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#54: Bring in the Medics
25 Plays10 days ago
#54: Bring in the Medics
This episode is for us Gen X oldies! Just like the pigeons, don’t feed the temporarily unhoused (sorry). The oatmeal and incline walking are actually improving the health profile of Francis. Unfortunately, he’s headed in for another kidney stone procedure - whoops. Bring in Dr. Jessica and the pair go down the medical rabbit hole of America. PSA: YOU are your best medical advocate!
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Transcript
Introduction to Hosts and Podcast Themes
00:00:02
Speaker
From a makeshift recording studio in Brooklyn, welcome to The Grocery Stick with Jessica and Francis. Shut the front door. That is not what we agreed upon. Francis and Jessica. Meh, ignore that.
00:00:13
Speaker
We're Brooklynites and friends. We're here to talk, laugh, commiserate, and argue about all things travel sports-related, kid-related, and plain old life-related. It's Francis and Jessica, or I quit.
00:00:23
Speaker
Shh. Episode 54. Hello. We're to record all the preamble this time. And then I can, and the niceties and the how our yous. And then I'll just cut out whatever the fuck doesn't work because we say a lot interesting stuff stuff at the very beginning.
Summer Schedule and Parenting Challenges
00:00:44
Speaker
It's been a couple weeks.
00:00:45
Speaker
Yeah, I think our summer schedule is down to a couple, I think every two weeks. Yeah, I think scheduling is harder once, you know, your kids are home, my kids are home. Yeah. Vacations, you know, work, like projects, just.
00:01:00
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Yeah, it just becomes a little bit more complicated, scheduling-wise. um Yes. I'm generally less available. Anyone. Well, but anyone keeping track.
00:01:12
Speaker
We didn't publish last week. shh Don't tell anybody. going to be every two weeks. Probably. It's all good. Or we could take a summer break and let everybody else want us more. at The last time we took a summer break. Leave them wanting. yeah but i so we could go on an actual real but like up but the last time real life schedule. a summer break, Jessica, took five years to restart.
00:01:38
Speaker
I know, but it was COVID-driven and it was weird. It was strange. It was strange times. It was very different. Now it's like, you know, ah all my executive function shit is under control. And, okay you know, and you're kind of around because all your kids, all yeah quote, all your kids are going away. They'll be gone. And so, you know, you'll be less occupied with that.
00:02:01
Speaker
you One of mine will be definitely leaving. And then the other one, you know, is my focus. Yes. Got to make sure that child gets through high school unscathed and that I do not end up in a madhouse.
00:02:14
Speaker
saying. Yes. So, yeah. I mean, we can we can schedule it. We can even commit to a start date today if you wanted to do that. There you go. I'm i'm i'm not a commitment, folks. no i'm good I'm good with commitments. Are you still with two dogs?
Frustrations with Rescue Organizations
00:02:29
Speaker
Fuck yeah, I'm still with two dogs. I'm still with two dogs, two kids. No. like I mean, it could be more. No, but, you know, it's like I feel like there's always a looming threat of another one. Oh my God. From the same rescue? Hell no. I will never work with those people again. You're du but so here's babybo was I feel like here's the thing though. like i i didn't choose them.
00:02:49
Speaker
oh like I raised my hand and I was like, I can do it. And then the people who were down in Georgia yes arranged for the whole thing in order to get him to safety. So I did not Okay. They were like, hey, this is the rescue we have. Yeah. You know, they contacted me. I said, fine. They were like, do me a favor, you know, fill out the paperwork. Of course I did Sign the contract. Of course yeah I did. Yeah.
00:03:14
Speaker
I mean, honestly, i'm going on like almost 16 weeks not hearing from them at all. Not a single check in. And they knew that there was drama. They stuffed you. Yeah, but they knew that there was actual like real life drama happening. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, the thing is, is, you know, first of all, I guess I come off as extremely trustworthy. You know, I'm never going to give him away to anybody. You know what I mean?
00:03:37
Speaker
They know. i mean, forget the contract. You know, it's like they know. This person's not going to complain. Let's just stuff her with a dog. Well, it wasn't even I don't think the the non-complaint part. I think that, you know, the trust is and I'm not going to let anything happen to him.
00:03:52
Speaker
Right. That's the trust. The trust is, is, you know what, if we did care, you know, it's hard to say. what if you were an abuser of dogs and they came to you and then they didn't check in and then the dog dies, they wouldn't even They would be none the wiser. i Well, they would be at some point. would they would be Yeah, sure. I mean, that happens often. It actually happens a lot. Yeah, it happens a lot. And ah the rescue eventually does check in yeah Someone eventually finds out.
00:04:17
Speaker
And then generally what happens is they do end up sending police and there's always an investigation for animal cruelty. But the penalties are very, very like small. yeah Yeah. You know, you either get paid a fine or you get probation. You get like yeah a month. like It's really stupid. That seems to be the sign of the times. Yeah, it's really next to the courthouse. Remember? And it's like as long as you don't do any, you do anything short of harming a person. But even then, no, you know right away. you No, no. Even then you get out right away.
00:04:47
Speaker
Really? Yeah, have been a ton of people who have like assaulted other people. they and they get it right away? Yeah, they're done. fuck Whatever. an arraignment. They're finished. Well, let's not go down the rabbit hole. but because left Well, we totally could. I mean, not even like not even like a rabbit hole, but we can just like surface it where, you know, the bail laws in New York State are so punitive that people get off.
00:05:09
Speaker
you know, get after not punitive, right. They get off after an arraignment with nothing. Like they don't have to do anything.
Safety Concerns in the Neighborhood
00:05:18
Speaker
Did we already talk about the fact that because, because i live next to the court, people are stashing weapons in our plants. Yes, you did. time seriess okay i did talk about that I want to watch because I want to take, I want to take all of them. I did the video one for you. Cause I said, I was, was having coffee.
00:05:36
Speaker
I'm going to stand. I want to stand. I'm going to get someone on video looking inconspicuous, even though I was dude, you're so fucking obvious. You're standing around. You're turning your head. I'm having coffee in front of my building. And then I see you just like actively searching. The funny thing is like he was like when this guy tossed it into the bushes, you know, it's like it's like watching our five year old kids pretend they're being sneaky.
00:05:58
Speaker
Yeah. then like ah you could be more obvious. like I'm like, two seconds. I know you're hiding something and you threw something in the bushes and then I wouldn't go pick it up and give it to the cops.
00:06:10
Speaker
Anyways, you're you're a much better person than me then because I wouldn't have given it. I'd start collecting weaponry. I would just start a collection. Yeah, but you know, the thing is, like, there's so many young kids in our building and what whatnot.
00:06:21
Speaker
Last thing I need is for a kid to be running around. Oh, it's a stick with knife and hurt themselves because I didn't pick it up and give it to a cop. No, but that's what I'm saying. Like, you pick it up, but you don't give it to the cop. You take You don't want it. You've got someone else's fingerprints on it. Something happens and they look for the weapon and you've got your fingerprints on it now. and That's like, you don't want that shit. Okay, so that's far reaching.
00:06:42
Speaker
You don't know. There's cameras. Listen, you forget there are cameras watching everywhere. Oh, no, I don't forget at all. Okay. and and and Two seconds later, they go. aware Oh, this weapon was used. Oh, hey,
Helping the Homeless: Complex Interactions
00:06:54
Speaker
wait, isn't this guy? He picked up his weapon and walked into the building. Oh, he lives here. Oh, we need to talk to him. It's like, what the fuck? You're dragged into some shit because you're greedy over a $5 freaking like knife.
00:07:06
Speaker
Oh, no, I wouldn't do it for a $5 knife. You don't know. Anyways. But if I'm picking it up and possibly giving it to the cops, then I do know. They're going to court and they're throwing weapons in the planter. That's not a good recipe. No. No. And they're, you know, I mean, honestly, I don't know of anybody who's like rolling around the city with a weapon like that heading to a courthouse who's probably not a gang member or the like.
00:07:28
Speaker
Right? Like, you got to assume that they're up to no good. Some sharp objects in their pockets. Yeah, you have to assume they're up to no good. Hmm. Yeah. I mean, I would. Or protecting themselves from other people up to no good. Yeah, maybe. Robberies. I'm sure you get robbed all the time. Yeah, but that's probably no good, too.
