So I have an odd view to the health care debate raging in the US right now. I've been covered under Canada's health system for about 3 months now and have been asked about the US systems and what the debate is all about for most of that time. The last few weeks have been especially bad.
Of course it doesn't help that we get CNN, all the major affiliates news shows and such here. And they are all quoting various congresspeople who are saying how terrible the socialist Canadian system is. And since I'm American....I must agree right? So I'm asked at least once daily what my opinion of Canada's health system is, told about their experience both here and abroad, and asked about my own experience with private health insurance, medicare and medicaid.
Well, so far...my experience of Canada's health care is...limited. But I'm rather impressed. I'm living in a smaller community (about 300,000 in the "metro" area and about 750,000 province-wide. ) So clearly there are not nearly as many people in the system as say Toronto or Ottawa. But still....there are quite a few doctors. My primary care doctor can see me usually the same day or if not the for sure the next if I actually need him. If I don't feel like waiting for him for the next day, I can go to one of many walk-in clinics in the city. If I want a second opinion, I can go and get one. True, if it is a small speciality (gynaecologic oncology comes to mind) we only have 2 doctors in the metro area and 3 province wide practicing. But then again, that same speciality in South Dakota (similar area/finances and populations) have the about the same number of doctors. So if you need to wait, or go to a larger city/area for that second opinion....you would in some of the states as well.
I don't think most US citizen realize that most Canadians DO have private health insurance in addition to the government coverage. It pays for medication, holistic practices, dental, vision, massage, a private room at the hospital, and even money for you if you are in hospital (not a huge sum, but $50-100/day is better than nothing!) And because most "normal" medical expenses are paid by the government, this supplemental coverage is not expensive at all. :) Some employers pay for all of it, some pay for a large percentage, and even if the employer doesn't pay for any of it, it's less than $100 a month even for family coverage. So yes, in addition to my government health card, I have private insurance here in Canada. It also becomes my main coverage when I come back to the US.
And I'm doing that next month. It looks like I'll be in town the last full week of August. I'll be picking up most of my things this trip and driving in a 16 ft cube van. Should be fun. :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
News from the North
So here we are, just a week and a few days from our move. Actually we're looking at moving the date back a day or two so we may ask for the keys and take possession on July 27. Which would be nice as that starts a week off work for me. :) And it's really odd. By taking 2 days off, I get a week. It has to do with my schedule and that that is my short week. I work Sunday night, then have Mon/Tues as normal days off. I took Wednesday/Thursday off and would normally have Fri/Sat/Sunday. So two days off = 1 week. :)
Yesterday we went to the Riders game. Now you have to understand something. CFL (Canadian Football League) up here is almost as popular and well attended in most cities as hockey. But in Saskatchewan....it's something of a legend. Green Bay fans would be considered almost tame in comparison. And Sane. Their colors are green, white and black and for some odd reason....watermelons play into what people wear. Yes, some crazy fans carve watermelon helmets to wear to the games. The game yesterday was a sell out. 31,000 people. (OK, it wasn't that round a number but it was the part that caught my attention.) Looking at the stands, I'd say 90-95% in green or white. The noise could get pretty loud sometimes. But it was fun. We actually got season tickets so this was the 2nd home game. And the Riders lost.
Oddly, the full name of the team is the SK Rough Riders. And I had to wonder....why Rough Riders? The only thing I knew of Rough Riders were Teddy Roosevelt and his Riders charging San Juan hill. But this is Canada....why call a team that? So I looked up the team history. Come to find out, the club started as a rugby club in the late 1800s. And was started by men...returning from going abroad serving with TR in Cuba. Amazing.
But then again...maybe not so much. I'm find that the US is truly a very....isolationist country. Unless you are a 1st or 2nd generation immigrant, chances are slim that you know anyone living abroad (except maybe for a missionary or two). But just people living in other countries? When they are US citizens? Just doesn't happen much. But here! I'm amazed at how many people talk about friends or family who are living in the US or Australia or England or.....wherever. And most of our college student part timers plan on doing at least a semester abroad. And I'm still surprised at how many people here have friends/family in MN. I've met people with an Aunt in St. Louis Park, cousins in Chaska, and a brother in White Bear Lake. Even someone who lived in Plymouth for a while. Hey....so did I. Where about? Wow that's spooky we lived in apartment buildings on the same street. Of course that street was lined with apartments and probably has 5,000 people living on it, but still....these connections make it feel like a very small world.
