Universal Health care. My experiences. The good the bad and the ugly

The last few weeks I have been following all the health care horror stories on DailyKos. Many of you have moved me to tears.
 I seriously just feel terrible when I read some of these true tales of a system run amok.  I mostly just offer sympathy because I cannot comprehend......

I also read many of the right wing alarmists who warn of TERRIBLE consequences of SOCIALIZED medicine.

Drawbacks? Oh hell ya.

But last evening in a chat with my Husband, we figured out that in the last few years, my healthcare would probably have broken the bank account. I have no doubts that we would have been forced to live in a car, or go without food....or worse. If I didn't have my healthcare coverage. Or, the outcomes could have been terrible and tragic. I have been fortunate that only one of my problems has been life threatening for myself.

So. Im going to outline my own experiences, as a Canadian. I figure I probably know more than some right wing pundit hack who can afford the luxury's of a private hospital. We shall see eh?
 Im going to try not to get too personal with all this and will try to just make it a point by point. Ill start in 2000. The new millennium.

2000: stomach hemorrhage. Hospitalized three days.  Testing was done while I was under anesthesia to discover the  problem and lifestyle changes and medication were prescribed. (110 pound weight loss helped too)

(Got divorced and remarried in here somewhere)

2003: pregnancy. Prenatal visits, ultrasounds and screening. Our babe had a very rare, deadly disorder. (I wont explain the whole mess here again)  I had to undergo surgery in a specialized women's hospital, genetic counseling, Grief counseling, follow-ups. Etc.
After the autopsy, the hospital sent our sons remains to the crematorium, and we were able to retrieve his ashes from them.

2004-2005: Another pregnancy. Prenatal screenings, Ultrasounds (6!) meetings with the genetics team again, 5 hospital visits because of pre term labours, treatment for gestational diabetes, diet counseling. A Sugar monitor was given to me.
Birth. (Gorgeous baby girl BTW)
Approx 5 Follow up visits for random things.

2006: Surprise! Another pregnancy. (yes we now know what's causing it.)
Im being followed closely again by all the same professionals because of the earlier issues and my ahem  advanced age.
Added this time just for fun: treatment for high blood pressure.
Birth is in 7-8 weeks. (THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!)

In between all of this I have seen the doctor for my yearly physical. (OH yes, you ladies know THAT one)
Probably about 10 visits for other problems in the last couple years. I broke my toe in Dec 2005 because Im a dumbass, so that was an XRAY in emerg.

Now.
I have to tell you that all of that was covered under my basic medical, which is free where I live if one makes under $22,000 a year. After that its about $100 plus change for a family. It goes up if you make a LOT of money of course, but nothing too horrendous. Its also MANDATORY that all residents of my province have coverage.
And when I say it was all covered, (except my meds, but Canada has cheaper medicine costs) it included even the cremation of my sons remains. I cannot tell you how this comforted me in those dark days. The respect and kindness that all of these health professionals showed my husband and myself. And the respect for my son. We couldnt have afforded this on our own. I cannot even think how this would have felt for our family to not be able to bring our son home. Regret is a terrible thing that lasts forever.
I can also purchase extended medical and dental for about $200 a month. Its not something we can swing right now, so I have applied for basic dental for my family. Cost: $63 a month.

Drawbacks:
Waiting to see a specialist can take a few months, unless its an emergency of course.

We have a Dr shortage here at the moment. It takes 1-2 weeks for an appointment.  (non emergencys that cant wait for an appt can be seen at emergency. Not the ideal plan.)

In the 2000 episode I was in the hallway for a while on a gurney with an IV attached. I spent some time in a bed in the first aid/casting room too.

The hospitals have contracted out food services to a dog food company in the health care district I live in. So my husband has had to bring me all my meals.
Not such a biggie for us at all, but it is for those stuck there alone.

The current Government of Canada has been making noises about going to a 2 tier system. One for those who can pay, and one for those that can't. It worries me.  The neocons in power don't like socialized medicine one bit, and instead of addressing the problems, they would rather sell it off to private interests.
Their right wing think tank gods tell them to.
Our system needs help. It needs some reforms. We need FAR more preventative medicine.
But theres far more RIGHT with the system than there is wrong with it.
The Canadian GST (goods and services tax) cut that was just given (and taken away by an income tax increase on the same day?) would have paid for a lot of changes and improvements in our ailing system. But the GST cut was a carrot for a minority government with no conscience.

So. That's just my own experience in a Universal healthcare system.  Im sure there are a few Canucks who may read this and have an alternate opinion from their own experiences. ( As is always the case when a system feeling the effects of an aging and unhealthy population is also ailing from inattention and cutbacks.) Please don't feel the need to blast me, as I said this is just my own story and I wont change my mind much anyway. Im stubborn.
If I wasn't where I am, my story would read like so many here on DKos.
We live mostly paycheque to paycheque too. (that's how its spelled in Canada)

So I leave you with this....Is there a middle ground? That wont leave some waiting on lists? But provides the good immediate care, preventative care, and long term care that we all as humans deserve?
In the meanwhile, I hope that in the near future all my American freinds can someday live with less stress and just get on with enjoying life and family.

Special note to Brother Love: I hope Mrs Love is feeling better.