At this point I need to speak about socialized medicine. I guess it works for some people but here is how it failed me.
Once I was diagnosed I ask the ortho what the end game was. He said a full hip replacement. This was last August so I said lets book it for March 2023. His reply was I was too young and it was way too soon to be considering surgery. The plan called for years of injections, cortisone and platelets and Dura something. Basically anything to kick the problem down the road 7 years until I was 70. This is socialized healthcare in a sentence, it doesn't lift everyone to the best level of care it drags everyone down to the lowest common denominator. No worry about how I was going handle 7 more years of pain, no sleep and God only knows what I was doing to the other hip and joints to function with the bad one. No, healthcare is set up to take care of healthcare first. What was convenient and the best outcome for socialized healthcare was the only consideration.
Luckily a buddy had bought a hip a year ago and he referred me to Gateway Surgery in Calgary. Dr Cundal did a screening with me to insure I was a good candidate for the procedure. I passed that stage with flying colors and he then give me a choice between a surgical suite in Toronto or another in Montreal. I chose Westmount Square Surgical Center in Montreal strictly because they held me in one more day than the Toronto option. I spoke with so many people from the supereon, Dr. Hart to the anesthesiologist, Dr Guzzo, to the physiotherapist to several charge nurse. Dr Hart ordered calibrated x-rays to allow him to plan the surgery and by 2 weeks from the date the train was in motion.
Just a side note. Yes I paid for the surgery, so what? My stepping out of line lets some other person move up a spot and positionally lessen there pain and abuse by socialized healthcare. To be legal, that is legally pay for a necessary surgery I have to leave my home province. It is against the law for me to pay a surgeon in Alberta to do my hip. But it is perfectly legal to fly outside the province and pay for it there. To me that is criminal.
Here is something else I believe is criminal as well. Trudeau charged me GST on my surgery.
I will say this for private healthcare. I have never received such great treatment, never. I don't have a lot of experience with healthcare as I'm pretty healthy. I will say though it is incredible to be able to look at your own schedule and pick a date that works for you not just everyone else. Being considered a valued client was surprising and scheduling a hip like you would an oil change on your truck was liberating.
The moose is the driveway watched leave on the drive to Edmonton.