The farmers market here....is off to a slow, slow start. But then again...we had the last hard frost only a month and a half ago. (June 5) So I guess it will be a few more weeks before we really start seeing much fresh produce in the market. Right now, we have a lot of baked goods, a woman who makes wonderful (and unusual) jams/jellies. (so far I've tried her chokecherry jelly, blueberry jam and Saskatoon berry jam.) All of them....are delicious! And preservative free. Most have 3 ingredients. Fruit (or fruit juice), sugar, and pectin. Simple and tasty. One lady specializes in dog treats. Needless to say....I have a puppy who likes it when I go. And several people there sell honey. I doubt I'll buy honey in a store again. Theirs is much cheaper and again...preservative free. :)
Speaking of food....I've found I can eat margarine here without having the arthritis flare up. As well as eat Popsicles and eat out. What I've found is....Corn is not King here! Corn based products/oil is just not used. Probably because so little corn is grown. What is grown here in field after field is.....Canola. And soybeans. And sugar beats. :) So what kinds of oil is used in cooking and making margarine? Canola and Soya oils. And what sweetener is used? Sugar! Why would anyone allow corn syrup in anything? is the reaction I get when I explain why I look on labels to see if corn syrup is in something. It just doesn't happen much. There are some exceptions (like syrup...but the main ingredient is still regular sugar instead of corn syrup!) One of the odd things is....Sugar is called glucose on labels and corn syrup is fructose-glucose. So I have to look at labels twice. So it's nice. My arthritis is only effected by weather, and since we get only a few days a month of rain....ah...the hands feel normal. Better than normal. I am almost completely pain free. It's wonderful.
OK...last thing on this post Canola is a very recent word (dates from the 1970s) but the plant has been around a lot longer. The old traditional name for it was Rapeseed. But market people didn't think that would sell, so they came up with the name Canola (Can=Canada, ola=oil) At my work, we have a cookbook that tells stories of various places in SK. And oddly enough, one of the stories is about a community whose post master wanted to make a stamp cancellation stamp of a motto he thought up for the town. Their two big products? Rapeseed and honey. So he wanted to make that the town slogan--the land of rapeseed and honey. The Postal Service said no, but the town loved it and made a huge sign of this slogan at the edge of town. A few years later the town started having problems with an insect infestation that can destroy crops. The bugs are Bertha worms and everyone in town was told how to spot, kill and report the bugs so the crops wouldn't be lost. They had Bertha control lectures, lessons in school, everything they could think of. Soon after the author was visiting this town and saw they had changed their sign to read "Land of Rapeseed and Bertha Control"
Yesterday we went to the Riders game. Now you have to understand something. CFL (Canadian Football League) up here is almost as popular and well attended in most cities as hockey. But in Saskatchewan....it's something of a legend. Green Bay fans would be considered almost tame in comparison. And Sane. Their colors are green, white and black and for some odd reason....watermelons play into what people wear. Yes, some crazy fans carve watermelon helmets to wear to the games. The game yesterday was a sell out. 31,000 people. (OK, it wasn't that round a number but it was the part that caught my attention.) Looking at the stands, I'd say 90-95% in green or white. The noise could get pretty loud sometimes. But it was fun. We actually got season tickets so this was the 2nd home game. And the Riders lost.
Oddly, the full name of the team is the SK Rough Riders. And I had to wonder....why Rough Riders? The only thing I knew of Rough Riders were Teddy Roosevelt and his Riders charging San Juan hill. But this is Canada....why call a team that? So I looked up the team history. Come to find out, the club started as a rugby club in the late 1800s. And was started by men...returning from going abroad serving with TR in Cuba. Amazing.
