Undermining The System from Within

You know, if the medical professionals of this great nation ever decided to speak with any sort of unity, we'd have single-payor health care faster than you can say "Michelle Bachmann is crazy."

Witness our session today with the skin doc, who did a little frosting of a spot or so on Bravest's psoriatic bod and (GASP) suggested that the psoriasis might be made less bothersome by a little sun exposure. A very little.

Since Bravest and I see this fellow together (so I can receive instructions and be made aware of problem spots), there is a certain amount of what might be called marital persiflage.

Doc: "Things OK at work, any unusual stress...?"
Bravest: "Oh no, we've retired." Bravest often uses the Royal or Publisher's pronoun, don't ask me why.)
Lirazel: "I'm afraid the only stress in his life is caused by me."

Which was taken as a joke, until it was my turn and I had to tell the doctor about my own situation. Which, of course, is stressful to Bravest, though probably not the cause of his increasing psoriasis.

It turns out that the BRCA gene variants (which I do not have, remember?) also have a role in skin cancers. Otherwise, I have nothing to worry about -- dermatologists don't even get involved in the treatment of radiation side-effects any more, as the targeting of the treatments has gotten quite precise.

And then we got into a discussion of the Boobeaucracy, and he nearly stopped being a doctor as he shouted, "Les societies d'insurance: A la LANTERNE!"  Or words to that effect.

There are a LOT of businesses making big money off of breast cancer, and the doctors all know it.