Question for the Docs: some random speculation

[MichaelB]

Sarah, I am embarrassed and undeserving – but don’t let that stop you. Thanks for the kind words.

The original topic of this thread is pretty much done – now we just need to wait and see. July 5th is Venezuelan Independence Day - a key date and should tell us much. Until then no more comment from me on this matter.

Back to films. Of the short list we discussed, both DW and I really enjoyed “Y Tu Mama Tambien” and “Real Women have curves”. Real Women is (regretfully for your Spanish) in English, but is still the best representation of Latino family culture I have seen in a film in either language, and it sparked a dinner table dialog much like your own, but between DW and our daughters. “Tu Mama” is gritty and has a fair amount of sex that might offend some, but is an excellent film with many layers, one of which is a very critical view of Mexican society, poverty and exploitation. If it doesn’t show, I think Mexican filmmaking has really evolved.

One comment about your trip. Even though Peru has the same type of inequality depicted in these films and seen almost everywhere in Latin America, I have never seen or felt the mean spiritedness or hostility evidenced elsewhere, even going back to the “Sendero Luminoso” days. People there are friendly and well meaning.

 

[MichaelB]

The original topic of this thread is pretty much done – now we just need to wait and see. July 5th is Venezuelan Independence Day - a key date and should tell us much. Until then no more comment from me on this matter.

Well, he did return, after announcing (from Cuba) the removal of a cancerous tumor. He made a short public appearance in CCS but gave no address and did not attend the July 5 celebrations. Cause for speculation. My SIl (an MD) said yesterday that the medical community is overwhelmed with speculation. His appearance from Cuba TV was gaunt and sickly, while he looked fit and chubby a couple of days ago in person. No way to know.

Venezuelan Presidential elections are next year, the campaigning has already begun, and the physical demands of a long campaign will probably tell us what is happening.

Unless the docs have something to add, I'd say this thread has run its course and thanks to all that joined in the conversation.

 

[TromboneAl]

You know you have a bad HMO when it's a good option to go to Cuba for surgery.

 

[calmloki]

Thought Cuba was famous for exporting very well trained doctors to poor countries. Dang subversive red plague. The gall of those commie so and sos spending money on education. What kind of way is that to wage a war of ideology?!

 

[Zero]

Maybe Rich can confirm for us that Cuban trained doctors are in great demand within the international community. I know that Indian doctors are pretty well trained. I just do not know the same about Cuban doctors.

 

[MichaelB]

Venezuela has private health care (like the US) and public health care, the same services (in theory), just paid by the gov't and little or no charge to the patient. Like many Venezuelan MDs, my SIL worked both private and public practice. For the past 10 years she has worked alongside Cuban MDs that came over after [-]the Chavez Castro lovefest[/-] Venezuela and Cuba joined forces. Her assessment: Cuban GPs are like any other GP educated a few decades ago and working in a rural or small town setting ever since. The specialists are lacking in knowledge, technique and technology. Cuba has developed expertise in a few areas, like eye surgery. The common view among Venezuelan MDs is that Cuba's reputation for medical care is the result of lots of GPs providing very good basic care to most of the population.

When Castro was ill he went to Venezuela for treatment. Chavez went to Cuba. Neither leader trusts their own medical community.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Venezuela has private health care (like the US) and public health care, the same services (in theory), just paid by the gov't and little or no charge to the patient. Like many Venezuelan MDs, my SIL worked both private and public practice. For the past 10 years she has worked alongside Cuban MDs that came over after [-]the Chavez Castro lovefest[/-] Venezuela and Cuba joined forces. Her assessment: Cuban GPs are like any other GP educated a few decades ago and working in a rural or small town setting ever since. The specialists are lacking in knowledge, technique and technology. Cuba has developed expertise in a few areas, like eye surgery. The common view among Venezuelan MDs is that Cuba's reputation for medical care is the result of lots of GPs providing very good basic care to most of the population.

When Castro was ill he went to Venezuela for treatment. Chavez went to Cuba. Neither leader trusts their own medical community.

My take is that Cuba prides itself on health care access. Technology and quality of physician education and training are much harder to assess.

 

[eytonxav]

Knowing that fruitcake, how about complications from a sex change operation