But then again...maybe not so much. I'm find that the US is truly a very....isolationist country. Unless you are a 1st or 2nd generation immigrant, chances are slim that you know anyone living abroad (except maybe for a missionary or two). But just people living in other countries? When they are US citizens? Just doesn't happen much. But here! I'm amazed at how many people talk about friends or family who are living in the US or Australia or England or.....wherever. And most of our college student part timers plan on doing at least a semester abroad. And I'm still surprised at how many people here have friends/family in MN. I've met people with an Aunt in St. Louis Park, cousins in Chaska, and a brother in White Bear Lake. Even someone who lived in Plymouth for a while. Hey....so did I. Where about? Wow that's spooky we lived in apartment buildings on the same street. Of course that street was lined with apartments and probably has 5,000 people living on it, but still....these connections make it feel like a very small world.
The farmers market here....is off to a slow, slow start. But then again...we had the last hard frost only a month and a half ago. (June 5) So I guess it will be a few more weeks before we really start seeing much fresh produce in the market. Right now, we have a lot of baked goods, a woman who makes wonderful (and unusual) jams/jellies. (so far I've tried her chokecherry jelly, blueberry jam and Saskatoon berry jam.) All of them....are delicious! And preservative free. Most have 3 ingredients. Fruit (or fruit juice), sugar, and pectin. Simple and tasty. One lady specializes in dog treats. Needless to say....I have a puppy who likes it when I go. And several people there sell honey. I doubt I'll buy honey in a store again. Theirs is much cheaper and again...preservative free. :)
Speaking of food....I've found I can eat margarine here without having the arthritis flare up. As well as eat Popsicles and eat out. What I've found is....Corn is not King here! Corn based products/oil is just not used. Probably because so little corn is grown. What is grown here in field after field is.....Canola. And soybeans. And sugar beats. :) So what kinds of oil is used in cooking and making margarine? Canola and Soya oils. And what sweetener is used? Sugar! Why would anyone allow corn syrup in anything? is the reaction I get when I explain why I look on labels to see if corn syrup is in something. It just doesn't happen much. There are some exceptions (like syrup...but the main ingredient is still regular sugar instead of corn syrup!) One of the odd things is....Sugar is called glucose on labels and corn syrup is fructose-glucose. So I have to look at labels twice. So it's nice. My arthritis is only effected by weather, and since we get only a few days a month of rain....ah...the hands feel normal. Better than normal. I am almost completely pain free. It's wonderful.
OK...last thing on this post Canola is a very recent word (dates from the 1970s) but the plant has been around a lot longer. The old traditional name for it was Rapeseed. But market people didn't think that would sell, so they came up with the name Canola (Can=Canada, ola=oil) At my work, we have a cookbook that tells stories of various places in SK. And oddly enough, one of the stories is about a community whose post master wanted to make a stamp cancellation stamp of a motto he thought up for the town. Their two big products? Rapeseed and honey. So he wanted to make that the town slogan--the land of rapeseed and honey. The Postal Service said no, but the town loved it and made a huge sign of this slogan at the edge of town. A few years later the town started having problems with an insect infestation that can destroy crops. The bugs are Bertha worms and everyone in town was told how to spot, kill and report the bugs so the crops wouldn't be lost. They had Bertha control lectures, lessons in school, everything they could think of. Soon after the author was visiting this town and saw they had changed their sign to read "Land of Rapeseed and Bertha Control"
Thursday, July 16, 2009
WHY?
This is the beginning of a rant. I'll admit it. I'm not having a good day and I need to vent a bit. So if you are not up to hearing a bit of a rant/vent....move right along. ;)
Still here? OK, don't say I didn't warn you.
WHY?
Why is it I am still enduring painful periods when I can't have kids? I am so frustrated at this. I'm old enough that going back on the pill isn't really healthy for me, but without it, I have to endure pain and heavy periods. There are times I just want my periods to end forever. There is no point to them, other than to remind me each month of what I can't have. Maybe because I'm also sick this month it's just worse, but I'm just about sick of having this happen each month. There is a part of me that just wants to walk into my Dr. office (ok, ok...I guess I need to find a gynaecologist here in Canada first) and say....what can we do to end this for me. I don't care if it's temporary or permanent, I just want it to end! I know there are some other options out there for birth control (not that I need that--being infertile kind of solves that on it's own.) But would any of the other options help the way the pill did? :( I guess it's time for me to find a OB/GYN and find out. OK....another part to this rant...why do they call them OB/GYN? Most of our lives as woman we just use the GYN part. The OB part is for most women....let me see 2-3 kids on average...9 months of pregnancy....18-27 months out of 60 years of our adult female lives? Yet we put the OB part first.
