Any Doctor Will Tell You...

[1HappyGuy 45]

I misread the original subject by emmulator also. This is all about cultural differences between western medicine and eastern european medicine. On that we have had much discussion in my household. My wife refers to the medical doctors as part of the mafia due to the high charges for minimal work. But on one point she is correct. The doctors (at least in Ukraine) take time to discuss your health issues. Although much of their procedures in Ukraine seem to be old school, it is really a holistic approach to the body. Unfortunately in America it is prescribe a drug first and see what happens. If that doesn't work, then we can always operate. It seems that our doctors have lost the art of talking to the patient. They have a nurse take your temperature, blood pressure, ask about symptoms and complaints. The doctor will read the chart before seeing the patient, take a look down the throat, ears, eyes or listen to your heart or lungs, write a prescription and tell you to schedule another appointment, all within 5 minutes. Charge is minimum of $85.

But, it does seem that ideas of the quality of food in America is considered to be substandard in comparison to Ukraine. That seems to be a result of our use of fertilizers and chemicals in the opinion of the former soviet bloc countries. I'm not a scientist, so I can only go on what I see overall. We package our meats in plastic, supposedly to protect against diseases and bacteria. Ukraine meat is purchased in an open air butcher shop with fly strips hanging from the ceiling to reduce the numbers to an acceptable means. The individual butcher will flip any piece of meat over so you can see both sides but you never see gloves being used. And when meat is cooked in the home, you had better enjoy it well done. They make sure no type of bacteria could possibly survive.

As for me, give me a nice barbecued steak, cooked rare or medium rare. Maybe not dripping blood, but not far off.

[mox 298]

Don't let your ladies go through the pain of those stones, please talk them into getting rid of them.

In my friend's case, she thought it was kidney stones too. A CAT scan revealed no stones, and the Urologist wanted to operate. She got a second opinion from another doctor, who said surgery wasn't necessary, but he still couldn't quite figure out what the problem was either. So he ordered more tests, none of which came out conclusive. She's now $4,000 poorer (after her insurance paid their bit), and still has kidney pain. Needless to say, she's more convinced than ever that Western doctors are just incompetent scammers. (well, incompetent doctors, very competent scammers.) And I've gotta say, I have a hard time disagreeing with her, at least in her case. If I took my car to a mechanic who couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, but charged me $4,000 for trying, I'd sue.

But, it does seem that ideas of the quality of food in America is considered to be substandard in comparison to Ukraine.

On my last trip to Russia, on the day I was heading back we stopped off at a grocery store to pick up some fruit I could munch on for the trip home. I picked out a couple apples, and she made me put them back. She said they were too big, called them "chemical apples," and said they were unhealthy. I think I remember someone else here whose fiancee/wife used the term "chemical" to describe abnormally large fruit also. She picked out 4 very small but super tasty apples instead.

[Brad and Vika 129]

On my last trip to Russia, on the day I was heading back we stopped off at a grocery store to pick up some fruit I could munch on for the trip home. I picked out a couple apples, and she made me put them back. She said they were too big, called them "chemical apples," and said they were unhealthy. I think I remember someone else here whose fiancee/wife used the term "chemical" to describe abnormally large fruit also. She picked out 4 very small but super tasty apples instead.

I hear that all the time. Several years ago in Minsk, I remember shopping for pork cutlets at the central market. Cuts of meat were out in the center of a stadium sized room, on chilled counter tops. As my ex prepared the meal, I commented on the difference in sanitation and the look of the meat and produce. She laughed, saying that Americans were way too concerned with calories, carbohydrates, and the fat content of food, and the presentation. She said that the pork we bought today was a pig two days ago, and there were no dyes, steroids, preservatives or chemicals in it. It was much better than what we could get in America. She also posed an interesting question. Why does American bread (with lots of preservatives and chemicals in it) become inedible if you leave it out in the air for a few hours, but those round loaves of dark bread in Eastern Europe (without chemicals presumably) can sit out overnight and be eaten in the morning? The thought being that the preservatives actually spoil the bread - and cannot be good to eat.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Brad and Vika

[slim 1,514]

This is weird. All the pain that occurs in the kidneys is usually kidney stones.

