This was originally written, and cross-posted at A Creative Revolution, for a Canadian audience.
A week ago, my toes went numb. Just a little at first. I didn't think much of it, maybe a bit of a pinched nerve or something. I'm on my feet all day, every day, after all. I made an appointment with our family doctor for the next week, since it was a bit strange that it was in a specific part of both feet. I mentioned it to some of my co-workers and their response was "you should go to the walk-in clinic".
Where I'm from, a visit to the walk-in clinic could put me out over $80, depending on if my $500 deductible for that year had been paid yet or not. So it's not in my nature to pop in to the clinic with something like this. To make a long story shorter, a few days later I was experiencing numbness from the hips down. I went to the clinic.
I was expecting a wait of at least 2 hours, maybe more. I'm sure that it does get to be a long wait there sometimes, but apparently not all the time. I was seen inside of about 45 minutes. To my utter shock, I was sent to the ER for some tests including an MRI if possible. Holy shit. The doctor said I wasn't to drive. Numb feet, not a good idea. My husband picked me up and we went straight to the hospital, wondering if we should have packed a bag or not.
At the hospital, I was seen in less than an hour. I had a bunch of blood taken. Every person I encountered that day was professional and caring. Good natured, even. I had a CT scan (the angel who did the scan put a warm blanket around me when I was done - nice touch) but no MRI that day. I was prepared for them to say "and it's going to be 9 months before we can get you one, so good luck with that nerve thing you're having". But what I got was, to paraphrase, "if we think you've potentially got something really fucking serious, we are going to get you in that tube just as soon as we can squeeze you in the schedule somehow".
Ok, what House Jr. didn't tell me was that this might be nothing more than garden variety paresthesia. That would have been helpful, because they sent me home with some pretty serious options knocking around in my head. It could be something really bad. But what I have not had to consider is how the hell am I going to pay for all these hospital bills. And that's if, best case scenario, they find nothing wrong with me. Plus I have had to take some hours off work as I'm sure you can understand, since when I'm up for 2 - 3 hours at a stretch my toes start to hurt like they're frozen. Money is not going to be freely flowing forth since I work on commission.
Before anyone starts shrieking about immigrants coming to Canada for the "free" healthcare, I began working and paying taxes within 2 weeks of my landing so you can cram it right up your ass.
I understand that there are things about the health care system here that could be improved. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert. There are plenty of people who know a whole lot more than me about the in's and out's of health care and coverage. What I do know is that in most cases, your system here works and works well. I am being fit in for an MRI in a few days, not months. I know it takes an unacceptably long time to get one if it's your knee. Emphasis on the word unacceptable. But I have to say, as an American (or Amero-Canadian, which is what I prefer. J/K), that I am completely impressed with the care I've received here so far. The staff at the hospital was pretty amazing. The doctors at the walk-in clinic were great too. I did go back there on Sunday (on SUNDAY! and they're there until 9:00 p.m.!) because I was quite a bit worse but wasn't sure if that warranted taking up space in the ER. As it turns out, it didn't.
My husband and I are free to focus all our concern on figuring out what's wrong with me and how to deal with that, not how we are going to cut back in our already meagre budget to pay for it.
I didn't post this here at DKos to rub it in about how kick ass it is here in Canada. I just wanted to dispel some myths about the Canadian system and tell a good story about it for a change. Humane health care and coverage is worth fighting for, every step of the way.