A ::gag:: potato beetle. ::Gag::

Lucy GIFs need more stars.

Yes, benefits vary wildly. Obamacare has begun to scratch the surface as far as getting the majority of the country under some sort of rudimentary care. There were also laws put in place that regulate insurance companies to some degree, so that they cannot deny coverage for a pre-existing condition, for example. This…

In no way would I tout the US system as more progressive, so if I gave that impression, my bad. It is precisely *because* I tend to view European systems as more progressive that I was surprised an industrialized nation such as the UK was a few years behind on what I believe to be a cutting-edge treatment. I was also…

Standard radiation destroys healthy brain tissue, and can cause sometimes permanent neurological damage, memory loss, cognitive impairments, etc. Proton therapy provides a directed radiation to the tumor site without harming surrounding tissue. I am not sure to what studies you refer, but here in the States proton…

I think you are probably right on all counts.

I witnessed someone trying to peel a wheel of Brie once and I was internally laughing my ass off.

The subject was the UK system, and I was commenting on Milkshaker's description of it, which is why I did not in that particular comment address the shortcomings of the U.S. system. The U.S. system is terrible because it remains so profit-driven. At least now more people have access to care, but it is by no means…

Oh God yes! Our health care system is terrible! I was simply referring to the description that Milkshaker gave, that even though it is a nationalized system in the UK, it is not perfect.

That is great that there is progress being made with proton therapy in the UK. And yes, since the doctors can't disclose what the treatment plan has been up to now, there's no way to know if the parents are just grasping at straws. Unfortunately you may be right about the prognosis.

My daughter didn't have it because she has no sign of visible tumor, so they would be radiating a surgical site without really knowing when or if they had reached their goal. She doesn't need it at this time. If she showed re-growth of tumor, I have every confidence that it would be extremely beneficial to her, based…

I think the doctors were saying that they didn't believe it would help much in this particular case. Everything I have read about it in the States has been very positive as to its efficacy. I believe the use of it is pretty restricted, however, due to the expense, but I believe it is expanding in availability in the…

And this is exactly what the anti-Obamacare folks were using to try and scare U.S. voters away from supporting it. On balance I am all for a single-payer health system but people falling through the cracks is a very scary prospect.

Not rude at all, perhaps I was. I appreciate the detailed explanation. It's surprising to me because I tend to think of the U.S. as being less progressive in many ways. I'm grateful we have this option available here, and hope that its value is seen in the UK as well.

My daughter's neurosurgeon here in the U.S. was so freaked out about her tumor recurring that he wanted her to have proton therapy even though there was no visible sign of tumor after the second operation. The tumor board of the proton therapy center said no, since, again, she has no visible sign of tumor…

This story scared the crap out of me because it is shocking that proton therapy is not available in the UK for anything but eye cancer. Granted, it is fairly new, but there are about 10 centers in the U.S. that provide it, and insurance does cover it here, for all kinds of cancers that in particular involve the brain.…

Most office-type jobs and higher-paying blue collar jobs provide some kind of sick leave or PTO (paid time off). Some employers lump your vacation and sick into "PTO" that can be used either way. But it is NOT the law that they have to offer it. And most retail and service jobs do not offer paid sick leave at all.…

I ate Taco Bell for the first time in probably 10 or 15 years just a couple of weeks ago. I was hungover (a very rare occurrence for me) and I just craved it. I got two items, I don't even remember what they were. Does it matter? It all tastes the same. Anyway, the really strange result of this meal was that not only…

I was coming here to reference Caity and how she needs to be among the first to try them at McD's. Well done.

Don't waste any more breath. He/she is obviously trolling and being completely obtuse to start something.