What are you doing today?

[Eric]

Pulling everything I have out of stocks, 401k and individual trading account, and placing them in bonds/cash for now. Going to sit on the sidelines for a few weeks.

It's a volatile time, nobody can blame you.

 

[lizkat]

Binge-watching The Americans after my morning chores... So escaping reality from 10 to 12 to avoid a) newspapers b) stray thoughts of 2020 politics c) more autumn chores and d) stress eating in advance of Election Day and its ensuing whatever whatever. A good thing that there are lots of seasons in The Americans. I can only binge-watch in the morning because popcorn doesn't appeal to me before mid-afternoon.

Oh, and do not mention McConnell, Trump or Barrett to me any time soon. I only have one of my bad hair day dolls done so far and need three of them to ward off the bad vibes from that trio of characters. Here's the one that's done, do you like the glitter?

 

[Alli]

Had my PETscan this morning. I’ll phone the doctor Thursday afternoon and see if he got the results. A friend and I have decided that for those of us who have to be scanned regularly, “scanxiety” is a thing.

 

[Eric]

Had my PETscan this morning. I’ll phone the doctor Thursday afternoon and see if he got the results. A friend and I have decided that for those of us who have to be scanned regularly, “scanxiety” is a thing.

I have the same anxiety. I have a problem with diverticulitis and have had to go into the ER a few times, during one of their CT scans they noticed bowel wall thickening and what they believed to be 3 lesions on my liver. I'll never forget that phone call, they said it appeared to be cancer that had spread to my liver and scheduled me for an immediate colonoscopy and a more extensive MRI (about 45 minutes with the contrast dye, etc.)

So I go get the colonoscopy and it turned out to be clear with the exception of diverticulosis and the only follow up from the GI doctor was to take Metamucil. I had also had my gallbladder removed a few years prior and it turned out that what they thought were lesions in my liver were leftover stones. A subsequent scan showed that 2 of the 3 were gone (passed) three months later.

So I was lucky that I escaped what I (and the doctors) thought was cancer but for a few months I was petrified and waiting for scan results was the worst part of all to me, you survivors are so brave!

 

[User.45]

Had my PETscan this morning. I’ll phone the doctor Thursday afternoon and see if he got the results. A friend and I have decided that for those of us who have to be scanned regularly, “scanxiety” is a thing.

I know a group of female scientists that studies scanxiety. It's def a thing.

Best of luck BTW.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

While the calendar still reads October, night has fallen, outside, it is pitch black (and has been for the best part of the past hour or so), hailstones, and thunder and lightning have all been a feature of this afternoon/evening. As is a plummeting barometer.

As they (once) said on Game of Thrones: "Winter is here."

 

[User.45]

I have the same anxiety. I have a problem with diverticulitis and have had to go into the ER a few times, during one of their CT scans they noticed bowel wall thickening and what they believed to be 3 lesions on my liver. I'll never forget that phone call, they said it appeared to be cancer that had spread to my liver and scheduled me for an immediate colonoscopy and a more extensive MRI (about 45 minutes with the contrast dye, etc.)

So I go get the colonoscopy and it turned out to be clear with the exception of diverticulosis and the only follow up from the GI doctor was to take Metamucil. I had also had my gallbladder removed a few years prior and it turned out that what they thought were lesions in my liver were leftover stones. A subsequent scan showed that 2 of the 3 were gone (passed) three months later.

So I was lucky that I escaped what I (and the doctors) thought was cancer but for a few months I was petrified and waiting for scan results was the worst part of all to me, you survivors are so brave!

Don't you love CTs? I tell patients it's like a black and white TV. MRI is an HDTV, but it comes with it's own limitations (like patient and organ motion sensitivity). Whole body MRIs specifically make me nervous because they reveal so much you don't know what's incidental and what's relevant anymore. The future's gonna be that in 10-20 years. You get the whole-body MRI, you'll get an AI augmented radiology read and your docs will address everything they found.

 

[Eric]

Don't you love CTs? I tell patients it's like a black and white TV. MRI is an HDTV, but it comes with it's own limitations (like patient and organ motion sensitivity). Whole body MRIs specifically make me nervous because they reveal so much you don't know what's incidental and what's relevant anymore. The future's gonna be that tough in 10-20 years. You get that in, you'll get an AI augmented read and your docs will address everything they found.

