The average snowfall in the Duluth, MN area is 52 plus inches. This year they have 17.1 inches. Last year they had 80 inches. Life is not static or average for sure.
Good morning. It’s another chilly morning to be followed by a warm afternoon. Two seasons in one day.
Interesting to hear about the snowfall in Duluth, Kathaleena. Or I should say surprising. I did not expect that much difference.
i was surprised to see Hallmark channel is still playing Christmas movies one night a week. We saw one last night I really enjoyed about a choir director being hired on short notice to put together a Christmas church performance with a small town choir. It was a very touching movie with surprises I did not expect which brought a few tears.
It’s Groundhog Day. No shadows here, for what it’s worth. It’s 6 weeks until the official beginning of Spring regardless of what a rodent sees this morning.
It must be a pain trying to call people now with cell phones instead of landlines.
I have been playing phone tag for two days with a doctor’s office. Every time you call you have to listen to the 5 numerical options. This is true for every transfer to another person. Twice I missed the calls by seconds and tried just redialing immediately. I tried that a few weeks ago to a surgery nurse. Nope, you have to go through the whole thing and a few people with all the options. The email online can be helpful for easy questions, but sometimes you need to actually talk to someone. That is especially true when you have a prescription with some wrong information (or you have been wrong about it) or the nurse and the doctor are giving different information.
You are simply expected to be in reach of the phone every single moment of the day and the next day if it takes that long. How do people do this who work?
I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the health care system these days. I am so grateful for all the wonderful workers, but it is not like when I was younger, and the workers seem to care more about you than the insurance company. I don’t blame the individual workers as it seems to be a systemic issue. The trend does not bode well for the future.
It’s crazy. I used to call my urologist and get thru to the office directly. Now you have their “improved” system which totally sucks. You get an operator at a switch board who makes you leave a message that they will forward, but it sometimes takes 2 days. It’s inefficient, doesn’t help the patient get answers, and is frustrating when you need an answer now.
As you will recall I had to go to the ER a few Mondays back. This was after I called the Dr. about it and was told they’d relay the message on Saturday. Never did hear back, then the visiting nurse cam and called the squad. Their new system is detrimental to patient care.
Let’s talk Social Security. Twenty two daughter is on that. When she went to the facility a couple of years ago, her rent was paid by Idaho but SS continued to send money. Mike contacted to figure it out and was told that is just the way they do it. I suggested leaving the money in her account so when they realized their error, it could go back. Then they told us she had too much in the bank and needed to spend it or lose her SS. Because she breaks and destroys and throws out so much, easy to do. Then a couple weeks ago we were told she had been overpaid and needed to return nine thousand dollars or we would be charged. Frustrating.
I used to call my (now retired) GP’s office and the folks at the front desk would answer personally and know who you were. “Oh hi, (name).”
Part of the difference now, also, is the explosion of specialists (with fewer and fewer GPs these days even practicing) and changes in insurance (maybe?) that now require GPs to send you here and there and everywhere for everything. Another week, another doctor.
And more forms to fill out.
The medical care is good, not complaining there, it’s just that there are now so many hoops to jump through and so many additional appointments (or so it seems).
I’ve noticed how cases like mine seem to just become money makers for the health care provider. Everyone gets a taste. Dr on duty pops into your room for literally one minute, insurance gets billed 700 dollars. It’s a joke, and a large part of why medical costs are exploding.
Also, my blood pressure pills cost me $30 for a 90 day supply, or 33 cents a dose. While hospitalized the cost was $6 per dose. Times that by 21 days, $126 for the same med. What’s wrong with this picture?
So true, Allen. My dad became quite a curmudgeon as he got older. He told the nurses in no way was he going to pay for the hospital pills when he got them from the Veteran’s and had them right on his bedside.
I know a guy in his 50’s for rehab in a nursing home who is treated with the ‘popped my head in the door’ doctor gambit and the pills being ordered and thrown away because he already has them. No doubt he is charged for it all.
Anyone going into a facility needs family or friends to watch out for them.
We just got a bill today for ambulance service for twenty two when she was talking suicide. Seven hundred seventy dollars. Of course, with all her trips, this is the first time they charged her. Medicaid paid zero.
Wandering Views 
Good morning.
The average snowfall in the Duluth, MN area is 52 plus inches. This year they have 17.1 inches. Last year they had 80 inches. Life is not static or average for sure.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good morning. It’s another chilly morning to be followed by a warm afternoon. Two seasons in one day.
Interesting to hear about the snowfall in Duluth, Kathaleena. Or I should say surprising. I did not expect that much difference.
i was surprised to see Hallmark channel is still playing Christmas movies one night a week. We saw one last night I really enjoyed about a choir director being hired on short notice to put together a Christmas church performance with a small town choir. It was a very touching movie with surprises I did not expect which brought a few tears.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s Groundhog Day. No shadows here, for what it’s worth. It’s 6 weeks until the official beginning of Spring regardless of what a rodent sees this morning.
