Taking Care of Business
December 21, 2007
Dylan’s 9th Birthday was yesterday. Every year I marvel at the fact that he grew yet again, and think back to the days when he was a mere football in Daddy’s arms, fragile with heart problems and a sweet, happy baby.
This morning Daren text messaged me from work to tell me that Dylan’s cardiologist and the only other pediatric cardiologist here have both been recruited to Winnipeg and will be leaving London in June 2008. For 3 years, the Children’s Hospital has been trying to recruit a 3rd pediatric cardiologist with no luck and now we’re going down to zero?
Well shit.
I’m not complaining for us — Daren and I have the means to make an annual trip to Children’s in Toronto for Dylan’s workup. What bothers me is the children who need these doctors more frequently than us - some of which are in the intensive care units with Kawasaki’s or something equally scary, or awaiting operations, or whatever.
What bothers me is that there are parents who can’t afford to travel to and stay in Toronto for care. The one day I went to visit my cousin Jessica in the Toronto Children’s Hospital after her last surgery, it cost me around $50, between parking and gas (it was only a day trip). $50 bucks I can afford. But to families that need care for their babies and kids, $50 wouldn’t even begin to cover the expenditures of having a child in a hospital 2 hours away, not to mention the toll it would take on a family with other children, or in home where the parents aren’t together, or any number of things.
London is not a small town. There are 350,000 people in this city, and the hospitals here help people for miles around, so I’m sure if you added it all up, the staff at London’s hospitals care for a lot more than 350K. I know this is a financially driven decision - that health care is a business. But, A contingency plan will be put in place if they don’t hire new doctors in time they say? NOT. GOOD. ENOUGH.
I could talk about the health care system up here and brag and say that most of the time, it’s really good. To be honest, in the entire world, there really is no place I’d rather be.
BUT.
Canadians boast about their “free” health care but we need to own it — we pay taxes that pay for health care and ought to be our own best advocates for it. Getting brushed off by the doctor is unacceptable. Waiting weeks or months for specialists is horrible. We pay for these services and I’m sick and tired of hearing that we ‘can’t switch family doctors because there aren’t any.’ The government needs to put some real money into the system!
Our health care system is fair, most of the time - I’ve had good care over the course of my life. But I’ve never had a major problem — the biggest things were the births of the kids (both smooth and fine) and Dylan’s Kawasaki’s Disease almost 9 years ago. For us, it’s been okay.
Having said that, I waited 8 months to get a therapist. There’s a lot that could have happened in 8 months. I could have gone a completely different way and destroyed myself, my kids, my marriage, taken my life, any number of things. Thankfully I leaned on the husband and he helped me to get through this time. Heck, he still is helping.
My family and I are extremely healthy, with the exception of Dylan’s heart. I’m grateful to be in the situations we are in, in terms of money, health and opportunities. Unfortunately, it isn’t like that for many people. These aren’t the first doctors we’ve lost here. I’m sure they won’t be the last.
It just makes me so very sad to know there are families here that need these guys.
Dr. Buffo & Dr. Pepelassis? We will miss you — both of you have been so kind to Dylan. Winnipeg is very lucky. And Dr. P? Dylan says hi to your son — the boys played video games together last year while Dylan was confined to a bed awaiting tests after a chest pain scare. Best of luck to you and your families.
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Also, I designed some buttons for a very worthy cause. Friday December 21st, 2007 is officially Frozen Pea Friday at Photrade and for every Pea photo you upload, we’ll donate $1.00 to the Frozen Pea Fund created for Susan Reynolds. (I have 3 more invites!) will donate to The Frozen Pea Fund - more info if you click the button:
and please spread the word:
<a href=”http://blog.photrade.com/?p=79″><img src=”http://www.photrade.com/photos/personal_15784_430×350_0.jpg?” usemap=”#phoMap_15784″ /></a>
December 21st, 2007 at 1:51 am
You’re all in my prayers and thoughts. I know that we pay out the nose for our better-than-average health insurance, but man, I can’t imagine the waiting, and/or being told that no doctors are available! When we need a specialist, we pick up the phone and call our GP’s referral desk, and they make us an appointment that day, usually within a week or two. What happens to people while they wait and wait? Same thing that happens to people here who can’t pay for insurance, I guess. We’re suffering in the health care arena the world over, in one currency or another, be it money, time, resources…one thing that’s universal is, like you said, that we MUST be our own best advocate in regards to our health and that of our loved ones.
Hugs and more.
December 21st, 2007 at 2:23 am
You’re a good Mom to even KNOW what is going on at the hospital. Happy Birthday Dylan!
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December 21st, 2007 at 8:31 am
Happy Birthday Dylan (9?9? whoa…)
I’m from an even smaller East Coast Canadian city where some of the closest specialists were in Montreal - two provinces over. The costs and expenses were unbelievable years ago when I worked in the healthcare system so these days they must be astronomical. Now these issues are being seen in the larger (”richer”) provinces which is scary. Fixes are needed to our system before it disappears altogether (a dream of some politicians I’m sure).
motherbumper’s last blog post..The Elf of Christmas Past
December 21st, 2007 at 9:37 am
I got all bitchy some time ago about the American health care system and our insurance companies. I suppose the grass isn’t always greener. You have an admirable health care system but there are some problems, as you’ve made evident here. Good luck with finding another doctor and happy birthday to your boy!
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December 21st, 2007 at 12:47 pm
The hospital made a dumb move by allowing both of their pediatric cardiologists without hiring on a single replacement. Like you’ve already mentioned, what about all of those kids who really need them? This makes me so mad.
I agree with everything you have to say, we do need to own the healthcare system. The government needs to get on improving the availability of doctors. Karen, we should totally start an advocacy group for this cause!
P.S I am deeply flattered that you spent fifty dollars to come and see me last year, I absolutely loved seeing you and Thomas. You guys both made my day; Thomas was so adorable and you saved my life by bringing me books! haha! Love ya!
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December 21st, 2007 at 1:17 pm
**Hugs**
I can’t imagine how hard that must be. I will keep you all in my thoughts and make a million wishes on stars for you guys
oxo
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December 21st, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Motherbumper - that IS scary. I agree with Sarcastica (who is my cousin Jessica, btw) that we should start a movement! Canadians can be so complacent at times - me included. We have to do something. Maybe the 3 of us could work on something blog related to spread the word.
December 25th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
I think the problem is that ANY time a third party (or parties) is completely in charge of your health care decisions (that is, NOT the doctor or patient) problems arise. In the US, insurance companies are that third party (and to great extent our government is as well as it places restrictions on. In Canada, the government is. Each brings about its own set of complications which are enormously frustrating for doc and patient.
I’d love to see a website dedicated to honest discussion about the issue of health care and government, how Canada approaches it, how the US does, what is good and not so good about each system, how they could each be improved and learn from the other. As someone who has been both a patient and a caregiver in the US I can both tell you how wonderful our system is, and how much it sucks (from both perspectives).
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December 25th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Yipes, “submit” was hit before I was done. Dang red wine!!! I meant to qualify my statements to the effect that Canada’s government is in charge and the US’s insurance companies are in charge to reflect Karen’s (sorry, I mean Sugarpants’) original statement that those are only perceptions…the situations are far more complicated than that, of course. Ultimately in both countries the voters/taxpayers/consumers do have the power, and if we harnessed it we’d be a formidable force.
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