This series will be sort of biography, if you will, of me and my families adventures in Pain Management. Through these stories, I will relate the personal and financial costs involved in my illness. I hate the word victim, survivor etc. It belittles our situation and is morose and depressing. In the spirit of creating a more inviting term, if you will, ..I have named us The Painies. Chronic Babes, a tribute to you, for making us sound glamorous and human.
I am only able to write about the Canadian Healthcare System, specifically Ontario. I will not use specific names of Dr.s, Specialists, Hospitals, Clinics etc. that I have gone to, for obvious reasons. I want to strongly state, I am very grateful for the services we receive.
Here are some truths about the Canadian Healthcare System
- Hospital Access/Ambulance Access: If I seriously injured in a car accident; I would be taken to a hospital, treated, cared for and then discharged when ready.
- General Healthcare: My family is able to get general healthcare; annual visits, sick visits, etc. at no personal charge
- Pediatric Illness Coverage: If my child had a horrifying disease, we would have access to incredible care for the most part
- No Disruption in Service: If my husband switched jobs, my illness would not have an impact on our health coverage through an employee benefits package
- Medication costs: while still expensive, is cheaper than I would pay in the US
- Additional Services: MRI/XRAY/CT Scan/Blood Tests etc are available free of charge
- Additional Services: Dialysis, Chemotherapy, Radiation, etc. are available free of charge
- There is lots more, I just only have so much space
More truths about the Canadian Healthcare System
- It is archaic and beaurocratic
- Not enough Doctors
- Not enough Nurses
- Not enough Hospital beds
- Not enough clinics for Chronic Patients
- Glaring Limits on Eastern/Alternative Medical Therapies available – almost 90% of these are at PERSONAL COST
- LONG wait lists for MRI’s, tests, X rays etc.
- LONG wait lists for specialists
- Limited resources for Chronic Patients, provided by the Government
- Technology for results, communication, etc. is in need of a massive upgrade
- Limited public support for Chronic Pain – so little Government Support. Politicians make decisions, based on public opinion – not public need
- All of the above, create an environment that does not accept Chronic Pain as a real illness, which means the attitude towards us is one of general malaise
- The media has created an inaccurate perception of Pain Medication. The Government has done nothing to communicating the truth. That Pain Medication was developed to treat pain, not get people high. Their failure to do so, has made Doctors resistant to properly medicate those that need it
- Very little – if any – effective portals to find information about Chronic Pain created by the Government
These issues have created a vortex, leaving the Chronic/Pain Patient with limited resources, unmedicated, criminalized, ignored, neglected and broke. It is a vicious cycle we are on and needs change. The population keeps getting older and the costs to our already stretched and mismanaged system will be huge. The price, our health.
For us to get the proper recognition in the Healthcare System – regardless of country – we need to speak up and give ourselves PR makeover. Just look at Cancer, AIDs, Alzheimers, Erectile Dysfunction – I mean really, if they can get a lot of good PR, can’t we???
As my contributions to the Chronical of a Painie, go on, you will see how much money and time has gone into managing my illness. I am looking forward to sharing these and hearing your feedback.
TAGS: healthcare, health, Canadian Healthcare, Healthcare system, chronic illness, illness, chronic pain, medicine, doctors, nurses, hospitals, MRI, CT scan, X-ray, public support, Cancer, AIDS, Alzheimers, medication, narcotics, MRI, Rant
Chronic Pain Journal 
Things about the medical system…. for BC
There isn’t a chronic pain billing code for doctors offices so there is no real tracking of how many visits to doctor’s offices are because of PAIN.
Imagine what it’s like for those of us in the US! I have literally had to choose between going to a doctor (or filling a prescription), or buying groceries. How terrible is that?! When you’ve got two little ones staring up at you, which one do you choose? It sucks.
I honestly have no idea; what you do. My husband and I have spoken about this quite a bit. First off, even though we have universal health care, I am out of pocket about $500 -$600 a month in medicine, supplements, treatments etc. I still have to work; even though being on the computer is the worst thing for me.
So, in your case, I just don’t know what to say? It is brutal – but in order to be the best Mum you can be, you have to take care of yourself. It may seem selfish – I know it has been a big struggle for me – but not taking treatments or just sucking it up made me sicker.
So which is better – the immediate need of groceries, shoes, clothing, field trips or your long term health? It is a no win situation? Absolutely no right answer.
This is why – I think Universal Health Care is so very, very important.
I truly wish that the big wigs in Government and in the Health Insurance Industry – could spend 1 week in your shoes. See if they think the decisions made are humane – reasonable or fair for one of the richest nations in the world – have people go broke, families suffer and the patient not seek pain relief – when there is so much money to help you…..
It is a shame.