lappir

One day I will make the journey, just not this year. 

Rod

I was going to just let this post run it's course, but cannot today. Maybe it's because I used my left hand (non dominant) to brush my teeth while standing on one foot or maybe not. I have been a lot more productive today than what has been the normal since sort of "Retiring". 

I do understand that with any job, position, lifestyle and mostly a persons career choice money is paid for services. My issue is how the determination of who gets paid the most and what they are doing to get paid. 

You can post all the "Studies" and news reports you want. I don't subscribe to the Wall Street Journal or any of the other news sources. I do not watch anything more than the local news and weather if I happen to put up my TV antenna and scrolling through the "Internet" news I only click on certain items that may have interest to me. Maybe I'm ill informed or less informed as others here. 

I began working for a wage the summer after I turned 16 years old. I'd done some work for pay before that like many who were raised in the country on a farm. I wasn't a big strapping lad so putting up "Hay" wasn't my favorite job for money, neither was pulling weeds and/or cutting corn out of beans. If that was a winter job I'd be all for it. Being out in the sun with high humidity wasn't me cup of tea. At least at the "Gas Station" I started working at had "Air-conditioning" in the office. 

After I graduated High School I started working a company called "Wausau Homes" a prefabricated home building company. I started working in the factory stuffing batt insulation into roofing panels. Again it was summer and being inside in the heat working with Fiberglass Insulation wasn't for me. Luckily my Uncle was a "Supervisor" for the "Erection" crew where the parts were trucked to the homesite and put together with a huge (at the time to me) crane. Or with a smaller Crane mounted to one of the Semi Tractors that also pulled a trailer with walls, floor or roofing panels. I did that for about a year before my older children were born, then it was back to Gasoline Service Station work for a few more years. During the last part of my time working in my families station I started volunteering for the local Fire Department, that led to Advanced First Aid ( to go out with the Ambulance calls) and finally to getting my Emergency Medical Technician certificate. After a failed attempt to run my own Service station on my own I began working for a County Ambulance Service thanks to my EMT certification. I progressed through EMT-1 and finally EMT-Paramedic before attending Nursing School graduating in 1989 as an RN. Things in health care were starting (in my mind) down hill very quickly. When I first started working for the "Ambulance Service" it was a "County" run service. There were two hospitals in the town and in my opinion health care for that area was top notch. The Physicians at the time were fairly young, but had seasoned mentors who had been in town for many years. Dr's took care of there patients in the ER or in the hospital. There were no "Emergency Room" Specialists, no Hospitalists, no intensivist Drs. Your family Dr. knew you, your history and if they needed assistance there were Surgeons, Internists and maybe a Cardiologist on call from the University Hospital. Yes a big portion of the job with the Ambulance was making the 90+ mile trip with patients to the University Hospital that was and still is a Top Notch facility. Unfortunately the facility where I gained so much very good experience and knowledge was sold to a "For Profit" corporation not many years ago and I wouldn't suggest anyone cross the threshold for healthcare now. 

So this has gotten quite more long winded that I intended. And I'm not being as productive as I was this morning. I thought reading the forum while enjoying my lunch would be OK. Maybe not. 

Do I even know where I was heading when I started this? Not sure. I guess the comment of the 20 Million dollars for a "Non Profit" administrator maybe hit a nerve. The last Hospital I worked in had a very highly paid administrator who also took much more from the facility before being terminated causing the "Staff" to have a pay deduction for a time before that was found to be TOTALLY the wrong way to go. I still have contact with some of the employees, but much of the middle management staff I'd worked for have gone to better pastures or decided it was time to retire. It's really not looking good for that facility and it's one of the "Catholic Health" network that usually had better concentration on "Care" at least in their outward appearance.   

To finish up. I worked at many many health care facilities through my 30+year career. Some were better than others in the early years, but they all seem to be heading down the path of selling vs caring, cost cutting without evaluating the true costs and stuffing the pockets of people only interested in money. That's my opinion and why I started the post. 

Rod Lappin RN

9 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Interesting business analysis.  Who are the investors, maybe owners of 401k's and IRA's? People like you and I?

"As of December 31, 2022, a total of $37.8 trillion was held in U.S. retirement plans and accounts, of which $26.3 trillion was in employer-sponsored plans and $11.5 trillion was in IRAs."

