They Really Will Kill You

The icicles hanging off Oslo's buildings are massive.

Strangely enough, building owners generally don't knock them down. They simply lean sticks against the buildings to discourage people from walking under them.

The Price of Alcohol

98 Kroner is about $16. These are regular sized drinks, they don't come in extra large glasses or with extra strong alcohol.

Norway has a huge problem with binge drinking. Actually, most people don't see it as a problem, "it's just the way it is." Daily drinking is considered a problem, but binge drinking is mostly thought of as a part of Norwegian culture. I don't think anyone thinks it's a good part of Norwegian culture, they just don't see it as inherently bad. It's quite bizarre to me that it's even acceptable to get black-out drunk at some corporate functions.

The main way the Norwegian government has tried to curb this behaviour is to raise the price of alcohol to exorbitant levels. The problem is that doesn't really work. Russia showed the world that doesn't work when they tried it for a time under Communism. It really only discourages people who aren't alcoholics from drinking. This is a country where literally everyone pays for the poor health choices of others since it has universal healthcare. One would think it would be in everyone's best interest to try something that works when it comes to the alcohol problem.

Update the 3rd

I looked up the antibiotics I was perscribed.  It's a member of the penicillan family.  Yeah, this won't help.

My First UHC Experience (Pt 2)

My plan to arrive at urgent care a few minutes before they opened was a success.   I was in and out in no time at all.  My goodness my doctor was young.  I can safely say this is the first time in my life I've had a doctor who's younger than I am.  It was quick and relatively painless.  I only ended up paying $40 for the visit.  

It was interesting trying to explain my conditions with the language barrier.  Two were easy, the third...  I'm not someone to get embarassed about explaining medical conditions, but having to explain and eventualy write details down for half the clinic to try to translate left me very red in the face.

I was able to get a refill of one of my US medications.  I'm confused as to how future refills work.  I guess I'll find out when I see my PCP.  Lord, I hope they have refills here.  They must.  Right? 

I was unhappy to find out that one of the greatest medications ever invented is unavailable in Norway.  Even though it's insanely cheap in the US.  No Diflucan here.  Nevermind that the old fashion medication is almost triple the price.

This brings me to the topic of the pharmacy.  Firstly, I was delighted at how quickly pharmacies fill perscriptions.  With a cash only system, there's no need to wait for long periods of time for a perscription.  The meds are also all pre-packaged in blister packs which further streamlines the system.  I spend about $70 at the pharmacy for my three items.  This was expected.  Actually, my monthly perscription was cheaper than the gov't website said.  

After I got home, I noticed something about my monthly perscription.  I'm supposed to take half a pill twice a day.  But they didn't give me pills, they gave me capsules.  So, back I go to the pharmacy.  The pharmacist tells me I should open the pills, divide the contents in half with a knife and carefully swallow half the contents two times a day.  

Wat.  

This will be fun.  She then shows me the prices of the other drug strengths, and mentions that I might want to take two seperate pills in the future.  Two pills a day will be an insanely high price for no discernable reason.  One would think extended release would cost more, that's apparently not so.  One would also expect a smaller dose to cost a bit less, again not true.  Also, I found it interesting that the generic and the brand name were almost exactly the same price.  

She then goes on to tell me that I have to be very careful not to bite the contents because it's extended release.  Which was exactly what my doc didn't order for me.  I'm sure the extended release will work just fine, I'm calling my US doc to double check, especially since I recall her specifically saying she wasn't giving me the extended release.  This just seems like an accident waiting to happen,  I walked out of the pharmacy with a different percription than my doctor wrote for me.  No pharmacist came over to talk to me or double check the perscription.  The person helping me certainly wasn't a pharmacist.

You Too Can Have UHC!

My experience with universal healthcare thus far:

This is similar to an HMO, where you have a PCP that can't be easily changed.  I chose mine because she was the only female PCP and you don't have the option of seeing a seperate GYN for your female needs.  

I chose poorly.  

I've been needing to see a doctor since I got here.  I had to wait until Oct 1st for my docotr to be assigned.  That's irritating, but understandable.  Now that I have a PCP, one would think that I have access to healthcare.  

Last week:  Office was out all week.  It was fall vacation here, and Norwegians do take their vactation time seriously.  So whatever.  I can accept that.  

This week:  Monday:  Found out the hard way that there's very limited call in times.  The phones are on from 9:00 to 11:00 and 12:15 to 1:30.  Missed both windows.

Tuesday:  Held the line for an hour.  Finally gave up when I had to pick the kids up from school.

Wednesday:  Joy!  I got a hold of a real person!  They can even fit me in today.  Bad news is, I can't actually come in today.  I need an appointment for Thursday.  Can I make an appointment for tomorrow?  No.  I have to call back tomorrow if I want an appointment tomorrow.  Wat.

Thursday:  Only 28 min on hold.  But they're not sure if they can get me in to the doctor today.  Apparently my doctor only works 2-3 days a week so she's quite busy when she's  in.  Would have been nice to know this before I chose this doctor.  

So now I'm waiting for a return call from the nurse to see if I can be squeezed in.  Of course, I'm not holding my breath.  PCP docs get paid when you're well, not for office visits (ala HMO).

It's also $60/visit.  And I'll be paying more for my perscriptions here that I paid in the US with no insurance.

UPDATE:  So the doctor's office did call me back.  And it's urgent care or the ER for me.  Good times.  I did schedule an appt for 10/24, the soonest I could get in.  I've heard that the wait at urgent care or the ER is 4 hours minimum.  Urgent care opens at 2.  I think I'm going to go there at 1:30 and stand outside the door until they open.  

Interesting Graffiti

Definately someone inspired by Banksy.  I should also mention, Norwegians see graffiti a bit different than we do in the US.  There's actually been a pair of artists commissioned to paint on abandoned buildings here.  It's neat, it adds character to the landscape.

Another Advantage of Smart Cars

You don't actually have to learn to parallel park.

Gas Prices

13.21 kr/liter for unleaded and 12.93 kr/liter for diesel.  In American money at the current exchange rate it's $2.35/liter and $2.30/liter or $8.89/gal for unleaded and $8.71/gal for diesel.  Yeah....

A Vacation and a Head Cold

Due to internet problems, I haven't been able to post this past week.  I did get out today.  And I took some photos of more fine European footwear.  I'll post some pics of Tønsberg and some more stories soon, right now I'll leave you with the photos.

Gold soccer shoes by Nike.  For about $100 you can strut in style down the soccer field.  It won't make you faster or play better, but it will make everyone look at you.

Primary color high tops.  1995, here we come!

More gold and silver track shoes.  Totally hot.  And another glimpse of the awesome hightops.

These shoes are the ultimate cool.  First, there's the velcro.  For the child in all of us.  Available in either two-tone white or super shiny silver.

And finally.  These shoes are priceless.  Up top there's the shiny plastic Adidas.  Available in high top or low profile.  And down below we've got the best of the early 90's.  My favorite are the ones on the left.  DC has shown that one pattern will never go out of style: zebra print.

Fine European Footwear

I don't have words for this.