New Brunswick Health Care

I thought that on this, the day in which I am officially covered by NB Medicare, I'd write a more comprehensive post about my experiences with health care thus far. I've mentioned this stuff in passing elsewhere, but here's where things stand at the moment.

The day before I left for F'ton in May I had a cortisone injection in my left knee. My knees have been bad for a while, but the left - in particular - was really acting up. I think I did more damage when I laid vinyl in the basement last spring, but I'll never know. The day after I arrived in May is heard a loud "pop" when I turned in my seat. After seven hours at Chalmers' ER, I was told what I suspected, torn meniscus. If I'd had a brain I would have asked for an orthopedic referral then. But, since I was leaving a week later... While back in MN I chose not to follow up because I didn't think that anything they could/would do would have been done within the time I had left there. I was only going to be there for two weeks and then we were moving.

I arrived in F'ton on 16 June with my knees and one shoulder an absolute mess. By mid-July it was so bad that I went to the after hours clinic; the only option for those of us without a family physician. What an experience. When that window opened it was like fish to the food. For $50 - a bargain - I saw a very nice physician who said that I should continue to take ibuprofen, stay off of it as much as I could, and she would enter a referral to orthopedics. And, my shoulder, well, just give it some rest. Okay.

In early August I decided to call the doctor to whom she had written the referral, just to see how many weeks or months I would have to wait. When the woman on the other end of the phone said, "18-24 months," I just about fell over. I know that's what they say for knee replacements, but just to see the doctor? I was flabbergasted. She asked if I had a family physician and I said, "Of course not." She said something like, "Yeah." Then she advised that I go back to after hours and see if I could get a referral to physio. Now, I would have asked for that back in July, but I didn't think physio would do anything without diagnosis from the physician. I swear I contemplated having P take a baseball bat to my shin. I know I'd be seen then. Since I was just a few weeks away from not having to pay the $50 I decided to wait. I'd waited this long...

I was beyond furious with the doctor I had seen at after hours. Had she not known that she was telling me to take ibuprofen for two years and live with it? If she had told me right then what the situation was to even have it looked at by a specialist I might have flown to MN then, when my mother and P were still here. So, what to do? I called an orthopedist in Calais, Maine and one in Houlton, Maine. The latter, with whom I had to leave a message, never returned the call. I have an appointment on 15 December with the guy in Calais. Meanwhile, my one knee is swollen and "bulgy" at various points. I'm learning to live with the shoulder and my right knee is, well, not as bad as the left.

As for a family physician - we've met a nice couple who have a great relationship with their family physician. Having just taken a group of new patients from the waiting list, he said that if we hadn't found anyone by the next time they see us to let him know. So, I'm hopeful. It sucks that something like getting a family physician has to be accomplished by who one knows. But, I'll take it.

I think the "takeaway lesson" here is to not talk about "Canadian health care," but "[name your province] health care." Things in New Brunswick are absolutely terrible when it comes to more routine things. There simply aren't enough doctors to go around. I know someone dealing with a potential MS diagnosis who has had her MRI, her spinal, etc. and is really happy with her neurologist. For something of that seriousness, I think she's had great care. But, for the things like gnarly knees, that won't kill you - unless I really do fall down the stairs - forget it.

Let me add two things. One, I know I'm very privileged that going to Maine to get looked at is even an option. And, two, I'm still glad that I'm in a place where everyone has some level of access, even if it means I'm unable to deal with this situation in a timely fashion. I just wish some of the more routine things in daily life - use your imagination - weren't so painful while I wait.