00:07:47
Speaker
I don't know. I think it's questionable. All of it's questionable. Anyways. Okay. So you're still with two dogs. I am. Hasn't gotten worse. Hasn't gotten better. No. Still. It's actually fine. You growling at the kids.
00:08:01
Speaker
Yeah, not really. He's kind of, I think he's like kind of coming into himself because everybody's around a little bit more, you know, now that the seasons, all the seasons are finished. Yes. You know, there's a lot more, um...
00:08:14
Speaker
um persistent attendance at home. Okay. You know, and more in and out with lot less space in between. So I think it's, you know, it's it's fine. Every time I talk about it in a positive light, it reverts back to terrible. So I'm not saying anything. It's almost like I think it's all the time. keep saying it's bad it doesn't mean good. Yeah. Like, I just have to not talk about the nature of of how it is. Just what it is. Okay. Okay. That's fair. Must. It's a must. gears in Hang on a second.
00:08:45
Speaker
ah Oh, that's not what I wanted. I wanted the drum roll. Oh, no. You don't get the drum roll. You get the drums. I guess they're drums. uploaded the wrong... Well, shame on me. Anyways, drum roll, please. Happy to report that after my health check,
00:09:06
Speaker
Oh, it happened. Yeah, it happened. It happened couple weeks ago. Okay,
Health Improvements and Lifestyle Changes
00:09:12
Speaker
so give us the young hip of the report. Well, it works.
00:09:18
Speaker
Eating oatmeal for long walks actually works. and Okay, so so you got a lower. All the cholesterol numbers were down like 30-ish percent. That's a lot.
00:09:30
Speaker
and A lot. And it's back into like the green, you know, they give you the range. So everything's in the green range. Triglycerol, you know, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, blah, blah, blah, blah. Won't bore everybody with the stuff. Anyone who does these lipid panels and their blood tests. Anyways, it's all back in the green.
00:09:46
Speaker
Okay. So I can now make an appointment with my cardiologist. the i to say You were wrong, buddy boy. He said to me last time. Yeah. gay dans And I was like, no, no, give me I can change it. I know what i'm doing. He's like, nobody comes back with better numbers. I'm like, aha. Well, you better make that appointment fast. I know.
00:10:05
Speaker
You better ride the green wave while you have it. They're busy. You can't find the earliest appointments in September. So I'll have to keep going. That's fine. Because actually the lifestyle changes I made, i was going to tell him or anybody, wasn't that.
00:10:20
Speaker
You saw me. You see me. Wasn't that difficult? No. It was like, suffer through the oatmeal every so often. Two, really just eat when you're hungry. Mm-hmm.
00:10:32
Speaker
Not because you're bored. Right. Right. Right. Make sure you hydrate. Hydrate. And then four, when you're eating, like eat what you need. Yeah.
00:10:43
Speaker
As opposed to stuffing down everything you see on your plate in these American restaurants. Right. And just be comfortable taking it home or wasting it. Do you know what? about, I don't know, how old am I? I guess it was like 35 years ago. Yeah. Weight Watchers.
00:10:58
Speaker
Oh, you did? Yeah. he did work It does. It
Managing Restaurant Portions for Health
00:11:01
Speaker
totally works. yeah I mean, it's a plan, right? and it And it does. It totally works. And it was when they first instituted the point system. right. Where everything was worth points and you had X amount points per day depending on, you know, your weight and how much you wanted to lose, whatever. Right.
00:11:16
Speaker
And ah during that time, i came across someone who told me that when they go to restaurants, what they do is they immediately ask for a takeout box.
00:11:28
Speaker
Smart. And they as soon as the plate is put down, their entree is put down, they immediately take half of it and put it into the box. Right. And only eat half of the entree and then take it home for the next day.
00:11:40
Speaker
That's what I do on my own without anyone telling me. I'm like, you know I'm just going to eat what I think is comfortable. And I think it's half. But sometimes I throw it away because going out later. I don't want to sit in the car. Yeah. I mean, in theory, it's easier. For a lot of people, it's easier to manage that if it's not sitting in front of you as a whole serving. Because if you sit there talking and one more bite. One more bite. Right. And alcohol is the same way, right? You're talking and someone's topping. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. went out last week. I had a glass of wine. Yeah. And bartender came over he was like more. And I was like, no, no, no, I'm good. And I like popped my hand on the top of the glass, took my hand away and they poured more. And I was like, oh, no. Yeah. It was like wasteful. No, no, no, no, no. I don't even really drink I don't drink that often and before I hear from all these people about Francis you shouldn't waste food listen I'm sorry you can't take this food and ship it off to wherever it is you want to ship it off to yeah there's no starving children in China that it's going to my dad used to say that shit all the time when I was a kid there's starving kids in China and I'd be like oh those poor kids yeah okay yeah and you know he never sent anything to china like nothing to do with the food i ordered the restaurant you can't give it to like city harvest because you've touched it and contaminated it so like correct it's wasted that's right if you want to get to the source of it tell the restaurants to serve smaller portions let me tell you something you come across some homeless guy and you give him a leftover box they don't want it eating it either don't want it nope they don't want it
00:13:19
Speaker
I've done it before. and They're like, I don't want this. I'm like, fuck you then. Well, that's, so one guy on, on Smith street. Yeah. Right. Over by Tanichi one night was in a wheelchair. It's like the dude in the wheelchair. I know you're talking about the same guys. Yeah. And he was like, Oh, can you like get me something to eat? And I was like, yeah, actually I can do that. Like that I can do. And you know, it was seven 30, eight o'clock. It was when Tanichi, everything goes 50% off.
00:13:42
Speaker
Oh yeah. Right. And so I got him a couple of rice balls. I was like, it's filling. Yeah. Did he eat it? I got him two rice balls and I got him like a box of hockey and handed it to him. and of course, like in the interim, not to sound like the biggest, most freakish asshole in the world, but he touched my hand and I immediately felt like I needed a Silkwood shower. You remember the scene in Silkwood when she's scrubbing her with the wire brushes after she's contaminated? I know. You tried. It's okay.
00:14:10
Speaker
Jessica, God bless it You tried. I did. And so he he took it said, thank you. And said, God bless you. Okay. And then, he really wanted so then we had walked around and came back and they were on the ground next to his wheelchair. It doesn't mean that he didn't take them when he left or that he wasn't going to eat them, but it was just like on the ground.
00:14:30
Speaker
They're wrapped. It doesn't matter to me. I mean, honestly, when all was said and done, it was like $5, $6, $7. It wasn't a big deal. I know the bigger problem with that. i think Okay. Let me tell you the bigger problem. The bigger problem since I go to Smith Street every day. Yeah. My food. The bigger problem with that is like, yes, you want to be a good person and give them food and coffee, whatever it is they ask for. hmm.
00:14:52
Speaker
The downside to that is because lot of them are mentally unstable. Yes. And so he took your food. He probably forgot it or wanted to sell it for drug money or whatever. Or he was giving it to somebody else who needed it more than he has somewhere else. The only problem I can foresee that if they're mentally unstable and they're hanging around and you as a good Samaritan start buying stuff or giving them money.
00:15:17
Speaker
They hang around that storefront longer, which makes but most people uncomfortable. He was gone. He actually didn't. But they come back, oh, this spot is a good spot. Yeah. People keep giving me money and food, which makes the life of that store owner not so nice. Right. But to what you said earlier, you know this guy. This guy's up and down Smith Street all day long. I've seen him before. It's not like it's the only time I've seen him. Wait, he the guy with no legs or with legs? No legs.
00:15:44
Speaker
Yeah. Let me tell you, let me tell you yeah that the conversation even took that turn. Cause they're the regulars, right? Yeah. Yeah. He's up in town Smith's. His brother the entrance to the welfare center to the home is next to our garage entrance, next to the Hilton hotel.
00:16:02
Speaker
that's what I tell you. His brother was the one entering our garage and stealing bikes. Nice. Wait, his brother has legs and not in a wheelchair? Yes. That I got into an altercation with. I was grabbed him one day and said, what the fuck are you doing here? Yeah. The cops came, blah, blah, blah. Okay. The whole thing gets released and comes back and forth few, four more times. Keep calling the cops. They aggress. So I haven't seen him in a while. But anyways, so he's the brother of the guy in the wheelchair with Tony. How do you know this?