Don't let your ladies go through the pain of those stones, please talk them into getting rid of them.

She doesn't have kidney pain. It's lower-abdominal pain. Sometimes it's back pain. Or, it could be neck pain. Her feet hurt a lot. Her wrists always hurt. Once, she had elbow pain. Headaches and stomach aches are quite common. Her legs often hurt after working more than four hours. Often she has pain in her ribs. I believe she's even told me her hair didn't feel good because her scalp was in pain.

No matter where her pain is, it's always a pain in my @$$.

[Brad and Vika 129]

This is weird. All the pain that occurs in the kidneys is usually kidney stones.

Don't let your ladies go through the pain of those stones, please talk them into getting rid of them.

She doesn't have kidney pain. It's lower-abdominal pain. Sometimes it's back pain. Or, it could be neck pain. Her feet hurt a lot. Her wrists always hurt. Once, she had elbow pain. Headaches and stomach aches are quite common. Her legs often hurt after working more than four hours. Often she has pain in her ribs. I believe she's even told me her hair didn't feel good because her scalp was in pain.

No matter where her pain is, it's always a pain in my @$$.

[groovlstk 0]

For those who aren't married and living with their Russian spouse, don't think that the wacky "alternative" opinions your significant other has are cute or endearing. Hearing a woman tell you that she caught a cold by sitting on a cold bench may seem amusing, but it's a whole other ball of wax when you're living together and medical issues arise.

[PJB 0]

This is weird. All the pain that occurs in the kidneys is usually kidney stones.

Don't let your ladies go through the pain of those stones, please talk them into getting rid of them.

She doesn't have kidney pain. It's lower-abdominal pain. Sometimes it's back pain. Or, it could be neck pain. Her feet hurt a lot. Her wrists always hurt. Once, she had elbow pain. Headaches and stomach aches are quite common. Her legs often hurt after working more than four hours. Often she has pain in her ribs. I believe she's even told me her hair didn't feel good because her scalp was in pain.

No matter where her pain is, it's always a pain in my @$$.

All these "pains" are very much a part of Slavic culture. In America we look at physical problems as something that should be attended to swiftly and efficiently with little or no whining involved. Take a pill, get an operation, get it fixed. But Slavic culture views ailments or physical complaints as something to be tended to by loving, caring family and friends. A quick fix with a pill is NOT accepted as a correct treatment. Family members are expected to offer love and comfort with hot teas, massage with medicinal creams, hot compresses and special foods. Even a trip to the doctor results in comforting advice and concern along with an RX.

The best way to treat your wife's pains is to be sympathetic, make hot compresses and cups of tea with lemon and honey. Massage her back and get a warm scarf for her neck. You are not dealing with mysterious illnesses, you are dealing with cultural differences that all those $$$ won't cure.

In other words your wife is seeking demonstrations of love from you. The more logic you give her the more "pains" she will develope.

[Brad and Vika 129]

This is weird. All the pain that occurs in the kidneys is usually kidney stones.

Don't let your ladies go through the pain of those stones, please talk them into getting rid of them.

She doesn't have kidney pain. It's lower-abdominal pain. Sometimes it's back pain. Or, it could be neck pain. Her feet hurt a lot. Her wrists always hurt. Once, she had elbow pain. Headaches and stomach aches are quite common. Her legs often hurt after working more than four hours. Often she has pain in her ribs. I believe she's even told me her hair didn't feel good because her scalp was in pain.

No matter where her pain is, it's always a pain in my @$$.

All these "pains" are very much a part of Slavic culture. In America we look at physical problems as something that should be attended to swiftly and efficiently with little or no whining involved. Take a pill, get an operation, get it fixed. But Slavic culture views ailments or physical complaints as something to be tended to by loving, caring family and friends. A quick fix with a pill is NOT accepted as a correct treatment. Family members are expected to offer love and comfort with hot teas, massage with medicinal creams, hot compresses and special foods. Even a trip to the doctor results in comforting advice and concern along with an RX.

