Calling all Canadians

[littlebelle]

Well I have been a lucky Canadian. I went to the hospital because I was have symptons that were scaring me. I had just had a phyisical and the doctor notice I had problems with weakness in my legs. And she was going to set up an appointment with a neuro.

My doctor at the time only worked on day a week.
So we headed off to the emergency. I had a great emergency doctor who did a spinal tap and wanted me to stay. But I said no she said that she would be on Monday morning and could I come back then.

She knew it would take months to get a MRI and wanted to speed up the process.

By Monday I could not walk. So they did the MRI and admitted me for 5 days. The neuro said nothing to me in the hospital.

A month later he told me my spinal tap was postive for obands but my MRI's were good.

So I saw him again 3 months later and then another 3 months later after another MRI. Still clear. Still said it looked like MS and let's wait and see.

My Family doctor saw that I needed a cane and waiting to her was not an option. So she found out the best MS specialist I could go to. She said he was also the head neuro at St. Mikes.

They originally had me waiting for 6 months she called back and said too long. I got into see him in 6 weeks.

He did more testing. For lots of things. Bascially we are left with atypical MS. Sent me over to the clinic had another MRI still clear.

But now they are testing for genetic diseases that mimic MS. And another spinal tap.

In 14 months I have had 3 sets of MRI's. I have not had to wait long. And am so thankful that is all covered. We could no way afford this if not.

Also St. Mike's also is one of the teaching and research hospitals that is also involved in many MS studies.

So I would say I am getting excellent care. And that my atypical MS is getting serious attention. I am taking bacolfen and 4-AP the experimental drug. If I was still seeing my old neuro I would be taking nothing.

That I have the chief neuro/ Head of MS clinic and another MS neuro looking after me.

So yes my family doctor only works 2 days a week.
But now that I am connected to the MS clinic. I can get help anytime now.

I look at how the US system works and I am so happy to be in Canada

Even my walker only cost me 104.00 the rest the government paid.

Hope that helps. Oh with the MS clinic they arrange IVSM for a nurse to come to my house and give it to me. Very nice they do that.

[Mamabug]

Well I have been a lucky Canadian. . .

They originally had me waiting for 6 months she called back and said too long. I got into see him in 6 weeks.


I look at how the US system works and I am so happy to be in Canada

. . .

I agree that you have had pretty good care. But, as you said, you've been lucky. They originally had you waiting for 6 months. I got in within a week.

I think that, at least for me, sometimes I am more comfortable with what I know best. To think about coping with something different seems scary. When I first moved to the U.S. from Canada, I also thought that I preferred the Canadian system.

But, when I read and hear about the long waiting lists, and how you are "lucky", even though I got much quicker service than you did, I would now be afraid to go back to the Canadian system. Although it is paid for by the government, the service and delivery seems to leave a lot to be desired.

In fact, when I was in college (already in the U.S., but hadn't been for very long yet), I did a research paper that dealt with the differences. My perspective, then, had been that the Canadian system was better.

The U.S. system is far from perfect, too, though. As I said in my last post, I wish we could combine the best of both.

As a Canadian, though, I remember my previous opinions about the differences of our systems, and I wouldn't expect that it would be likely that Canadians who have not experienced the U.S. system would ever think that might be preferable in some ways.

~ Faith

[littlebelle]

I guess I think that since we are told that MS is not going to kill you. I think that not going broke over it is a good thing. That having to wait a month or two longer really does not affect my outcome in the long run. And I do not have to worry about are immediate finances.

But I am sure my tune would be different if I had cancer and every day counted. That waiting would affect my outcome.

So that is the best of both worlds I would like. One were you do not lose everything for treatment. Two that you do not loose your life for waiting.

What about those people in the US who have no insurance. Do they get the treatment for cancer in a timely fashion and the best treatment for the disease. If not, then I would still take Canada's waiting game over less care.

[Mamabug]

What about those people in the US who have no insurance. Do they get the treatment for cancer in a timely fashion and the best treatment for the disease. If not, then I would still take Canada's waiting game over less care.

That's a good question. I don't really know how to answer it. There is a safety net for some people -- for children, and for people who are elderly or disabled, there is some government assistance available. And, some hospitals, or whatever, may choose to write off some costs for some people.

Some places have very reasonable payment plans. A few places that we owed money to for medical expenses only charged $100 per month with no interest. And, hospitals have social workers who try to help find resources when needed, but I don't really know what's available.

But, there are probably a lot of people who fall through the cracks. And, I agree that that is just not fair. That was the thing about the U.S. system that angered me the most when I first moved down here.

