Is There A Doctor In The House!?

Greetings and blessings to one and all! Whether this is the 1^st time you’re reading my blog or have been with me from day 1 when I started in Gambia, West Africa, I pray that my words touch your heart and mind: that you be encouraged, enlightened and entertained as you walk with me on my journey.

One thing I have to admit is that I have been inconsistent with writing every week as I was in Gambia. Seems I’m distracted with the goings on in my daily life of getting resettled back in Chicago.   

I came back on all around zero, so I’m working hard at filling up that which was empty! That includes but not limited to my energy, my own place to stay, a car, grounding and developing my organization here as well as maintaining it in Africa, being the matriarch for my family and making sure my health is in order. 

Let me fill you in on the healthcare exploits since my return. I commented in one of my blog post when I was in Gambia that I did not go to the doctor there unless it was an emergency. It’s not the fault of the system or people it’s just that certain things there are limited in more ways than one. So one of the 1^st things on my “to do list” when I got back here was to schedule my annual physical. Now I must say, thank GOD I have health insurance, but what’s with the referral system in healthcare? Geez!!!!

Since I’ve been back I’ve been in a hospital or clinic setting 7 times. Yep 7 times in 76 days, whoa!  Mind you I’m fairly healthy, praise GOD, but I do have an ache here and a pain there! So it seems to me wherever there is an ache or pain you’re referred to this doctor or that doctor for each thing. Huh, what!? What happened to the days that you GP took care of all that? My GP could not even interpret a test result from another doctor I’d been referred to. And oh yeah, those referrals are ten times as much per visit than that of a visit with my GP. Is there a kickback scheme to this referral thing I wonder, especially since they’re usually all in the same network!? Hmmmm....

Here’s an example: at my stage in life a colonoscopy is recommended every 5-10 years as part of a wellness physical. Ok that means a referral to a GI Doctor to schedule the procedure at the cost of $40.00. Mind you he didn’t touch or examine me. The crisp white paper on his exam table didn’t get sat on or wrinkled. He just scheduled the procedure. I started to just rip off a sheet and ball it up for the heck of it to get a piece of some $40.00 paper! Hahahahaha!!! Now in order to get the results of the procedure I have to go back to him to give me those results and spend another $40.00, Dang!  

Not to mention doctors that will give you a prescription for only 30 days and tell you to come back in 30 days for a refill. Huh, what!? That means another fee for him or her. I tell you folks it seems like a racket to me and I’m a nurse!

Now I’m far from being financially rich and thank GOD I don’t have to take a lot of medication, but $40.00 here and $50.00 there takes a chunk out of my finances. But what about those that are facing health challenges, elderly and infirmed that do need constant medical follow up and medications. This is a maze that needs to be straightened out with a quickness. Ok, I won't rant, but this is a truth about a system that is faulty and broken.

 I’m just saying!

Living For The City!

Thanks for joining me again as I continue my journey! I haven’t written as often as I was doing when I was in Gambia, West Africa because I’ve really been trying to take it all in.  It seems that it should be like riding a bicycle; once you’ve learned to ride you never forget how, but with it comes apprehension. Will I be steady enough so I don’t fall off? Will I blow a tire and what about all the traffic around me?

I think as children we don’t consider things like that, we just jump on and do it and don’t even give falling a thought. But as we mature we are more aware of both sides of the coin. I’ve been looking at both sides and one does not outweigh the other and it’s not a coin toss for me. Watching and listening to what I see going on around me I’ve decided I’m all in, whether I fall or not I’m going to jump in and do it: no matter the ridicule or danger to be faced

Geez, what is she talking about? Okay, be patient with me and I’ll tell you more. You must remember my blog is my journey and sometimes my thoughts get ahead of my fingers.

I knew that when GOD inspired me to move back to the states from Africa it was for a purpose, something greater than me. It’s what life is all about really. Our successes, failings, suffering and joy is not just for us, but for others to benefit and to learn from. So I know I’m here not just for my own advancement, but also for that of others. It seems so many, far too, too many have forgotten or don’t know that.

I am where I am today because so many mighty and brave people stood up and have fallen so that I can rise. And I say rise because I know that I have not risen to my fullest potential yet to have reached the pinnacle of my journey. I promise GOD, myself and you as I rise that I will reach back for the hand of another to help them up their mountain. Whether by word or deed it’s a responsibility I so gladly welcome and accept.

My heart aches for the children of not only this, but especially for the past two and upcoming generations: these children of the young uneducated and under educated parents. Parents that breed ignorance, anger and hatred in their own homes. You can hear it in their voices as they speak to these children calling them names that don’t bolster self esteem, but tear down dreams. You can hear it in the music they listen to and allow the children to hear. Not all music, but I’m talking about the music that turns the beast savage as oppose to soothe the savage beast: music of sex, hatred and violence. Music that insults me and assaults my ears, mind and heart played loud enough to penetrate young innocent minds.

It’s all around and easy to see in the way the females, I refuse to call them women are dressing leaving nothing to the imagination and I will not leave out the males who believe that the showing dirty underwear is a fashion statement. Not only are so called adults dressing like this, but they’re also dressing their children like that.  

It hurts! Do you hear me it hurts! And unless you are turning a blind eye and you have a heart it should hurt you too. So you say it doesn’t affect you or your community. Humph, well let me tell you if not now, then one day soon it will make a great impact on if not you then yours. I know it for a fact because what you see and hear here in these states travels all over the world. That’s right, even today in most African countries young men are walking around with the pants below the butts with their underwear on parade and our once modest sisters are not so modest any more. 

So I’m all in, whether I fall or not. I will lift up my voice to one, to ten, to the hundreds even to thousands and if only one person benefits from my voice, well then I’ve done my job.

What will you do?

 

http://youtu.be/X1uelY2SGmw