Reform School

I just fired my dentist. He's a nice guy, his staff is great and his office is orderly. He's a competent dentist and we've had him for fourteen years. But I don't like him. When my daughters or I pay him a visit he always finds something outside of a normal cleaning to do. I am so tired of bite wing x-rays every year for no other reason than he wants to find something else to charge me for. He loves to poke my gums and measure them. He loves to give my daughters flouride treatments and seal their teeth. He loves to find little problems "that may turn into something big some day."

His office is really fancy and it's only open four days a week. He tells me about his parties and vacations and I couldn't help but notice his new hair plugs. I feel like his affluent life depends on finding something to bill me for. I doesn't occur to the dentist that my health insurance only pays for eighty percent of whatever the insurance company deems fair. I always end up paying big bucks no matter if it is for routine care or necessary care.

So I tried to find a new dentist. My criteria: no unnecessary care, someone who does community service or accepts medi-cal and who does not use mercury or flouride during their procedures. I thought I found a new candidate and made an appointment. The dentist photographed us, poked us, x-rayed us and proceeded to show us why we needed several thousands of dollars worth of dental work. Hey, she has a new fancy imaging machine to pay for just like my old dentist. No go. Major fail.

I told my mother-in-law about my issues. She said "They have to take x-rays so they can find things before they get too big." I told her I wouldn't expect my doctor to x-ray my body every few years just so he can catch something before it gets too big so I don't understand why the dentist is any different.

It comes down to the fact that we have health insurance, sucky as it is. The dentists are more inclined to push treatment upon us because we have insurance. Dentist don't take medi-cal anymore because medi-cal doesn't cover anything but necessary x-rays and extractions.

Even Kaiser, once held on a pedalstool as the ultimate HMO isn't an all inclusive package anymore. People used to brag that they had no co-pay and free prescriptions. You won't find that at Kaiser anymore. We went to kaiser when our doctor moved there. We pay three hundred dollars above what our employer pays to insure our family. Our office visits are $40.00 with an 80/20 split and we pay a lot for prescriptions.

I went to the doctor for a problem with my throat. I paid $40.00 for the office visit, I was prescribed anti-acids (for $25.00) and urged to get a mammogram (for $50.00). The problem persisted but I decided not to go back. I was afraid they would presribe me Xanex and send me for a cardiogram.

Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on how to fix our healthcare system. The Democrats limp along, dodging universal healthcare and pandering to corporate driven healthcare because they are afraid of being called socialists. While the Republicans want everyone to fend for themselves because, to them, little government means no social programs and a huge military. So I'd like to offer some suggestions to help them along.

1. I don't give a shit who runs it, a private or public organization, but it should be NOT FOR PROFIT. It is grossly indecent of us as a society, no matter how "capitalist" or "free trade" we may be, to suggest that it is acceptable to make money on sick people.

2. Torte reform. Being awarded obscene amounts of money is not going to bring junior back. Sending people to jail and holding them accountable for neglibible acts (FDA, CEOs and shitty doctors I'm looking at you) is much more effective.

3. All subsidies and research funding for medical advancement should go into the university system. All patents obtained, based on that funding, for medicine, technology and procedures should be held by society as a whole.

4. And finally (this one is my favorite), the legislatures in all of their plentiful forms, city, county, state and federal, should have the same benefits as people on medicaid. They should consider themselves lucky too because that is more than many working families can get right now.

That ought to do it for now.

Love, Constance

Holiday Hangover

Christmas has really gotten to be a pain in the ass. It's my favorite holiday and yet it totally stresses me out. I worry about whether or not the people will like what I have given them, especially my kids. The fear of most parents at Christmas is that their child will not be satisfied. What a thing to worry about at Christmas. I usually go all out. I drop a few hundred bucks on my kids, not to mention the expense of buying for others, afraid I may look cheap. This year I decided I was not going into debt for the sake of the holiday. My daughters each received a nice pair of slippers, a dvd and a video cam. Honestly, it was hard for me to stop at that. I felt like I was cheating them. I was afraid that when they compared notes at school with the other kids they would be ashamed of me. My mother believed that love equals gifts. Our tree was almost buried in gifts. I don't remember a single one of them. What I do remember, however, is the bill collectors calling our house so much we had to unplug the phone. Mom is coming around though. She allowed us to draw names this year and I was really proud of her.

One year I could not find a Sailor Moon video that was out of production. I ended up buying a used copy. We gave it to a friend who was really into Sailor Moon, for her birthday. As soon as she opened it I wished I had gotten her something else. Materialism is so ingrained in my mind that I was embarrased that I had given her a used video. You hear about people getting caught "regifting" and it is a most serious offense. Giving a used gift is probably up there with treason.

Well my New Year's resolution is: I don't give a fuck whether or not you like what I'm giving you this year. I'm giving it from the heart and if you don't like it then you aren't my friend. We need to snap out of this affluence bullshit. Moreover, next year do not buy me anything, especially if it is plastic, made in China or requires batteries. If you don't love me or I have offended you then do the Earth a favor and take me off of your Christmas list.

Next year I am again going to make jam, applesauce and salsa. But I'm not going to feel the need to supplement my handmade (with love) gift with something I purchased. You're getting the jam and that's it. The good news is that I'm saving your life by not adding HFCS, preservatives, GMO or pesticides. My favorite gift this year was some freezer jam and a mixed cd my friend made. They have given me more enjoyment than the battery operated can opener that has sat in my drawer for three years.

We had a garage sale several weeks ago (which I swore I would never do again) and I realized how many thousands of dollars worth of gifts were being practically given away. Some of them have never been opened. My advice is save your money. If you see a book in the used book store that you think I will like, by all means buy it. I love to read and I don't give a shit if it is used or not, the words inside will be the same, I promise. Frame something special: childrens' art (hey some of it is really good), memorabilia, my favorite flower or your picture. Make me something. In return, I am going to think about you all year long and find something that I think you would appreciate. That is the secret to great gift giving: to always be on the lookout. Don't wait for the holiday to smack you in the face.

So that's it. That's my resolution. I'm adding a link to a youtube video a Facebook friend turned me onto. I wish I would have made it: This Year's Resolutions .

Love, Constance