The best way to treat your wife's pains is to be sympathetic, make hot compresses and cups of tea with lemon and honey. Massage her back and get a warm scarf for her neck. You are not dealing with mysterious illnesses, you are dealing with cultural differences that all those $$$ won't cure.

In other words your wife is seeking demonstrations of love from you. The more logic you give her the more "pains" she will develope.

Great post and perspective - thanks

[slim 1,514]

All these "pains" are very much a part of Slavic culture. In America we look at physical problems as something that should be attended to swiftly and efficiently with little or no whining involved. Take a pill, get an operation, get it fixed. But Slavic culture views ailments or physical complaints as something to be tended to by loving, caring family and friends. A quick fix with a pill is NOT accepted as a correct treatment. Family members are expected to offer love and comfort with hot teas, massage with medicinal creams, hot compresses and special foods. Even a trip to the doctor results in comforting advice and concern along with an RX.

The best way to treat your wife's pains is to be sympathetic, make hot compresses and cups of tea with lemon and honey. Massage her back and get a warm scarf for her neck. You are not dealing with mysterious illnesses, you are dealing with cultural differences that all those $$$ won't cure.

In other words your wife is seeking demonstrations of love from you. The more logic you give her the more "pains" she will develope.

I usually make her a warm glass of "shut the hell up." Probably not as effective as your method described above but I'm not a medical expert, especially not an Eastern medical expert. Munchausen syndrome gets no play in this house.

When she was working overtime at a the mom and pop restaurant and complained about her feet hurting, back hurting, wrists, etc., I had sympathy and suggested a workout regimen to combat the fatigue her body was starting to feel. If she would've listened to me and built up the muscles and flexibility required to sustain long work days she wouldn't have had so much pain. Instead, she suggested creams, oils, hot baths, warm tea and plenty of massaging and pampering by me. I'm happy to comply while she's working 40+ hours a week and has cause for aches and pains. However, it's an entirely different story when she works part time logging less than 20 hours a week.

I would love to be able to kill the aches and pains she feels. But, after visiting several doctors and noting how the aches and pains correspond with other emotional lows in her life, I'm more inclined to believe this is a mild form of malingering moreso than actual physical pain. Regardless of what it is or where it comes from it's not going to be dealt with by hugs and kisses, tender massages with warm oil, a warm scarf lovingly draped around her neck... it will be dealt with by overcoming a physical problem. If there is no physical problem then there is no problem, period.

One of these days folks on this forum are going to realize their S/O is here in the U.S. now and all the "#######" they brought with them needs to disappear in short order. I'm not saying they should lose their cultural identity but I am saying while they're in America they need to be doing American stuff. At minimum, they shouldn't be limited to not doing American stuff because of cultural issues. "I can't work over 40 hours a week because my feet hurt and you not make for me foot massage" is complete ####### and it needs to end.

There comes a time when the cultural crutch needs to break and folks start walking unaided.

(Good luck getting it to work in your house. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong about this. Maybe if I would pamper my wife a little more she would be able to work like a normal person. To me though, I don't see pampering after an 18 hour work-week helping her transition into a 46 hour work-week. But, once again, like most other things in my marriage, I'm probably wrong.)

[PJB 0]

All these "pains" are very much a part of Slavic culture. In America we look at physical problems as something that should be attended to swiftly and efficiently with little or no whining involved. Take a pill, get an operation, get it fixed. But Slavic culture views ailments or physical complaints as something to be tended to by loving, caring family and friends. A quick fix with a pill is NOT accepted as a correct treatment. Family members are expected to offer love and comfort with hot teas, massage with medicinal creams, hot compresses and special foods. Even a trip to the doctor results in comforting advice and concern along with an RX.

