Retirement Planning: Reducing Return Target and Risk?

[ucodegen]

[quote=Coronita]
Oh, I wish I was kidding. I’m pretty sure that $700 MRI wasn’t the MRI that I need to get…

And I was wrong. $15,000 was what it was maybe a few years ago…
[/quote]
The MRI spec looks the same, the location I visited was different. I had mine in early 2008. Late 2008 was when UCSDs MRI supposedly came on line. Sharp had already had theirs for a while (cost might have been run off). I also think that Sharp was doing MRIs for different Hospitals at the time. Their machine was nearly booked up.

My MRI took a while, they were looking for an obstruction in the biliary tree. There was a sequence of several images using different spin decays and freq. They also used a very large amount of contrast (almost all the machine could hold). Somewhere around in this mess I call an office space, there is a copy of the MRI on CD/DVD. I had asked for the ‘take home package’. ;-P

On my billing, the Physician Services was not done at Sharp, but the actual MRI was.

There is not much difference in type of MRIs. One of the big differences is the physician work on analyzing the image. From a Physics point of view, MRIs are simple.. but the sensing mechanism on them is tricky. Very simply, the MRI pulls all the dipole atoms in the body into alignment, then a perpendicular electro-magnet fires effectively pulling the dipole atoms and causing them to precess within the primary magnetic field (I like to consider it ‘plucking’ the diapoles). The MRI listens to the cacophony of precessing dipoles and figures out where each signal comes from. The pulling magnet is the grid or structure they put over your chest, abdomen, head – or wherever they are sensing (some MRIs have these ‘integrated’ into the MRI). The amount of energy required to pull/tip is why that part of the MRI gets warm during the MRI. The big, main magnet is the doughnut shaped device you are inserted into. It is also the part that makes it dangerous to have metal on you. The coils inside are bathed in liquid nitrogen to get the wiring of the magnet to be a near superconductor. The main magnet is never turned off during the time the MRI is installed. It take a long time to power up (very high inductance).

I do know that what the insurance actually pays, and what the actual cost is varies greatly from what a person’s bill shows. So much for transparency and consistency in medical billing. Current google lookup shows amounts between $680 to $1750 for abdominal MRI.

[quote=Coronita]They generally knock you out so you don’t even remember it, unless you are like me, when you insist you only want to do a light sedation because you want to stay awake while they are doing the lower one because you think it’s cool and interesting…[/quote]
I tend to want to be conscious during a procedure… partially because of curiosity.. and partially because I refuse to surrender my consciousness…

In terms of qualities of doctors/surgeons.. etc I wholeheartedly agree.

[Coronita]

[quote=ucodegen][quote=Coronita]
Oh, I wish I was kidding. I’m pretty sure that $700 MRI wasn’t the MRI that I need to get…

And I was wrong. $15,000 was what it was maybe a few years ago…
[/quote]
The MRI spec looks the same, the location I visited was different. I had mine in early 2008. Late 2008 was when UCSDs MRI supposedly came on line. Sharp had already had theirs for a while (cost might have been run off). I also think that Sharp was doing MRIs for different Hospitals at the time. Their machine was nearly booked up.

My MRI took a while, they were looking for an obstruction in the biliary tree. There was a sequence of several images using different spin decays and freq. They also used a very large amount of contrast (almost all the machine could hold). Somewhere around in this mess I call an office space, there is a copy of the MRI on CD/DVD. I had asked for the ‘take home package’. ;-P

On my billing, the Physician Services was not done at Sharp, but the actual MRI was.

There is not much difference in type of MRIs. One of the big differences is the physician work on analyzing the image. From a Physics point of view, MRIs are simple.. but the sensing mechanism on them is tricky. Very simply, the MRI pulls all the dipole atoms in the body into alignment, then a perpendicular electro-magnet fires effectively pulling the dipole atoms and causing them to precess within the primary magnetic field (I like to consider it ‘plucking’ the diapoles). The MRI listens to the cacophony of precessing dipoles and figures out where each signal comes from. The pulling magnet is the grid or structure they put over your chest, abdomen, head – or wherever they are sensing (some MRIs have these ‘integrated’ into the MRI). The amount of energy required to pull/tip is why that part of the MRI gets warm during the MRI. The big, main magnet is the doughnut shaped device you are inserted into. It is also the part that makes it dangerous to have metal on you. The coils inside are bathed in liquid nitrogen to get the wiring of the magnet to be a near superconductor. The main magnet is never turned off during the time the MRI is installed. It take a long time to power up (very high inductance).

I do know that what the insurance actually pays, and what the actual cost is varies greatly from what a person’s bill shows. So much for transparency and consistency in medical billing. Current google lookup shows amounts between $680 to $1750 for abdominal MRI.

[quote=Coronita]They generally knock you out so you don’t even remember it, unless you are like me, when you insist you only want to do a light sedation because you want to stay awake while they are doing the lower one because you think it’s cool and interesting…[/quote]
I tend to want to be conscious during a procedure… partially because of curiosity.. and partially because I refuse to surrender my consciousness…

In terms of qualities of doctors/surgeons.. etc I wholeheartedly agree.[/quote]

I think when my insurance is done, the actual cost is closer to 1/2 or 1/3 of what the list price is. Another issue if you are uninsured. I doubt they will cut you the same deal….