I do not do business analysis. I only call it as I see it. I also (and you also) have little input into how your 401K or IRA's are invested. They are controlled by "Financial Managers" who while are paid with money out of our accounts, don't actually "Work for Us".  I asked both of my Financial Managers to remove any money I have invested from funds that supported for profit health care and was told by both that it was not possible. At this time I don't feel I can do anything further than just ask. In the future that may be different. 

Rod

9 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Tell me more about this. Who does it and what evidence do you have? How do they know which patients are investors? I have never heard of this but I do have some money healthcare equity funds. Is that why we get good healthcare or should we expect more? 

EDIT: I did some digging on the internet and didn't find any evidence of preferential treatment, but I did find some negative information.

What Happens When Private Equity Takes Over a Hospital 

from Harvard Medical School, December 26, 2023

I'm not saying that someone who has invested in "Health Care" is better cared for. I'm saying Administrators of various "Health Care Corporations" are more concerned about showing a profit to their "Investors" than they are about taking care of the patients. 

The only first hand information I have about this is 30+ years working at various Hospitals across the US. I have little first hand information as a "Patient" (thankfully) and most of my family has been without the need of significant intervention by a health care provider.  I do know much of what I experienced earlier in my journey as a health care provider has changed and not for the good of the patient. IMHO. 

Rod

It's the case of investors buying all the good companies stealing the wealth generated by the prior good and providing a substandard product so they can loose enough money to bankrupt the entire entity. The few who took all the cream off the top move on to do it again and again. Those left behind are the workers who actually made the product good in the first place, but have no money to do it right again. It's a sad state of affairs and it showing in all walks of life more and more each day. 

Rod

9 hours ago, lenp said:

We have lost two pharmacies here in the small town of Madras, OR.  First it was an employee owned chain (Bi-Mart) and then a privately owned drug store.  All in the last two years and both due to low re-imbursement rates.

Lenp

Yes the small town has had a couple other pharmacies come into town over the years and none were able to survive. It will be a very sad day if this business isn't able to survive. They don't rely solely on the Pharmacy and health care items, but the other stuff is not things I buy very often. They did do a remarkable job on retouching an old aerial photograph of my Grandparent's farm several years ago and I have used there "Frame Shop" a few times, but I don't print and frame many photos living full time in a home on wheels. They just tend to fall off the walls too often. 

I hope one day it become illegal for health care providers to provide better care to their "Investors" than they do to their actual patients. 

Rod

Remember when there was a Walgreens and then a CVS pharmacy across from each other for a time. I notice one or the other are closing their locations in various areas if that lets you know how the Pharmacies in larger communities are doing. 

I think it's wrong for my Medicare to send out information leading me away from a good local pharmacy and encouraging the use of a huge corporation that controls insurance, medications, durable health goods and most likely a large portion of the Health Care FOR PROFIT machine. 

Caring for people should never make a monetary profit it should be for the good of all. 

Rod

https://who13.com/news/oskaloosa-pharmacy-foresees-closure-unless-drug-reimbursement-policies-change/

Yesterday I called the pharmacy in the news report to renew my prescriptions. They said they would have to charge now for the shipping and I said fine. I want to support a business where I grew up and have spent many summers near. 

Then today I got the following email encouraging me to utilize on of the mail order companies they have contracted with and who knows where they are located. As George Carlin said "there is no such thing as free enterprise" or something like that. 

https://click.em.silverscript.com/?qs=bbefc10341ce3da0ff31c46dc8e177777438bf4fe881fb7ecca7e8b75ba1cc577fdb6d2137eb5a906f3b3faf53ba8e9425ea956e43457f7469d8bd06055e183f

Don't know if either links will work. (or allowed)

Rod

10 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

I second that recommendation. I swapped my old 1TB HDD for a !TB SSD then added 16 additonal MB of memory to my  old HP P6-2350 I bought in 2004. It runs  dual-boot W10 and Linux much faster, now my limiting issue is, I only have access to DSL internet, with no cell service here at home..

Thanks, if I do any thing to my computer it will be to most likely replacing it with a Mac, but not this time around. The "desktop" does everything I want it to after adding a WIFI dongle, I'd still be using it with my 32 inch Samsung TV had condensation not made it's ugly entrance. 

I have moved my desk and will no longer have that issue. A little jigsaw with a final cut with the Sawzall made the desk in the corner work out pretty well. I also now have a lot more room to put clothing away in the built in Armoire no more filing cabinet in the way.  

