Joe the "heart pipe" Plumber

I've been thinking a little about some of the most traumatic days of my life (and believe me, there have been plenty of them), my triple-bypass heart surgery at my friendly neighborhood Veterans Administration.

The amazing thing (at least to me) is that I was in and out of the hospital for this procedure in three days! I went back for one follow up visit with the cardiologist. Although he didn't call me "Butt Head" or treat me crudely in any other way, he really didn't have any time to answer any questions that I had... like, "What the fuck did you do to me?"

I had a million questions and he couldn't take the time to answer a single one. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that having your chest laid open and being technically dead is worth a little more in the department of pain management than eight Tylenol #3's. But then, that's just my perspective.

The closest thing in our society here in Amerika to Socialized Medicine treats its patients like sub human chattel. Or maybe it's just ME that is sub human chattel! Who knows? And who gives a fuck? I mean besides me, and I'm getting to the point that even I don't!

My current doctor just had a baby (well, his wife had the baby. But he was there for it, conception and birth, or so I'm told). But the child was born with a heart defect. It required emergency heart surgery at birth. Subsequently, I had two appointments last month deferred to this month. When I showed up for this month's appointment, the doctor wasn't there again; off at Memphis trying to save his child's life.

Which brings me to my next question: What does it say about our health care system when even the elite (Doctors, for Christ's sake!) can't get adequate health care for their own children... and their patients' health suffers the results in lack of care, as there is no doctor to take his patients while he is absent (for admittedly serious and important matters: the life of another poor child born into this cesspool of indignation that we call civilization?)

I guess all that I am saying is that no matter what comes of tomorrow morning, or January 20th, or whatever, we are all just pretty much fucked. I suppose I should go out and dig my hole, because certainly no one else will give enough of a fuck about me or anyone else to even bury me... unless, of course, the wind gets out of the wrong direction for them and my stench begins to bother them.

I know, I'm a really bright and cheery guy. It's a learned behavior.