It seems as though just about each and every person I talk to as of late has had a poor experience with healthcare here in Ontario, Canada. Whether it be having to call to inquire about appointments that were somehow missed, test results, a proper diagnosis or something else, more and more of us are realizing the significance of advocating for our own health, even though we shouldn’t have to follow up on things doctors are expected to.
A few weeks ago, after shovelling a lot of chicken poop in our barn, my wrist started hurting something bad. I figured I had pissed off a muscle or something along those lines, however, after a few days, the pain was so bad I couldn’t move my wrist or put any weight on it. I decided I needed to have it looked at, which I did by visiting a local urgent care clinic, and the doctor who saw me said I had tendinitis. I tried to explain to him that this pain was impressive at this point, and asked for imaging, but he said (while standing ten feet away from my arm) that tendonitis was the culprit and to try physio.
After a couple more days of agony, I pushed for imaging. I phoned my family doctor and asked him to look at the results, and I was informed I have a partial tear and now have to have an MRI done, as well as see a plastic surgeon.
I knew I was dealing with something more than tendonitis, and if I had not advocated for myself and pushed for more testing, I might have found myself in a real mess a few months down the road. Be your own advocate when it comes to your health, and don’t feel pressured ot dismiss your issue as easily as some doctors might.
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