mistyjackal842 said:I read that same article in The New York Times. What struck me most was the kindness and accessibility of the doctors in Cuba mentioned in the piece. They actually prioritize prevention. Here in the States, the prevailing mindset is still "wait until something breaks before seeing a doctor." Those physicians in Cuba seem genuinely dedicated to their patients' health. Honestly, they could probably make more money working in service, yet they chose medicine and perform their duties with honor. Much of this regarding Cuban doctors was covered in the film Sicko, which aired on NBC back in the fall of 2010.
YES. As far as I know, all "prevention" in this country has been reduced to paying for a private checkup ($100 exam), some subpar vaccines, and the occasional mammogram—which many advocacy groups argue subjects thousands of women to unnecessary radiation just to catch one positive result. As for kindness? I wouldn't know; that’s a rare phenomenon here. You have to fight tooth and nail just to get information about your own illness, to find your records, or even to get a discharge summary—which is usually curt, poorly written, and tells you absolutely nothing about the actual course of your hospital treatment. The reality is that there is no true preventative care for the average American.
It seems those lacking proper professional resources always exert more effort. By being somewhat isolated, they have been lucky. They remained shielded from the systemic rot threatening all modern healthcare infrastructures. In certain nations, entire generations wasted their lives fighting issues that hadn't even reached our shores yet. Fortunately, we avoided that. In the West, generations of women woke up dead because of hormone therapies that were still experimental in our region at the time. The pursuit of an impossible standard of beauty and health demands sacrifices from every side. In Cuba, moral dilemmas manifest differently. They don't require silicone implants or endless stockpiles of pharmaceuticals to feel empowered as women.
Furthermore, they aren't fueled by "fast food." Instead, they eat better and breathe cleaner air.
Once Cuba opens up to other nations and global systems, they will face the plague known as "profitable global pharmaceutical corporations." These entities thrive on creating scarcity through illness, only to profit from the cure. But that is a separate conversation.
The Cuban miracle is built on honest labor and self-belief. It is rooted in a genuine respect for the Hippocratic Oath. Ultimately, they fought against profiteering within their medical and social systems. And they won.
Eric Wright29 said:I disagree. The American healthcare system isn't driven by profit, and the human element is universal. Our system remains socially oriented, much like it is in few other places. Granted, it’s still clinging to old-school, socialist-era foundations, but the focus remains on the individual.
Every field has its parasites. Your gynecologist failing to make a diagnosis doesn't change that. To defend him slightly: diagnosing ovarian issues via ultrasound is notoriously difficult. Most gynecologists in this country are essentially trained radiologists; ultrasound isn't actually their primary specialty.
Bad doctors here are a byproduct of poorly designed medical schools. They obsess over "Dr. House" style theories while completely ignoring the most banal, everyday clinical realities.
To overhaul everything from the roots while keeping our current socialized system is nothing short of utopian. But regardless, debates like this serve a purpose. They diagnose societal failures and bridge the gap between those who have resources and those who simply wish they did.
So, let's stop complaining. We get exactly what we pay for. The reality is simple: we contribute very little of our own money to health insurance. The fallout? Low physician salaries, chronic staffing shortages, and a factory-line approach to diagnostic reports where unintentional errors become inevitable.
We are talking about a massive leiomyoma that could have been felt by hand. It was either classic negligence or perhaps a doctor under the influence...😕 In the end, the patient is always the loser. What is the point of all those sophisticated machines if they can't distinguish a soccer ball from a myoma in the pelvis? It's like that joke: "He has blue eyes." Everything else is irrelevant. It was the same for me: "He has a bladder; everything else is a myoma." 😂 It is easy to laugh about it now.
That part isn't a secret. A fancy building, polished hallways, or a clean restroom have never been indicators of quality healthcare. The true metric is the ratio of physicians to patients and the general population. That is the formula. Furthermore, they remained closed off from various shady global markets for a long time, which allowed them to preserve healthy lifestyles and dietary habits. They manufactured their own medications, effectively bypassing the need for vaccines whose ingredients were a total mystery to them (much like what we experience here in the US). They also avoided letting massive pharmaceutical corporations take root—companies that flood the market with subpar drugs, ultimately leading to countless documented and undocumented deaths among patients and healthy citizens alike. For many pharmaceutical giants, the motive is nothing but profit. These corporations failed to infiltrate the Cuban market. That is why Cubans are a healthier people with a more successful healthcare system, despite spending half as much as we do.
