Your story touched me so much as it reminded me of my friend Susan. She died in 1988 under almost the same circumstances, in good old small town Canada. A few months before she died of bowel cancer, she asked her Dr. if it was possible that she had cancer - his answer was that she looked too healthy. Her son was 2 yrs old. What needless heartbreak. Americans may have to pay, but I think that perhaps overall your health care is better. Just a couple of weeks ago a gal who works for my cleaning company waited in the emergency with severe abdominal pain for 9 hours and no Dr. saw her. She gave up and left. Her appendix burst in the wee hours of the morning. Maybe this happens in the U.S. too, I don't know. Hugs to all.
At Sun, 4 Nov 2001, Karla wrote:
>
>Nancy,
>
>A lot of people in this country, in their search for a National health care
>system, think very highly of the one in Canada. Personally, I think it
>stinks. My family was affected very deeply by the flaws of the system.
>
>As you know my ex's family is in Maine. His oldest sister married a
>Canadian and they lived in a tiny city out of Grand Falls. When she was in
>her early twenties she began having stomach problems. She went to her
>assigned doctor and was treated for ulcers. There was no improvement in her
>condition, but her physician refused to refer her on to another doctor.
>When she was about twenty-nine her condition worsened even more...when she
>belched it smelled like she had a bowel movement. I told her that she
>needed to insist that they send her to another doctor. Needless to say,
>when they finally did she found out she had cancer. She passed away at the
>age of 31 leaving two toddlers at home. My husband and I made an
>appointment to see her doctor before she died. When we saw him we asked him
>why she hadn't been sent to a specialist. He told us that he believed that
>people in their twenties don't get cancer. I have always wondered who gave
>him his license?
>
>This was back in the early 80's. I only hope and pray for the people of
>Canada that things have changed.
>
>--
>Karla
>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Nada" <nadapost@yahoo.ca>
>To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 7:14 AM
>Subject: Re: no adhesions in new book!
>
>> At Sat, 03 Nov 2001, Nancy E. Hale wrote:
>> >
>> >Dear Nada:
>> >
>> >Why doesn't this surprise me? The Canadian motto: If you ignore it long
>> >enough, it will go away. Or: If we don't acknowledge it, it doesn't
>exist.
>> >
>> >Nancy in NB
>>
>> Hi Nancy,
>> Yes, I agree -- and we wouldn't want to acknowledge that members of the
>> medical community are capable of doing anything that is less than
>> perfect and always know best -- not to mention the notion of assigning
>> blame! It is inconceivable that in this day and age, anyone would expect
>> people to believe that. It's just a marketplace out there and buyer
>> beware.
>>
>> --
>> Nada
>>
-- csheedy