The Cardiologist's Wife

Pimento Cheese, Not Your Grandma's Spread

Pimento cheese is one of those foods that has been so corrupted by the food industry that it has become synonymous with other crappy foods like Spam. I'm not even certain what store bought pimento cheese might contain, nor do I want to find out. It's a shame because pimento cheese can be a delightful treat, even if it does Read the full post…

Plum Good BBQ Sandwiches

In a few days it will officially be fall but the temperatures are still warm enough for me to continue swimming for a few more days. The breeze was a little cool but that didn't stop me from swimming several laps this morning and I felt great afterwards! Have you exercised lately? With fall's cooler temperatures and fewer insects, you Read the full post…

Shingles Vacine and Treatment

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with shingles so I felt I should discuss this nasty virus once again. If you ever had chicken pox, you are at risk for getting shingles and believe me, you don't want it. Shingles is a painful rash with blisters that scab over and may take 4 weeks or more to heal. The Read the full post…

Vegetarian Tacos are muy delicioso!

There are times when I think I could easily become a vegetarian, especially when I try a new dish that is as good as the vegetarian tacos I had at Local Lime restaurant in Little Rock and the tofu fried rice at Sai Tai here in Jonesboro. My husband and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary this past weekend by spending Read the full post…

Midyear Health Check

Summer is winding down , the year is more than half way over and our January resolutions are long forgotten. It's time for a health reality check. First of all, how is your health lately? If you have enjoyed good health, are you thankful? Take some time to appreciate how wonderful it feels to be healthy, for your family to Read the full post…

Vacation Lessons For A Healthier Life

I'm back from a lovely beach vacation and I wish I was still there with all my heart. Wouldn't it be nice if our every day life was as nice as a vacation? If we could relax, eat well, sleep and exercise just enough without having to worry about bills, work, illnesses and school, our lives would be perfect. But Read the full post…

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Bucking Broncos

[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on July 2, 2013 ][ In Uncategorized ]

No matter how healthy we are, things can go wrong in a hurry and we can find ourselves at the doctor’s office. Last Thursday without any warning, my horse threw me. She had been going along nice and quiet when all of a sudden, she bucked for no apparent reason. I landed hard on my back and rolled to a sitting position. It almost knocked the wind out of me, but then I felt pain in my lower back where I’ve had trouble for years. It was some time before I could stand, and then I hobbled very slowly, a step or two at a time, to a mounting block to sit. Fortunately, a friend was with me and she ran to fetch an ice pack. She dealt with my horse while I dealt with the pain.

I saw an orthopedic surgeon that afternoon to rule out any broken bones since this is the worst fall I’ve ever had and I was having trouble walking because of the pain. The x-rays didn’t reveal any cracks but now I’m waiting on insurance to approve a CT scan which the doctor said is necessary due to the area where I am experiencing the most pain being difficult to view on x-ray. Over the weekend, the pain has gotten better and I can walk without grabbing onto something or leaning on the walls but for a day or two, I was seriously considering borrowing a walker from a friend’s parents. (I’ve even ridden the motorized cart at the grocery store and let me tell you, those things are FUN!). However, I still have a new popping in my back that hasn’t been there before and yes, it hurts unless I sit perfectly still.

So now I’d like to gripe about our out of control insurance system in this country. No matter what happens, insurance companies never want to pay for anything without a fight. I could be walking around with a broken bone grinding away right now but no, they are making me wait to find out what their almighty verdict is. I could be doing more damage not knowing what is wrong that would ultimately cost the insurance company more money. It is all a big game played out between patients, doctors and insurance companies. Patients need health care and doctors deserve to be paid for their work. Insurance companies exist to make money for their stockholders. There has to be a better way.

There has been so much trauma in this country over Obamacare but I prefer to hope that it makes some needed changes for the good of everyone. As soon as the law goes into effect, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions or cancel your coverage if you get sick. Insurance companies won’t be able to set an annual or lifetime limit on benefits and they must pay for preventive care such as an annual physical. We will soon see whether the benefits of Obamacare outweigh the parts people fear, such as rising costs to small employers. I’m praying it’s a step in the right direction, maybe not the final solution, but a step.