Unfortunately, even with access to modern technology, the human factor remains. Despite having the equipment, my gynecologist failed to detect a 20x20 cm myoma on a color Doppler ultrasound. I only escaped a catastrophe thanks to a second specialist at the Mayo Clinic who actually takes their job seriously. So, here is the reality: In Cuba, combining local training bases, domestic drug production, and insulation from the criminal global pharmaceutical establishment resulted in a functional healthcare system.
Success in healthcare is impossible where profit is the sole objective. In such a system, treatment is reserved only for those with deep pockets. And even that is short-sighted. Once there is no one left to work or generate that profit, the elites at the top of the pyramid will eventually wonder where their workforce and service providers went. Until then, good luck to everyone in America.
So-called "weak coffee." If you add sugar to that, you might as well just head straight to the restroom. I prefer my coffee a bit stronger and black. Since I make it a point to handle my morning responsibilities early, and usually pair some whole grain flaxseed toast with kefir, I don't need subpar coffee to act as a laxative.😛
As of last night, I’ve decided that while I’m online, my snacks are strictly limited to apples, walnuts, or herbal tea.
Furthermore, I am cutting my chocolate bar consumption by 50%.
I have also committed to increasing my relaxation time and outdoor exercise by 50%.
Since I get enough hours of sleep—even if the timing is erratic😲—I will attempt to stabilize my sleep schedule and avoid these constant fluctuations.
And yes, I’ve decided to be a bit more vocal about telling people exactly what they deserve to hear. After dealing with certain "toxic circles," my mental health is significantly better for it.
Finally, I am reducing my contributions to my husband’s cigarette fund by 50%. If he wants to smoke more, he can simply earn more. Simple logic, isn't it?
Angela Wright said:You’re checking all the classic boxes for thyroid dysfunction. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t just sit on this; I’d redo those tests and honestly, I’d go a step further and get an ultrasound. I’m also totally on board with the suggestion to get a full hormone panel done to see the whole picture. Another thing that crosses my mind is having a specialist check your pituitary gland.
The thyroid issue seems more likely to me. And honestly, checking the pituitary isn't a bad idea either. The body needs time to stabilize after pregnancy. It doesn't just happen overnight. Besides, a woman is under way more stress and exhaustion than usual following childbirth. It wasn't until my child turned three that I finally managed to catch up on sleep during the day while someone else watched them. I dealt with all those same symptoms, but I handled them differently. I'd take long baths, go for walks in the woods, exercise... basically, I just tried to survive motherhood. 🙄
Bradley Taylor24 said:Should those very same organizations be spending their time demonizing the entire male gender every single day?🤷
No man has done more than men in that regard. It’s simply impossible. You hunt for sponsors, and you get them. Then comes the inevitable whining: what on earth is wrong with women? You got exactly what you asked for. So, what's the deal? Are we really ignoring the hardworking women out there—the ones holding their families together through eighteen-hour workdays—just because they aren't walking models? Does beauty really matter more than grit? You won't find those types of women on the covers of glossy magazines in skimpy outfits. You won't see them singing along to country hits or chasing after chauffeurs. They are nothing more than bottom-feeders—even if they happen to be the wealthy kind. Just trash. So, what now? Who is going to bear the children? Who will foot the bill for them, and who will actually raise them? Who is left to be the soul of their own home or the head of their own firm? Who will be responsible for raising the next generation of men and women—those capable of identifying true values within human society? Are we really suggesting this won't just be women who have spent their lives performing in adult films, posing for provocative photoshoots, or even picking their boyfriends' pockets? Are these the individuals tasked with raising the next generation of honorable men or virtuous daughters? Is that the plan? Give me a break.
As the old-timers say: you can't get something new out of the same old cat.
Grace Anderson5 said:If women are bothered by being treated like sexual objects, then maybe they could just stop acting like them.