It’s also Friday, and you know what that means.
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Janice, I just saw the last part of that choir movie before Christmas and always wanted to see the beginning. Never did.
Today I have to track down 18 school board candidates, 1/3 of whom I can find no email or phone contacts for. Crying (well, close to it).
I have a followup dr appt for the shoulder today, but all is well on that front from what I can tell.
New storm arrives Sunday, bringing steady rain for a few days into the middle of next week.
-dj
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Good morning from beautiful rainy prairie land. A busy day here with nothing much happening.
mumsee
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It must be a pain trying to call people now with cell phones instead of landlines.
I have been playing phone tag for two days with a doctor’s office. Every time you call you have to listen to the 5 numerical options. This is true for every transfer to another person. Twice I missed the calls by seconds and tried just redialing immediately. I tried that a few weeks ago to a surgery nurse. Nope, you have to go through the whole thing and a few people with all the options. The email online can be helpful for easy questions, but sometimes you need to actually talk to someone. That is especially true when you have a prescription with some wrong information (or you have been wrong about it) or the nurse and the doctor are giving different information.
You are simply expected to be in reach of the phone every single moment of the day and the next day if it takes that long. How do people do this who work?
I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the health care system these days. I am so grateful for all the wonderful workers, but it is not like when I was younger, and the workers seem to care more about you than the insurance company. I don’t blame the individual workers as it seems to be a systemic issue. The trend does not bode well for the future.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hear you Kathaleena.
It’s crazy. I used to call my urologist and get thru to the office directly. Now you have their “improved” system which totally sucks. You get an operator at a switch board who makes you leave a message that they will forward, but it sometimes takes 2 days. It’s inefficient, doesn’t help the patient get answers, and is frustrating when you need an answer now.
As you will recall I had to go to the ER a few Mondays back. This was after I called the Dr. about it and was told they’d relay the message on Saturday. Never did hear back, then the visiting nurse cam and called the squad. Their new system is detrimental to patient care.
I hate it.
Allen
LikeLiked by 2 people
Let’s talk Social Security. Twenty two daughter is on that. When she went to the facility a couple of years ago, her rent was paid by Idaho but SS continued to send money. Mike contacted to figure it out and was told that is just the way they do it. I suggested leaving the money in her account so when they realized their error, it could go back. Then they told us she had too much in the bank and needed to spend it or lose her SS. Because she breaks and destroys and throws out so much, easy to do. Then a couple weeks ago we were told she had been overpaid and needed to return nine thousand dollars or we would be charged. Frustrating.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dr’s: You are now known only by your birthdate.
I used to call my (now retired) GP’s office and the folks at the front desk would answer personally and know who you were. “Oh hi, (name).”
Part of the difference now, also, is the explosion of specialists (with fewer and fewer GPs these days even practicing) and changes in insurance (maybe?) that now require GPs to send you here and there and everywhere for everything. Another week, another doctor.
And more forms to fill out.
The medical care is good, not complaining there, it’s just that there are now so many hoops to jump through and so many additional appointments (or so it seems).
Maybe that’s just the ‘getting old(er)’ factor.
-dj
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Now when you call the doctor’s office, before anything else can be said: “What’s your date of birth?”
-dj
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Well, at least they’re not asking you (after the first question, “what’s wrong?”) where your husband is.
It has taken me, literally, years to get over the Navy’s medical indignities. (Though you’re right. No one died).
In other news, what a difference five days makes!
I just got back from the grocery store where, despite the rain, I wore sandals.
On Monday, I was in snow books with several layers of socks, etc.
🙂
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And while I was hauling in groceries, dinner arrived!
Our fisherman neighbor handed me two fresh crabs!
I gave him four brownies in return.
Obviously, I made the better deal. 🙂
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I’ve noticed how cases like mine seem to just become money makers for the health care provider. Everyone gets a taste. Dr on duty pops into your room for literally one minute, insurance gets billed 700 dollars. It’s a joke, and a large part of why medical costs are exploding.
Also, my blood pressure pills cost me $30 for a 90 day supply, or 33 cents a dose. While hospitalized the cost was $6 per dose. Times that by 21 days, $126 for the same med. What’s wrong with this picture?
Allen
LikeLiked by 3 people
So true, Allen. My dad became quite a curmudgeon as he got older. He told the nurses in no way was he going to pay for the hospital pills when he got them from the Veteran’s and had them right on his bedside.
I know a guy in his 50’s for rehab in a nursing home who is treated with the ‘popped my head in the door’ doctor gambit and the pills being ordered and thrown away because he already has them. No doubt he is charged for it all.
Anyone going into a facility needs family or friends to watch out for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We just got a bill today for ambulance service for twenty two when she was talking suicide. Seven hundred seventy dollars. Of course, with all her trips, this is the first time they charged her. Medicaid paid zero.
mumsee
LikeLiked by 1 person