Ostomy Memories of Healthcare Systems

THESE DAYS, IT’S AMAZING IF WE KNOW ANYTHING WITH CERTAINTY.  I went looking for items ranking the world’s different healthcare systems, only to discover little if any agreement.  All of us on this ostomy website, naturally, are interested in the health systems where we live, and how they are rated internationally.  With respect to the U.S. healthcare system ranking, the only thing that I could determine with any certainty was that it’s not one of the higher rated in the world.  Three different takes had the U.S. ranked 21st, 11th, and 37th in the world.  Canada and the UK were always rated higher than the U.S. but, as you might expect, each arbiter had a different order on their chart.  One rating system listed the U.S. as only 21st on the list re Quality-of-Life standards but, we can relax, we’re the most dominant economic and military power.  I’ll try to keep that in mind the next time I have a malady that gets misdiagnosed.  Apparently, inconsistent and imperfect metrics contribute to the variety in rankings from survey to survey.  It puts me in mind of one of Donald Rumsfeld’s ruminations:  “Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns- the ones we don't know we don't know.”  I can’t improve on that, but Mark Twain certainly could:  “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.”  

This one hits home after getting out of hospital yesterday. I wouldn’t wish our healthcare system on anyone.

The unknown known was an interesting film.

The best part of my early wake ups these days is knowing there will be an ostomy memories post to ruminate on. Yes, I meant to do that.

I agree with all you guys, and I pretty much try to take care of matters that I am aware of in my own hands. It's the same reason I don't trust these doctors in my area any further than I can kick them, because I am a New York City girl. I see things differently from the people here in PA where I live, and they don't seem to care, the ones I've come in contact with. I know there are good ones out there, but there are lousy ones out there too.

I'm new to this, but my experiences have been both great and terrible. My first TURBT, the urologist told me he got all the cancer. I got a second opinion at UVA. The urological oncologist got me right in. Did a second TURBT and found cancer in the bladder muscle. Have an RC scheduled for next Thursday. All happened within a month.

So the first sucked and could have killed me. The second was great and will hopefully keep me alive.