And Now, a Public Service Announcement

[theDreamer]

Go to the fucking hospital.

All of you.

I am sick an tired of reading "oh, I hurt, is this normal? I don't want to go to the doctors..." or "incredible pain! I'll get it checked out tomorrow."

NO MORE!

From now on, I will go all Liam Neeson from Taken on you if I find you putting off hospital visits.

Are we clear?

Good.

[Deedles]

Yes sir, I promise! D:

[Geoff_B]

From now on, I will go all Liam Neeson from Taken on you if I find you putting off hospital visits.

"You could have gone to the hospital for your bruised finger. Now you can go with a broken leg!"

Comme ca?

[SilPho]

Now I get to feel smug that I actually went to the doctor recently. Shame he didn't tell me anything I hadn't already figured out, but it's reassuring none the less.

[tamaness]

Dangit, I have insurance now! I can talk to my doctor on a regular basis! Why aren't I doing it?

[AlexanderDitto]

May I ask what has brought on this well-intentioned but rather misguided public service announcement?

You do realize that going to the hospital can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, even if you're fine and they don't need to treat you, right?

[Rikadyn]

You gonna pay for it?

[tamaness]

May I ask what has brought on this well-intentioned but rather misguided public service announcement?

There have been a few posts in General Chat, Venting, and somewhere else about people being in some sort of serious medical trouble, and not getting it taken care of. I'd replace "go to the hospital" with "call your general practitioner for advice," but otherwise, I think decent advice.

[edit] Confession! the other topic was the confession topic.

[theDreamer]

More than half of the people in the recent string have been in countries with socialized health care, they have no excuse.

[auberginequeen]

I'd just like to add that none of you are allowed to die, either. Or fall into a coma, or anything serious like that.

Especially if it follows a post of "I'll go to the doctor tomorrow" or "I'll get it checked out eventually" or "I'm not gonna go though"

I mean it, I shall be very cross.

[Darkobra]

*ceases to exist*

[Lorithad]

Ha! The joke's on you! I went to my doctor yesterday. Even had a chest x-ray.

Your service announcment has no effect on me.

[Wraith]

You realize some of us have to pay for that, yea?

[Metcarfre]

Ostensibly, in the US, can't you go to the ER for some stuff?

[Rikadyn]

Ostensibly, in the US, can't you go to the ER for some stuff?

And You'll get a bill, probally north of 2k, more if they keep you overnight

Had to take my dad to the ER last summer, cause he thought he was having a heart attack, turned out to be most likely a panic attack, but the bill was someplace north of 8k for the visit

[Metcarfre]

Ah, so.

You guys should really get that looked at. Your health care system, that is.

[Deedles]

Ahem, I do believe Dreamer posted this with the intention of "If you're ill/in pain/hurt/etc, and have health care available to you, instead of sitting at home simply wondering, go and get yourself checked out."

Do people really think he'd tell them to go to get themselves checked out if they can't afford to? It's kind of impossible, see with the lack of funds and all.

[Wraith]

Ostensibly, in the US, can't you go to the ER for some stuff?

Yes.

And you pay for it.

[Rikadyn]

Shit, an emergency appointment with my dentist has an 86 dollar fee tacked onto whatever else they need to do.

It's like a convenience store, if you're there, you need something, and if you need something, we're gonna charge ya for it.

[theDreamer]

I more meant if you're ill. And maybe not a hospital (I don't have a GP, so if I need to be checked out for any reason, I need to go to one, so).

Notice how I didn't say "I don't want to hear 'I'm fine but haven't gone to the hospital.'" but DID say "No more 'I'm hurt, what do?'"

Also, poverty means nothing if you're dead.

[Wraith]

Ah, so.

You guys should really get that looked at. Your health care system, that is.

Sure. Tell you what. You foot the bill for taking point on shit like this, which we usually take the point on because "we have the biggest military" (why do you think that is? because we spend a metric-shit ton of our money on it because no one else will) and we'll see about putting some of that back into our broken health care system.

[Wraith]

I more meant if you're ill. And maybe not a hospital (I don't have a GP, so if I need to be checked out for any reason, I need to go to one, so).

Notice how I didn't say "I don't want to hear 'I'm fine but haven't gone to the hospital.'" but DID say "No more 'I'm hurt, what do?'"

Also, poverty means nothing if you're dead.

They still charge you when you're sick and/or hurt.

[theDreamer]

Dead or irreparably damaged is dead or irreparably damaged.

And if a timely visit could prevent that (and always assume it can, really), you should do it.

It's a catch 22 for you, I know, but I'd rather be alive and in debt (like I am), than dead and not in debt.

Maybe that's just me.

So fine.

"Go to the hospital. All of you (except Americans. Only go if you feel you can afford it)."

[Geoff_B]

Maybe if you changed "go to the hospital" to "seek immediate medical advice" that makes it generic enough to satisfy everybody?

Actually this could turn into a debate on how much is your life worth? (and yes I fully take on board the fact that people will have verying financial situations.

I'd just like to add that none of you are allowed to die, either. Or fall into a coma, or anything serious like that.

Especially if it follows a post of "I'll go to the doctor tomorrow" or "I'll get it checked out eventually" or "I'm not gonna go though"

I mean it, I shall be very cross.

I do solemnly promise to not fall into a coma and/or die. I wouldn't want you to get cross at me

[Wraith]

You know what is more likely to make you sick than not going to the doctor? Exposure to the elements. You know what causes exposure to the elements? Homelessness. You know what causes homelessness? Debt. You know what causes debt? Constant huge medical bills.