What's on your mind today?

[Magdalena]

I saw the person who had their dog exorcised, and they were wearing a shirt with an atheist symbol on it. So now I'm just confused.

[Tank]

I saw the person who had their dog exorcised, and they were wearing a shirt with an atheist symbol on it. So now I'm just confused.

I'm thinking 'Joke!'

[No one]

I saw the person who had their dog exorcised, and they were wearing a shirt with an atheist symbol on it. So now I'm just confused.

Lazy dogs get fat, it's unhealthy. Proper diet and lively activities lead to a longer lifespan. Laziness is a vampire sucking the very life out of the infected. A complete new outlook is need. They need to purge the demons so to speak.

[Asmodean]

How about a little retribution in stead? Going hunting tomorrow. 

Yes, that! Blast the meese!

[Velma]

My husband woke my up around 8:30 this morning with the words "I need to go to the emergency room." In less than 15 minutes I was up, dressed, and ready to go. He's having abdominal pain, so it could be another round of ulcers. They gave him some Protonix via IV. I left when they came to move him to a room. He was feeling better, but they want to do an endoscopy Monday. Right now, I'm at home to get something to eat, take a shower, feed the cats, and gather up some things for him.

[Tank]

My husband woke my up around 8:30 this morning with the words "I need to go to the emergency room." In less than 15 minutes I was up, dressed, and ready to go. He's having abdominal pain, so it could be another round of ulcers. They gave him some Protonix via IV. I left when they came to move him to a room. He was feeling better, but they want to do an endoscopy Monday. Right now, I'm at home to get something to eat, take a shower, feed the cats, and gather up some things for him.

I hope it's nothing serious.

[Velma]

My husband woke my up around 8:30 this morning with the words "I need to go to the emergency room." In less than 15 minutes I was up, dressed, and ready to go. He's having abdominal pain, so it could be another round of ulcers. They gave him some Protonix via IV. I left when they came to move him to a room. He was feeling better, but they want to do an endoscopy Monday. Right now, I'm at home to get something to eat, take a shower, feed the cats, and gather up some things for him.

I hope it's nothing serious.

The medication they gave him is a high-powered acid reducer. The fact that it helped points to something gastric. We probably won't know much more until tomorrow after the endoscopy.

[Tank]

My husband woke my up around 8:30 this morning with the words "I need to go to the emergency room." In less than 15 minutes I was up, dressed, and ready to go. He's having abdominal pain, so it could be another round of ulcers. They gave him some Protonix via IV. I left when they came to move him to a room. He was feeling better, but they want to do an endoscopy Monday. Right now, I'm at home to get something to eat, take a shower, feed the cats, and gather up some things for him.

I hope it's nothing serious.

The medication they gave him is a high-powered acid reducer. The fact that it helped points to something gastric. We probably won't know much more until tomorrow after the endoscopy.

No doubt you'll keep us posted.

[Velma]

My husband woke my up around 8:30 this morning with the words "I need to go to the emergency room." In less than 15 minutes I was up, dressed, and ready to go. He's having abdominal pain, so it could be another round of ulcers. They gave him some Protonix via IV. I left when they came to move him to a room. He was feeling better, but they want to do an endoscopy Monday. Right now, I'm at home to get something to eat, take a shower, feed the cats, and gather up some things for him.

I hope it's nothing serious.

The medication they gave him is a high-powered acid reducer. The fact that it helped points to something gastric. We probably won't know much more until tomorrow after the endoscopy.

No doubt you'll keep us posted.

I will. It helps to have folks to share this with. My mother tends to treat anything like this as catastrophic, which only stresses me more since I wind up having to calm her down. My sister has always been indifferent to problems other than her own. My brother is good with this sort of thing, but his wife can be a bit flaky, so I don't share with him very often. Getting online was probably one of the better things to ever happen to me. Who says people have to be related to you, or even in the same time zone, to be part of your community?

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Hope he's OK.  Is an ER visit in the UK covered by the national health plan?  No out of pocket payment? What about the endoscopy?  Just curious.

[Velma]

Hope he's OK.  Is an ER visit in the UK covered by the national health plan?  No out of pocket payment? What about the endoscopy?  Just curious.

Fortunately, he is 100% covered by the VA medical system. He doesn't actually have to go to a Veterans' Administration hospital, however. He's at Missouri Baptist Medical Center at the moment.

If it had been me, there would be some out-of-pocket costs - at least a $250 copay for the ER visit, plus sundry other charges that would vary according to which hospital I was at and what tests were done. Even the best insurance generally has preferred providers and charge lower copays for them. It is a very complicated system, and despite recent reforms, it is still heavily weighted in favor of the insurance companies.

I've eaten, had a shower, fed the cats, and gathered up stuff for him. Time for me to head back out. Hopefully, I will know more by the time I get home.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Hope he's OK.  Is an ER visit in the UK covered by the national health plan?  No out of pocket payment? What about the endoscopy?  Just curious.

Fortunately, he is 100% covered by the VA medical system. He doesn't actually have to go to a Veterans' Administration hospital, however. He's at Missouri Baptist Medical Center at the moment.

If it had been me, there would be some out-of-pocket costs - at least a $250 copay for the ER visit, plus sundry other charges that would vary according to which hospital I was at and what tests were done. Even the best insurance generally has preferred providers and charge lower copays for them. It is a very complicated system, and despite recent reforms, it is still heavily weighted in favor of the insurance companies.

I've eaten, had a shower, fed the cats, and gathered up stuff for him. Time for me to head back out. Hopefully, I will know more by the time I get home.

I feel stupid.  For some reason, I thought you were in the UK.  Sorry. 

[Velma]

Hope he's OK.  Is an ER visit in the UK covered by the national health plan?  No out of pocket payment? What about the endoscopy?  Just curious.

Fortunately, he is 100% covered by the VA medical system. He doesn't actually have to go to a Veterans' Administration hospital, however. He's at Missouri Baptist Medical Center at the moment.

If it had been me, there would be some out-of-pocket costs - at least a $250 copay for the ER visit, plus sundry other charges that would vary according to which hospital I was at and what tests were done. Even the best insurance generally has preferred providers and charge lower copays for them. It is a very complicated system, and despite recent reforms, it is still heavily weighted in favor of the insurance companies.

I've eaten, had a shower, fed the cats, and gathered up stuff for him. Time for me to head back out. Hopefully, I will know more by the time I get home.

I feel stupid.  For some reason, I thought you were in the UK.  Sorry.

I'm an American (as embarrassing as it can to be to admit that at times). 

Update: He has an endoscopy scheduled for tomorrow. However, we won't know the time until tomorrow. Other than that, he's feeling better, but still has periodic pain in his stomach/abdomen. We are hoping he will get to come home tomorrow.

[xSilverPhinx]

I hope it isn't anything too serious, Velma. 

Out of curiosity, has he already had an appendectomy? I remember feeling a lot of pain and being rushed to the emergency room when I got that. 

[Velma]

He had an appendectomy nearly 30 years ago. He's had ulcers in the past, so it is not off the wall to suspect them again. The endoscopy (putting a small camera down the throat to get a view of the esophagus and stomach) if the ulcers have returned.