00:16:28
Speaker
I talk to them. I see. Yeah, you're a bigger person than me. and I talk to all of them. There's one really nice guy who used to be a boxer. Black guy. um Isn't he the black guy who sits? Alfonso.
00:16:43
Speaker
He's very loud. Yeah, but isn't he is he the guy who sits over more towards Dunkin Donuts? No. Okay. This guy. and And if you look at him, there's one guy kind of like looks like a monster kind of keels over. No, and that's not him. this He walks normally, but, but he'll see me. unlike a e He'll see me from two blocks away. Does he love you? Hey, i buy him coffee. I talk to him. And he's my Alfonso. Hey guy, how are you?
00:17:10
Speaker
And the story goes, and the white Inouye people, everyone's very nice to him. Yeah. he's He's the mild, like he's, of all the people we meet in the area, homeless, he's, or sorry, I can't say homeless.
00:17:22
Speaker
Unhoused. It's the same thing. I know. I know. I'm just trying to appeal to the our genn what are Gen Z listeners. Are there many? I don't know. fucking Who knows? Anyways, unhoused, temporarily unhoused, homeless. slash home um ah He's the nicest and most normal. but he But his story is he was a boxer and he's just been hit in the head too many times. And so he's not unstable. Yeah, he's not unstable. I've never seen unstable or attacking anybody. He's just, you know, slow.
00:17:53
Speaker
Sure. but that And he probably has CTE. Yeah. Right. But nice guy. Talks to the cops and security guards all the time. Blah, blah, blah. Okay.
Wealth, Poverty, and Community in NYC
00:18:01
Speaker
Anyways, back to i feel bad for the retailer because some of them are not so stable. And Mr. Wheelchair Guy. Yeah.
00:18:08
Speaker
ah I have come home to see him. I got. Look, he doesn't have a he doesn't choice. Right. But I've come back to the garage where the homeless shelter is. Yeah. And he'll just sit there and just pee in the street.
00:18:20
Speaker
Yeah, I believe it. And then all and I was like, first time I it, was like, ah, dude. But i was like, he's got no legs. Can't get a wheelchair. Sometimes you got to go. You got to go. No excuses. And I'm like, but there are little kids. Yeah, no excuses.
00:18:32
Speaker
I know. There are a lot of little kids in ah in our building in the area. It's a nursery right across the street. A preschool right across the street. Is it the Greek one? across, nope, across from their welfare center. Okay.
00:18:44
Speaker
So it's like, I mean, and it's New York, right? This is the whole thing about New York. It's a melting pot. You can be a billionaire. You can be a bum you and you walk, share the same street. but yeah ah But still, like, oh, but they're looking to change that. So don't worry. That won't stay. your the little kids And non-Smith Street, the public school, primary school. So so the whole thing is like,
00:19:03
Speaker
Lately, I've seen another guy. I think it's the same guy you're talking about now. Wife Beater. i probably can't say that either, but Wife Beater. Dude, we're such Gen Xers. I can't say that, but I don't know what call it. Undershirt? Wife Beater. Whatever. It's a white cotton tank top. a white cotton tank top. anyway Some would construe it as old underwear, but now cotton place. know you're talking about. That's the guy you're probably referring to, and he can talk normally. Yeah. and But now he's sitting on the bench in front of Bianqui.
00:19:34
Speaker
oh that's a good spot every morning can you buy me coffee I'm like ah fuck this is the last spot where I thought no bum was going to hang out but now he's there dude why would they not hang out in front of the French bakery guess so because Dunkin Donuts is probably a better place to get money for people than I think BNP I think it's more convenient because it's right next to the stop the subway stop so that there's more foot traffic correctly correct correct generalized foot traffic which is why think there's a deli and then there's like the duncan yep yeah domino's pizza yeah now they got like the chicken place across the street and juju next to it which is one of my favorite spots on smith street so anyways he's been there last couple days and i'm like looking for juju
00:20:10
Speaker
I'm trying to ignore him, yeah but you know. Yeah. I wear sunglasses and have my AirPods in my ears oftentimes, even if I have nothing on in them so that I can pretend I don't hear anybody. Oh, that's a good plan. I do it all the time now.
00:20:21
Speaker
Literally, I do it all the time. Okay. I mean, sometimes I have shit in my ears like going on, but like oftentimes, even if I don't, I just leave them in and then... hear what's going on around you, right? Yeah. And then I just kind of keep my going and not acknowledge what's going on around me. Speaking all this stuff, you know...
00:20:39
Speaker
You know the saying, no good deed goes unpunished. I do know that saying. I live that saying. You definitely know that saying the I lovely do i live that every day.
00:20:49
Speaker
So, okay. So the last time, and so it was a while ago, and this definitely put me off buying food and coffee for the temporarily unhoused in our neighborhood.
00:21:00
Speaker
Homeless people. I used to go to McDonald's on Court Street to get food. Oh, there's a guy who hangs out there too. Oh, no, there's many. Yeah. mcs And Popeyes. Yeah. But the worst case is you go through the drive-thru and they're like hawking the drive-thru. They're like, hey, can you use it? There's no drive-thru in this Court Street, right? It's like you have to walk in and they're hanging by the door. Oh, no. I'm thinking of the other one down on Hamilton Avenue. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. That one for sure. Yeah. It's like apex of Smith and Court.
00:21:25
Speaker
Court Street. I forgot there was a McDonald's on Court Street. It's really weird, right? It's a location. Oh totally forgot. Bubble tea, Vivi, my favorite Vivi bubble tea is there. Popeye's there. Right. and And I dread, so I i don't want to pay for delivery because it's just stupid. It's like two bucks away. But at the same time, I dread going in there because every time I go in there, I'm going to bump into one of these people. Trade-offs. We're going to ask you, hey, know,
00:21:47
Speaker
Okay, so I go in and I'm feeling whatever, especially charitable this day whatever reason. sure And there's a guy opens the door, hey, dude, do you think you buy me some food? I'm like, you know what?
00:21:59
Speaker
Yes, I can. It's all. Thank you so much. I said, what do you want? Stay here. Don't come in What do you want? He's like, ah ah I'll take a filet-o-fish meal. I said, what drink do you want? Whatever Coke is. Okay, fine.
00:22:11
Speaker
Stay here. He's like, oh, thank you so much. So I go in. And as I'm ordering, he comes into the store.
00:22:20
Speaker
i've ordered I've paid. Yeah. It comes into the store. Wait, I changed my mind. Oh no. Oh my God. and Here I go. and Now I'm shaking my head going, you motherless fuck Francis. No good deed. Here we go.
00:22:37
Speaker
What dude? I already paid. no, no. no actually I actually want a big Mac meal. And I look at the lady and she's looking at me like you dumb fuck. I see this guy every day. You just created a shit store. I'm like, I'll fine. I'll pay extra. Okay. Then no.
00:22:51
Speaker
And then if I paid for that big man combo and this is now I know the deal. He changed his, he's just unstable. Changed his mind. I said, get the fuck out of here. I'm bringing your food out. And he didn't leave. Yeah.
00:23:03
Speaker
And here's your food. and I was like, all the way home. Like, fuck me, Francis. This is what happens, bro. Yeah. So I need a good guy. Look what like you you fucking did. i need some clarity. So did you change the order? changed the order once. Okay.
00:23:17
Speaker
To the Big Mac thing. And then after you wanted to proceed to change it three more times, was like, get the fuck out of here. Okay. So you ended up with the Big Mac meal. Okay. I don't know if you ate it. i was just I'm not sticking around to see that now. Right. Right. Right. Like your guy. Right.
00:23:30
Speaker
Gave it to him, left, went all the way home feeling like a schmuck. And that made me angry. And I was like, on the other hand I'm angry because like now I don't want to help other people. You're angry at yourself. There are other people. So you know who I help now?
00:23:41
Speaker
No. I help now in the hood are the little old Chinese ladies who look like a 95. Yeah. yeah And they're they've got the sacks of empty bottles and cans on their backs.
00:23:53
Speaker
yeah yeah they're hard working because they're doing work yeah they're hard they're just sitting there asking for food opening the door so they give so i give them money yeah and they are so appreciative sure obviously here's 20 bucks auntie you know asian style yes here's 20 oh my god they're like talk to me chinese and here you go okay cool see you later as tell them i don't i don't understand what you're saying well i understand them and just don't speak it back Well, are they speaking Cantonese? No, Mandarin. Mandarin. Okay. Yeah. Which i understand. It's no problem. And then, yeah, yeahp okay, but bute but and see you later. um
00:24:29
Speaker
There's that.
