# Health care horror story #13848732 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 26, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612 "2009-12-26T08:01:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/581 "2010-01-29T17:27:18Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Huh. Your only definition of “useful” or “responsible” is when a person has a wage paying job? If so, that is very sad. No, but you fit my definition of ‘useless’. Nice dodge on my point about social programs creating dependence, by the way. I said that education, health care, etc, provide an opportunity for people to better themselves and work towards their goals. You said that those things only fostered dependence. I asked you whether you felt that way about everyone who has ever been educated by the state, all veterans and their families, seniors, and the disabled. Suddenly you decided that was off topic. Hmmm - I guess you realized how dumb that all sounded. Anyways, please regale us with the tale of the napkin sandwiches again! PLEASE! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/582 "2010-01-29T17:50:59Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Obviously, I didn’t starve. Had it gotten close to that, I imagine I would have made different choices, but it didn’t. Not only were you reduced to existing on _condiments_ instead of food, but by your own admission there were times you were reduced to _stealing_ even that! If you’re at a point you’re living on stolen ketchup and relish it’s time to swallow your pride and take advantage of the programs put in place to specifically help people avoid such a debased and degraded state - but you’d rather eat “napkin sandwiches” than be responsible and take proper care of yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/583 "2010-01-29T18:44:28Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Anyways, please regale us with the tale of the napkin sandwiches again! PLEASE! In my imagination, they are sanitary napkins. Used. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/584 "2010-01-29T19:30:39Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > In my imagination, they are sanitary napkins. Used. Ewwwww. You have a gross imagination! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/585 "2010-01-29T19:32:51Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Ewwwww. You have a gross imagination! Oh, you have no idea… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/586 "2010-01-29T19:34:28Z")
That would make them a bit more nutritious. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/587 "2010-01-29T19:49:45Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > You have a gross imagination! This is my favorite thing I’ve read all day. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That would make them a bit more nutritious. I dunno. It’s not like we’re just talking about a chunk of raw cotton here. They’re all weird synthetics filled with absorbent substances. So you’re pretty much chewing on plastic. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/588 "2010-01-29T19:53:22Z")
Maybe just suck the iron-rich juices out of them? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/589 "2010-01-29T20:00:22Z")
Waiter, I’ll pass on the red sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/590 "2010-01-29T20:10:39Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Maybe just suck the iron-rich juices out of them? Not out of a pad, you can’t. The stuff they use locks the moisture in. A tampon-lollypop would probably work, but you can’t use it to make a sandwich. Unless you spread out a pair of tampons and used them like a hamburger bun. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/591 "2010-01-29T21:38:18Z")
I want one with wings. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/592 "2010-01-29T21:54:05Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Not out of a pad, you can’t. The stuff they use locks the moisture in. Well, yes, but cheap generic pads not so much, and if you’re that poor you’re presumably not buying high-end pads. > [@](#): > > A tampon-lollypop would probably work, but you can’t use it to make a sandwich. Unless you spread out a pair of tampons and used them like a hamburger bun. Use a hot dog bun. More appropriate shape. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/593 "2010-01-29T22:04:55Z")
I think this thread has died an unnatural death. Is there a menses equivalent of Godwinising? Surely once a thread is bleeding like a stuck pig, it’s time to put it out of its misery? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/594 "2010-01-30T00:54:47Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Society _expects_ people to be good parents who do as much as they can, but intelligent people can see that not everyone is going to be an ideal parent, and that sometimes things happen that are out of even the best parents control. It is not right to punish the children for this. And yet, you continue to do so. Society celebrates all births, even those to drug addicts, those living on welfare in the projects, known child abusers, teenagers and all other totally unqualified parents. And then when those babies go home, you throw money at them and feel all self satisfied. > [@](#): > > Similarly, society expects good pet owners, but also provides safety nets in the form of animal shelters, pounds, dog and cat catchers, pest control, animal welfare officers, subsidised spay and neuter programs, and laws governing animal cruelty. We don’t just say “well, this dog got a bad owner, how stupid of him, let him die a painful death”. No, they just “put it to sleep”. And then they get all over all owners and breeders with more and more restrictive laws, and the media starts demanding more and more guarantees of perfection from the breeders (while completely ignoring the puppy mills, WTF). Yet, even tho you all claim that babies are far more important than pets, there are zero laws regarding who can be a parent, not near enough oversight and encouragement for _everyone_ to breed. > [@](#): > > I don’t know, how did you make that jump when others said they couldn’t afford health care for serious life-threatening conditions? Dunno - you’ll have to be more specific. > [@](#): > > Your pathological fear of receiving a hand up from anyone at any time has left you a shriveled old hag, spending your days