I have always been an anti-fan of New Year’s resolutions. In short, I define them as false pretences that temporarily motivate productivity; ultimately leading to disappointment…Okay in a broad South African context I see New Year’s resolutions as “tjajarag”! I have avoided talking about these overplayed party topics until now because I cannot bear to hear or read about them myself. After nine days into a new year I must confess my intensions of staying true to one particular goal: avoiding health care.
Now as the hypochondriacs and medical experts shake their heads it must be said that I have had nine days to think this through. 2010 was a year in which I spent more time following through with hospital visitations than I had leisure time to begin with. The medical aid company (whose name I will keep anonymous) were thankful for my “hospital hell ride” of last year. In the past twelve months I had doctor visitations for colds and flu; allergy checkups; cortisone injections for allergies; right hand tendonitis checkups; right hand tendonitis x-rays; hepatitis scares; and multiple digestive infections with migraines, dehydration, antibiotics, specialist consultations, colonoscopies (not for the faint hearted), more antibiotics, probiotics, and dietary restrictions. The embarrassing health cherry on top hit me towards the end of December 2010. I was told that with all the antibiotics, probiotics, toxins, and chemicals I was on, some type of infection had ironically developed in me as a result.
Thankful as I am that I can afford and obtain good health care, I can’t help but deliberate on the capitalist influence involved. With thousands of rands spent on visitations and medicine it must asked if the health care system puts one in a loop to exploit their willingness to pay? Understanding that health care workers have an ethical code to seek the best interests of their patients, I cannot help but point out a subtle flaw in the process of health care. Without a G.P. one is moved around in a hospital system from one location and doctor to the next without adequate information, in what seems to be a race with efficiency and productivity. At times I felt like an animal on a conveyor belt being tested by several doctors. All the while the medical fees were piling up with my medical aid company delighted with the progress. The entire system’s capitalist interests seem to out-weigh the personal interests of those that fall into it.
And so I declare that in the year of 2011 I shall avoid (as much as possible) being part of a cattle system in the health care industry. I refuse to be labelled a hypochondriac and genuinely felt that way last year.
P88
P.S. My family doctor – Sorry. All doctors contributing to ethical health care in South Africa (include my family doctor) – Thank you.
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