Harvesting in Parks by Elderly Asians
00:24:30
Speaker
and Because they're working. Right. They're very hardworking. Did we ever talk about them in the park? no What? No. So there is In the park next to you. Oh, yes. Okay. there is a home for elderly people.
00:24:46
Speaker
Oh. They are mostly Asian. Yeah. I'm saying Asian because I don't know that they're all Chinese. Fair enough. don't know all of them. I only know some of them who have I've seen walk around. They ah have the most beautiful raised garden in the back area of this building because I've seen it through like holes in the fence, like slat fence. Yes.
00:25:06
Speaker
And what they do is they head into the park and they harvest trees. And I don't. So first of all, they harvest the gi the ginkgo. Yeah. The first thing. Yeah. When the fruit falls. Yeah. They pick up the fruit because the seeds. Right. They grind the seeds and makes ginkgo powder. So they harvest the ginkgo. That's the first thing.
00:25:25
Speaker
The second thing they harvest are ramps because there are wild ramps that grow in the park. Right. So they go and they harvest wild ramps and you will see them in these fields squat down, right? Flat footed squat down, digging in the soil. And they have like, it's almost like, it's a cloth. It's not a bag. Okay. Most of the time it's a cloth. Like they tie it and they lay everything in it. yeah And they carry it. No, just yeah that there's something else they harvest, but I've never been able to figure out what it is. And none of them speak English, so I can't understand what they're telling me.
00:25:59
Speaker
um But there is another there's one other plant that they go through and they harvest. But there's a lot of ginkgo trees in that park. And so when the ginkgo fruit fall, you see them all. they And they're doing the work, right? So I'm like, I see them in the hood. I'm like, I got to give them something because this is ridiculous. yeah um That was my mom.
00:26:17
Speaker
running around collecting bottles and cans. Yeah, totally. agree. That freaking make my heart, man. Like they're still doing the work. Yeah. I wonder though how many of them do it because it's like extra money or if they do it because they can't stand the fact that the money is being wasted.
00:26:32
Speaker
Right? Like it's like unclean. I'm sure it's a bit of everything. Right? It's like's like, they don't ever strike me as desperate. No, but they probably have no family. Yeah, maybe. I'm just saying. Well, no family or not supported. Right. And obviously live in a shelter or a home of some sort. Yeah. Right. Yeah. yeah and Or maybe not.
00:26:49
Speaker
Maybe, maybe not. But need something Clearly need something to do. So they go collect cans. There's a Russian couple, a Russian couple that come over here. Yeah. And they do it in the park. Okay.
00:27:00
Speaker
But, you know, it's like I can see the logic behind let's go do this because people are leaving money all over the place. like Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. literally money that they're leaving everywhere, right? yeah So yeah if you can get past the whole, like, mess of it all, yeah then you you win. Well, and, and like, I'm sure in your street and, like, my street and the brownstones, people – The recycling. You don't go into your trash. Yeah. So now they these people who live here, they'll separate but those recyclable bottles that get like five cents, ten cents, put them in a separate bag and just hang it there. Yeah. So they come for them.
00:27:34
Speaker
Don't go through my trash. Yeah. Yeah. And create mess. That's the that's the downsides. They go through the trash and then they leave a mess and kind of Well, so generally what I do is I don't knot my bags. I tie them in a bow so they can pull it, open it, and then close back up. Oh, smart.
00:27:47
Speaker
So I don't get, I don't have an issue with people making, you know, messes or, you know, opening holes in the plastic. I'm very courteous about how I leave it on top, but I don't separate it out because I don't have a fence to hang it on.
00:27:58
Speaker
Right. So I don't have, you know, it just kind of sits there. Yeah. So I don't do it that way. That's good. Yeah. Smart. Yeah. But yeah. So anyway, so use them once in a while. It's just, it's just busier in traffic. You have those like Hispanic um ladies with the kids, the babies. Yeah. And they're trying to sell fruit.
00:28:17
Speaker
Yes. And again, working. Yeah. I don't want the fruit. No. And if I have time, here's some money out the window. Thank you very much. They give you. and then no, no. I don't want the fruit. Just the money. and then Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And then leave, which I'm happy to do because they're working as opposed to the guys that are sitting sitting there begging for money. But yeah OK, so I need to like I need to pause on this. yeah All right. So the ladies that sell fruit.
00:28:41
Speaker
Yeah. What are those little green balls? I don't know. Don't you know what I'm talking about? The bags of the little green fruit. no and Normally I see them selling mango yes and watermelon.
00:28:52
Speaker
Yes. And a lot of it has tahini. They're like, oh, you want it with tahini or without tahini? Right, right, right. They sell the like a plastic bag. You have to tell me drugs. No, no, no, no. they're It's a green fruit. They're like they're probably the size of like tiny little plums. they're not I don't think they're plums though because they look like they have a thicker skin. that small?
00:29:10
Speaker
They are that small. They must be something that that they eat. I don't know what it is. I know. i have no idea what it is. And I'm afraid to buy it because I don't know how to eat it and I don't want to poison myself.
00:29:23
Speaker
Yeah. So yeah you'll have to take a look next I'll take look next time. going ask them. Yeah. Next time, you know, check it out. Look at me, guava, star fruit. Nope. It's definitely not guava. Oh, maybe it could be guava, I guess. But I don't think it's guava. That would be a lot of guava.
00:29:37
Speaker
Yeah. For like a very low price. I'm going to look for it. Yeah. I'm going to look for Yeah. And on Tillery and the whole bit. Yeah. Yeah, plastic bags. They're like yeah plastic bags full. um Okay. Little green.
00:29:50
Speaker
Probably the size of small plums, I would say. Okay. You know, like the little Italian plums, you know, the ones I'm talking about, the purple ones that have the yellow flesh, like the super little ones. Do you kids take Spanish school? My kids take Spanish school.
00:30:02
Speaker
Evan got a pretty high mark. He's like using Spanish everywhere. I go into the school. He's talking to all the all the workers in the back of the kitchen in Spanish. That's awesome. No. i yeah mean So my daughter took Spanish. She stopped taking it. what You use it. You can't. Right. And and my my other one did French for like eight years.
00:30:23
Speaker
Okay. And so still very much understands it, but has always had um trepidation about speaking it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're all like that. Right. um But i I was a comparative language and linguistics major. And so my primary language was Spanish and my secondary was Italian.
00:30:39
Speaker
Hey. Yeah. So I had fluency. You go over for an AI company. Yeah. Not an anymore. I'm like, I could, it would probably come back to me if I went, honestly, if I went and lived in a Spanish speaking country or in it's you know Italy for a little while, it would come back. It would probably flood back pretty easily. Okay. I'm really, really out of practice. And so oftentimes. and he lived for unless you'd You'd have it back. and Yeah. Yeah. If I went and moved to a place that it was primary, it would come back. No problem. but I need to. so I'm going to learn some. I'm gonna ask Evan when he gets back from Europe to give me a couple of phrases so I can talk to those ladies. What is that?
00:31:16
Speaker
Right. Tell me what that is. Take the money. Tell me what that is. I'm out of here. Thank you. Yeah, but if they tell you in Spanish, you're still not going to know. Yeah, but I'll remember what they say. Yeah, well, that's true. You have to record it and then I'll get my kid to translate it again. Yeah, it's funny. Although Spanish is pretty close to English. I mean, some of the words you can...
00:31:36
Speaker
There are a lot of cognitives. Yeah. You can sort of like understand what they're trying to say. I feel like that fruit is not like a, I don't think it's complicated. I just can't identify it from the distance. Like I've seen them. I've i'm never really close enough.
00:31:50
Speaker
Yeah. And at a red light to like, it's never been convenient. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Roll down the window and be like, Hey, what are those? yeah But I see them all the time. Okay. And I just can't identify. I don't know what they are. Did it have like one of those spears? No.
00:32:02
Speaker
No. No spears. No spears. They're just like brown green fruits. It wasn't cut with like the mango they sell. It's not like was really in its shell, skin, whatever it is. Yeah, it's in a... Okay. All right. Yeah, no.
