This is my three year old grand daughter, Elena. She is by no means an expert on much of anything, except for being adorable! She is a smart little girl for sure, and she has lived in two countries already. She speaks two languages, but, as I said she is only three years old.
A few days ago her parents took her with them to a hospital visit. They were paying a pastoral visit to a lady in the church who has been hospitalized awaiting her 'emergency' cesarean. She will have to wait another three weeks for the 'emergency' cesarean because, well, this is a public hospital and that is how socialized medicine works.
The hospital is not a nice place. Sick patients are on the floor, those with beds only have linens if they can provide their own, and even with temperatures in the high 90*'s there is no air conditioning. So, it does not smell nice. But that is the way of socialized medicine in third world countries.
I know socialized medicine must look better in Europe and Canada , but only as long as the money lasts. It was Margaret Thatcher who said, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."And yet, this is what many Americans claim to want. I do think the present system is broken and place most of the blame on insurance companies and law suits. But, socialized medicine..no thanks. Been there, done that!
But back to my grand daughter, Elena. As they were leaving the hospital having visited with the lady from church, Elena looked back at the hospital and told her parents,
"That was disgusting!"
From of the mouths of babes...
32 comments:
Elena is adorable!
JM..you SO know how to write! What a post. You really nailed the horrors and truth of socialized medicine..
how 'disgusting', indeed.
EMERGENCY C SECTION? in 3 weeks? Unreal.
Children at that age know the truth and tell it.
She's adorable!
well, there may be linens in Canada...but I know for a fact straight from MDs and RNs who've moved here to actually be able to take care of their patients that the waiting period for that emergency cesearian section is just about right...however, most folks do their waiting at home, cuz there's a perpetual shortage of beds....guess having them lie on the floor would help huh??
oh, and what happens if the baby dies while they wait for that emergency C-sec? not much. they do their recovery at home too.
welcome to socialized medicine folks. michael myers is a fool....
(am I allowed to say his name on your blog??)
What a cutie!
I haven't been to any hospitals here, but it's basically the same as you described!
Elena has experienced more and has a firmer grasp on reality than most of the adults in America. I'll head up her presidential campaign when she's old enough to run. If I'm still around!
There are folks here in Portugal still waiting for "emergency" procedures as well. Europe may not be third world, at least Portugal's not, but the socialized medicine here is just as you've described in Paraguay.
Americans are so naive. I'm not trying to be ugly when I say that. It's just the truth.
Smart kid!
Oh, what a beautiful child!
And yes, socialized medicine is kinda scary. Who wants the government to be in charge of your medical privacy, too?
:D :D That's funny!!!!!
That sounds pretty grim. The little girl looks like a cheerful soul.
Wow---sad, sad, sad. Scary, scary, scary!
~Kristi
Socialized medicine means getting in line and receiving "whatever" they're giving away at the moment.
the problem with people who espouse the 'glories' of socialism is one of hubris.
they are positive it isn't the system of socialism that doesn't work, but that THEY (smarter & more experienced than millions who die under that system, of course) are not in charge.
~ShyAsrai
LOL!!! She is a cutie.
You've got my vote for the adorability of Lele! The 'disgusting' comment reminded me of another cute little blond, blue eyes toddler who once pooped in her mom's shoe!! You REALLY should post about that!
She is adorable and that is so sad about the state of the hospital. We have been to one in Tegucigalpa that has an 80% mortality rate. It is heartbreaking. The last time I was there, the doctors and nurses were striking outside.
So Rita, is the same story all over south america!!! hospitals are dangerous places here...
Such a wise young lass---
Too bad Americans cannot see past the change bandwagon to see what they will get...I prefer choosing a Dr. to see --and yes, we too had to drop our expensive insurance-however, I'd rather not have socialized government control in my life!!
BTW, locally here (yes, a bunny trail)...they decided to clean up a neighborhood, and to have cleanliness rules apply and let officials enter your home if they feel you are not taking care of your property as you should in the neighborhood. Believe it or not, they had it on the passage through when someone cried "FOUL" and there was a huge meeting last nite for it!! Guess those persons cannot enter now!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT CAME THAT FAR....just one discussion away from it!!
