Medical Advice 101

People are always asking Joe medical questions. My grandparents literally cut out magazine ads for new drugs and bring them to family dinners to discuss with him! Ha! I feel like he says a lot of the same things over again when he's talking to people so today I'm giving you FOUR pieces of medical advice I have learned from him!!

1) If you don't have insurance, find out if your city has a free clinic or a clinic that pro-rates fees based on income. So many people don't know there is an option like this out there!

2) If your doctor prescribes you a medication (and especially if you don't have insurance), you should ask if it's on the $4 list at Walmart (if possible - not all meds are included). Also, Target, CVS, Walgreens and many other places have low cost prescriptions too and good doctors have at least some of those lists memorized. Some people think you have to have insurance to have access to the $4 rates - you don't!

3) You have the right to request a medical student NOT provide care to you. Also, keep in mind new residents start in July. My husband did stitches on someone's EYEBROW in medical school (that totally freaks me out!). Do you feel comfortable having a student deliver your baby or provide your exams?

4) Your doctor WANTS you to ask questions and be HONEST! It's bad news if you're dishonest about which prescriptions you're taking or especially if you're inaccurate with what dosage you've been using.

I usually try to tune Joe and his colleagues out when they're talking about medical stuff because EWW (kidding). But these things have stuck in my head. Hopefully they help you or hopefully you already knew them!!

Also, I'm in Arizona through Wednesday for work and can I just say.. it's 75 degrees here! And get this, I saw children with COATS on today. WINTER COATS were sported and I'm literally five miles from Mexican border. I can't imagine what they would do if they encountered Kansas or say, Canada, in January. Yipes.

Have a WONDERFUL week!!