And, one clinic that I went to expected everything to be paid off in a certain amount of time (was it 3 months?), or get their 12% interest credit card to put it on, or turn it over to a collection agency. Well, we owed $11,000 to them, which we didn't happen to have sitting in our bank account, and we didn't want to pay 12% interest. So, we put it on a 0% interest credit card that we got on our own, and refinanced our house so we could pay it and other medical debts off. (It wasn't just MS; it was also a surgery I'd had that year.)

~ Faith

[synsyn]

I think that in both countries access to care is better in larger urban centres (more people =more doctors) I went to my family doc in Oct. with balance and vertigo issues, he quickly figured out we needed a neuro the wait was 3 months. At my first appt. the neuro said I could wait for tests that might take a couple of months but she wanted to admit me to hospital to get everything done at once. There was no commitee no one to say which was cheaper I was in the hospital 2 days later and had my dx in 4 days of testing got a PT evaluation and lV steroids scheduled for at home. They also had a PT come to my home 1x per week for 5 weeks to help with balance issues. I believe that my quick access to medical care is because I live in a large city. health care also means that if my dr. orders a test noone can second guess it, I may have to wait but it gets done.
I was brought up poor but because of government health care I always got all the care I required. I am very proud of our social safety nets and happily pay higher taxes to allow everyone access to the same level of care

[nicolenanina]

look up www.acceleratedcure.org

[littlebelle]

look up www.acceleratedcure.org

Ok went there not sure what that has to do with the Canadian forum what am I missing?

[sw8689]

CPP and stuff

Hi everyone, I am in Vancouver. Some stuff on CPP and Disability applications.

The same advice applies in Canada as in the USA, get help in filling out the forms. The MS society of Canada has advocates that will help you fill out he forms.

It will suprise you just how many questions they will ask you that you will take for granted, and will not have put down on the form that make all the difference in being accepted by the adjudicators.

Also, it is good to share what you have written on you part of the form with your Doctor and to advise your Doctor that the MS society assisted you in filling out the form.

What I love most about this forum, is that all of the members here seem to see no borders between the two countries, it is very refreshing that we are all one here, we cry together, grieve about our soldiers together and even get involved in each other's political debates together...sometimes (we're really not supposed to, that is debate political issues). It truly is a wonderful place to be.

In Canada we do have a very unique medical system. Sometime in the early 50's (I think) someone in Gov't thought is would be a good idea if everyone paid a small amount to fund a public and universal medical system. At that time and over the next 3-4 decades it worked very well and was the envy of all. Then we had inflation, people were living longer due to better health care, and our medical care rates were not increased accordingly, and a number of other factors led to significant deficits in our system.

Now we also have a shortage of Doctors and Nurses (same as other labour areas) and that puts the patients in a position of having to take what they can get.

All in all, it can be less that optimum at times.

However, just step outside of Canada into some of the other Countries around us or even accross the border to our friends and pay the hospital bill and we may have to mortgage our home to pay the deductable for heart surgery, or other countries were the Doctors are not trained anywhere near what they are in North America. So...all in all, we just need to keep striving to fix our system that isn't working any more and needs some major adjusments.

Well, enough from me today, it's good to see all of the Canadians in one spot for the day.

Cheers!

[Min, The Great]

I am also from Barrie, Ontario...

YAY CANADA!

[valdine]

hee hee.... when I lived in Ontario it was the first time I saw milk in bags and understood the whole 'Canadian stereotype' (I could never cut those bags open right either!)

I always thought people meant powdered milk in bags.. now why would that be so strange?

[sw8689]

hee hee.... when I lived in Ontario it was the first time I saw milk in bags and understood the whole 'Canadian stereotype' (I could never cut those bags open right either!)

I always thought people meant powdered milk in bags.. now why would that be so strange?

Wow, that was a long time ago, milk in bags...I wonder if that would be more enviro friendly...
I haven't seen those in decades, do they still do that?

[wendyd]

Hello everyone,its great to have a site that has included us Canucks!!Iam from Vancouver B.C.
I would love to hear from others in the B.C. area!!

[Carol]

Hi Wendy!

I'm in Victoria. Hope you're enjoying the great weather we're having. (I really didn't mind the rainy days either)

C

[littlebelle]

We still buy our milk in bags. 3 litres at a time. It is seeing jugs that is strange. Do you guys buy your milk in jugs?

[Carol]

I buy my milk in 4 litre plastic jugs. You can also get 2 litre jugs. (and I think I've seen smaller ones too). Glass bottles seem to be making a comeback in some stores but they're too small for my house. We go through 5, 4 litre, jugs each week!

C