I am a 20year old college student in my 3rd year of getting my BFA plus a part time worker at an art store and a active participant in service within my community.

However, I have put my entire life on hold to deal with yet another medical problem. I am no stranger to them as I have type 1 diabetes as well as celiacs disease, asthma, allergies, and so on. This time around finding a diagnosis seems impossible. I have been waiting for answers going on 7 months now and I have a laparoscopy booked for May 30th. I have been put through many invasive tests and drugged passed any point of comprehension. Taking addictive meds to deal with the side effects of my other addictive meds I am growing frustrated.

I have been to Emerge 7 times, the last time by ambulance. I went by ambulance, all the way from Cochrane where I live, I arrived at the foothills hospital, waited 7 hours to see a doctor and was given 2 minutes of his time and he told me to go see my specialist. (whom is so busy I can barely get in without a month and a half wait). I asked to see the specialist on call and he casually joked about the pain that I was in and said he was sorry but that I needed to go home to which I took out my own IV and my parents and I left…he thought I was just there to get some morphine or other drugs. It is on my file which he did not even skim or he would have seen that I am on Oxytocin and other pain relievers and anti-inflamatories. Trust me pal, if I was there to get high there are faster, easier, and cheeper ways to do so!

I think it would do the foothills hospital good to remind their doctors that they are not above helping people. In fact, that just so happens to be their job–What the hell am I paying for with my health care coverage and hard earned tax payer dollars? My entire family and group of friends are appalled by the treatment I was given. My GP, Specialists, and a friend Anesthesiologist (who work out of foothills) were angry but then again not so shocked by how terribly I was treated.

Writing this now I know that nothing is going to change, this is probably just an outlet for people to voice their complaints. Foothills hospital probably hopes that just posting a complaint will get the anger and resentment for an establishment, that was made to help the injured and sick, out of their system. I am just disappointed, hurt, and still in pain without any answers. But worse I am upset with this health care that is so frequently boasted about, that is the envy of every American. Confrontations about our wait lists by Americans get brushed off simply because of the statement “at least we have health care.” What good is it though? I am one of the lucky ones able to stay at home because my parents can afford to help me and because I have worked hard to save my money. I am disabled-not able to work, go to school, drive, see my friends because of the pain I’m in and yet I am one of the lucky ones because if I had to pay rent, work, take care of a family I would not be able to.

What a sad day to be a Canadian