Thursday, January 21, 2016

The Doctor Called

Sue informs me that the doctor's office called and wants me to call back.

When I do, I am informed that I am due for a tetanus shot. Who knew?

I am also informed that it is time to have some blood work done. Who knew?

"Can you go to the lab soon if we fax the requisition to the lab?"

"Good. So now we can schedule an appointment in two weeks for your shot and the blood work report."

This is the way that it goes now. Now that I am a senior, they keep good track of me.

In the fall, they called to send me for a bone density test. Sue too, as well as a mammogram.

They also had Sue down for a pneumonia shot but not me. "He's not due yet, Sue. Just you."

Also in the fall for both of us: "Please come in for your flu shot."

With the exception of my bout with shingles in the summer, I seldom seem to have much need to see the doctor apart from showing up for my shots, but she does look out for me.

I like that. I like her looking out for me.

This is Canada where we suffer from abominable government controlled and funded health care. Such a burden.



18 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

hey, nice they call and get you in!

Ginger said...

Sigh. And you rub it in. (From me, who is managing healthcare for my parents who are fast approaching 90, and spent THREE DAYS in emergency room with her mom in December because of nonsensical Medicare rules.)

Tabor said...

I have good health care and it is somewhat expensive, but I have the same care at our Congress persons, so.....

Marie Smith said...

We have a family member in Ontario who gets the best medical care in the country, many services available and quickly. It depends on where you live in this country though.

We lived here in PEI for four years before we were assigned a family Dr. It meant long wait in emergency for prescription refills. Forget routine blood work etc. Since last May I've been waiting to see an orthopedic Dr. to have endoscopy on my knee so I can get back to normal life again. The appointment is next week. The procedure could be months away. A friend who really needs to use a wheelchair because her hip is so bad, has to wait a year and a half. Our waiting lists are the worst in the country.

Our doctors are on salary rather than fee for service. Most Dr. offices are closed Fridays. Between the closures and the days the doctors spend working at the hospital, you could be weeks trying to see the family doctor once you have one assigned to you.

A family member needed cataract surgery and was bumped up the waiting list due to another eye emergency. Otherwise the wait was over a year. The care she got was top notch once she was in the specialist's care. However someone else had to have waited longer because of her surgery.

I am glad you have such great health care. The disparity of services in this country is bad however. It is a price we pay for living on the far east coast of Canada as we have all of our lives.

Linda Kay said...

My doctor says I should have he bone density test as well, and he also recommended the additional pneumonia shot on top of the one I've already head.

Jackie said...

I live in the USA, and I get the same kinds of calls (and tests.)
Because of Medicare, the government is "all in my business."
I won't go into details about how I feel about that.
Grrrrr.
Hoping that your annual bloodwork comes back just fine. Sending you and your wife hugs....
Jackie

Country Gal said...

Hope all tests are good . Thank god for good health care cause we aint getting any younger lol ! !

Anonymous said...

Red tape - I'm doing better and are friendlier without (and thank God I don't have to be under Obama care)

Anvilcloud said...

I am happy for you, Jeanette. I am also happy for the millions who have better health care now. Hope you are too.

EG CameraGirl said...

I think we in Canada are very, VERY lucky. ;)

Ginnie said...

I, from the U.S., think you are very lucky. The Medical field is BIG business here, along with the pharmaceutical bunch. The amount charged for drugs, Dr. fees and hospital expenses is off the chart and unlike any other country in the world. I think it is killing us and thank God that Obama got the ball rolling. The Affordable Care Act is far from perfect but it's a start and badly needed in a country where we no longer have a middle class and the 1% rule.

Jim said...

Being an oldster in the USA, and on Medicare, I feel lucky. I have good care from my Dr. of my choice, and he refers me to others as needed. Usually it's pretty easy to get in to see a specialist. I waited a long time to get the "quality of life" surgery I needed, but that was due a lot to a mixup between my specialist's office and the hospital. Really a misunderstanding about services. This was not Medicare's fault. Just happened. But I got excellent care, and post op care. No complaints. And it would no good to complain if I had any. This getting older is not for sissies or the feint-of-heart.

Kathleen's Blog said...

It feels great though, to get all the routine stuff done every year.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

We don't go in for medical visits often and have not yet selected local practitioner here, although we did visit the medical office we used in VA last spring. In all the years we lived there (12) we never met with a dr. for routine checkups. Instead we had a very good nurse-practitioner who would spend time and answer any concerns or questions. Hopefully, we can find someone similar here in NH and have already visited a couple of medical offices but not yet made any decision. A couple of times that Pat has needed medical help we went to an Urgent Care type facility and that worked out well.

Mara said...

We have good care here in Norway as well. Although at times it can be/feel a bit slow. Flu shots and tests are a bit away for me yet. I hope at least!!!

Vicki Lane said...

Very jealous of your healthcare -- and the fact that you don't have Donald Trump or the other Republican clowns making your country look foolish.

troutbirder said...

I'm very envious.....

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

The thought of so much government involvement in health care is a little scary to me, but on the other hand not being able to afford health care is even scarier. The government here (in the US) seems to have a special talent for fouling up most things they tackle. I do wish they would do something about the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, though.