Yes, let's let the governmnet have control of everything....NOT!!
She is a cute pie and smart too. What a combination.
Lele=awesome ^.^
When i read the part that said you blame most of it on insurance companies i kinda grimaced let me explain what i mean.
Health insurance used to be just, that insurance it was to transfer the risk of the unbudgetable medical expenses, however unions and the government got involved and made it law for employers to "give" their employees health benefits. Now that people were getting it as part of their compensation package they felt the need to use it on a regular basis (if someone paid for my life insurance I still dont think i would want to use it) the unions also demanded with government aid, also demanded free doctors visits and free prescription drugs (budgetable expanses) well my friends their is no such thing as a free lunch or free anything for that matter(medicare- medicaid)so in order for insurance companies to stay alive they had to raise prices and charge people for more doctors visits then then they expected the policy holder to use in order to have enough money in reserve to pay the claims. now hospitals as we all know also have to pay their staff and need and want to make money as is their God given right, well they saw this law as a blank check from Uncle Sam so companies were forced to have insurance on their employees and the insurance of course had to pay the claim, so they raised they prices to take advantage of this money free for all. well the insurance companies had to raise prices to cover the extra cost of medical procedures. Im not done yet are friendly governments (state and federal) said that insurance companies have to pay for certain procedures. for example
I met with a buisness owner who needed health insurance i quoted him at $200 but he did not have his check book with him and asked if i could swing by the next day to pick it up, ok great new law goes into efect that afternoon all mammograms must be covered at 100 percent. to pay for this my insurance company had to raise prices across the board to spread the risk the next day his insurance was $250 because he was paying for some ladies exam. i know it sounds mean but he does not have the parts necessary and should not have to pay for some ladies exam it just not ethical. needless to say he could no longer afford the premium and is now on the hook for potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars if something major happens because some ladies cant budget her once every two years exam. socialism is what started this in the first place the government trying to give the little guy some of those evil corporation money and then in the end hurting the little guy
Josh, WOW! How'd you get so smart?
I think Elena is going to be like her grandma Rita, a GOOD THING...yep....our country thinks socialized medicine is the way to go.....crazy politicians...they need lobotomies....ASAP...
Deby
Well, this will be talking to a wall, but what the heck.
Western European countries spend less per capita (including private and government expenses) than the US and yet have much better health records than the US: life expectancy is higher, infant mortality is lower, and so on. The irony is that the US does indeed has the best doctors and the best hospitals in the world. Because of its screwed up system, however, it has one of the worst health records among the developed countries--even though it pays more money on health care than Western European countries.
Enjoy and take care!
Completely off topic, you've been tagged with a meme. It's on my blog under "Tagged again".
Koyla, Long time no see! I trust you had a great thanksgiving. I understand the 'talking to a brick wall' thing as I feel the same way!
I have a question, do you think the quality of life is better in western Europe than in the US? I ask from true curiosity.
Precious child and great story, Rita!
How adorable is Elena??!!
I wish every Democrat could read this. Socialized medicine is NOT what we need or want. Of course, they would just dismiss what you say as being from a 'third world' country and that it would not be like that here. Oh boy!!!
A very cute and SMART girl.
I fear it's coming here soon.
I can't believe that America has not learned the socialized medicine "lesson" from Canada and other countries...but - it looks like our nation may be destined to enroll in the school of hard knocks. What is wrong with our "leaders" and the people that elected them into office? Never mind...I already know that answer to that one!
Koyla: it is true that infant mortality is lower in Western Europe, but that is because a large percentage of babies there are born at home with midwives in attendance. It has nothing to do with socialized medicine, doctors, or hospitals. Just FYI.
You've obviously raised her well JM or played an important part in it.
It's amazing that socialists can't get what even 3 year olds see as obvious. lol.
Check out this story about an infant boy born prematurely that was declared dead by doctors (in Paraguay) who were so inattentive that they mistook him for a girl. If they missed that, no wonder they failed to notice his respiration and heartbeat!
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