I know, I have ranted along these lines before. However, recent events in my life have made me decide, once is not near enough! I am aware that the last time, some readers felt inclined to argue my take on things. Hey, it's a free world, but....consider the fact, you may be the lucky person who gets all the positive results from the medical system in our Province, and our country, I, however, have seen the disgusting, disgraceful, inconsiderate, and totally non-professional side of things, one too many times!!!
For awhile, I thought maybe the lack of care and consideration when using the medical health care system, was simply because we lived in the boonies. Maybe our health care professionals were so unhappy with the weather, and hated their lives, they took it out on the patients.I have had my eyes opened, this is not the case!
I have friends in the nursing profession, and know damn well, these people joined that profession at a time when they felt pride, and the need to offer care and assistance to people. They went into this career because they had compassion. Well, many of these friends have watched their profession sink into the toilet. Overworking, under-staffing, Unions calling the shots, floors closed, jobs contracted out, filth, lack of proper supplies, and the big one, over management, have dragged a wonderful profession into the dark ages.
Who remembers the Doctor who actually knew their patients? The day when you had a file, which this person had on their desk when you arrived, one that they had actually taken time to read? Now we are like cattle, we sit and wait, appointments are without fail hours behind, you are asked what is your problem..then you get a couple of minutes while they check, and out the door you go, either with a prescription or some other paper that you must follow up on. Gone are the days when your blood pressure is taken, you are weighed, and various other things that contribute to your health are addressed. Gone are the days when they note that you are behind with certain tests. No, the issue is, sitting there in the lobby, are a huge bunch of other people waiting for their 15 minutes. Something has gone wrong, the rush is on, and because the system pays on the numbers, no one gets enough time to actually get checked, any more. People are dying because of the push!!
Now, in the past 9 years I have been to the Doctor twice!! Yep, 56 years old, should be going on in and getting a regular medical check, to ensure I don't have any of the problems that will stop me from living a full life. Hah!! First, the two appointments I did have, took me weeks to get. One required an MRI in another location, which I had to wait almost 3 months for. I traveled off there on my own dime, had the procedure, came home, and waited..What was I waiting for???Stupid me. I actually thought that the results would be sent to the Doctor, who would look at them, and then call me in to discuss things. I say stupid me,because that is no longer the way things work. After a month, I called the hospital only to be informed it was my responsibility to follow up, I had to call and make an appointment to see if the Doctor had the results. O.K. "lets do that" says I ..."Oh, the Doctor is on holidays for a month. Would you like to book when he gets back?" Not frigging likely!!!!WTF!!! Hey, maybe my bones are totally screwed up, maybe my knee will suddenly lock forever, and I will end up walking on one. But, if this "professional" got results that required further care, and did not see fit to have his high paid receptionist call me to go in , I obviously do not matter, and therefore I don't want to bother them!! Yep, that is my take. I must be a bother, how many procedure results are stacked up in a file, that these people can't take a moment to call the person attached to them?
Now, as far as I know, whatever results came from my MRI, they are not life threatening. I will survive. But...lets look at some others I have known (note the known). Wonderful,be loved friends, who had the misfortune to have cancer invade their lives. Yes, that dreaded word, the word that kills. I for one absolutely despise the ads on TV that claim my province has done so wonderfully in the cure of this killer. Oh, the Health care system is fighting this, and we are so lucky to live in this province, if we are unlucky enough to be kicked in the gut with the diagnosis. BULL SH*T!!!
I will tell you, unless you are extremely lucky to get a Doctor off the bat, who is there each and every time you have to go in, and one who actually learns your name, and has compassion, you are screwed!!!In my world, two out of 6 of my friends who went through the horror, is a survivor!!Yep, not great odds at all. The reason, because their health care providers didn't give a damn. Harsh, you say, well, it is true. Those procedure results I spoke of earlier, those were just stacked in files, left for weeks, and even months. Treatments were delayed, time and time again. Doctors went on holidays, forgetting that someones life was on the line in their stack of files. Friends were sent for treatment, only to be turned away, because paperwork did not follow, pushing things back weeks again.
There are signs placed at hospital reception areas, warning patients that they are not allowed to raise their voices, they will be removed if they cause a scene and upset the receptionist. HELLLOOOO..In other words, they are not sorry your life is on the line, they don't care if your papers were misplaced, and your tumor has grown far too big to be dealt with now, for goodness sake, do not raise your voice. Too bad, guess you can't get better, guess you are hooped because we were too busy with the next person to give you a chance!
I could understand if there was no way to beat this disease, but there are treatments that can save lives. If a Doctor would simply take the time to listen, take the time to forget about Suzy BooHoo who shows up every single week with another frigging complaint, and give the 15 minutes that one uses up wasting time, to ensure every procedure and every piece of paper that could possibly save the person with a killer inside them, is in order,maybe I would still have my friends.
I can see I have not even skimmed the surface of this rant. I have so very much more inside to tell you. I have seen things that would make you shake your heads, and I just have to share them. Today, I have spoke of the sad state of the "Line Doctors" trying to tick as many patients off each day, to ensure they get a really nice chunk of cash from our medical Tax dollars. Tomorrow I will describe the pleasures of a hospital stay.
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