Why does it feel like I swallowed carpet tacks?

[Callaway]

Did the company that you used to work for give you COBRA information and forms, Tesla?

If you turn out to need to go to the hospital, I would recommend paying for COBRA continuation of your former employer's health insurance if possible:

http://www.insurance.com/quotes/article.aspx/Know_Your_COBRA_Rights/artid/60

I think that you have up to 60 days to elect coverage, and the coverage is retroactive to the time when you lost your health insurance, but you would need to sign up for it before you actually use it.  Since you lost coverage on or after January 15, you have at least 13 more days to elect to buy the COBRA, by my calculations.

There is a lot of information at this website, but here is just an excerpt:

The rules for beginning COBRA

Both you and your former employer must follow proper procedure to initiate COBRA, or else you could forfeit your rights to coverage.

The employer must notify the health plan administrator within 30 days after an employee's "qualifying event" — death, job termination, reduced hours of employment, or eligibility for Medicare.

In cases of divorce, legal marital separation, or a child's loss of dependent status, it is your or your family's responsibility to notify the health plan administrator within 60 days of the event.

Once notified, the plan administrator then has 14 days to alert you and your family members — in person or by first-class mail — about your right to elect COBRA. The IRS gets tough here: If the plan administrator fails to act, he or she can be held personally liable for breaching their duties. However, the plan administrator must have your correct mailing address. If you move, it is your (or your family's) responsibility to tell the health plan administrator.

You, your spouse, and children have 60 days to decide whether to buy COBRA. This election period is counted from the date your eligibility notification is sent to you or the date that you lost your health coverage, whichever is later. Your COBRA coverage will be retroactive to the date that you lost your benefits (as long as you pay the premium).

During the election period when you have to choose whether to buy COBRA, you might initially decide not to, which means you waive your right to coverage. However, as long as the election period hasn't expired, you can change your mind and revoke your waiver, and COBRA coverage would then start on the day the waiver was revoked. Bear in mind that if you visit a doctor during the period you initially waived COBRA, you will not be reimbursed for that claim even if you later decide to buy COBRA. In this case, COBRA is not retroactive to the date you lost your employer-sponsored plan.
Conversely, even if you enroll in COBRA on the last day that you are eligible, your coverage is retroactive to the date you lost your job, provided you pay all the retroactive premiums.

Other COBRA tidbits

Premium payments. After you elect COBRA, you have to pay the first premium within 45 days. And that first premium is likely to be high because it covers the period retroactive to the date coverage ended through your employer. Successive payments are due according to health plan requirements, but COBRA rules allow for a 30-day grace period after each due date for payment.
Short payment rule. If your COBRA payment is short by an "insignificant amount" — either 10 percent or $50, whichever is the lesser of the two — an employer must accept the short payment as payment in full, or notify you of the deficiency and allow you another 30 days from the date that you receive the notification to correct the deficiency.
Extensions. Although COBRA sets specific time limits on coverage, there is nothing stopping the health plan from extending your benefits beyond the mandated coverage period.
Notification rights. Because COBRA is a federal law, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has jurisdiction over issues involving notification of about COBRA coverage. Employers that fail to comply with the notification rules face fines of up to $110 for every day that no notice is sent after the deadline. In addition, the IRS can assess an excise tax against any company that does not comply with COBRA regulations.
New workers. Newly hired employees must be given an initial general notice about their COBRA rights.
Plan description. COBRA information must be contained in the summary of the health plan description employees must receive when they are new to the plan.
Switching plans. If your employer offers an open enrollment period to active employees and you're on COBRA, you must also be given the option to switch plans during that time. You may also add new dependents (a newborn, newly adopted child, or new spouse) if your employer offers this option to active employees.
Conversion plans. If the health plan offers the option of converting from a group plan to an individual policy under COBRA, you must be given that option and allowed to convert within 180 days before COBRA ends. But you'll pay individual, not group, rates, and switching to individual coverage could weaken any HIPAA protections you have.
Moving. If you relocate out of your COBRA health plan's coverage area, you will lose your COBRA benefits; the employer is not required to offer you a plan in your new area.
Premium costs. Your premiums can be increased if the costs of the health plan increase for everyone at the workplace, but generally they must be fixed in advance of each 12-month cycle. The plan must also allow you to pay premiums on a monthly basis if you want.
Premium notices. Neither the health plan nor the employer are required to send you monthly premium notices, so make sure you pay attention to due dates.
Disability. People eligible for Social Security Disability benefits may receive COBRA coverage for 29 months.

[Callaway]

How are you feeling today, Tesla?

Better, I hope.

