Posts from — August 2009

As I wrote in my previous post about health care reform, before I met my husband, I had no health insurance. In 2002, no insurer would have me. I guess I was too old. I didn’t fit the profile.

I was probably judged as being on the cusp of having problems  because of my age, even though I had never had a serious illness, was not overweight. and was  fairly physically fit. (I weighed 108, my blood pressure was 70/110 and could bicycle 30 miles in Florida’s July heat.) [Read more →]

I publish a newsletter for the London Writers’ Society. This month I’m addressing the idea of “The Muse” or, rather, the issue of how to access the source of creativity.

Writers sometimes complain that “The Muse” is fickle. Some writers have become alcoholics or gone off “the deep end” when they felt their creative gifts were evaporating.

In fact, there is anecdotal evidence that Hemingway committed suicide because he stopped being able to hear his “inner voice” of creativity and felt his muse had abandoned him.

Certainly, for a person who loves putting words down on paper, and whose life revolves around writing, to think he or she will never be able to write well again would be frightening, and could leave that person reeling.

Yet, I believe that this fear occurs when a writer does not realize that “The Muse” is not a fickle entity. [Read more →]

I have a confession to make. Seven years ago, and through no fault of my own, I fell in love with a Canadian.

After a long-distance romance, we married and elected to live in Canada. The main reason we chose Canada over the U.S. was because of the Canadian health care system. Therefore, I feel I must weigh in on the current health care debate in the U.S. and do what I can to counteract the misinformation that is deliberately being spread about Canada’s  health care system.

CANADA: HEALTH CARE HEAVEN

When I first experienced the Canadian health care system, I could not believe my good fortune. It was as if I had died and gone to Health Care Heaven.

I was only in the waiting room for five minutes. The doctor was pleasant, diagnosed my condition quickly, wrote a prescription, and told me that, if I had any more problems, he’d refer me for tests. (That would be paid for by the Canadian government.)

I was in and out of there in fifteen minutes. I paid nothing.  Yet, conditioned to always paying or having some sort of hassle when it comes to medical care, I asked the receptionist: “Are you sure I don’t owe anything?”

Nope, I didn’t. The tab – I was persistent and found out that my visit cost $50 – would be picked up by the province of Ontario, no questions asked.

I tell you, without shame, that I was so amazed and grateful that tears came to my eyes.

Since I became a Canadian resident four years ago I’ve gotten the best health care of my life.  I get an annual medical check up, I’ve been referred for precautionary mammograms, an ultrasound and blood tests, and I’ve had a minor surgery done, all at no cost to me. It has been fabulous.

I can go to my own private practice doctor or stop into one of several clinics instead.The doctors I’ve seen have all been interested in one thing: keeping me healthy, because that’s the point of the system.

Since they haven’t had to call anyone  for approval, they have referred me for whatever tests  they thought prudent as good, preventative health care to find and cure disease early.

I also can report that I waited far longer in waiting rooms in the U.S. (where I paid through the nose to be seen) than I ever have in Canada.

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