Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Coming and Going


The surgeon called this morning to tell me how much our medical system sucks. He thinks I should write a letter to the minister of health. I am being admitted to ER tomorrow as there is not a bed for me and because his allotted hours of OR time is up. I will be on urgent standby waiting for any orthopedic surgeon to fix me up. I think he is feeling a little guilty for not doing x-rays three weeks ago. The ER doctor called it correctly but the ortho just didn't really do the proper care. It has become more damaged in the last three weeks because of his neglect. I am being admitted at 8 am tomorrow.

A friend told me this afternoon that she had a friend in much the same situation earlier this winter but with a broken leg. Since she had to be surgery ready for the whole time she could have nothing by mouth and could only have an IV. She was in a bed behind the ER for three days before she got her surgery with only the IV for sustenance. This is what awaits. Our system is severely broken and as the Dr. told me this morning, ready for collapse.

I want fun music today. I love the jumpin' jive era of music so here are some songs from that time. These songs were written in that era, I should have said. These are from Joe Jackson's 1981, Jumpin' Jive, his tribute album to his father's roots. I checked that date on my cassette and was surprised. I thought it was from the late seventies. Anyway, here are You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business and What's The Use Of Gettin' Sober. Here are more from the era: My favorite, the first song I posted on this blog, Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby by Renee Olstead, the same song by Louis Jordan, and by Joe Jackson. There's also Jack You're Dead.

I have no idea when I'll be back home so keep listening to the music. Page One and Page Two in the links have 542 songs for your listening pleasure.

6 comments:

Ralph said...

God, looks like we all have one thing or another to complain about in our health systems. You don't pay, but you wait. We pay, and pay, and pay---but don't wait.

Cuidado said...

It's ok when a shoulder waits but cancer patients wait as well. Did you like Marie Claire?

Unknown said...

A friend of mine waited a little too long for a heart operation.

Cuidado said...

That's exactly what's happening and the government should be ashamed.

Carol Tiffin James said...

I'm just now catching up on your last several posts, and I'm so sorry to hear about your shoulder! Our newspaper recently ran a whole series of articles on the difference in Canadian health care and ours (because ours is out of whack, too). It was very interesting, both the pros and cons of your system.

Ed told me once that the Scandinavian countries have the best universal health care system which works better than any other region in the world. Someone needs to find a place that has a health care system that works well (wherever it is) and study it so we can all have what is rightfully ours as human beings - affordable access to quality, prompt health care.

I hope everything goes well for you! I'll be thinking about you!

Cuidado said...

The worst part of our system is long waiting times - way too long for good health.