A man always sees what he wants to see. Women look attractive and desirable even in plain jeans; that is just human nature.
But a person's sex shouldn't define their entire existence. To treat someone purely sexually or to judge them solely by their physical traits—that is exactly what it means to reduce a person to their sexual attributes. It isn't that we suddenly discovered our breasts are attractive; it's that men find them so. This applies to everything else, too. We know breasts exist to nourish an infant. Men fetishized the female body, and now it seems women are being held responsible for it. Do you think we should be wearing sacks instead of lingerie, like the women in those countries governed by Sharia law?
I believe men lack self-control. The less self-control a man possesses, the less of that true, noble masculinity remains within him. A man should be judged by the strength of his character first, and only then by his knowledge, his beauty, or his wealth.
boldwalker12 said:Oh, absolutely. We’ve got this endless flood of these "stars" who only made it into the spotlight because of sheer luck and their looks, yet everyone gives them all the credit—completely ignoring the disgusting, sexist mindset of a society where women basically have to choose between two roles: being a gold digger or a housewife. Anything else is just a struggle to survive. It's not guaranteed for her like it is for men. Her successes get swept under the rug. They’re always pushed to the sidelines. It's not like someone like Ava Karabatić is inherently flawed; it’s because of all those insecure losers running the media who embarrass us daily with their garbage news. It’s easy to slip into thinking some random woman might actually be responsible for a crime when the culture is this toxic. For instance, look at how people reacted recently when some wannabe celebrity had a tragic accident—half the comments were basically "good riddance to that slut." These people don't even realize how pathetic they are, or that they’re the exact clientele fueling this kind of trashy content day in and day out. And don't even get me started on the current trend among frustrated young guys—if a girl isn't handing herself over, she's automatically labeled a "gold digger." 😁
You’ve analyzed our media landscape quite well. It's populated by compliant, sexist men who view women as nothing more than legs, backsides, and breasts—devoid of brains, knowledge, or character. That defines all our shows and those various competitions, like Top Model, where a mindless mannequin walks the runway under the thumb of some fraud owning a newspaper, thinking he's discovered the United States when he knows nothing about actual art. Simply put, anyone with enough money can pay a network to produce content that serves as a commercial for their business. Children—girls—are exploited. Their dreams of fame and beauty are used as mere "meat" to fill airtime for these worthless programs. A catastrophe. So, what should women do? I know what needs to be done. Be virtuous, study, and make sure you are number one in your own home. If not, kick a bad man to the curb. Therefore, ladies, choose men who actually have value—not based on their bank accounts—and avoid that sexist, small-minded, nouveau riche male mob. Things will improve instantly.
Christian Green37 said:Ugh, help! I haven't been able to go for a few days now and honestly, I feel like I'm dying.
I tried drinking that damn anise tea, but instead of acting as a laxative, it just shut everything down completely. I even did three workouts today thinking it might help, but still nothing.
And the pain is unreal. My lower back, my stomach, even my thighs (I know: 😕).
Anyway, I really need to get things moving tomorrow. Does anyone have a quick fix to get my digestive system working? Ideally something I already have in the pantry or can grab quickly at a CVS or Walgreens.
Thanks!!
Find some raw apple cider vinegar. Tomorrow morning, take a tablespoon or two mixed into a glass of water—room temperature or slightly warm. It’ll normalize your digestion, flush out your kidneys and bladder, and stop fat from building up in your system. Tested and proven. Just don't overdo it; vinegar is a remedy, and like any remedy, it needs moderation.
coppergardener said:I’ve noticed these tiny, tiny spots all over my skin—almost like pinpricks if you look closely—specifically on my torso and arms. I’m fairly certain they are petechiae; they're a dark red color, and some of them seem to "fade" slightly if I run a fingernail over them, though they always pop right back up again.
So... I’ve done a little reading up on them, but I’m honestly stuck on whether this is actually worth worrying about—or more importantly, whether I should even bother bringing it up during my appointment with my internist?