00:32:17
Speaker
No spears. Doesn't look like they're peeled. It looks like they're whole. W-H-O-L-E, not H-O-L-E. Because the English language is fucked, by the way. I mean, everyone knows it just because mine is in the hole. H-O-L-E. H-O-L-E. All the time. In the can ah can. In the whole can.
00:32:37
Speaker
um Just to circle back on the health thing. Yes, we can see. The food thing. We got derailed a little bit like we always do. ah The downside is I have to go for kidney stone surgery on Friday. Oh, no. Really? yeah Again? So, anyways.
00:32:52
Speaker
So, what does that entail? It depends on what kind thing. Is it like sound waves? Is it like exploratory? Like, how does this manifest? By the way, this is good timing. Okay. So, I just know the FDA. It's approved.
00:33:07
Speaker
a handheld device using very focused audio waves to break up stones that without needing any surgery or general anesthesia, you just walk in, boop, boop, boop, and then you roll out of there. That's wild. And I tried to enroll in a clinical trial, but they're no, because they need this stone to be stuck.
00:33:27
Speaker
So this the device, it needs to be super painful before they help
Kidney Stone Surgery and Medical Experiences
00:33:31
Speaker
you. Yeah. FDA approved, but hasn't reached commercialization yet. Still the final trials. And they're like, yeah, it needs to be stuck between the bladder and the kidney.
00:33:41
Speaker
And then you can be part of the trial. I'm well, That's not really my jam right now. Yeah. And if it were, i wouldn't be emailing you nicely. I'd be calling like now. Urgently. And it was in Rochester. was like, I'll fucking drive there. Yeah. yeah Okay. That's the future, which is awesome.
00:33:59
Speaker
Can't wait for that to happen. But for now. You have two methods. One is the shockwave, the traditional shockwave therapy, which only works on certain size stones and and the stone has to be, I think, in your upper kidney.
00:34:14
Speaker
Okay. Before it's detached and can stuck between the kidney and the bladder. Okay. Okay.
00:34:25
Speaker
I wouldn't say I wouldn't call that preemptive because you still. So for me, it's not stuck, but I'd still feel pain. So that's why I do my annual checkup. And he's like, you, you need to do this. And like, he's you can, I didn't want to do it at first.
00:34:39
Speaker
i oh You know me. i was like, Yeah. Doc. I'm going to wait and see. He yeah he he looks at me and he's like, dude. Maybe I'll pass the stone. This is like the fourth time.
00:34:51
Speaker
Yeah. In how and how long? The fourth time in how many years? This is my fourth time in 15 years. Okay. And first we had surgery, not the shockwave therapy, it was stuck.
00:35:03
Speaker
They called it a ureteroscopy. Okay. Very invasive. Yes. I do know. Long Yeah. Yeah. ah for and gross ah people For people who are grossed out, they put a stent in, like a little tiny straw, from your kidney through your bladder all the way out to the exit.
00:35:22
Speaker
Right. Yeah. That fucking thing is like the length of two pieces of paper. Yeah. My mom had that once. And they just yank it out when you're done. Anyways. Okay. So so that's the first two I've had.
00:35:34
Speaker
The third one, I passed the stone the day before surgery. So are you hoping Thursday's your deadline? Yeah. Okay. This one, the fourth one, he's actually allowing me to do the shockwave therapy. Okay.
00:35:52
Speaker
Because it's early. Okay. As opposed to it being stuck and then me complaining and calling. So he's like, dude, I said i didn't want to do it And he's like, dude, do you want it to get stuck again? Or do you want us to get to it early? Yeah. You know what?
00:36:05
Speaker
Yeah. Let's preemptively. Let's try one early this time. So then, so then what is, what does the shockwave therapy entail? You know, okay, you know when you go to the dentist and they have that x-ray machine, like that large cylinder they put next to your face? Yes.
00:36:23
Speaker
It's kind of like that, but now aimed at your kidney. Okay. So it simultaneously takes an x-ray. Okay. And an ultrasound. Okay. So they can find the stone. Yeah.
00:36:35
Speaker
Right? Yeah. And then aim at it. Yeah. And blast it with these shock waves. Okay. And of course you move because you breathe and blah, blah, blah, blah. So you're under general anesthesia. It takes, ah apparently it takes an hour. Anyways, so they, i have two stones. He's got a blast. Okay.
00:36:51
Speaker
And that's apparently it. And so obviously there's bruising and blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah. But it's, you know, less invasive. Yeah. So in theory, you zap it and then...
00:37:03
Speaker
The hospital is like six blocks from home. Right. I walk home. You're doing it over at the NYU? Yep. yup Yeah. I just relax. And this time my daughter, my kind daughter is going come pick me up. Nice. Because my wife is not going to take off work. She'll give a shit. She's going...
00:37:18
Speaker
She's leaving town. and i And this time I can't sneak out. Like the last time yeah snuck out and they got really angry that I snuck out of the hospital. You know, okay, so anyways, surgery's happening Friday, bla blah, blah, blah, whatever. Let's go back to that the time I snuck out of the hospital. And I'm like, guys,
00:37:34
Speaker
You can get mad at me all you want. It took you an hour to notice that I left the hospital my own. After staying, I'm going to the bathroom. Right, because they assume you're in bathroom. But the interesting part is that nobody checked. I'm going to the bathroom with my stuff. Right. was like, oh my God. Excuse me, Mr. Xiao. I'm no genius. But if I worked in hospital and I saw a patient go to the bathroom with his bag of stuff, that's not a good sign. Yeah.
00:38:02
Speaker
Yeah. I think you'd be surprised what people do in the hospital in terms of taking their stuff with them. I mean, there are so many paranoid people, you know, get up. They want to leave their stuff. Let's take it. They go like.
00:38:13
Speaker
OK, I think I think there are a lot of reasons that are sort of they're sort of legit. Yeah. They wouldn't immediately jump on you. OK, that's that's fair. I mean, honestly, though, like the 30-minute mark, maybe you want to, like, throw a knock on the door and do welfare check and make sure no one's calling and they can't get up. Well, and then it's like, okay, so...
00:38:33
Speaker
and um And I know people do this, but like I didn't, the IV was already gone. Obviously, if I've touched an IV, that's a little harder to do. Yes. Although I'm not brave enough to yank that thing out. Yeah. Even though you probably could. You could. And like press it for a little bit. It would stop bleeding. Right. Yeah. But I'm like, I wouldn't go that far. Anyway. You'd be fine. Once take that off, I'm like, hey, I'm free. And and the thing for me is like, unlike my wife and other people I know who've gone through surgeries and they wake up,
00:39:01
Speaker
and I don't know what it is When I wake up from the GA, a I'm clear-minded. Yeah, I'm pretty good too. I'm a little tired, but I'm pretty good. Like I'm up. I'm like, I wake up. I'm like, hey, doc, how's it going? Best nap ever. Everything's great. Same. Best nap ever.
00:39:17
Speaker
Propofol is my favorite. I totally understand why Michael Jackson died doing it. Right. And I get the whole old liability thing. You're dizzy. You fall in the trap. You get here. the fuck let this guy go? but based but but then thing But based on the liability issue and them getting very angry at me and subsequently my calling my wife because they couldn't find me. They called her first.
00:39:38
Speaker
ah You were in trouble. ah Given how serious that is. Yeah. They should fucking keep tabs on people more closely. Yeah, for sure. Then letting me roll to the bathroom and then roll. ah I mean, let me just tell you something. I wasn't like being like crawling on the floor. And I said, I'm going to the bathroom. Okay. I walked into the bathroom with my stuff.
00:39:58
Speaker
I didn't stand there. I didn't stay there for 30 minutes. I was like, one minute later, I opened i get dressed. I click the door open. I peek my head out and I roll to the exit and I rolled past security and I still had the wristband on.
00:40:11
Speaker
Yeah. The surprising thing is that the hospitals haven't help me they haven't instituted like a thing with the security people at the door where you have to hand them a pass. A tag. Yeah, like swipe a tag that shows that you've been released. Yeah. You know, you know, those buzzers you have in shops when you steal something? Yes. RFID tag.
00:40:31
Speaker
You can um it cost like pennies to embed that in the bracelet that you check people, you admit people to. Right. And so they walked out the door. It would buzz. Right. and Right. Not. all But, you know, but it also like if you stand it, it should come up on a screen that says whether you've been released or not.