OK...sorry for that. Just needed to get it off my chest.
Still here? OK, don't say I didn't warn you.
WHY?
Why is it I am still enduring painful periods when I can't have kids? I am so frustrated at this. I'm old enough that going back on the pill isn't really healthy for me, but without it, I have to endure pain and heavy periods. There are times I just want my periods to end forever. There is no point to them, other than to remind me each month of what I can't have. Maybe because I'm also sick this month it's just worse, but I'm just about sick of having this happen each month. There is a part of me that just wants to walk into my Dr. office (ok, ok...I guess I need to find a gynaecologist here in Canada first) and say....what can we do to end this for me. I don't care if it's temporary or permanent, I just want it to end! I know there are some other options out there for birth control (not that I need that--being infertile kind of solves that on it's own.) But would any of the other options help the way the pill did? :( I guess it's time for me to find a OB/GYN and find out. OK....another part to this rant...why do they call them OB/GYN? Most of our lives as woman we just use the GYN part. The OB part is for most women....let me see 2-3 kids on average...9 months of pregnancy....18-27 months out of 60 years of our adult female lives? Yet we put the OB part first.
OK...sorry for that. Just needed to get it off my chest.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Packing...again!
So we have about....2 weeks (YIKES!) to pack. Not that there is a ton of stuff. Which is good. We've hired a company to actually move things, but we're packing the boxes ourselves. We've got a small start, but it's not much. But we don't have long. :) I'm excited to be in a house again. Apartment living is ok, but I miss having a yard. And I miss my puppy. And I miss looking out a window while in the kitchen. (Why do apartments never have windows in their kitchens? The one in MN came close....it was in the attached dinning nook, but you had to kind of look sideways to see it. But the house has a window over the sink, just where I like to have one. :) I may try to get some pictures of it a bit later this month and post a few.
Oddly...Pat hasn't seen the place inside yet. We've made this huge decision based entirely on me. It feels really weird. I mean, I'm glad he trusts me, but I feel a bit....nervous? What if he hates the place? What if my description wasn't good? What if....I don't know...he's upset about it? So I'm a bit nervous. But hopefully it will all work out well.
Oddly...Pat hasn't seen the place inside yet. We've made this huge decision based entirely on me. It feels really weird. I mean, I'm glad he trusts me, but I feel a bit....nervous? What if he hates the place? What if my description wasn't good? What if....I don't know...he's upset about it? So I'm a bit nervous. But hopefully it will all work out well.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
I don't ususally do this...
but I'll make an exception as I have experienced first hand airlines inability to keep instraments safe in their cargo handling. (my French horn bell looked more like a V than an O when it arrived in Florida on a school trip. And it was packed in it's case with extra towels around it, with duck tape on the latches, and in a box that was taped shut! None of which made it all the way to Florida. It arrived without the box, duck tape or extra material that should have been protecting it. But at least the airline paid for it. :) But then again, the bad press of hurting a young teen would probably have helped my school in bargining.)
This song is really cute.
United breaks guitars
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/United-Breaks-Guitars-a-Smash-Hit-on-YouTube.html?corder=&pg=2#comments
This song is really cute.
United breaks guitars
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/United-Breaks-Guitars-a-Smash-Hit-on-YouTube.html?corder=&pg=2#comments
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The new house!
Ah, yes...not quite home ownership....but at least we won't be hearing the neighbors every move! :) We signed the lease today, pick up keys in 3 weeks and move in. It's in a nice neighbourhood (mixed area, townhouses and houses--near the university). It's rather large (4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths) and has a fenced in yard for the puppy! :) So I'll again be a full time dog owner! I'm sooooo excited! The extra rooms will be good to allow for Pat's kids to visit as they've not felt so comfortable doing that with me here in the small apartment. :( So this is a good thing for us.