On a side note... for the last few months, I’ve been dealing with a "geographic tongue," and I recently developed some dermatitis near my collarbone—just a small patch, red and dry, but it simply won't clear up, and I really don't think it's fungal. To top it all off, my hives are acting up again after a several-month hiatus. It doesn't feel like an allergy; if it is, then it's to something that absolutely no one else on earth is allergic to—it's almost as if I'm just reacting to myself.🤣 ☕.
Am I stressed? Yes, certainly, but it's just my baseline—nothing out of the ordinary for me.
(And just as a quick heads-up: my current working diagnosis is suspected Tulsa syndrome.)
Thanks so much!
Could those red spots be angiomas—specifically hemangiomas? They occasionally tend to flare up during hormone therapy. There is a woman prone to hemangiomas. Look into that as well.
Doctors aren't to blame for the systemic failures in healthcare organization. They are already drowning under workloads that triple what the law actually mandates. As Angela Wright pointed out, it is baffling that no medical association has attempted to advocate for interests that would also benefit patients—for instance, through political engagement. Instead, we see physicians who once ascended to high-level politics suddenly developing amnesia, choosing to cater to the established political status quo. Medical associations need to be significantly stronger and more accountable. They should protect doctors who find themselves caught in the crosshairs simply because they are overworked and genuinely care about advancing their profession for the patient's sake. There is so much that needs transparency regarding specializations, doctoral programs, and other areas where favoritism dictates outcomes. All of this rests in the hands of people whose management of institutions like the Mayo Clinic follows archaic, ancient patterns—people you can only get rid of once they are gone. It is pathetic. Everyone stays silent. Their lives slip away while they work; despite all the effort, the training, the studies, and the patients, their priorities become so skewed that they view life outside the hospital as an obligation, while the grind within the facility becomes their only reality. I admire them. But I wouldn't want my son enrolling in med school. In America, obviously.
Daniel Bailey39 said:What about the salaries? We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars for professors and similar high-level staff. Is there money for that? There is plenty of money, my dear. It is just distributed incredibly poorly.😉 I maintain that my demands are entirely legitimate and far from excessive. Plasma stations exist everywhere. In any standard facility, the waiting area is physically separated from the emergency department, whether by a glass partition or a solid wall. Is that really too much to ask? When I mention plasma, I’m talking about the television. What happened to those old plasma sets? Today, having a small or mid-sized screen isn't exactly a luxury anymore. Is anyone actually missing them? A cafeteria? If they served the same bland sludge they give the patients, at least it would be honest.☕ Instead of those cheap, greasy takeout joints that cluster around every hospital, we should probably just be thankful the facility itself is nearby. Is it too much to ask for decent food within a reasonable distance?☕
There is an outdoor food stall right next to the Mayo Clinic that doesn't even have a connection to the water supply. The staff cleans their hands with nothing but wet wipes. They don't even have drinking water on site; they just drink sparkling water. Is this how we handle hygiene now? That was how things stood back in 2009. The entire perimeter of the hospital is covered in human waste and overflowing trash cans. Mosquito larvae are breeding in the filth of the broken fountains. God help us. San Francisco picked up some tourism award back in 2010. Does anyone actually care? 😲 You endure this entire list every single time you show up for a checkup, an exam, or some medical catastrophe. Why does it always happen this way? It turns out it's the same inside as it is out there. Fortunately, it isn't always like this. Sometimes, enough is enough.