[an]

[quote=Coronita][quote=scaredyclassic]When I look in the mirror I do not recognize myself.[/quote]

I look pretty much the same since I was 30. maybe a little a little better shape. Hair thinner, but that’s about it. I’m told Asians don’t really start to show their age until 60ies, and then it rapidly declines from that point. sunscreen helped.[/quote]
I would say 70s 🙂

[scaredyclassic]

Early 50s. I looked pretty much like young me

Late 50s. I look like my maternal grandpa.

[The-Shoveler]

[quote=an][quote=Coronita][quote=scaredyclassic]When I look in the mirror I do not recognize myself.[/quote]

I look pretty much the same since I was 30. maybe a little a little better shape. Hair thinner, but that’s about it. I’m told Asians don’t really start to show their age until 60ies, and then it rapidly declines from that point. sunscreen helped.[/quote]
I would say 70s :-)[/quote]

Wife looks like she’s 21, me not so much LOL.

[svelte]

[quote=scaredyclassic]Early 50s. I looked pretty much like young me

Late 50s. I look like my maternal grandpa.[/quote]

I’m rounding the same corner…I can no longer pass for a man in his 40s. I’ve actually started to change the way I dress to be more age appropriate…kind of depressing but that’s where I’m at.

[sdrealtor]

I think I’ve aged fairly well. Early 50’s was running half marathons but late 50’s cant anymore. Grey is finally creeping in more and I’ve got to lose 20-30 lbs which I’m working on now that I’ve got the gout under control. Probably look better than I feel as decades of abusing body catching up. Wear what I’ve always worn. Mostly t shirts and jeans or shorts, flip flops or sneakers.

[scaredyclassic]

From the neck down, I look like a trim 35 y.o.

or better, really than I was at 35. Except for a few skin tags, and grey pubes.

Neck up however is terrifying. I can barely stand to see my face. Like the face skin just gave up. Jowly. Wrinkled. Decaying

I’m positive any future grandchildren would be grossed out. I really don’t look in the mirror much anymore.

The level of nose hair is truly mystifying.

I used to sense if I wanted a 2nd wife, I looked like maybe I could match with a 30, 35 year old. Now I’d look very odd with anyone but an old lady.

I recall being disgusted by the elderly as a child and now…it’s happening..to me…!!!!???

Do I smell like an old man? I still have hair, but it’s…old people hair!!!

I can see how women get suckered to pay billions in face care creams and treatments. This is scary shit!!!

I sense this is going to get much much worse.

I’m ok with it.

but maybe I should stop by cvs and check out the face creams. Moisturizer costs need to be accounted for in retirement planning.

I also have this new thing where if I get up too quickly from bed, or sitting, I get dizzy. I asked my Dr. Wife what it was. She said

You old!!!

What should I do?

Don’t get up quickly.

So no more jumping out of bed. Sit up. Check out your head rush, stand up slow

Wtf.

[Coronita]

[quote=scaredyclassic]From the neck down, I look like a trim 35 y.o.

or better, really than I was at 35. Except for a few skin tags, and grey pubes.

Neck up however is terrifying. I can barely stand to see my face. Like the face skin just gave up. Jowly. Wrinkled. Decaying

I’m positive any future grandchildren would be grossed out. I really don’t look in the mirror much anymore.

The level of nose hair is truly mystifying.

I used to sense if I wanted a 2nd wife, I looked like maybe I could match with a 30, 35 year old. Now I’d look very odd with anyone but an old lady.

I recall being disgusted by the elderly as a child and now…it’s happening..to me…!!!!???

Do I smell like an old man? I still have hair, but it’s…old people hair!!!

I can see how women get suckered to pay billions in face care creams and treatments. This is scary shit!!!

I sense this is going to get much much worse.

I’m ok with it.

but maybe I should stop by cvs and check out the face creams. Moisturizer costs need to be accounted for in retirement planning.

I also have this new thing where if I get up too quickly from bed, or sitting, I get dizzy. I asked my Dr. Wife what it was. She said

You old!!!

What should I do?

Don’t get up quickly.

So no more jumping out of bed. Sit up. Check out your head rush, stand up slow

Wtf.[/quote]

You need a miata. Then you can be grownup that refuses to grow up. Hopefully minus breaking 2 transmission back to back.

[zk]

[quote=scaredyclassic]From the neck down, I look like a trim 35 y.o.

or better, really than I was at 35. Except for a few skin tags, and grey pubes.

Neck up however is terrifying. I can barely stand to see my face. Like the face skin just gave up. Jowly. Wrinkled. Decaying

I’m positive any future grandchildren would be grossed out. I really don’t look in the mirror much anymore.

[/quote]

Same. Sometimes when I see myself in a mirror unexpectedly or accidentally point my phone camera at myself it feels it like I’m in a Black Mirror episode.

Hard work and sacrifice are all that’s needed to keep looking good from the neck down. At 60, looking good from the neck up requires either genes that I don’t have or surgery. I’m vain, but not so vain that I’d have surgery. Although I have to admit that if I were single, I’d probably do it.

[scaredyclassic]

Selfies are particularly grim. There should be a safety on the phone to prevent accidents.

National phone assoc. I’m sure will oppose any phone restriction.

Phones don’t shoot people. People shoot people.

[Author]

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