Tuesday, August 03, 2010

PEI Drudged: Woman Miscarries in PEI Waiting Room

Prince Edward Island's medical system, and the local newspaper, The Guardian, have made The Drudge Report.  A woman miscarries in the emergency waiting room. The husband finally drives here to another hospital 45 minutes away. There's probably an easy comment to be made about Canadian healthcare, but, living here and empathizing so deeply with this poor woman, I  think I'll let here unfortunate experience speak for itself.

I've waited in that very same emergency room at QEH on more than one occasion, either for myself or someone else.  Once I went suffering from what turned out to be an acute gallbladder attack. Once they had apprised that I was not having a heart attack, I was left to wait. With a gnawing pain driving me upthewall.  This was in the middle of the night. I waited from around 3 to 6 am. At about 5 I got to lie on a bed, which meant I was "next". Around 6 the doctor breezed in. By the time he got to me, the attack had subsided. He had been attending to other persons whose needs exceeded mine, and he was a great guy who made a bang-on diagnosis, so I have no beef with him.

Unlike this dear woman, my case would probably be viewed as a "success" for the healthcare system.

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"... nothing intellectually compelling or challenging.. bald assertions coupled to superstition... woefully pathetic"