Comments on: Did I Mention I was a Respiratory Therapist?

By: James Altucher

James Altucher — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:05:00 +0000

Very good idea, Janey.

By: JaneyB

JaneyB — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:55:00 +0000

Just read your post, thanks to a back link from James’ current post…..

I appreciate your skepticism but even if most people don’t want to know, some people need to know. Health care reform is coming to the US over the next decade starting with the baby steps of Obamacare. Scrutiny of the system will only increase and new ideas are needed. The more on-the-ground information, the better.

Writing a book would probably be a discouraging experience…but a blog would work and you’d get a lot of participation from others with similar experiences. There’s a community of people out there who have ideals and frustrations just like you – and they would read it (and help write it). They need to know they are not alone.

A blog is just the thing, Jay. Just go to WordPress.com (or another blogging site) and you can have something up in minutes. Reply here with its new address and start writing (using James’ writing tips). Possible blog names: “I Hate my HMO”….thousands of people probably type that into google every day!

By: Patrick M.

Patrick M. — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:37:00 +0000

Hi James — I truly enjoy reading your blog and have been combing through the archives during spare moments at work over the last couple of weeks. Brilliant stuff, and it’s very apparent how much you are growing as a writer (old stuff like this is very good, but the newest stuff you are posting now is even moreso).

Just a quick note to pay attention to the difference between “effect” and “affect”… as far as I can tell you don’t really make a habit of this mistake, but I noticed it twice in this post so I thought I would leave you a brief message. Hopefully you don’t take offense!

By: Patrick M.

Patrick M. — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:37:00 +0000

By: Steven Goff

Steven Goff — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:00:37 +0000

Did I mention I posses (expired now but did at one time) the credentials and the skills to be a barber?…..lol…I do!……I cut hair for 4 years.

By: Priapism

Priapism — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:05:51 +0000

Tried to find your email to send you a comment. I disagree with you on investing (your thoughts on Gold etc) but much of what you write in terms of real life I agree with. BTW, Mish apparently is a complete ass. Refer to him as Mike “Miss” Shedlock since he completely missed the huge rally in stocks.

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:41:12 +0000

I really enjoyed your story. I am a Respiratory Therapist, have been for some 24 years. The health care industry I work in now is not the industry I started in. While there are many wonderful, dedicated, caring healthcare professionals from all disciplines, there are the few who are simply there to make a buck; and those few ruin it for the rest. Like the doctor, I used to think that people needed to know, would want to know, what really goes on in the hospital setting. I also thought of writing a book to expose the ills of the healthcare industry. I no longer believe people want to know.
I used to tell friends and family some of the things that really go on, and was suprised at the response I recieved. Mostly it was disbelief or hostility. “My doctor would never do that!”, “Well maybe that goes on at the crap hospital you work at, but MY hospital is great!!”, “You’re lying!” Those were generally the type of responses I recieved.
At first I was surprised, but over time I realized that going to the hospital is a scary thing. You, or your most precious loved one, are sick or injured; and you have to trust that very life to a group of strangers, hoping that they know and care about what they’re doing. The thought that these strangers may be fallable, incompetent; or worse, simply in it to make a buck off of you or your loved ones suffering, is too much for most to bear. Occasionally the masses find someone who really screws up and sues the pants off of them; but for the most part people want to believe that everyone at the hospital has their best interest at heart, and doesn’t simply think of them as the pneumonia in room 234.
It’s rather like the parable of the emporer’s new clothes. Most people want to believe that the clothes exist, and if they strain hard enough that they too will really be able to see them. Every now and then, it becomes apparent that someone we thought had their clothes on is naked, and we punish the snot out of them. I often wonder if it’s not so much for the medical offense as it is the destruction of the illusion that makes people feel better and more secure.
I gave up on the idea of a book. Noone would read it.

By: James Altucher

James Altucher — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:17:25 +0000

@pjc, I really wonder what profession requires multi-year professional training. Most of education (including elementary school) is a scam.

@Steve, I bet you have some great stories. Ultimately, I never did the book. Maybe some day.

By: Steve Lawrence

Steve Lawrence — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 06:09:54 +0000

Great story. I was a corpsman in the Navy and did a lot of watching people breath, ect. So, what happened to the book?

By: pjc

pjc — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:20:43 +0000

Loved it! I love any story involving “normal” people pretending to medical professionals. From what I’ve been told, medical training involves a great many “fake it till you make it” experiences (perhaps much like being an entrepreneur). Nice that you got a taste of that.