My GI doctor echoed this sentiment, he said people get talked into these full body scans where small things are bound to be found and then it takes them down a rabbit hole of tests, etc. that typically lead to nothing. He said he always recommends against those.

 

[User.45]

My GI doctor echoed this sentiment, he said people get talked into these full body scans where small things are bound to be found and then it takes them down a rabbit hole of tests, etc. that typically lead to nothing. He said he always recommends against those.

It's an acknowledged abstract form of risk for potential harm that comes with non-invasive imaging.

Big data will fix it, if you marry AI with human common sense.

 

[Eric]

It's an acknowledged abstract form of risk for potential harm that comes with non-invasive imaging.

Big data will fix it, if you marry AI with human common sense.

I think it was that human common sense that threw everyone off in my case. They said whoever read my CT scan results concluded that my leftover gallstones were lesions on my liver, my GI specifically called that out and said a more experienced doctor figured it out.

 

[User.45]

I think it was that human common sense that threw everyone off in my case. They said whoever read my CT scan results concluded that my leftover gallstones were lesions on my liver, my GI specifically called that out and said a more experienced doctor figured it out.

Defensive medicine, also called defensive medical decision making, refers to the practice of recommending a diagnostic test or medical treatment that is not necessarily the best option for the patient, but an option that mainly serves the function to protect the physician against the patient as potential plaintiff. Defensive medicine is a reaction to the rising costs of malpractice insurance premiums and patients’ biases on suing for missed or delayed diagnosis or treatment but not for being overdiagnosed. U.S. physicians are at highest risk of being sued, and overtreatment is common. The number of lawsuits against physicians in the USA has increased within the last decades and has had a substantial impact on the behavior of physicians and medical practice. Physicians order tests and avoid treating high-risk patients (when they have a choice) to reduce their exposure to lawsuits, or are forced to discontinue practicing because of overly high insurance premiums.[1] This behavior has become known as defensive medicine, "a deviation from sound medical practice that is indicated primarily by a threat of liability".

Defensive medicine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A reason US health care is so damn expensive.

 

[Eric]

Defensive medicine, also called defensive medical decision making, refers to the practice of recommending a diagnostic test or medical treatment that is not necessarily the best option for the patient, but an option that mainly serves the function to protect the physician against the patient as potential plaintiff. Defensive medicine is a reaction to the rising costs of malpractice insurance premiums and patients’ biases on suing for missed or delayed diagnosis or treatment but not for being overdiagnosed. U.S. physicians are at highest risk of being sued, and overtreatment is common. The number of lawsuits against physicians in the USA has increased within the last decades and has had a substantial impact on the behavior of physicians and medical practice. Physicians order tests and avoid treating high-risk patients (when they have a choice) to reduce their exposure to lawsuits, or are forced to discontinue practicing because of overly high insurance premiums.[1] This behavior has become known as defensive medicine, "a deviation from sound medical practice that is indicated primarily by a threat of liability".

Defensive medicine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A reason US health care is so damn expensive.

Fair enough and I know they looked at 2+2 and had reasonable suspicion that required further testing so I personally don't hold that against them. Frankly, the end result was that I had to wait for a few small stones to pass and that I have diverticulosis so I was just happy it was nothing nearly as bad as they initially thought.

 

[Clix Pix]

Busy day here still playing with my new car, tweaking some settings, etc., hitting preset buttons for radio stations, all that kind of thing. The day I got the car I was so overwhelmed by the time the salesman was asking me did I want only the driver's door to open when I clicked the remote or all four doors, and did I want this or that other thing, that I just said "yes"or sometimes "no" to this or that (especially when I wasn't sure what it actually would do) and only now after a few times of driving the car and doing the normal kinds of things I'd be doing was I ready to set everything to my own preferences. Also one feature that I thought I'd said I wanted and which was marked "yes" on the worksheet turned out not to have been activated after all -- salesman must've forgotten when he was doing the initial setup! I'd wondered why that particular feature didn't work the way I was expecting.... Anyway, now all of that's pretty much done for the time being.