[Tesla]

I'm feeling better, definitely.  I couldn't go to the clinic today because I had too much work today for class.  I'm going to see how I feel tomorrow and make an appointment if I feel I need to.  Thanks for your concern Callaway. 

[Lucifer]

glad you're feeling better hon. 

[SovaNu]

wonder what it was.

[Tristeza]

I think his gallbladder attacked him!     The spicy Indian food may have set it off.

[Callaway]

I think his gallbladder attacked him!     The spicy Indian food may have set it off.

That's what it sounds like, since he is better now.

I think that an ulcer would have felt better temporarily after he ate instead of worse.

I hope it was just a one time thing and it never happens again, but if it recurs, especially after eating a big meal or a high-fat meal, then at least he will have a better idea of the problem.

Acute cholecystitis is an infection or inflammation of the organ, and causes pain and a fever that last for 12 hours or more. The pain is located on the right side of the body under the ribs and may feel like an intense soreness. The pain is made worse by coughing and moving around. People who develop acute cholecystitis usually also have gallstones, and must see a doctor immediately if these symptoms occur. Antibiotics are usually given to treat this condition, but if they are not effective, the gall bladder may have to be removed entirely.

....

A gall bladder attack is an excruciatingly painful episode when the gall bladder becomes inflamed. This can be because of a blockage caused by gallstones, or it can occur on its own with no stones present. The symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain below the ribs on the right side. Many people think they are having appendicitis, and the symptoms are similar. Eating a very fatty or greasy meal can bring on a gall bladder attack. If the doctor is unsure that the symptoms are being caused by the gall bladder, he may prescribe a fatty meal be eaten to see if another attack occurs. Recurrent gall bladder attacks may need to be treated with the removal of the gall bladder.

[SovaNu]

better go to the doctor then.

[DirtDawg]

I think his gallbladder attacked him!     The spicy Indian food may have set it off.

That's what it sounds like, since he is better now.

I think that an ulcer would have felt better temporarily after he ate instead of worse.

I hope it was just a one time thing and it never happens again, but if it recurs, especially after eating a big meal or a high-fat meal, then at least he will have a better idea of the problem.

Acute cholecystitis is an infection or inflammation of the organ, and causes pain and a fever that last for 12 hours or more. The pain is located on the right side of the body under the ribs and may feel like an intense soreness. The pain is made worse by coughing and moving around. People who develop acute cholecystitis usually also have gallstones, and must see a doctor immediately if these symptoms occur. Antibiotics are usually given to treat this condition, but if they are not effective, the gall bladder may have to be removed entirely.

....

A gall bladder attack is an excruciatingly painful episode when the gall bladder becomes inflamed. This can be because of a blockage caused by gallstones, or it can occur on its own with no stones present. The symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain below the ribs on the right side. Many people think they are having appendicitis, and the symptoms are similar. Eating a very fatty or greasy meal can bring on a gall bladder attack. If the doctor is unsure that the symptoms are being caused by the gall bladder, he may prescribe a fatty meal be eaten to see if another attack occurs. Recurrent gall bladder attacks may need to be treated with the removal of the gall bladder.

We just got past a round of strep throat in this house. I'm pretty sure we all had it in varying degrees. (both of the kids had it - confirmed by throat tissue cultures taken at a doctor's office)

Carpet tacks to swallow might have been like therapy. Lesions in the throat make every breath seem closer to your last try.

I only took one dose of anti-biotic, though. It left after that, for me. My son and daughter required about twenty each, but they are kids. My wife needed her own regimen of anti-biotics.
The kid's stuff did not seem to have a positive effect for her.









Seriously, this has been one fucked up year of exposure to shit. Our brand spanking new fucking school was shut down for a day because they had to sterilize it for the 'cillinresistant staph, most every kid has had strep, flu has hospitalized several kids and it seems rampant, still. Fortunately we have not had flu, except for a short-lived, intestinal strain.










You know, we are ALL going to die from an advanced case of the sniffles, don't you?

[Tesla]

Yep, don't know what it was.  I sure hope it never happens again, cause it was awful.  Thanks for the concern everyone. 

[Callaway]

Yep, don't know what it was.  I sure hope it never happens again, cause it was awful.  Thanks for the concern everyone. 

It certainly sounded awful, Tesla.  It scared me, but I'm more scared of things like this since my brother died. 

I think I remember getting a weird 24 hour stomach virus one time that hurt my abdomen mostly when I moved, but it never happened again.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that yours was a one time thing as well.

[SovaNu]

i used to get pain when i was drinking a lot... it burned my stomach or something.

[Tristeza]

Me too, I developed chronic reflux and it was miserable.  I have to take Prevacid every day now, and also a liquid called Carafate, which coats my stomach.  Works really well, and I can keep drinking!  Woohoo!!