critiquing everyone else, and reflecting on the glory days when you made $30,000 a year. Wow, four erroneous assumptions in one sentence! Is that a record? > [@](#): > > If it weren’t for your husband you would be on social assitance of some sort now, and yet you still can’t see that. Followed by another one - you are on a roll! I realize that this is just the fear talking, but it’s still kind of amazing. > [@](#): > > And I still refuse to believe it was necessary for you to eat napkins while making $400/month in the 70s. Would that income even qualify you for foodstamps? Doubt it. Dunno, didn’t apply. Particularly since I wasn’t making $400/month, as I’ve said many times. Not that you deal in facts… > [@kambuckta](#): > > Oh, and if you really want to get into an argument about what defines a ‘welfare’ payment or provision, you’d better be prepared to back up _your_ criteria with some dead-set cites girlie. You mean, like you did? > [@](#): > > No more of your dead-beat _welfare jive_ **curlcoat** …get with the program and start talking some sense. You mean, like you are? Spouting off on a subject you admit you don’t know anything about? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/595 "2010-01-30T02:01:06Z")
It’s back!!! Napkin sandwich stories! Napkin sandwich stories! Napkin sandwich stories! We want napkin sandwich stories! ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/596 "2010-01-30T02:05:25Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Oh. All right then. Well, there must be about… oh… a hundred bucks of mine in the Social Security piggy bank by now. Maybe two ? Clearly I’m entitled to retire now. Do you really not understand how social security works? > [@](#): > > Hint : people on SSDI don’t pay for themselves. Old news. > [@](#): > > WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE ? You honestly have never met anyone like that? > [@](#): > > How in the blazes are you still paying, if you’re not working ? And what are your special qualifications for SSDI, besides “you happen to live here” ? Do you really not know these things? SSDI is income - that is what that “I” stands for. Therefore, I pay income tax. (There’s yet another difference between SSDI and welfare.) I also pay sales tax, gas tax, property tax and whatever else I’ve forgotten. I can’t believe that you guys think that simply because someone doesn’t have a paying job, they have to be of no use. As for SSDI qualifications, look them up, they are online. > [@](#): > > Right, right. It’s those \*other \*social parasites. Those ones who don’t work, mostly never worked and create more mouths for the state to feed? Yup. > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > \*\*CURLY \*\*YOU HAVEN’T EXPLAINED THE NAPKIN SANDWICHES YET ☹ ☹ ☹ And? > [@](#): > > Hear that, everybody? Minimum wage jobs are so _gauche_. Not what I said of course. > [@](#): > > Please please please somebody dig up statistics about the demographics of people working minimum-wage jobs over the years. Someone did, trying to “prove” to me that minimum wage needs to be a living wage. Perhaps they will again, just for you. > [@Meyer6](#): > > No, but you fit my definition of ‘useless’. Knowing almost nothing about me yet you feel comfortable with that definition. Amazing. > [@](#): > > Nice dodge on my point about social programs creating dependence, Must have been a pretty dull point. > [@](#): > > I said that education, health care, etc, provide an opportunity for people to better themselves and work towards their goals. You said that those things only fostered dependence. I asked you whether you felt that way about everyone who has ever been educated by the state, all veterans and their families, seniors, and the disabled. Suddenly you decided that was off topic. Hmmm - I guess you realized how dumb that all sounded. Oh that? When did I say that education fosters dependence? Oh that’s right - never. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Not only were you reduced to existing on _condiments_ instead of food, but by your own admission there were times you were reduced to _stealing_ even that! Yup! Fourteen or so years old, and I didn’t have adult ethics. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/597 "2010-01-30T02:11:11Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > > [@broomstick](#): > > > > Not only were you reduced to existing on condiments instead of food, but by your own admission there were times you were reduced to stealing even that! > > Yup! Fourteen or so years old, and I didn’t have adult ethics. No excuse - at fourteen I knew stealing was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/598 "2010-01-30T03:35:13Z")
Wait a minute, a few pages back you said you left home at 18 and that after about age 10 your Dad was making good money. So why the napkin sandwiches at 14? Please don’t tell me this was just something you did for kicks as a teen. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/599 "2010-01-30T03:39:55Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Oh that? When did I say that education fosters dependence? Oh that’s right - never. Right in post #547 - > [@Meyer6](#): > > Addressed by oh, let’s say, helping them get an education? Keeping them healthy so they can continue to work or study and improve their lot? Eradicating all minimum wage jobs? I know which of these won’t work. > [@curlcoat](#): > > I know which ones won’t teach them to be responsible for themselves and to quit expecting “someone else” to fix their lives. Funny how all of your ideas seem to foster dependence - why is that? Lying is much more effective if your words aren’t recorded for all to see. ETA - the idea that you are striking ‘fear’ into us is _hilarious_, thanks for the laugh. It’s almost as hilarious as napkin sandwiches, and the fact that you are so slow you didn’t know stealing was wrong by the age of 14. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612/600 "2010-01-30T04:54:59Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > SSDI is income - that is what that “I” stands for. Your ignorance on display yet again. [The “I” stands for insurance.](http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_disability.htm) How is it you don’t know this? Clearly, we cannot depend on anything you say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-care-horror-story-13848732/522612.md?page=31)