00:40:47
Speaker
Totally. And if you've not been released, then you should be remanded back to the department so that there's no liability for the hospital. So anyways, to the hospital hospital thing, it's your fucking fault. You lost me. Yeah. Even though I intentionally walked out, it's your fucking fault. Yeah.
00:41:00
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, and what you know, it's like, what would they say if you weren't somebody of sound mind? Right. Let's just say you were someone who was like on a psych hold or, yeah you know, something of that ilk. Right. You know, that's that's a big deal.
00:41:11
Speaker
Have people just pick up and walk out.
Doctor Changes and Consistent Care at NYU
00:41:14
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't bode well. Speaking of and NYU, my my new doctor is leaving again. oh So now both my three of my doctors, three of them.
00:41:24
Speaker
Where are they going? Private practice? One of them, my surgeon, he's out on Long Island. Yeah. At Northwell somewhere. yeah. My first gastro is in Westchester. Okay.
00:41:37
Speaker
And then this one who's beloved amongst his patient body. Yeah. I have no idea. They won't tell me. I don't know. I said, is he leaving, leaving, or is he retiring? and they're like, we don't know.
00:41:48
Speaker
I'm okay. He's not dead, is he? No, he's definitely not dead. He's older, but I'll find out because i have another doctor whose husband is his best friend. So when I see her at the end of this month, I'm gonna be like, yo. Because that happened to me over COVID.
00:42:03
Speaker
Dude, my first two doctors. died I think I had a lot of doctors actually that died over COVID. That's crazy. Yeah. They were not around when COVID. Your first two doctors are just moving out of the city into greener pastures. Long Island, Northwell, nice big group. And then Westchester, UK. Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:18
Speaker
My original GP over COVID, like you know you know me, I don't see him unless I'm really ill. Yeah. A couple of years had gone by. And then I finally got a letter from NYU saying, oh, you need to choose a new GP.
00:42:33
Speaker
Because Dr. So-and-so is no longer, and that's not Dr. So-and-so is no longer with our practice. Yeah. yeah I'm like, oh, so we left. So I fucking typed it in. I'm like, you damn, I like the guy, old guy, old Indian doctor. Love him. Straight shooter.
00:42:48
Speaker
straight yeah No joking about that. No, love that. And i was like, and I mean, he fucking died. Yeah. I was like, fuck Jesus Christ. He died. and And I see it. I had seen him.
00:43:02
Speaker
i had seen him like in February of 2020. Okay. okay for a regular checkup and the obit is in april of 2020. oh that didn't take long was he older yeah yeah yeah so that's my retina guy too oh i should call him for his obit that's what he clearly died from seeing and i see i think it was pretty explicit he died from seeing a covid patient or you know its march april 2020 no one knows anything right he got sick he died yeah was like yeah
00:43:34
Speaker
I feel bad, but he, and you know, he, um, I mean, it was all sad, but it's particularly sad when like the medical professionals, I know't i actually knew someone who was an emergency room doctor who died, but I don't know how, actually. I'm not sure how this person died. All I know is that one day it popped up that their funeral service was being broadcast over YouTube. Oh shit. I know. I mean, and we weren't friends. we were acqua We were acquaintances through figure skating. So, you know, we didn't know each other well. We had a couple of really friendly conversations and that was where it was. But yeah, but like I still to this day, I still have no idea what happened.
00:44:16
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, damn. Yeah. Okay. Well, sorry. Sorry, guys. To get our podcast back on track to happier times. Sorry about that. Let's not talk about COVID anymore. I mean, we did go down the health rabbit hole, which, you know, is really deep for me.
00:44:32
Speaker
yeah oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, so deep. At the times, yes. Yeah. Yeah. So all that to say, I need i now need to find third. That's a bummer. That's always pain in the ass. That's pain in the ass.
00:44:45
Speaker
Yeah. Well, so the question is, so, you know, do I stay at NYU or do I move to Sloan? That's really the question. You know, I've gone through, this will be my fourth doctor in and a half years. That's painful. But they have all your stuff in the app.
00:44:59
Speaker
Yeah, they do. But I mean, this would be like the one thing. Like I could, if I moved, if I moved, then it's whatever. It's just another, one other thing to manage. I mean, I'm managing it anyway.
00:45:11
Speaker
but i would say only move if it's location convenient for you. No, that's not it for me because this, for me, it's a, it's more of a lifesaving measure. It's like it needs to be consistent and it needs, my standard of care needs to remain the same. And if it doesn't remain the same, then I'm not interested in being there anymore.
00:45:30
Speaker
Fair enough. Um, you know, so like I'm supposed to have scans this month and I had sent an email, which is why I knew that I was leaving. Yeah. Oh, I see. Right. And we're like, Oh, we're we're going to put you with blah, blah, blah. Right. And I was like, well, ah first of all, let me look up, blah, blah, blah. because i You know, I'm not going to just make some like random appointment. i'm going to go look this person up and I need to understand whether or not they take my insurance. I don't want you to just think throw me into anything.
00:45:54
Speaker
Unfortunately, think in the city. Yeah. Yeah. It's just, I don't and don't think, it doesn't matter where you go. The turnover is so high with doctors in the city because of the stress and working for big groups and then they have their own lives, right? They have kids, like, you know, kids, I'm moving to Westchester and I want a better life and blah, blah, blah, blah. it'ss It's got to be hard to find long-term I don't know. I feel like at Sloan they stick.
00:46:18
Speaker
Oh, okay. Give a shot. feel like they stay around much longer at Sloan. Although I would argue that up until this point, I've not had this at NYU. I've been at NYU for years and this has never been a thing. Now it's just an influx of just this like exodus.
00:46:34
Speaker
think my dad's cancer doctor changes every year. You what? ridiculous. Your dad's cancer? Yeah. It's like just every year. It's like, what the fuck? Because leave or because it's Canada? Hmm. Well, in Canada, like, okay, leaving, I don't know.
00:46:48
Speaker
Right? I think in Canada, because everyone and works for the government. Right. In the medical profession, you could get reassigned. I guess. Kind of thing. that's what I'm asking. Is it like the doctor or your dad? I don't know. Every time i call i like the new fucking doctor, I'm like, Jesus Christ. And so then it's like the whole thing of like, explain your history again. bla It's very, it's very.
00:47:09
Speaker
So that's part of the reason I'm kind of against socialized medicine. Yeah, sure. I'm not a huge proponent for it. I mean, i under think that I am a proponent for subsidy. I think it's really important that there is an overlap, but I don't think that the government should necessarily own health care because of that. fix, you know, i there's no fix because in the end, like in the U.S., for example. Yeah.
00:47:30
Speaker
because of the insurance industry and the big hospital groups and the for-profit. Yeah. This is part of the reason why always delay surgery. It's like every surgeon is very eager to cut.
00:47:43
Speaker
To cut. That's what they do. i mean, that's why they become surgeons though. Oh. Because they like to cut. Because the ones that don't like to cut go and do something else in the medical profession. Well, well the thing is like, but the only way to make money is to cut. Yeah. To keep cutting. cut yeah cut cut cut Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. And And NYU now is like, i don't i ah they don't they won't tell me why, but the last the last few searches I had, you just you go, they give you a bill, insurance this is what it costs, the insurance paid for this, you owe this. right
00:48:14
Speaker
now that that made you pay upfront Now, there's an estimate. This is what it costs, this is what your insurance should pay. yeah please play Please pay the estimated patient responsibility, and then we'll sort out the balance yeah later. I'm like, no, I'm not fucking doing that. No, I don't like that. See, the look my problem with that is shit is between the two businesses, they're contracted, yeah you know and we pay we pay monthly, right? So we're the ones who are constantly paying into the system. I know. And so really, the problem is is that there are a lot of people who, after a service is rendered, abandon their contract.
00:48:50
Speaker
Yes. Understood. Understood. But you can, know again. But I don't want an estimate. Hey, here's use of AI. You can tell based on the type of insurance and the person's hist payment history. Right.
00:49:01
Speaker
Right. Whether this person is going to flee. Right. Well, the insurance, the insurance company should be able to tell you. and And also, by the way, the plan, the level of plan that the patient has that should also be an indicating factor as to who's going to pay and who's going to walk. So they know we're freaking paying. That's right. Just take a chill pill. I've been paying every like on time for 26 years. Relax. Right. Right. Kind of thing.