I will be glad when Election Day has come and gone, as then maybe I won't keep getting texts from the Democratic Party either congratulating me on voting and urging me to get all my friends out to vote as well, or from others asking me to get out and vote (those folks must not have checked their records accurately! It is irritating having these texts coming in; just leave me alone, people! I voted. I did my civic duty and I am most definitely interested in this upcoming election, but I don't need to be nagged about it.....

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Defensive medicine, also called defensive medical decision making, refers to the practice of recommending a diagnostic test or medical treatment that is not necessarily the best option for the patient, but an option that mainly serves the function to protect the physician against the patient as potential plaintiff. Defensive medicine is a reaction to the rising costs of malpractice insurance premiums and patients’ biases on suing for missed or delayed diagnosis or treatment but not for being overdiagnosed. U.S. physicians are at highest risk of being sued, and overtreatment is common. The number of lawsuits against physicians in the USA has increased within the last decades and has had a substantial impact on the behavior of physicians and medical practice. Physicians order tests and avoid treating high-risk patients (when they have a choice) to reduce their exposure to lawsuits, or are forced to discontinue practicing because of overly high insurance premiums.[1] This behavior has become known as defensive medicine, "a deviation from sound medical practice that is indicated primarily by a threat of liability".

Defensive medicine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A reason US health care is so damn expensive.

"Defensive medicine" - or, rather, the costs associated with it (for both doctor and patient) is a lot less common, and a lot less prevalent, in countries with publicly funded health care (known in other corners of the internet, such as The Other Country, as "socialised medicine").

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Headed out for a walk and some shopping: Bills, beer, butter, marmalade, crisps (chips to Our Transatlantic Cousins), some sparkling mineral water.

 

[Eric]

Headed out for a walk and some shopping: Bills, beer, butter, marmalade, crisps (chips to Our Transatlantic Cousins), some sparkling mineral water.

Stay safe. We've had to change our walk times because there are so many other people walking around without masks on on the narrow paths.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Stay safe. We've had to change our walk times because there are so many other people walking around without masks on on the narrow paths.

I had debated heading into the city, (and the French bakery for bread) but decided to defer that trip.

Local bakeries had sold out of the bread I wanted, but I have enough for (well, until) tomorrow.

Anyway, spent some time at the stove, this evening.

I might not have fresh French bread, but I do, (or did) have all of the ingredients to hand to prepare spaghetti carbonara (organic, free range, eggs, pancetta, parmesan, pecorino, double cream, butter, olive oil, spaghetti, black pepper).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Gale force winds threatened - and it is very windy (howling winds) and spitting rain; hence, I decided to forego my (no longer weekly) Saturday visit to the farmers' market.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Gale force winds threatened - and it is very windy (howling winds) and spitting rain; hence, I decided to forego my (no longer weekly) Saturday visit to the farmers' market.

Indeed. I doubt I'll get a walk in today. I made sure to do a longer session on the cross trainer and an inside cycle ride to compensate.

Now stopped for lunch after doing a few jobs around the house. Shelf put up, bled the underfloor heating. Moved some furniture.

And now as I right the sun has made its first appearance of the day! Yay.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Indeed. I doubt I'll get a walk in today. I made sure to do a longer session on the cross trainer and an inside cycle ride to compensate.

Now stopped for lunch after doing a few jobs around the house. Shelf put up, bled the underfloor heating. Moved some furniture.

And now as I right the sun has made its first appearance of the day! Yay.

Gales and nasty showers here.

Decided to give the farmers' market (not that my trips there are weekly anymore) a miss, though - last night - I did phone the German lady with superb (free range, organic) eggs to ask her to keep a box or two (preferably two, but the hens are laying far fewer eggs at this time of the year) for me and drop them into the cheesemonger, whose shop is in the market area, just across the lane from the magnificent medieval church, outside where the market has been held since the Middle Ages, and I'll pick them up later in the week.

She said she would, but she may forget, or be too busy; I also phoned the cheesemonger, so that his staff will know that the eggs (if delivered) are to be held for me to collect later.

He said that he would attend to it, and drop the eggs out to me later today; again, between weather, stress, and other commitments, while I'm very grateful, I'm not entirely sure that he will be able to follow through.

And fresh French bread.......(that may also have to wait until next week)

But, I slept exceptionally well last night; early to bed after one beer.