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Friday, October 3, 2014

Universal Medical Care.......God bless Canada!!!!!

I am trying to remind myself that I am lucky to live in a country that has universal medical.   I believe in our system and am the first one to defend it.   It is not perfect by any means, but it is better than a large part of the world and I am grateful.    The problem is as a human I want everything to be focused on me and only me, and our medical system does not do that.....it has thousands of others who want the same thing.

Before we can book a date for surgery there are tests that need to be done.    Therein is where the delay exists.    I am in a line of many others who are just as in need as myself and therefore we wait!
My first test is to be next Wednesday and then not again until the end of October.    Then I have to have an appointment to discuss the results of the tests that I am waiting to have.   So at this point  the bus is just circling in the parking lot waiting to know when to go.

I will sit and remind myself that in many parts of the world, the medical treatment I am receiving is not even available.   As humans we tend to become very insular and myopic and forget that we are a small part of a larger organism .      I know that I will receive excellent care.  M doctor is one of, if not the best, in his field and the hospital is top notch.   So, if I have to wait a bit it is not such a big deal.

Now, don't think that if I needed surgery immediately that I would have the same waiting period.   My experience in that area is very positive.   When one goes to the Emergency Department for an emergency the care is usually very good and very fast. I have been on the receiving end of such care and was very impressed.   Actually, when they rush you through the Emergency area it can be scary cause you know it is serious!  I am always surprised when I hear someone complain about the long wait they had at an Emergency department, after they waited days at home before going to have whatever ails them seen.   Being in pain, doesn't necessarily constitute an emergency!    Although, telling them you are not in pain, may delay your attention lol!    I often think of my daughter and how she responded to aches and pains.   I figured that if it hurt bad enough that she didn't want to do something she liked, it was probably serious.   If it didn't prevent her from doing things I figured it probably wasn't. That monitor usually worked pretty well...although sometimes it took a bit of time to figure it out!    One time she hurt her wrist playing with the dog.   She came to me and told me and so I put ice on it.    A few hours later, she was still sitting on the couch holding ice on her wrist.    That in itself wasn't the surprising part.  The fact that it was Friday night and she wasn't getting ready to  go somewhere was!!!!    I decided maybe this injury needed more than ice.
Off we went to Emerg and low and behold she had a broken wrist :0     Yes, I felt bad and she has never let me forget it.   Sort of like that negative experience we have all had at Emergency rooms that we continue to re-live.    

I know there are serious situations that arise at hospitals and terrible mistakes are made.   I have experienced such things too.    I don't dismiss these but I also realize that we do not live in a perfect world and human beings really do try to do their best.    Maybe I am  naïve or maybe just overly optimistic, but I choose to see the positive side and be grateful that I live in a country with universal medical coverage.    I wouldn't want to be an American citizen at the mercy of an insurance company on whether or not I could afford to have surgery and treatment.....it doesn't even enter into my field of vision.....I know that I will get help for my cancer regardless of my income level, amount of insurance, or employment status.   As a human being, I am entitled to decent medical care regardless of who I am or where I live and work.   That to me is a blessing......and it is at this time of my life one less thing to worry about.......God bless this country