00:49:23
Speaker
But anyway, so, so, so was like, I'm going to not pay. keeps saying, I keep getting reminders to pay. I'm going to not pay. And see what happens when I arrive on Friday. They make you pay.
00:49:36
Speaker
And they tell you. When you check in. don't pay, you don't get to check in. Then I'll pay. So when I went, I went for one of my surgeries. Yeah. Yeah. I walked in and my balance was like $47,000. What the fuck?
00:49:51
Speaker
estimated right because yeah because there was some trouble with the insurance company there was all this yeah yeah yeah and i was told by somebody there i'm not naming any names i was told by somebody there at the time yeah not to worry about it yeah don't worry about it we're not we're not making you pay this right you know we're gonna we're gonna go we're gonna do it we're gonna fight it we're gonna resubmit we're gonna do that yeah that they will pay it they will pay it because there's medical necessity behind it right I think they were claiming, I think the insurance company may have been claiming like unnecessary procedure. Elected procedure. Which is insane. the fuck? Idiots.
00:50:24
Speaker
Totally insane. um Okay, so you didn't pay and then they took care of it and then the real bill showed up. Yeah, which was like nothing. Right. Okay. It was nothing. So that's my that'll be a yeah and an update in two weeks. Yeah. Whether it's not they made me pay before I i go in. Right. Because it's in the app and you can pay it on the spot. And that's fine. Right. And mine, for just for reference, they want $7,000.
00:50:49
Speaker
that's Is that what they want? That's my share. That's what they want right now off the top. Yeah. So here's the other question. So like have you met your deductible? Have you met your deductibles for the year yet?
00:51:02
Speaker
That's the other curious thing. So I keep looking at our thing. Yeah. And our annual deductible, there's, this for some reason in our system, I see two deductibles. There are individual and family.
00:51:16
Speaker
Oh, is that what it is? Anyways, one has been met. Okay. And then the other one is $3,000 away from being met. And then it says you... no more out-of-pocket costs after that. Right. So I'm like, wait a second. Then what's the first deductible for?
00:51:31
Speaker
So the first deductible is like, we're paying 50-50 with you to meet this deductible. And then once you meet this, there's another deductible. When you meet that, then there's no more for you. Yeah. So normally it's individual and family deductibles. Oh, I see. Okay. And third is coinsurance.
00:51:47
Speaker
Co-insurance is the biggest fucking racket that ah private insurance companies and hospitals have instituted because basically it's a facility fee. That's it.
00:52:00
Speaker
It's a facility fee. And and the yeah truth is, i feel like I've only seen it over the past four years or so, yeah maybe five years, because it certainly wasn't like that before. But that's why I won't go for testing to NYU over on Atlantic. Okay. Because when I book testing over there, yeah the facility fee, the coinsurance, yeah which is basically the you know facility fees.
Medical Billing and Insurance Challenges
00:52:23
Speaker
hospital fee. 10%.
00:52:25
Speaker
Holy shit. Which is huge. So that might be something you want to check on specifically because the estimate is so high. ah That is the place where they really get you.
00:52:38
Speaker
Yes. um Okay. I've never had, as far as I can recall, I mean, I could go back and look at all my records, but. I don't think I've ever gotten a 10% coinsurance fee for surgery or at the one on 34th street. So for our Canadian friends, there' I don't, and I haven't, it's been so long. I don't remember what kind of bills you see there, but here after procedure for my Canadian friends, the list of bills that keep coming in,
00:53:04
Speaker
is numerous because one, there's the facility fee, let's say for a surgery, the OR and the hospital. Cleaning. Then there's a separate bill for the doctor surgeon, another separate bill for the doctor anesthesiologist, which always make sure they're in your network because those are the those are the guys who go rogue.
00:53:25
Speaker
Yeah, sure. and Every time. So there was like four or five bills related to a particular procedure. and you're like, what the fuck? The bills keep coming. I paid. the and You didn't pay it because it's like everyone bills separately.
00:53:37
Speaker
It's crazy. Yeah. And so it's hard to keep track of. Yeah. Yep. Yes. Yeah. The anesthesiologist thing. Yes. So I went for ah my first colonoscopy I ever went for.
00:53:49
Speaker
Okay. I go, i pick a doctor who's in network. I pick a place that's in network. It was not at the hospital. This is before I knew that I had a genetic marker for increased risk for colon cancer. And I go, it's like ridiculously early in the morning. I got like the first appointment. Right. And I said to them, i was like, I just want to make sure everybody's in my network. And they're like, yep, no problem.
00:54:13
Speaker
No worries. We got you. I'm like, okay, great. So early. Hadn't eaten in what, like 36 hours. yeah So I'm doing the best I can. They go in for the procedure. I come out. Everything's whatever.
00:54:24
Speaker
and move on. i get a $3,000 bill. Holy fuck. From the anesthesiologist's office. Go fuck yourself. And I look at it and I'm like, nope.
00:54:35
Speaker
And this is, you know, this is probably why now they ask you to pay up front. Yeah. Right. Right. But I was like, no, I'm not doing this. And yeah so I sent it to the insurance company. The insurance company, you know they i told them that I was not paying the bill. I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah I was told you guys were a network. yeah You know, it's not my job to go and vet the anesthesiologist who I don't even know who it is before I walk in the door. Like if I ask and you guys say yes, that's on you. That's not on me. And if they had said no, I would have walked out. would have been like, okay, fuck it. Not doing it.
00:55:06
Speaker
So they submit. the insurance They do it too late. The insurance company comes back at them and says, sorry, you missed the window. right They keep billing me. I keep going back at them. yeah And then I went back at them and there's this there's a law.
00:55:19
Speaker
in New York State that states if you get an unexpected bill, like an unexpected invoice, you're not obligated to pay for it. So i was like, well good according to New York State law, yeah that's not mine.
00:55:31
Speaker
And they know that. yeah yeah And they just keep trying to fool you that's right into paying. that Well, they're pressuring you. Yeah. Right. Because they think that they want you to think that your credit score is going to be really obligated to pay my credit score. You're going to. Nope.
00:55:46
Speaker
There is a New York ze law that protects you from that. So then. Right. And then there the thing like, you know, you're a very smart person, medical savvy. I am fairly medical savvy through the stuff. You go through experiences, but and we know how to push. The average person doesn't. They just go, oh, shit. OK. And that's why they go into bankruptcy because they're like, yeah, I didn't know all this stuff was coming at me and then I can't pay it. And then boom.
00:56:08
Speaker
Yeah, that's exactly right. You didn't have to. Yeah. And that's the shady part. And that's where you talk about regulation. like there should be some, like I said, there should be some crossover because yeah the way that they do take advantage of people yeah ah is really, truly reprehensible. And they do. And they totally i do. I mean, I don't think they deserve to get gunned down on the street for it, but. No, but yeah, you know honesty would be nice. Yeah, but some transparency and a little bit of like, you know, responsibility yeah would be oh yeah would be at least humane.
00:56:41
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Oh man, this turned out to be a great medical episode. Seriously. In our show notes, I'm going to tell everybody, if you're young, you can just pass on this episode. Right. But if you're our or or everyone will get a kick out of what we just talked about. Trust because everyone's going
Advocacy and Decision Making in Healthcare
00:56:55
Speaker
through the same stuff. Or you can you can listen to it and learn what happens and what not to fall for Yeah. don't be know Don't be a patsy for insurance business. So in Canada, it takes you forever to get in line for any kind of procedure. Yeah. i don't know why.
00:57:08
Speaker
But that's part of the problem with the social system. In in America, you can get it done with end insurance fast, except that they're always too eager to cut into you. yeah So you got to advocate for yourself like, well, hang on a second, do I really need this? So that's really the bottom line. yeah Right. The bottom line is that you need to remember to be your own advocate.
