From: DarkDivah (RaziCichlid)

Date: 7/1/07

This is a copy of a post made by me in the Isle of Whack ( gotta love that forum!)

The conversation is about Michael Moore's movie SICKO, which I have not seen yet, but might do just that today. The conversation also turned to US health care VS Canadian( and other) Socialized Health Care. Some people are under the assumption that because we don't "pay" for health care that our level of health care is "second rate." NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING could be further from the truth.

anyhow... here is that copy of my post. It was a general post to "ALL"

I am Canadian. I live in Ontario Canada, I have always lived in Ontario Canada, though I live in a different part of Ontario then where I grew up.

For most of my 38 years I lived in Toronto, and since the birth of my children and making friends with many US citizens over the years I have come to appreciate; actually adore, our socialized health care system.

When my eldest son was born, he was 6 weeks early he was just under the required 5 lbs for release and so we had a 15 day hospital stay until he tipped the scales enough to go home. When I say "we" I literally mean "we." I was allowed to stay at the hospital with my son in a room not far from the nursery. My staying after the first 3 days was elective as I didn't really need to be there, but I was allowed to stay close to my newborn. The cost for that hospital stay and the specialized care he needed to grow strong? $0.00

Then a few weeks later, when he was 7 1/2 weeks old he contracted meningococcal meningitis. He weighed just under 8lbs at this point because he was a fed on demand baby.
He was rushed to the hospital with high fever, there were no spots, we waited in the ER a total of about 15 minutes before he was seen to be assessed ( Sick Kids in Toronto)
He was diagnosed by a doctor who wasn't working the ER, but had a lunch date with the ER doc looking after my son, and the next I knew we were in ICU.
While in the ER, he had two spinal taps.
ICU for 10 days, regular ward room for another 7.
Two CT scans, two MRI's a plethora of blood work and the drug Rifampin for anyone who had been in contact with the baby in the 7 days leading up to his diagnoses.

Cost to me? $0.00

Then approximately 3 years later, my third child fell ill. I went in his room in the early morning to find that I could not wake him and when I picked him up he went stiff in my arms.
A 911 call, ambulance ride to the hospital, to ER, transferred to ICU, three days in coma, another 3 days in medically induced coma and a butt load of diagnostic procedures that included two MRI's to map the brain injury from lack of oxygen.
Diagnosed with a Genetic Metabolic disorder, transferred to ward room, (14 day stay in the ward), assigned dietitian, medication and glucose polymer dietary supplements for the next 10 years of his and his younger brother's life as well as the diagnostics and genetic screener for mine and DH's entire families.

Cost to me? $0.00

Not to mention the barrage of ER visits for bumps, bruises, sprains, breaks...

Speaking of breaks...

My eldest son, in grade 9, high school wrestling team, broken ulna, dislocated elbow, snapped tendon all requiring surgery, metal plate and devices to prevent paralysis of the hand. Physiotherapy for weeks.

Cost to me? $0.00

I don't even want to try and imagine the financial disaster my life would be in dealing and having to even co-pay for these events in my life and the lives of my children. I wouldn't just be bankrupt I would be destitute and my children most likely would have ended up in the foster care system because of it.

I can't look at my children and not be thankful for our national health care system. No, it's not perfect, nothing in life is and even if it were there would always be the nay-sayers.

I have never received less than EXCELLENT care in the hospitals and from the doctors and nurses working here. We are not judged or treated based on our ability to pay. We are not told which hospital we can go to and what doctors we are allowed to see.

I am currently seeking out re-constructive surgery. A breast reduction and abdominoplasty ( also known as a Tummy Tuck... but mine will be rather extensive) after major weight loss.
Because my family doctor concurs that these are viable surgeries for me, I have been reffered by him to a plastic surgeon. Because I have been referred the cost of the consult is ....yup you guessed it... $0.00
If I am approved for the surgery as "medically necessary" due to back, neck, shoulder pain and skin rashes and lesions that I'd rather not talk about, the cost of my surgery will be $0.00

how can I not love the country in which I live?

Happy Canada Day!




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