Come on now, it’s not a dirty word. It’s just become one by the same people who want to make us feel dirty for needing tampons, or blame our every little irritation on PMS.
Stacia Kane has a really good post about pap smears and the UK health system. (Mrs. Giggles followed up as well.) Unlike what Michael Moore would have you believe nationalized medicine is NOT the perfect answer. Our capitalism HMO way of life has some advantages.
Stacia writer that in the UK women are told, often by doctors themselves, that women don’t need pap smears until they are 25. Howeever Stacia admits that at 23 she was diagnosed with and treated for precancerous cells.
My mom died of cancer (not this kind) and my aunt has struggled with breast cancer three times, so this absolutely terrifies me. I have no insurance, but I go in for my exam every year because my health and well being is important to me. I pay $12 on a sliding fee scale at our clinic for an exam, the tests and a round of blood tests (we skip HIV because I’ve been in a monogamous relationship for ten years now, but we cover other things. And last time we did a round of thyroid tests since I’ve been exercising and changing my diet but not changing my weight.) I pay another $12 for a year of birth control.
In my book, there’s no excuse, and there is especially no excuse for doctors and lawmakers to superceed the wellbeing of women everywhere for cost (funny, isn’t that what they accuse the US of doing by testing?)
So consider this yet another public service message. Get tested, if you are sexual active or over 18. Your life could depend on it.
Naitonalized health care only works if the government sponsoring it doesn’t rely on doctors trained in other countries. I know what that sounds like, however – Canada’s doctors are fleeing for the US where they get paid, and where they have access to better equipment.
Locally, there are maybe 3 of 15 doctors trained here in Canada. This wouldn’t be a problem except:
My cousin was just given the news she has pre-cancerous cells in her cervix. The first doctor she saw told her he’d do a cone biopsy and then perform a hysterectomy. For PRE-cancerous cells. On a 21 year old woman who is otherwise completely healthy. He then refused to refer her to an OB/GYN for further testing and second opinion. She left the office and managed to get another opinion elsewhere, and she’s having the cells taken care of – without such measures as a hysterectomy.
This isn’t the first instance of such treatment around here… but it’s the one that rings closest to your post. In all honesty – I’d rather pay on a sliding scale for care from well trained and open physicians to ones trained in 3rd world countries who refuse to step up into the 21st century. The health care system in Canada is definitely not as wonderful as was made out in that documentary…
Our system isn’t perfect (not by a long shot) but the problems I’ve encountered have been a product of the people, not the system or the training.
(Side note: Do you know how awesome it is that my GYN and I talk books through my whole exam? LOL)
Getting lady part exams is nerve-wracking enough, we don’t need authority-figure/expert opinions discouraging or confusing us.
Did you read Stacia’s story? She had the same thing, pre-cancerous cells in her cervix and she ended up undergoing a relatively easy procedure to remove them. A Hysterectomy?? That’s crazy.
It reminds me of a show I saw on Discovery Something or another about forced sterilizations of minority and poor women against their will (and often knowledge) in the 70s and 80s. Frightening stuff.
It’s crazy, all around. I seriously think men – particularly male general practitioners – ought to have a procedure that’s similar to a pap. I’ve been told the prostate exam is, but frankly, until they have to use a speculum to find the prostate… they’ve not been through it.
Stacia should be seen every year, and it’s a shame that they’ve not done that..with her history, even with several clean years afterwards, it’s just a crap shoot, ya know? Good lords.
I’ve had two paps since 2000, and both of those only to rule out STDs. My lovely ex gave me HPV amongst others (all treated) during our supposed monogamous relationship (ha…). Since 2003, no paps, and not for lack of scheduling them. The doc I had here repeatedly cancelled the appointments, and despite my history, I can’t be scheduled at another clinic…no one is taking new patients. The new doc here has cancelled the one appointment I’ve made, and hasn’t rescheduled. For what it’s worth, our clinic only has someone in it two days a week, usually, and the receptionist is…lacking in many, many aspects.
That’s so backwards!! Here they are always trying to convince women that they have options and should go to the low cost clinics and get their exam even if they don’t have insurance. They are constantly trying to inform women that they are needed.
I even get a letter every few months reminding me to take my kids in for “well child” check ups. I know if I did get something I’d be screwed because I don’t have insurance (there is the flaw in our system, of course with people using ERs in lieu of Drs offices, no wonder costs are out of control). But to have some stranger decide that my health isn’t important? That’s horrible!