MGB: an exchange from another forum

Here is an exchange on a forum on this site. So much for socialized medicine indeed! The second poster just might go blind wile he waits for nearly a year to have his eye repaired.

Having this happen to yourself is awful, but can you imagine how you would feel if you had to stand there and wait that long to have your child’s eye worked on, knowing that he/she would probably end up blind because some moron “official” screening board worked “bankers hours”?

We US citizens will know whether or not our children are going to have to live with this situation by Monday.

On second though, not ALL of us. The elected officials who are doing this to us are exempt and will have different insurance and supremely better access to health care.


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First Canadian poster:

Yesterday while working out side I noticed a floater in the vision of my left eye. I called my Doctor and got in to see him right away. He sent me to an eye specialist today, Friday. I will be getting laser surgery to repair a tear in my left retina this Tuesday at noon.
Since I have to go to the city, BC medical will pay for my transportation and escort.


Second Canadian poster:

Hi Jim,

Glad to hear your getting speedy attention to your eye problem. Best of luck and a 100% cure. One of the advantages of living in sunny Southern BC.

I just had an eye exam here (Sept 3) diagnosed with "normal tension glaucoma" with related optic nerve damage (non reversible) and a significant loss of vision. My appointment to see the eye specialist, to assess my eye condition is SEPTEMBER 30 2010.

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Third US poster:

So much for socialized medicine! I make an appointment, go in, and stuff happens. Good luck to you both!

I think this belongs on the "dark side" forums... you know, the other "Off Topic" place.

Okay.

Skye, please bring on your moving van. LOL

Jack

I have two children going to the same college: Child 1 is my biological son, Child 2 is my foster daughter. Child 1 is on my private insurance, Child 2 is on Medi-Cal. To live in the dorms they have to have a physical. We call for an appointment for both children: Child 1 is in to see the doctor in 1 day and we pay $20.00 out of pocket--all paperwork is filled out at one time and done correctly. Child 2 gets an appointment 4 weeks away, costs nothing out of our pocket (just the collective taxpayer's) and the paper work has to be re-done 2 times.

Hummmm....

Jack somehow I didn't see how my first post could be turned into a political thing..... There are reasons for what Ric is experiencing and they have nothing to do with the medical system. They are to do with how his doctor is handling things.
If his doctor had the word "URGENT" in his vocabulary things would have already happened.


I think that the differences between Ric and I are:
* He lives in an isolated area (EG. aviation regulations require aircraft operating in Ric's area carry survival gear)
* Ric said his condition is "non-reversible".
* The poor service issue lays squarely on Ric's local doctor's shoulders.
He will have to prod his local doctor to make the appointment in Vancouver.
* The system will even pay to send Ric and Chery to Vancouver to see the specialist. Remember that NPG is
different than the pressure induced glaucoma. Hopefully they can treat him with meds.

* I live in a rural area but the big city is only 2 hours away.
* Also my condition is operable.
* My GP is the pushy kind. He will fight for his patients. He used the word "URGENT" when referring me to the eye specialist. * The specialist also had "URGENT" on her request to the surgeon.

Hi Twig:
To add to what Jim has said,BC is a large province approxmaitely 80% of it's population live within 2 hours of Vancouver as does Jim and from a totally different direction so do I.The rest of the population are spread within pockets(towns) over the rest of the province. Resources are concentrated in the areas with the large population,as the medical system regionalizes it's services to cut costs.Unfortunately Rick is in that other area which has to come to the big city for the specialized services, I am not sure that differs much from any other place.I wish both Jim & Rick the best of luck.

John