And then there is the new house at work too! Another really nice thing. :) More staff there, so I'm getting to know a few more people as well as being able to feel more at home with procedures and everything else. :) So I'm glad that is going well. I should be able to have some time off to move too. And I'll be trying for a trip back to the states to pick up my things, see friends and family and tie up a few more loose ends.
Oh, and the Dr. visit today. My kidneys are fine. So the doctor says "I didn't see any varicose veins in your lower legs...but I didn't look above your knee when I was doing your physical. Do you have any varicose veins on the upper legs? And did your mother or grandmother have varicose veins?"
Well Dr. K, the answer to both is a resounding "YES!" I've had varicose veins in my thighs since I was a teenager. And both my mother and both grandmother have had them too. My maternal grandma's legs looked like a spider web. So the answer to why my lower legs seem to swell up frequently is that because of the very small size and proximity to the surface of my veins....they don't have enough pressure to push both blood and fluid back into my trunk. So the fluid stays in my legs until I put my feet up or lay down at night. :( OK Doc, now what? Well...I'm getting some compression hose. Not just the kind you buy at Wal-mart, but honest to goodness, go to a specialist and get them made for you hose. We'll re-evaluate in 3-6 months and see how that goes. If it isn't helping we'll either try for tighter hose or a combination of hose and water pills to pull the water out. So here's hoping the lightweight hose do the trick. Interestingly enough...one of the other odd things that can happen with this problem is that your legs may itch (varicose dermatitis) especially after walking, running or excercize. When Dr. K mentioned that could happen in the future, I had to say...uh, well, it's happened for about 20 years now. But since it's always happened...I just assumed it was the way my body was built. The look on Dr. K's face was one of amazement. He then launched into a mini lecture on really thinking of anything and everything that has been "unusual" in comparison to friends, co-workers or strangers. And if it is unusual and bothers me in the least...I'm to tell him about it.
It was funny...he also made sure to ask how I was adjusting to life in a new country, if I was starting to make any friends, and if I had joined any groups yet. It was nice to be asked about that part of my health too. And I am adjusting well, have started making some friends and have joined a church. So he was happy about that.
I was just about to leave when he noticed I had a bandaid on the back of my right hand. Last week a consumer who was upset about a parent leaving grabbed my hand and squeezed it. It wouldn't have been bad, but his nails were a bit long and one of them broke the skin. Again, not a huge problem, but while working I have my hands in water (either cleaning, washing my hands, doing dishes or assisting with personal care) probably about 20-30 times a day. Needless to say...not the best way to get a puncture wound to heal. :( Dr. K wanted to take a look, cleaned it out and put on a new band-aid. And told me about Canada's answer to OSHA. It's called WCB here (worker's compensation board) and every injury (no mater how slight) is supposed to be reported to them. Somehow...I doubt my company does this. :( But Dr. K suggested I do it myself and gave me their number for future injuries. (hopefully---they will be rare!)
Wow...that was a long post. Guess today has been an exciting day!
And then there is the new house at work too! Another really nice thing. :) More staff there, so I'm getting to know a few more people as well as being able to feel more at home with procedures and everything else. :) So I'm glad that is going well. I should be able to have some time off to move too. And I'll be trying for a trip back to the states to pick up my things, see friends and family and tie up a few more loose ends.
Oh, and the Dr. visit today. My kidneys are fine. So the doctor says "I didn't see any varicose veins in your lower legs...but I didn't look above your knee when I was doing your physical. Do you have any varicose veins on the upper legs? And did your mother or grandmother have varicose veins?"