The best way to treat your wife's pains is to be sympathetic, make hot compresses and cups of tea with lemon and honey. Massage her back and get a warm scarf for her neck. You are not dealing with mysterious illnesses, you are dealing with cultural differences that all those $$$ won't cure.

In other words your wife is seeking demonstrations of love from you. The more logic you give her the more "pains" she will develope.

I usually make her a warm glass of "shut the hell up." Probably not as effective as your method described above but I'm not a medical expert, especially not an Eastern medical expert. Munchausen syndrome gets no play in this house.

When she was working overtime at a the mom and pop restaurant and complained about her feet hurting, back hurting, wrists, etc., I had sympathy and suggested a workout regimen to combat the fatigue her body was starting to feel. If she would've listened to me and built up the muscles and flexibility required to sustain long work days she wouldn't have had so much pain. Instead, she suggested creams, oils, hot baths, warm tea and plenty of massaging and pampering by me. I'm happy to comply while she's working 40+ hours a week and has cause for aches and pains. However, it's an entirely different story when she works part time logging less than 20 hours a week.

I would love to be able to kill the aches and pains she feels. But, after visiting several doctors and noting how the aches and pains correspond with other emotional lows in her life, I'm more inclined to believe this is a mild form of malingering moreso than actual physical pain. Regardless of what it is or where it comes from it's not going to be dealt with by hugs and kisses, tender massages with warm oil, a warm scarf lovingly draped around her neck... it will be dealt with by overcoming a physical problem. If there is no physical problem then there is no problem, period.

One of these days folks on this forum are going to realize their S/O is here in the U.S. now and all the "#######" they brought with them needs to disappear in short order. I'm not saying they should lose their cultural identity but I am saying while they're in America they need to be doing American stuff. At minimum, they shouldn't be limited to not doing American stuff because of cultural issues. "I can't work over 40 hours a week because my feet hurt and you not make for me foot massage" is complete ####### and it needs to end.

There comes a time when the cultural crutch needs to break and folks start walking unaided.

(Good luck getting it to work in your house. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong about this. Maybe if I would pamper my wife a little more she would be able to work like a normal person. To me though, I don't see pampering after an 18 hour work-week helping her transition into a 46 hour work-week. But, once again, like most other things in my marriage, I'm probably wrong.)

Wow, the love and understanding is overwhelming............ бедная жена.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I really enjoy Slim's sense of humor, but I may initially try a slightly different tac when Vika gets here.

[PJB 0]

I really enjoy Slim's sense of humor, but I may initially try a slightly different tac when Vika gets here.

When your wife whines give her 2 aspirin and a boot to the head...............

Edited August 10, 2008 by PJB

[Brad and Vika 129]

I really enjoy Slim's sense of humor, but I may initially try a slightly different tac when Vika gets here.

When your wife whines give her 2 aspirin and a boot to the head...............

Bednaya jena indeed... Although in fairness to Slim, there is a significant backstory there, and every couple will run their house differently.

[slim 1,514]

Wow, the love and understanding is overwhelming............ бедная жена.

That's what I keep hearing. "Poor wife because husband is so horrible."

I wish I had it so bad. I wish I married a woman who moved me into her place, bought me a car, took me on nice vacations and was completely devoted to me... and only made me work if I felt like it. Such a horrible life.

Bednaya jena indeed... Although in fairness to Slim, there is a significant backstory there, and every couple will run their house differently.

Every couple does run their house differently but my point is the households here in the U.S. tend to run a certain way and your S/O may try to pull that "because I'm different" ####### on you. Don't put up with it. They may be different, but they're not physically uncapable. Cultural difference or not, an able-bodied person needs to work to get what they want, not "blame" their spouse because they don't have it presented to them.

[Ana&D 0]

I'll just chip in true Ukrainian's prospective . Why we do swear on getting colds from "house wind" created by open windows/doors and horrible concequenses of seating on the granit for females, I've never ever heard that it might be unhealthy not to achieve "full release"...

P.S. Iodine and soda do work for sore throats, though. I wish I could get it into my fiance's head