In a way, it's ironic. After spending so many hours covering the election that ended last week and researching the issues, it was the very day after the election ended where one of those issues abruptly became very personal.
I was right there with my fellow Albertans, shaking my fist over property rights despite the fact that I do not and probably will not ever own property if the cost of living stays the way it is. I called out for better care for our seniors and lamented waiting times in emergency rooms, despite not needing seniors care nor an emergency room for quite some time, if everything goes well for me.
Then, after staying up late to cover the election results, finally stumbling home just after midnight and waking the next day, I moved on with the next hurdle in my life, which was finding a family doctor.
You see, I had decided to finally seek medical advice for a chronic condition I have been treated for in the past. I called all the right people and was informed that if I wished to see a specialist who might be able to help me and to receive a prescription for any medication that may help as well, I needed a family doctor.
Undaunted, I called up the medical clinic and said cheerfully, “Hello, I need a family doctor.”
I was informed there simply weren't any and my best bet was to come to walk in, wait for however long it took and see a doctor that way.
A little perplexed, I said, “But that just won't work. I need a family doctor for a referral.”
There was a pause and the woman on the other line said, “Well, there aren't any.”
“But I need a doctor,” I repeated, confusion growing.
“I can't help you,” she said.
“But what do I do?” I wailed, and after a moment, she put me on hold, promising to transfer me to another receptionist who may be able to help.
I got voice mail, left a message, and was told by helpful co-workers the best thing to do would be to go to the clinic and ask face-to-face.
I did so and it went pretty much the same, only in frustration, this time I said, “Well, what do I do? I need a doctor!” and a receptionist helpfully suggested I try Cold Lake, St. Paul or Wainwright.
I haven't tried yet, to be honest, because shifting my schedule around to accommodate my recent trips to physio for my sprained knee or even to get my taxes done was daunting enough.
I was also feeling so betrayed by the province and the health care system that all I wanted to do was go home, curl up, and call Genia Leskiw, our MLA, and burst into tears and ask her to fix it for me, as if that would somehow offer a magical solution.
During the Bonnyville forum, Liberal candidate Hubert Rodden said it was cheaper to treat people before they got really sick. I'm beginning to feel like being a little proactive and trying to get better before things get really bad might not work at all. Maybe getting really sick is the only way to see a doctor. It's a little scary, because I'd rather get treatment for something before it gets too dangerous.
Sure, I'd heard of this alleged doctor shortage, I had heard all the campaign promises to get more doctors into rural Alberta but I thought if you needed a doctor, a doctor had to help you. It's a right, isn't it, having access to a doctor? I thought it was. This is Canada, after all. We like to rub our health care system in the faces of all our collective American neighbours.
I mentioned my problem to an American friend and she said, “But if you need help, they can't say they can't help you, can they?”
Apparently they can.
It doesn't make any sense to me either.