00:57:26
Speaker
No one else is going to protect you. The insurance, the hospital, because you don't have all information, the doctor, the doctor, although they're there to provide health care for you, they're not going to advocate for you in the way that you would advocate for yourself. yeah I mean, you know, ultimately, you know, part of the whole thing with my colon issues, you know, colon cancer or whatever, like I don't have colon cancer. I could have had it probably about four different times if I didn't go for all of the tests all the time. Right. You know, the thing about it was um through another cancer diagnosis and surgeries and whatever, I insisted on genetic testing. Right. And my oncologist and my surgeon at the time were like, no no, no, no, no. You don't need it. Just let's just do this. The easy route will clean up. We'll do this. bla bla Blah, blah, blah. And was like, nope. Yeah. I was like, absolutely not. We're not going to do it that way. We're going to do it my way. I want to know if I have any genetic predisposition for any of this. And if I do, it'll change the way that I proceed surgically.
00:58:25
Speaker
Yes. Do it differently. And the gastro who ultimately, quote, saved my life. Realistically, um you know, she and I were talking one day and she said to me, she said, you know, she's like, you saved your own life. Yeah.
Full Body Scans: Popularity and Impact
00:58:42
Speaker
She said, I i facilitated that on medical side. She said, but your persistence and your insistence on doing your way yeah saved your life. She said nobody. She's like, nobody's going to advocate for yourself the way that you have advocated for you.
00:58:58
Speaker
And ultimately, that's why you're still here. Lesson learned. I mean, and that's why those scans are so popular now. That full body scan thing that's going around in a truck. Yeah. All over Hollywood, like for five grand. Yeah. They'll do the full body scan, blood test, everything to find all the markers and all the. And so anyway, so so people, some people swear by it. They obviously do it every year.
00:59:21
Speaker
Other people are like, or doctors are saying, well, the worrisome thing, especially in America, and I can see this, is like, you do it. And if you're a hypochondriac or that sort of person, paranoid person, every time you see a little thing off, yeah you then go and overload the medical industry with like, I want this, this, this, and this. this this this this yeah When it's like, ah early signs, don't panic yet.
00:59:48
Speaker
I get it. Both sides. right I mean, both things happen. So again, it's being reasonable.
Prevention vs. Treatment: Cost Considerations
00:59:52
Speaker
But but those scans, I've just i've been reading more and more about them in last sort of couple of months. They're so popular now. Yeah. They also advertise for them. Like some of them who spokespeople for them. Oh, shit. Yeah. Like you'll see it in print ads and stuff like that. And I'm not saying not to do it or that it's bad. I don't have any I don't have any frame or point of reference for it. Yeah.
01:00:11
Speaker
um I also feel like if you do run across people who are a little bit paranoid about their health, you know they will drop $5,000 in the bucket to have any kind of alleviate. I mean, there's something to be said about a medical system that spends money on prevention is way more efficient and low cost than one that is happy to cut yes after. No, you don't know wait till we get more so we can cut. don't Don't do something now. I mean, know. Right. But even, i mean, but if you looked at like cancer care, right? Yeah. Just as an example.
01:00:46
Speaker
All of the prevention is worth the funding because total treatment costs so much more money. way more and yeah It's so much more invasive ultimately than doing all of the preventative measures. Like the whole thing about, you know, colonoscopies being at what, like a 45 year old minimum. Like I think it's retarded. And I'm going to say that because. That word's back. i yo okay well I've never let it go. Yeah. I mean, I don't use it. I was told recently. I don't i i like the way it's like, no, it's okay. It's back. Yeah, I don't use it in reference to people. I use it in reference to situations. And I feel like because it's situational, then I don't really care what people think. It doesn't matter. But I think it's retarded that the minimum age for colonoscopy that the insurance will cover is 45 because there's such a huge influx yeah of diagnosis between the ages 22 and 30 that you need to drop
01:01:41
Speaker
You need to drop the the the floor story yeah and and provide care. Because when these people, when these younger people are going in and saying, yeah, and something's not right, they're going, ah, take a laxative. Ah, you don't need enough fiber. yeah. You're like low risk age or whatever. but Yeah, you're too young.
01:01:58
Speaker
Yeah,
Insurance and New Medical Technologies
01:01:59
Speaker
yeah. It's normally the thing. And it's the same thing, by the way, for breast cancer. Yeah. Tons of women are getting diagnosed in their twenty s Yeah. Well, that's what I'm wondering, like, you know, the whole, hey, this is a system, but and i I was like, okay, this handheld machine and the small company for kidney stones and you don't need anesthesia. I'm like, is that a good thing or bad thing? Like the insurance company probably likes it because it costs less.
01:02:21
Speaker
Yeah. solve the stones, no anesthesiologist, blah, blah, blah, blah. Okay. That's the insurance company. But the medical side who wants to bill you for shit, maybe they're not happy with this machine, even though it would be more efficient.
01:02:33
Speaker
Maybe my doctor wouldn't do it because he's like, well, I really want to do the expensive surgeries. Do I really want to do a non-expensive, inexpensive surgery on you in my office? I feel like the hope is, is that the patient body yeah would have such a diverse diagnosis spectrum that they would get some of both. Sure. Right. And so the ones that really don't need to undergo this insane invasive, right you know, you would hope, right. You would hope that they would steer them towards this minimal, yeah this minimal procedure to see if it works. I mean, and the truth is, is, you know, a lot of people who have kidney stones, it's, it's an issue for a long time. So they're repeat customers.
01:03:12
Speaker
Right. Right. so Look at me. Right. They're big customer. so You know, it's not like it's not like you're going to lose out in the long run. And
Building Patient Loyalty with Less Invasive Procedures
01:03:20
Speaker
maybe, maybe you're going to gain because they'll be loyal. If you do the less invasive stuff up front, there's probably a loyalty thing that'll happen.
01:03:29
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Okay. I'm sorry you have to have surgery though. That sucks. It's annoying. C'est la vie. Yeah, but it's annoying. From one surgical mess to another. i know.
01:03:42
Speaker
I know. I know. Okay, well, let's let's draw an end to this happy medical episode. Yay! Okay,
Transition to Humorous Dad Jokes
01:03:51
Speaker
first one I got here. and first dad. Okay, going to...
01:03:57
Speaker
i'm a First dad joke not really a joke or a question. you'll You'll understand. Okay, here we go. Do you want to hear two short jokes and one long joke?
01:04:08
Speaker
It's not really a question. of yeah Then you say sure. Okay, see sure, yes. Okay. Do you want to hear two short jokes and went and a long joke? And then the answer is joke, joke, joke.
01:04:20
Speaker
That's such a dad joke. It's so fucking stupid. It is stupid. You know what, though? That would go well, like like my four-year-old niece. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They would laugh at that. it Yeah, right. Okay. Anyways, okay. So that one, that one. okay Let's scratch that one out.
01:04:34
Speaker
Okay. Here you This one's for you. I can't wait. Why can't you send a duck to space? duck?
01:04:45
Speaker
Jessica Silver. Why can't you send duck space? to space to outer space.
01:04:57
Speaker
I don't have any idea. Because the bill would be astronomical. bad. So bad. Okay. So bad. Wait, did you like that one?
01:05:12
Speaker
I like that one. What side of a tree grows the most branches?
01:05:20
Speaker
What side of a tree grows the most branches?
01:05:30
Speaker
i don't know. I got so the first thing that popped into my head was the flip side and now I'm stuck there. Close the outside.
01:05:43
Speaker
OK, scratch that one out. Do you want a bonus one? Do I need to have a bonus one? and like zero for two so far. Well, we got so we gotta to get you one. get you zero you thinking ding ding It's not a great day for jokes. Today's not funny.
01:06:01
Speaker
Okay. Oh, God. Why did an old man fall in a well?
01:06:10
Speaker
Why did an old man fall in a well?
01:06:20
Speaker
If were in the same room, going to stab me after give the answer. um Why did old man fall in a well?
01:06:29
Speaker
Because he couldn't see that well. Oh, my God. I'm getting off now. you
Episode Conclusion and Audience Engagement
01:06:36
Speaker
Oh, my God. Wow, this the stupid ones today. Holy shit. Okay. Well, it's been nice chatting. I'm done. fifty four I'm done now. I'll have some better ones for you after my surgery.
01:06:52
Speaker
Yeah. ah Yeah. All good. No, it's fine. It's all good. And then we'll see everyone in a couple of weeks. Sure. Laters. Bye. Well, well, well, you made it to the end.
01:07:04
Speaker
We can't thank you enough for listening to all of our random thoughts. Don't forget to give us a five-star rating. And you know how to reach us on the gram at TGS pod or send email to hello at the grocery stick.com.