Roger Rodriguez said:Look, during my last flare-up, I didn't have the patience to just wait it out, so I headed straight to the ER. 😁 My symptoms were identical to yours; I was convinced my heart was failing. They gave me Kevin, and told me I absolutely need to strengthen my back muscles. They mentioned the pain could be related to the pleura, or it might even be psychosomatic. It feels awful, but it isn't life-threatening—though, as we get older, things can certainly go south quickly, can't they?😬
As for the original poster: I really think your doctor would be able to give you a much clearer explanation of what's happening. While heat will definitely help with any numbness, I'm not sure how you'll manage that itching or why it's happening in the first place.🤷
The day before, I worked in the garden until I was drenched in sweat. I took my shirt off to keep working, then forgot to put it back on when the wind picked up. The next day, I went to get my hair washed, and the moment I stood up, the pain hit. It wouldn't stop. It was strange. It felt as if a nerve had become trapped between my ribs. It rattled me because I thought it was my kidney, but the kidney sits much lower. Besides, it’s my left one, which has been fine both before and after surgery; there wasn't any tumor pushing against it. I feel alright today, but I'm still wearing a support belt around my waist and back. 😍
Lately, I’ve been dealing with this sharp, stabbing pain just below my left shoulder blade—right along the spine toward the ribs. It gets so tight I can barely take a deep breath in certain positions. A couple of days ago, a panic attack hit me out of nowhere. I had to force myself to sit down, pile some firm pillows behind my back, and just try to breathe. I curled up and did some light stretching, but all night long, I felt this tiny, hard little lump of wool pressing against my lower spine. Yesterday, I tried heating pads, took an Advil, and wore a support belt. I’m feeling better today and yesterday, though there's still a lingering sensation. Right now, I’m lightly massaging the muscle, trying to peel it away from the ribs. It actually helps. Honestly, what a miserable feeling. I came pretty close to heading to the ER.
Roger Rodriguez, try applying heat to your back more often and maybe do some light core work, but keep your arms and neck aligned. I know you're struggling. Bob.
During my annual Pap smear, pelvic exam, and ultrasound back in 2008, my gynecologist assured me the fibroid hadn't grown and told me I wouldn't need anything else until the next check-up. Fast forward to 2009, and I ended up undergoing a hysterectomy with adnexectomy. Why? Because of a massive 20x20x19 cm fibroid that had constricted and inflamed my sigmoid colon and displaced my kidney, leaving it nearly fused to the surrounding tissue. To make matters worse, a postoperative abscess formed, forcing a much longer recovery period than expected after such an extensive surgery. The man was a prominent doctor in a coastal town—highly regarded, impeccable reputation, and quite pleasant to deal with. Now, I’m seeing a socialized gynecologist. In twelve months, I haven't even met her; I’ve only ever seen her nurse. All I see is a referral slip, and I'm expected to dictate my own needs. In America, getting quality gynecological care is essentially impossible through the public system; you either pay a small fortune at a private clinic or face an impossible mission with socialized medicine. And let's not forget one more thing. Every single time I visited that previous doctor, I paid out of pocket for color Doppler scans and exams. I only received a formal receipt once—something every woman who visits him is well aware of. When he finally realized he had made a catastrophic error during my 2009 visit, what did he do? He looked at me and claimed I wasn't even in his computer system for the pelvic ultrasounds. How is that possible when I had been tracking this fibroid for ten years, paying regularly and showing up for every appointment?😂Half the staff knew exactly what my 2008 diagnosis was. Back then, it was just a tiny fibroid. He had characterized the primary mass—the one that eventually caused all this devastation—as something that had stopped growing, so he focused solely on monitoring the smaller one. It isn't funny, even if you find it amusing. He jeopardized my life and fundamentally shattered my current quality of living. He is nothing more than trash in a white coat.😠
Keep moving toward your surgery, but watch your step. Avoid any sudden turns or jerky movements, and for heaven's sake, try not to trip on stairs or jar yourself against hard surfaces. And don't even think about trying any massages.
Grace Chase97 said:Don't worry about it. I know exactly what you mean. Those thoughts pop up for me now and then too. Besides, why would I even bother trying to suppress him? Just let him be.🤷
It happens to me even if I leave it sitting there for a while—then the itching starts. Occasionally, I have to clear it out. Doctors have turned everything into some kind of unsolvable riddle. They act like skin conditions are some ancient, indecipherable code. Why won't they just be straight with women? These issues are perfectly normal for anyone dealing with skin concerns. Is it really that complicated?
Raymond Newman said:I'll definitely head to the doctor, though I really need to make the trip out to San Francisco first!
Don't let a little laziness cost you your eyesight. And frankly, I don't understand who authorized those massive doses of antibiotics without even running a culture test first. Just head to San Francisco. Once the appointment is over, walk through some shops or wander the streets. It’s a beautiful city; what's the problem? That's my routine whenever I find myself in San Francisco. I buy something small that makes me happy, grab a coffee by the waterfront, and call it a day. Stop being such a coward.