finaldx

that they are "dirty" and clog up the catalytic converter. Is this true? How would I go about verifying this allegation? The two brands he said not to buy are the most convenient by far. I have to drive quite a distance to buy the name brand gasoline/s he recommended.

As a natural skeptic, I am dubious, but am complying, thus far.

I think there are fraudulent charges both to medicare and the supplemental company, and the patient, as I am going through my mother's estate and her bills. More than think, pretty sure. Either the accountant is sloppy or is doing this on purpose.

The question is: Shall I show this to the doctor directly? If she reports that she has "discovered" these errors, is she "in the clear"? I feel pretty confident that the doctor is not in on this, and the accountant has been avoiding my calls, so I have an idea where it is coming from.

My own practice (forensic pathology) doesn't bill like this, so I don't know the implications.

My elderly mom, age 85, lives independently, was hospitalized for pretty aggressive upper respiratory infection. On her third night in hospital, she was so very confused, did not know where she was. Her sugar, sats and bp were fine. I was in the room with her, and she was fussing at me all night to answer the door, who is in our house, etc. I just kept reminding her she was not at home, but in hospital. Oh, she would say, and two minutes later, was back "in her own house". She was also seeing red spiders which she was aware were hallucinations.

Scared me, for sure. I checked, she was on nothing at all that could have been sedating.

Today, she is all here, remembers her confusion. They have even released her to home, and she is a bit weak but fine. Any thoughts about this being transient or the first symptom of dementia?

Such as, I thought that oxen were a separate species than other cattle, only to find out in my sixth decade of life that I have been wrong about that all along.

A co-worker (in the reserves) informs me today that the military has agreed to pay her breast implant surgery. She has no injury or anomaly other than her breasts are not large enough to suit her.

What gives? Am I, as a tax payer, actually paying for this, when so many soldiers who are really in need of medical care are having a hard time getting it?

My mother-in-law is demented, ten years now. She is in a nursing home and is on hospice, but really has no overriding medical problems (no high blood pressure, no heart disease that is documented, no diabetes). She is 85 years old.

We just moved her from Canada (she is dual citizen) to the USA. She was hospitalized briefly for urinary tract infection. Until then, we had been paying all her bills in the nursing home. Apparently, the hospital visit triggered application for Social Security, Medicare, etc.

Several months thereafter, we got a call from the nursing home, her bills had been paid retroactively, and we had a sizable check waiting for us, paying us back for most of what we had paid to the nursing home.

Recently, we received a check from the Social Security Administration. It is for quite a bit of money, it is in her name. She has no checking account. My husband checked with an elder law atty and since she is demented, she can't give power of atty for financial matters to anyone. The attorney basically told my husband he can't do anything until his mom dies, intestate, and wait for the probate courts.

She may not die soon, she is still pretty feisty and witty.

He is the only child. Her husband is long dead (20 years) and her eldest son is dead. The check is good for one year.

Does anyone know of laws (Texas) regarding how to deposit that in her name? We don't need the money, but don't want it to be lost. Can we apply to have someone at the state be her conservator and deposit that money in her name?

Any thoughts on this would be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

It is a convertible. In excellent shape. The chrome is a little pitted, the paint job is spectacular. Not sure of the engine, has not been driven in close to 20 years, but has been out of the weather. Rodentia were in the engine, but when cleaned out it looks great.

I did five autopsies today. Two of the people had sought medical care in the last two days. Both of the diagnoses, and treatment were grossly inaccurate; one case would potentially survived if appropriate diagnosis were made, the other case, the outcome would likely have been the same, but missing small bowel obstruction is unforgiveable in my opinion.

So the question is: Whom do I notify? The doctor, the risk manager, the medical board? What would you do in a similar circumstance? I feel like this is good QA feedback, don't want to get anyone in trouble, or piss them off, but think they need to know.

I am inclined to believe all the media hype about global warming, but my empiric data, ie observation of sea level, indicate that the change is not apparent to me yet.

My mother lives at the coast, on the water, and the levels at the boat dock have not changed in the 30 years she has been there.

Would anyone be happy to see entire new categories in medicine?

My suggestions:

1. How to become a doctor

2. How to pass a drug test, I smoked recently

3. What is this pill?

Then we would not have to wade through, see and ignore (occasionally answer) these same questions over and over.

I would like to add an image to a talk about allergic reactions, so a source of an image would be helpful, though not necessary.

I was approached after a speech I gave by a publisher who wants me to write a book. I submitted the proposal and it is in process now. He offered the paultry sum of $500 royalty. I know it is to be used as educational text, but that seems awfully low to me.

I don't know how to compare that offer or to bargain for better. Any suggestions?

What foods did the Western Hemisphere ("New World") and the Eastern Hemisphere ("Old World") have in common? Or were all of today's cuisines a result of the blending of the two?

Has anyone had bad experience with this plan?

I paid three months online, printed out the paid invoice and the reference paid number. That was back at the first of October. NOW they tell me I'm not covered, that they never received the payment. Last Friday, I faxed them the bank statement showing it deducted from my account and where it went.

NOW they tell me it only got to the accountants MONDAY, and they have two to three business days to review. THEIR idea of two to three business days is this next Friday!

I have filed a complaint with the state insurance board. I have a strong feeling that this is part of their business plan, to deny, deny, deny, just to frustrate people into paying their bills, even though I have paid over six thousand dollars to this company, and all I want is the prescription that will cost them $34.

The "representative" told me I had done everything right, yet it will be a week to get this resolved.

If everyone conducted their business as I do, which is pay as you go? The only thing I owe on is my home, and I owe less than 20% of the market value, have been paying it down fast. I save and buy a car, pay the entire credit card bill every month. If NO ONE in this country was strung out on credit, what would happen with the economy?

Serious students of economics only, please.

Unsolicited, kinda weird. Like "Here is your outward symbol of your addiction". But I guess it is better than some other addictions I can think of.

Will the old issue of legal drinking age be raised again?

When Vietnam was raging, and kids were being drafted at age 18, huge debate about having them die for their country before they could buy a beer, and in most places the drinking age was lowered to 18. Unceremoniously and quietly, it has been changed back to 21.

Will we see that issue be raised again?

I was putting together a pot roast earlier today, and my husband mentioned his mom used to make a Ukranian pot roast with sweet gherkins in it.

Has anyone ever heard of this? He said it was good.

Okay, so it was an impulse purchase. I bought prickly pear fruit at the market, never had seen them before.

So, I came home to research how to cook them. They are green, does that mean they are not ripe? Descriptions indicate ripe ones are red. They are not flat, so I guess that means they are not the "leaves" of the cactus.

All recipes I have found only tell how to make syrup or jelly, and assume I know more about them than I obviously do.

Do I need to let them ripen? Any advice will be appreciated.

From AP wire: AGE-BIRTH DATE — 63, Sept. 25, 1943, Wichita, Kan. EXPERIENCE — CIA intelligence analyst, 1966-1974; National Security Council staff, 1974-1979; director of executive staff for CIA director, 1981-1982; deputy director for intelligence, 1982-1986; chair of the National Intelligence Council, 1983-1986; deputy director of CIA, 1986-1989; acting director, 1986-1987; deputy assistant to the president for national security affairs, 1989; assistant to the president and deputy for national security affairs, 1989-1991; CIA director, 1991-1993; interim dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, 1999-2001; president of Texas A&M University, 2002-present EDUCATION — B.A. from College of William and Mary, 1965; M.A. Indiana University, 1966; Ph.D. Georgetown University, 1974.