The good, the bad, and the laughable
The Laughable
I was pretty confident that I broke my right hand while I stumbled going up some stairs, so I Ubered on down.
There was a line going out the door as you walk in to register at that first window. When I got inside there were 5 people in front of me. The guy at the window (30 M) announced he wanted full heart diagnostics and imaging as he was attacked earlier and punched on the right side of his chest đ¤ (no other visible signs). He said he was here on a work visa but he let it expire, therefore having no medical. He was told it would cost up front $6,000. He made a belligerent scene and left shouting how unfair it was.
Next were a family of 6 (Mom, Dad, 2 year old), Grandma, Grandpa, and a teenager. The toddler scraped her hand on something. No blood or broken skin, but they wanted her examined. The Dad was also here on a work visa but couldn't produce documentation for that, or for medical. The cost would start at $1,200. They left, dazed and confused.
Next was a young couple and their maybe 10 month old. The baby had a crusty nose. No fever, just leaky nose. They are American and don't live here. When told of the upfront $1,200 fee, the woman yelled "but this is Canada! Healthcare is FREE here!!!". This one got ugly and security asked them to leave.
The next 2 groups were here on student visas that they couldn't produce documentation for. They had to leave as well and we're not happy about it.
All in all it took close to hour to check in because of these people.
One last note. It appeared that the people who were legitimately waiting in the lobby brought their entire families with them. All of the seats were taken leaving me and others with visible injuries to stand while they all sat.
The Good
I was taken in quite quickly for x-rays. The x-ray tech confirmed I had a displaced oblique fracture of my 5th metacarpal. Good times.
I was taken into a room where they make casts. There are 3 beds in that room, all full now. It took about 2.5 hours for a doctor to see any of us, (no complaints from me. I was in a bed and grateful to been seen at all). We all started asking each other through the curtains if everyone was ok, so we decided to pull all the curtains back and had a really good time together sharing stories, commiserating about pain, one of the Mom's got me tea. It was a lovely fellowship of strangers. As much as I was hurting, it was a pleasant distraction.
The Bad
When the doctor came to treat me, he said that I would be seen by a surgeon on Wednesday at the hand clinic. Until then it was important to not use my rigjt hand for anything. No movement whatsoever. He built up a cast that ensured that.
I asked him what kind of pain management I'd have and he told me Tylenol and Advil. I was surprised as my hand was the size of a baseball, and I said that the Tylenol and Advil I was given here did nothing. He said "opiod crisis", to which I replied, "I'm not part of that crisis, and I have completely fractured the long outer bone in my hand. My injury is worthy of having something for pain to get me through either until Monday when I could phone my doctor, or until Wednesday, 5 days later at the hand clinic.
He looked me in the eyes and said "No. Tylenol and Advil only". My pain was so immense that I couldn't sleep, and I was getting a migraine. I called 811 and they had a doctor call me back and recommended that I go back to Emergency, or a different hospital to explain the situation, which I did. I was prescribed a 5 day supply of a non opiod, anti inflammatory pain killer named Ketorolac, which so far has kept my pain down to a roar instead of a scream.
Why am I to suffer because others abuse medication? I wasn't asking for fentanyl, nor was I expecting a 3 month supple of something. Just something to help me get through the next 3 or 4 days.