I thought I was going to let Michael rest in peace but I have found myself with another connection to him. And, this one is powerful. So much so, that I think I understand how he found himself in the predicament of a $40,000/month prescription pill habit. 

I have been suffering with back pain for a couple years and have ignored medical treatment. It's not because I'm heroic, it's because I have an HMO with a $25 co-pay and I don't like to part with money that easily. I like my doctor but I have the internet and for $24.99 I have unlimited access to all kinds of medical help. WebMD is one of my favorites. I can self-diagnose any illness and follow the regime it dictates for the cure.  Of course, I cannot prescribe myself medications but I can follow exercises and diet changes to get me on the mend. After the pain escalated this Spring, I had to break down and pry open my wallet to go see the doctor. 

In the past 6 weeks I have seen my internist ($25), had an MRI ($25), gone to 4 weeks of physical therapy ($25/visit x 9 visits=$225) and had an appointment with an orthopedic physician ($25). When the orthopedic doctor asked how I wanted to be treated, I said "aggressively" as I've been fooling around with this for too long. I left with a referral for a pain specialist to administer an epidural steriod injection and 3 prescriptions to fill: Tizanidine, Tramadol and Meloxicam. I met this man for 8 minutes and he prescribed me 3 drugs I can't even pronounce.  Two pills will make me feel better and one will help me sleep. This can get very confusing so I will make sure to read the labels carefully. But that is only 3 pills and it cost me $30. I can only imagine how confusing it was for Michael Jackson to try to keep $40,000 worth of pills straight. No wonder he was laid out in a gold coffin the other day. 

So, there are few lessons to learn here. First, listen to your body and if you don't see results from the WebMD methodology within a month, suck it up and go see a real doctor.  Second, never get yourself into a situation where you have too many pills to keep track of. It's dangerous and could lead to death. Finally, if it does lead to death, make sure your family does not lay you to rest at the Burr Oak Cemetery. From what I've read, that would not be your FINAL resting place. 

Today's EiPod: "The Candyman",  Sammy Davis, Jr.