I'm using the small lonovo all in one and it's the one that took almost 5 minutes to boot up. The other one is less than a minute. 

Will probable go with the least expensive 40ish TV the sales people say the refresh rate is the same with the TV as it it with the computer monitors, what ever that is. 

Thanks again for the comments. 

Rod

Made a trip to a couple big box stores today after contacting a local TV Repair business and was told it would not be cost effective to even open the device to evaluate. $50 bucks for the evaluation and any parts would put it a lot over what you could get a replacement. 

First stop found a 43 & 50 inch TV both under $300 a 35 inch curved Computer monitor was also under $300. Next stop had similar models over $300, but found out all of them were the "Entry Models" with the Crystal UHD screens. The QLED and other more fancy screens came in around $600 to a lot more than what I want to spend. 

I could not find a "Local Retail seller" just repair. 

Rod

A few months ago, my "All in One" computer seemed to be slowing down significantly. I had been using another computer during the summer at another location and I "Assumed" the reason why it was so much faster, was it was on a different network and I was using a WIFI direct connection through my phone. I finally decided to try theo other computer and found I could connect my Smart TV using a HDMI cable and I was back to a much faster computer using the same connection. I used both for a while but got tired of the wait time for boot up and other things and went with the computer connected to my TV until last night. 

It got warm in the house and instead of turning on the main HVAC unit I decided to just turn on the "Wall mounted" one in my bed/living room. All was good until I noticed a bit of water on my TV screen, apparently I have a clogged drain tube and one of the droplets got inside the "TV", because very soon after I had only a blank dark screen, but the video I was watching was still producing sound. I hoped by shutting it all down and waiting till this morning every thing would have resolved it's issue, but no such luck. The screen is still blank and I've pulled the old "All in one" out of the box to write this. 

The All in One is almost or maybe over 10 years old. I know I bought it in South Florida and I haven't worked there for a long time. It's time to replace I'm sure. I looked at an iMac over Christmas time, but really couldn't justify the increased cost over a PC. I have switched from an Android Phone to an iPhone though and it might be easier to transfer photos off the phone to the computer, but I don't know for sure. I am have had issues with transferring recently. 

The old computer was my Mothers before she passed. It has lots of photos on it that I enjoy seeing on the "Screen Saver" and I probably will continue to use if for at least a little while. 

I haven't hooked up a TV antenna for several months. I usually stream the major network shows at my convenience instead of when they are actually broadcast. The All in one has a 27 inch screen, the TV was a 32 inch I don't really notice the small size sitting at the desk, but I'm sure if I went to lie down in bed and watch something it would be too small. I have 32 inches of desk space and if I add the file cabinet that sits at the same height I can get just under 48 inches. 

It will be a few days before I do anything. 

Thank you in advance for suggestions, discussions and participation in the Poll

Rod 

The price to purchase would be reasonable, if only they would allow me to live in my home on wheels for half or less of a year for  a few years. I'd then sell it at a reasonable price to the person who has the two acres so in my mind it would no longer be an "Illegal Subdivision". 

I did spend a couple hours in the area on the motorcycle and inquires about a couple other properties. One way out of my price range and the other with a "Just Listed" not on the realtor sign was already under contract, and still a bit out of my comfort zone in price. 

Thanks again for the suggestions and comments. 

Rod

14 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Our Garmin is around 15 yr old and we still use it!      It hasn't given us wrong directions yet.

Mine is an older model too, not that old but I did have some issues with one before I did a map update. 

Latest update. 

Visited the "City Government" where the property jurisdiction resides. Not at all happy with the information. 

It's not the size of the property as I was initially told, but the fact a prior owner sold off a portion of the property "Illegally". Funny thing to me the property I am interested in was sold in a "Tax Sale" after the supposed initial "Illegal" sale, but apparently the City and County (which held the tax sale) don't communicate. I have a document where it was sold for $3100, right at $1000 per acre. Much Much less than what the current owner is trying to get paid. 

One thing I dislike about myself is my stubborn nature. Especially when I think something is just wrong. This is one of those things. 

So apparently the property has been inquired about multiple times. As soon as I mention the street they immediately recited the address where the small portion of the original property still resides. And where I heard first hand from a City Government employee who indicated the "Illegal" sale. The visit then moved to a Public Works person who indicated that the issue could be resolved by submitting an application for rezoning and having a new "Plat" to do so would also require the completion of significant road improvements on a "Minor Arterial Paving" requirements that include addition of a lane and paved shoulder from the intersection of the closest cross roads to the next. I would hate to imagine what that cost would be. 