Well Dr. K, the answer to both is a resounding "YES!" I've had varicose veins in my thighs since I was a teenager. And both my mother and both grandmother have had them too. My maternal grandma's legs looked like a spider web. So the answer to why my lower legs seem to swell up frequently is that because of the very small size and proximity to the surface of my veins....they don't have enough pressure to push both blood and fluid back into my trunk. So the fluid stays in my legs until I put my feet up or lay down at night. :( OK Doc, now what? Well...I'm getting some compression hose. Not just the kind you buy at Wal-mart, but honest to goodness, go to a specialist and get them made for you hose. We'll re-evaluate in 3-6 months and see how that goes. If it isn't helping we'll either try for tighter hose or a combination of hose and water pills to pull the water out. So here's hoping the lightweight hose do the trick. Interestingly enough...one of the other odd things that can happen with this problem is that your legs may itch (varicose dermatitis) especially after walking, running or excercize. When Dr. K mentioned that could happen in the future, I had to say...uh, well, it's happened for about 20 years now. But since it's always happened...I just assumed it was the way my body was built. The look on Dr. K's face was one of amazement. He then launched into a mini lecture on really thinking of anything and everything that has been "unusual" in comparison to friends, co-workers or strangers. And if it is unusual and bothers me in the least...I'm to tell him about it.
It was funny...he also made sure to ask how I was adjusting to life in a new country, if I was starting to make any friends, and if I had joined any groups yet. It was nice to be asked about that part of my health too. And I am adjusting well, have started making some friends and have joined a church. So he was happy about that.
I was just about to leave when he noticed I had a bandaid on the back of my right hand. Last week a consumer who was upset about a parent leaving grabbed my hand and squeezed it. It wouldn't have been bad, but his nails were a bit long and one of them broke the skin. Again, not a huge problem, but while working I have my hands in water (either cleaning, washing my hands, doing dishes or assisting with personal care) probably about 20-30 times a day. Needless to say...not the best way to get a puncture wound to heal. :( Dr. K wanted to take a look, cleaned it out and put on a new band-aid. And told me about Canada's answer to OSHA. It's called WCB here (worker's compensation board) and every injury (no mater how slight) is supposed to be reported to them. Somehow...I doubt my company does this. :( But Dr. K suggested I do it myself and gave me their number for future injuries. (hopefully---they will be rare!)
Wow...that was a long post. Guess today has been an exciting day!
Monday, July 6, 2009
What a weekend!
My parents came to visit this past weekend. It was a long couple of days. We were all trying very hard to be nice, but there was a tension there. I know it was partly my fault, but at the same time, I just wish my parents understood how hard it is for me when they treat me as if I were still a young child. They still think if they are wearing a jacket, I should wear one too. And if I tell them I don't want one, they continue to press the issue until either I agree or we are all but yelling at each other. :( It's hard.
And this happens a lot, not just about jackets, but about eating, drinking, going to the bathroom. I even tried to say how much it hurts when they treat me like this, but mom especially just waves it off with " you will always be my little girl". But I'm not a little girl. I'm a grown woman, old enough to have children (even grown ones!--a high school classmate has a 20 year old!) of my own.
I think that is part of the problem. Because I can't have children, in my mom's eyes, I've never grown up. I think having me was the goad that made her grow up and so she feels you have to have a child to be an adult. But I am not going to have a child, so I'm feeling a bit stuck. :(
On the positive side, we did a lot a sightseeing this weekend. Lots of things I've seen a bit of and even more that I'd never seen. It's funny how having out of town company can make you go to place you've meant to go, but not gotten around to. :) So there were some positive things this weekend. It also looks like Pat and I will be getting a house to rent at the end of the month. So I'll have to start packing yet again. But hopefully this will be the last time for a year or two, at least! :)
And this happens a lot, not just about jackets, but about eating, drinking, going to the bathroom. I even tried to say how much it hurts when they treat me like this, but mom especially just waves it off with " you will always be my little girl". But I'm not a little girl. I'm a grown woman, old enough to have children (even grown ones!--a high school classmate has a 20 year old!) of my own.
I think that is part of the problem. Because I can't have children, in my mom's eyes, I've never grown up. I think having me was the goad that made her grow up and so she feels you have to have a child to be an adult. But I am not going to have a child, so I'm feeling a bit stuck. :(
On the positive side, we did a lot a sightseeing this weekend. Lots of things I've seen a bit of and even more that I'd never seen. It's funny how having out of town company can make you go to place you've meant to go, but not gotten around to. :) So there were some positive things this weekend. It also looks like Pat and I will be getting a house to rent at the end of the month. So I'll have to start packing yet again. But hopefully this will be the last time for a year or two, at least! :)
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