your same age, people who have dogs like yours, whatever. Think outside the box for who you can ask.

 

I'm betting your four footed fury best friend simply had some kind of fever/infection, was chafed from licking himself, or backed up with gas and couldn't stand up without being in pain. The local dirtball vet didn't know what was wrong and was trying to take financial advantage of you & your wife at a time of your peaked vulnerablitly. This is what cults & & many morticians do. The lowest of low humans on the planet.

 

By asking for referrals I just this week found another doctor who is 6 miles further away, but the office staff is genuinely interested in me as is the doctor, and she spent the entire half hour addressing all 9 topics on my list, ordered tests, and gave me a solid game plan for improving my health. I came out of their feeling like someone "had my back," not like someone taking my utility payment.  

 

By asking for referrals I just found another doctor who is 6 miles further away, but the office staff is genuinely interested in me as was the doctor, and she spent the entire half hour addressing all 9 topics on my list, ordered tests, and gave me a solid game plan for improving my health. I came out of their feeling like someone "had my back," not like someone taking my utility payment.  

 

Glad life is good again for you and your coffee loving dog. Really sorry for the long rant, I just hate "professionals" in the human and animal health care system, who aren't professional, are in it soley for the money, and who aren't passionate in truly helping humans or animals.

[datzenmike]

It's been well over two weeks now and not a sign of relapse. He's been absolutely normal for over a week and has all his energy.  Even chased a cat in our yard. Well, I sure feel better. Thanks to everyone for the good wishes.

[MicroMachinery]

Great to hear, Mike. :)

[smoke]

That's great man, really glad to hear it.

[Seeker > 620 KC]

Chasing a cat out of your yard will cure just about anything. Way-to-go you coffee-loving super-dog for tough-loving it out! 

 

You showed the doctor who pronounced you as "failing" (without any test results,) that it was actually the doctor who was failing you! lmfao

 

That's why the medical profession calls it "practicing medicine." They are still performing process-of-elimination treatments and "let's try this" (guessing) when they don't know what is actually happening in a patient. With all the "science" doctors have at their disposal...they still don't know as much about the inner workings of human beings and K-9's insides, as we do about the insides of our Datsuns.

 

Glad you still have your best buddy Mike.

[MicroMachinery]

As we say in the auto repair profession, "Doctors bury their mistakes; ours come back on the hook."