So? What did I miss?
Taylor Swift isn’t hot. Donny Fucktard took a hand-me-down Qatari 747 in violation of the Constitution, Putin is humiliating his bestie on the world stage, repeatedly and everything costs more.
Eh, not worth coming in today.
At this point, only the apocalypse would make me consider returning to the studio.
The show had to end. For starters, talking about the worst President evah gets old really fast the second term around. And then, there’s the cancer.
I have cancer. Again. This cancer is a new cancer. It’s not my old breast cancer returning. This is a lung cancer. A big one.
For everyone who is still following this Substack and hoping for an update, there it is.
I broke my DNA. I was a degenerate smoker, and there’s payback for that. I have an inoperable oozing pussy gravy sore of a tumor in my left lung. I quit smoking 4 years ago. Ha! My doctor never had me screened for lung cancer. Ha! She’s been my doctor for 10 years! Ha! She forgot that I am an ex-smoker with a history of cancer. She made me come in every three months for Lipitor refills! Hahahahahaha. Yeah, well, hmmm.
I’ll try to keep an accurate diary of how disappointed and disgusted we should all be with health care delivery in America.
Here’s a quick and recent example: Friday, I spent an hour on hold trying to get copies of my previous mammograms from my old imaging center, with no luck.
“Sorry for the hold. We’re going home early today. Check back on Monday.”
I decided to keep my appointment with the new imaging center, where I had the PET scan that diagnosed my lung cancer, BAPTIST HEALTH CITY. Baptist Health City. The nerve.
“We can’t do anything for you without your prior imaging. We only compare last year to this year’s imaging if this is a diagnostic mammogram. That’s protocol.”
I asked to speak to someone with a medical background. I said, “This is NEW cancer. This is lung cancer NOT breast cancer. I had my PET scan here, and I have the pathology report. It’s not breast cancer, but my oncologist found a NEW palpable mass in my left breast. It’s new! It’s a NEW cancer. It’s not breast cancer. We need to see if it’s lung cancer that spread to my breast!”
“Where does it say that?” the person asked.
”Here. It says that, right here,” I said following the words on the report with my finger.
“Oh! The doctor found it? Okay, then. Oh it’s lung cancer. Oh, well, you have to know if the lung cancer metastasized to your breast. Well, yes, that’s important. We can screen for that today.”
Three hours later, I was taken to the imagining room. Later that night a report was posted on their “portal.” WINNING!
Now I just needed the medical decoder ring to translate this complex medical mess of words.
I copied and pasted the Final Report from the “portal” into Chat GPT. Chat, my new best friend, told me, in less than 30 seconds, “This is a cautious report with no finding of cancer!” Yay!
So why didn’t I just ask my oncologist? I can’t ask my oncologist. My oncologist doesn’t have a phone. I’ll explain.
My oncologist is part of a group of around 200 oncologists operating as Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute. Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute was a physician owned oncology and research group last time I had cancer. That’s why I returned to this practice, but recently, McKesson purchased it.
McKesson. McKesson. Why do you know that name? You do know that name.
McKesson was a major distributor of oxycodone and Hydrocodone before their license to sell was suspended in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Colorado. In 2017 McKesson was forced to pay a record $150 million dollars civil penalty for violating the Controlled Substances Act. In 2019, McKesson and three other distributors would be ordered to pay $6.68 billion over 18 years, in a settlement with four additional states.
THAT McKesson owns Florida Cancer Specialists now. Pill mill supplying McKesson. Appalachia poisoned by McKesson, McKesson. Banned from distributing oxycodone and other controlled substances in at least four states McKesson owns Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute. I shit you not.
Now, with McKesson in the driver’s seat, Florida Cancer Specialists demands high volume oncology treatment. Each doctor must treat MORE patients than ever before. To do this, Florida Cancer Specialists uses a uniquely cruel operating system. Ready for this?
189 doctors, ONE PHONE NUMBER.
Yes, you got that right, ONE PHONE NUMBER. No extensions, no office numbers, no cell phones. Just one number for four group offices in West Palm Beach that forwards to a CALL CENTER! What will they think of next?
Here’s how it works. You have cancer. You were told to get a mammogram, but you need a simple question answered so you can book your mammogram, i.e. “Do I want a screening mammogram or a diagnostic mammogram?” You call 561 366 4100.
Stay on hold for 20 minutes and a “We can call you back,” message is triggered. The call back comes. It’s a call center worker calling you. The agent asks, “What’s your question?” You ask and return to hold. The agent is looking for someone in the call center who can answer your question.” After another 20-30 minutes you will get a human. “What is your question?”
“I’m trying to schedule my mammogram and ultrasound. Does the order call for a screening or a diagnostic appointment?”
Answer, “I will ask your doctor and call you back.” You will not get called back until the end of the business day or perhaps the next day, because you have been triaged.
Of course, you can’t schedule your appointment today. You have just lost a day in your cancer battle.
This is why you copy and paste your reports into Chat GPT.
McKesson practically invented the high-volume oncology call center health care delivery model. They brag about it in the Quarterly Report* (see excerpt below)
So that’s what’s going on.
I started chemo and radiation treatments a week ago. So far, I’m tolerating it well.
If you are going through something and want to vent or want to create a support system that we all could learn from, regarding health care, nutrition, i.e. smoothie recipes for protein, iron, constipation, headache remedies, ringing in the ears, or just a place to vent, let’s do it together.
That’s the way we’ve always done it. Together. We’ll do this together too even though I’m broken.
Love you MORE
Randi
*McKesson Annual Report Excerpt:
For 4Q25, the company recorded revenues of $90.8 billion, up by 18.9% YoY compared to $76.4 billion in 4Q24, primarily driven by growth in the U.S. Pharmaceutical segment, due to increased prescription volumes from retail national customers and growth in the distribution of specialty products, including higher volumes in oncology. Operating Income for the quarter was $1.6 billion, up by 30.8% YoY with a margin of 1.8%, up by 20 bps. Adjusted operating income was $1.5 billion, up by 23.5% YoY with a margin of 1.7%, flat as compared to the prior year. The growth in operating income benefited from growth across all operating segments, including strong oncology and other specialty provider volumes, the onboarding of a new strategic customer in 2Q, and increased demand for access solutions in the Prescription Technology Solutions segment. Net income for the period was $1.31 billion, up by 57.3% YoY, while adjusted net income was $1.27 billion, up by 56.7% YoY. Similarly, Diluted EPS on a reported basis was $10.01 per share, up by 66.3%, while adjusted diluted EPS was $10.12 per share, up by 63.8% YoY. The growth in Net income and EPS was driven by a lower effective tax rate and strong operational growth across the business.
Missing you terribly Randi, but sending love and light and all positive energy as you get through this. Your warriors are all here for you! ❤️
Sending you love — even t.hough the news is awful, I’m glad you’ shared with us, the best friends you never met.