Back to the Garden
From: Kerry
Date: Sunday, July 15, 2007 10:47 AM
To: mmflint@aol.com
Subject: What Wait Times in Canada???
Hi Michael, I just read a couple of the testimonials from a few of my fellow proud Canadians on your Sicko site, and thought I'd add another voice in support of the Canadian Health Care system as it works in Ontario.
In January of this year I had my left hip replaced by a specialist in a Toronto hospital. I was originally scheduled to have it done in September 2006 but I asked to wait so that the recovery wouldn't spoil my fall gardening, and I rescheduled it for January when all I missed was shoveling snow. No problem.
I mentioned to my hip surgeon that I had torn my rotator cuff and had just received the results of the MRI (for which I had to wait all of 2 weeks). The hip surgeon mentioned me to a shoulder specialist in the same hospital who actually dropped in to see me the day after the hip replacement for a chat, and I gave him the MRI results on a cd. As soon as I was off crutches because of the hip replacement, I was scheduled for shoulder reconstruction surgery on April 3. Done and done.
Between the two major surgeries, I spent a total of 9 days in hospital (7 in a private room which cost me $20.00 per night - total $140 because I chose it over a semi-private room; and 2 days in a semi-private room because I chose not to pay the $20 per night for such a short stay). I've seen the two different specialists about 6 times since the surgeries, been on lots of medications that cost me $0.00 and am back enjoying my garden just as planned.
Total cost to me $200.00 -- $140.00 by choice for a private room for 7 days, and about $60.00 to rent a raised toilet seat for 3 months!!!
What wait times?
Keep up the good work. Loved your open letter to CNN. Be sure to take them on next.
Sincerely,
Kerry
Lafontaine, Ontario
