Alien world of healthcare system

When I went to the doctor with stomach pains at Bella's insistence I didn't expect to get sucked into the healthcare system vortex. It's a bit like being kidnapped by aliens and probed on an outerspace ship. I went in with a stomach ache and left without an appendix a day later. Along the way it was a comedy of errors. After the emergency room doc poked and prodded me he pronounced that he said "I'm sorry, I think you have appendicitis. Do you want pain medication?" "For what?," I asked, since I only had a tummy ache. Knowing from experience that it's better to say yes now than suffer later, I got a shot of morphine at the same time a nurse stabbed my butt with antibiotics. Thank heavens I said yes to the meds, the next exam they did was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. The nurse instructed me to lay down sideways on an MRI machine while they put a balloon in my butt that would expand. She told me it would hurt and said "Didn't they warn you about this? I told the doctors I would never have this unless I was put to sleep" Thanks lady! I have had bunion operations, shingles, herniated discs but never have I had this kind of pain. I warned the nurse it hurt so badly I was afraid I was going to pass out and her advice? "You can scream if you want to!" After ten minutes of this agony it was over but seared into my brain. It didn't help that when I talked to my sister later, an R.N., she asked why they didn't just do a laproscopy on me. How do I know?? They wanted to torture me? While I sat in the waiting room my husband Rich finally showed up and asked-so helpfully, "When was the last time you pooped?" I was going to feel so stupid if they did all these tests and I was only constipated. It may have been the only time someone was happy to hear they needed to have their appendix removed.  Part II next 

Xanax for dogs and cats with body disorders?

I admit I am not an "animal nut." I have nothing against the cute creatures except picking up poop from the sidewalk, (who didn't cringe when they saw photos of gorgeous Hugh Jackman picking up his doggy's do?), cleaning kitty boxes and paying vet bills. It's probably because I didn't grow up with pets. Whenever my siblings or I would ask for a cat or dog my mom would tell us to play with our sisters and brothers. Can you blame her with ten kids, 13 years apart, in Iowa, with freezing winters?

When I first saw commercials for diet food for dogs a few years ago I should have predicted the U.S. economic crisis. If Americans are spending money to buy special food for dogs to lose weight clearly they are overspending. But when I brought up that ad at a dinner party with some friends recently they defended it--saying dogs do get fat.

Then they told me about taking their pets to animal therapists...you read it correctly...there are homeless people on the streets but some people are making a good living diagnosing animals psyches.

One woman said she brought her dog to the vet and the doc said her pet was stressed and needed to take Xanax. Another friend said when her cat gained weight the kitty didn't like to be petted and this is the advice she got from her vet, "Your cat has body issues. She's gained too much weight and thinks she looks unattractive. " So my friend spent the next month holding a mirror up to the cat's tummy and repeating that the kitty was beautiful.

By the end of the evening they had me thinking I was the crazy one and maybe I am...what do you think?