Just like the CT Scan in October with the VA my February CT scan with Winthrop showed no signs of cancer but surgery was recommended to hack out some lung lobe and lymph nodes for a complete cure. OK by me. I was a VA referral to private care since there are no cardio/thoracic surgeons on the VA staff at Northport, Long Island.

Long story short: I wanted the oncologists and thoracic surgeon at Winthrop to share my February CT scan with the VA so that the oncologists there that have been treating me well for two years could sign off on the deal. Not to mention my VA primary care physician.

And there it was - PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY - "You can't have Larry's medical records and we don't care if he goes belly up with cancer! It's the law! We're going to let the old bastard die before we share his records. It's the law!"

I filled out release forms. I played telephone tag for weeks.

On Friday March 20th one of my VA oncologists phoned. She told me that the Winthrop images had arrived and that the recommendation from the head of oncology on down was that I should do the surgery.

Back to Winthrop: my surgeon scheduled me for 8 a.m. Monday, April 20th for surgery but I suppose by then Winthrop could be overwhelmed by flu patients so I don't know what's going to happen.

No matter. I'm feeling well and am upright without worry. What happens will happen. What's scary is people who want single-pay health care. The paper pushers, regulations and bureaucrats that will control health care will kill more people than their ailments will.

I was supposed to have my surgery during the first week of March but paper pushers, bureaucrats, regulations and assholes prevented it. Think on that.

With Covid-19 overwhelming healthcare everywhere...maybe better if surgery postponed...

No April 20th surgery for me and I understand the deal with downstate NY and Long Island hospitals overwhelmed with coronavirus patients.

I figure I'll get back to the VA and see if my oncologists want me on immunotherapy again but the VA Hospital isn't thrilled with seeing non-critical patients now and I don't fit that bill.

Upright and feeling well is working for me now and I'm OK with the deal. There are people that need doctors and nurses more than I do at this point in time and I'm wishing them well.

Better to call and determine IF additional immuno-transfusions needed... and stay away from all...if possible.

I got on that and am in limbo. VA wamts me to catch a Cat scan in May but do the surgery in the interim if offered.