It sure seems funny that One person wishing to park an RV on a 3 acre piece of property would cause such a significant change, but it may just be that last straw. 

The saddest part for me is I have permission for "Unlimited" parking of my RV on the property, as long as I don't live in the RV, if I choose to purchase the property. 

Will update if additional information is gained. 

Rod

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/solar-energy-storage-system-sweden/

Found this reading the news today. I've thought about it, but do not have the engineering background or the mechanical ability to build anything. (Let alone the money required). Keeping the devices at peak production throughout the day is just as important in my mind. Heat storage is another thing I hope someone with the appropriate knowledge and tools is pondering. 

Rod

Are you attending the next National Rally? I don't want to own one, but when they used one at the ECR I think it was a big hit. I'd contribute to a fund to have it travel to all the rallies. 

Rod

12 hours ago, Vladimir said:

Yes they do.  See next reply..............

The Forest Service has invested millions of dollars into remote toilet technology.

https://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2012/05/sst-sweet-smelling-toilet.html

When I worked for the Forest Service the taxpayers payed good money to put in composting toilets and then payed good money again to remove them because they did not work.

Incinerating toilets have more potential.  But they take a lot of energy to work and need a fuel source.

The Forest Service budget includes MILLIONS of dollars for pumping those SST toilets.  The agency would like to get rid of that cost.  So far, they are still pumping the SST toilets, but at least we are no longer working with pre-1985 technology!!

Call San Dimas and see what they are up to in toilet technology.  There is at least one engineer working on that issue!!

The cutting edge technology in back country toilets is with the Forest Service. 

Follow them.

 

 

Interesting information Vladimir. I will have to check out the link in a bit. Did not know they Government had tried anything other than the old pit's, which I despise. 

Thanks for your information and comments. 

Rod

3 hours ago, GlennWest said:

They make inscerting toilets and compost toilets. No septic needed. 

I'd like to see one of the incinerating units. I got a "Natures Head" a couple years ago and it's good, but it sure would be easier to just empty "ash". 

Rod

I've found a small plot of land that cannot be built upon due to it's size. Cannot get permits for building or putting in septic. The seller says small buildings and RV's are allowed. Haven't gone to the county offices to inquire yet on my own, but will before making any offers. 

Has anyone had a similar option? 

Rod

They are fun little cars to drive for sure and have a full size back seat too. Good luck with your sale. 

Rod

Have you considered upgrading the "Infotainment System"? That's what I did and have Android Auto mirrored to the device. It was fairly in expensive less than $400 installed. Unfortunately I upgraded to an iPhone just a few months after. I think I can still use my Android phone on WIFI in the truck, but haven't tried it yet. There are much more expensive and said to be wireless that communicate both Android Auto and Carplay. 

Rod

On 2/19/2024 at 9:29 PM, kb0zke said:

I probably would have taken it to an auto parts store and asked them to match it. If they had it in LED I'd buy one. If not, I'd buy what they had and then go looking for an LED version.

10 hours ago, Tahoe Shark said:

i did that too, didn’t work. 

Auto parts are not what they used to be, but neither are manufactures. Used to be things were made to last.  

Chad, 

What does your significant other do for internet when you are off to the east coast or other places without her? 

Rod

7 hours ago, Winder119 said:

Hello folks, new here. My name is Randall, I came across this post while  researching the RV lifestyle and Dialysis. My partner has started paritoneal dialysis in the last few months. All things considered I think we should be able to make this work. We are currently using the “gravity method”… (thank you for your posts, it’s a new situation for us)

Anyway, we’re looking forward to the upcoming season (we’re in Canada) with all the new adventures and nice people that we'll meet, while managing our health.

TTYL

Randall

The most important thing with the Peritoneal Dialysis is "Clean Technique". Wash, wash and wash again before preforming and every time you step away. 

Gravity was really the only method  I'm aware of if you are not doing "Hemodialysis". Infection is the problem with all dialysis with blocked or unusable tubes and shunts being the next issue. 

Good luck. 

Rod

Thanks for replying Vladimir. I don't have and could not help. 

I do find your post interesting as far as the internet/WIFI calling. I have yet to try that, but I do use my cell plan for my internet so it would have to be on someone else's WIFI. 

Rod