The Last Amazon has joined the national waiting line

This week the Last Amazon went to the doctor to hear his diagnosis of a small lump that has a tendency to come and go in her lower groin area. I had suspected a hernia. Her younger brother had to have two hernia repair surgeries before he was 2. Our 'Angry' GP has recommended that we see a general surgeon for a hernia repair surgery.

The visit was on Monday and when I hadn’t heard from 'Dr. 'Angry’s' office with an appointment date for the general surgeon by Friday I called 'Dr. Angry’s' office thinking one of the children had erased the message by accident which happens a lot in our home. Imagine my surprise when I was informed that no appointment has been made.

Apparently, there is no more “your secretary calls my secretary and asks if the doctor is available to do a possible hernia repair surgery and book an appointment”. That is how it worked 12 years ago but alas, no more. Now your doctor’s office has to send out a letter to various surgeons asking for consultations and appointments and the surgeon’s office will reply by snail mail if the surgeon is available and when. The young secretary seemed quite surprised when I suggested that the office just call around and ask outright and has the interesting belief that that medicine has never been practiced that way.

Hernia surgery is relatively minor in the sense that the operation rarely takes more than 10 minutes and the younger the child is; the less recovery time required. When we brought Montana home from the hospital I spent what was left of the day (once the drugs wore off) trying to stop him from climbing, running and jumping around the house like a wraith of Satan. The problem with waiting for a hernia repair surgery is that the hernia may become incarcerated which means that the intestines get caught in the tear of the tissue lining. Surgery must be immediate and it is no simple ten minute procedure.

I read this article in the National Post on the growing number of Canadians going to the US or Quebec for surgery and I can’t say the thought has not crossed my mind since Friday. Lining up is all well and good but when the life of your child is held by hostage by the national lunacy for equality for all in line-ups; hurray up and wait doesn’t seem to be a Canadian value I couldn’t shug off in a heartbeat.

(tipped off by Neale News)