Let's Rewire Our Whole System.

We've been sold a bill of goods!

This whole idea of getting born, going to school, buying an education, finding a job, and then working for 50 years, and then retiring to play golf, is just so much crap!

I know, I'm one of those who should be playing golf.  If I wanted to play golf, that is.  I don't.  Golf sucks.  I use the hated term metaphorically.  But I would like to race cars, or shoot professional pool, or display my incredible acumen at competitive target shooting for all to see.

Buuuuut, since I can no longer walk, and nearly every corpuscle in my body hurts, my days are filled with doctors' appointments.  And visits to the lab.  And the X-ray center.  For an unending number of C-scans, and MRI's, and Pet-scans, and bone densitometry exams.  And anything else to keep those offices humming along, full of us retirees.  

We retire, then we fall apart.  Our knees, which were never good, just quit working.  New knees on the horizon.  And hips.  What's with hips?  At least one, maybe both.  And the stent to hopefully prevent a heart attack.  And neuropathy, which hurts like Hell.  Everybody's got neuropathy, it seems!  And weight loss drugs.  Those diabetes meds being prescribed "off label" that cost $thousands.  And leave you unable to control your bowels.  Making you wonder if you should have just eaten less and exercized more.  

And God help us if we need a referral to a specialist!  You've got this rash, see.  And so you get referred by your primary to a dermatologist.  Or a cardiologist.  Or a rheumatologist.  Or any other "gist."  Try getting an appointment!  They make sure you can pay your bill before they grant you an appointment.  One that won't appear on your calendar for at least 6 months.  Face it, America, we've become Canada!  Socialized medicine has arrived!  

The doctors don't like it, the nurses don't like it, and I don't like it!  And yes, I enjoy using exclamation points!

(For those who don't know, I spent 50 years in the medical arena.  Along with my wonderful R.N. wife, owning and managing an emergency acute dialysis and plasmapheresis service.  Helping the save the lives of more than 10,000 of your neighbors.  So, as I mentioned to a dear friend the other day, opinions are like assholes.  Everybody's got one.  And so do I.  And in this case, mine's worth more than that of the average dude on the street.)    

But back to the point.  I'd suggest we completely rewire our whole system.  Instead of racing through a needless college system designed to inflate your loan debt, and then begging for a "career" job that will always pay you not quite enough, I'd suggest we backpack through Europe.  And then play professional pickleball.  Or pro fishing.  Or professional horseshoes.  Or join the Army.  Or Navy.  And let them send you to college.  Or just become a bum.  Get born, go to a trade school, learn to wire buildings, or plumb them, or maybe shoe horses (average pay, $250.00 an hour).  Once you've got a skill, work as little as possible for the next 50 years.

Play for 50 years, then get a job.  And work until you drop.  You'll still need all the medical help, but you'll be employed by some faceless corporation, and have the health insurance to pay for it.  

Like I said, we all have opinions...