My New Doctors

First off .. you have to congratulate me for having what i called one of the best doctors I’ve seen in my 11 years here in Canada.  And nope he didn’t ask me what kind of fitness equipment i was using nor did he said i was obese but he did say - a wee bit of activity will go a long way - now isn’t that a nice change from the previous doctor I had now?

Not only that - the new doctors were very encouraging and they explained in detail about my health report and my blood test - they were very thorough and it was definitely a totally different experience.  They were also very understanding and took Missy Moo in immediately when she threw up the same day. Keeping our fingers crossed that’s for sure.

Blood Test For Diabetics

So I went for my HA1C test for my diabetes - one that you have to take every 3 months for a diabetes.  Mine was long overdue - due to the fact that the last half of last year went by in a frenzy due to Missy Moo’s school/classmate.  Anyhow, when i first went for my blood test, i sometimes had to wait for an hour or even more to be tested.  But you and I know .. that being a diabetic .. and having to fast for 12 hrs before you can get your blood tested is no fun.  I usually bring a long my Amazon books to keep my mind off the food and fainting part.

But let me share a trick with you - if you are diabetic .. and doing your fasting and then blood test - when you register at the counter - tell the receptionist that you are a diabetic and had been fasting.  By doing that - they will let you go in the testing room immediately - because they don’t want you to faint on them.  So there you have it - i wished someone told me about it when i first had my blood test done about 1.5 yrs ago.

My Ex-Doctor

I hate to keep saying that my ex-doctor wasn’t the best doctor i had - but i just had my new prescriptions filled today and learned that he changed my prescriptions without letting me know!  Had I owned a 24 hour towing company - i would probably go tow his car from the side of his house which he always parked illegal on.  Anyhow - how can a doctor do that right?  even though he was leaving the town and all - he never tells me to fast when i need to go for a blood test - nor write it down on my requisition forms - when i call his secretary - she didn’t know either.  So yes, i’m only too glad that he is no longer my doctor.

Eye Doctor

So my eye doctor was in our store today and I cannot help but quickly pop the question about the second opinion needed for my eyes from last year.  i know i shouldn’t .. but he said he didn’t mind - so that was good.  While my ex- doctor - didn’t allow us to tell him more than 1 problem at a time - other doctors seem perfectly alright to stop and help - even the new doctor’s office that i had just seen.  We met at the grocery store .. and she had stopped to chat with me unlike my ex doctor.  No way was he gonna tell me anything outta the office  - not even for a simple advice on men’s vitamin .  So yes - i can boldy say .. my ex-doctor.. or is it his secretary who doesn’t have an compassion whatsoever.

Joint Pains

Lately, I have been having joint pains and had been quite worried about it.  So an appt to see my family doctor was made, he recommended something to me and I was wondering if it will work for me.  Anyhow, this new doctor was definitely a lot nicer than my old doctor - he gave me a website and told me to click here to learn more about glucosamine sulphate or click here to go look up this and that.   Very different that’s for sure.. and i really, really hope he is gonna stay for a bit instead of moving somewhere else.

Not Impressed With Doctor’s Office

So yes! we’ve gotten ourselves new doctors.. after the old one left.  I was scheduled yesterday for an appt but was 10mins late because of the snow.  Upon arrival, they told me, they had to reschedule, yes.. WHAT THE HELL …! RIGHT..??  never mind.. i was patient. .afterall, having a doctor is  better than not having any right..??  so she looked at her computer .. and did some barcode scanner and scheduled me for Wednesday.

Today, the clinic called and said they had urgent cases to see .. and had to reschedule me..??? !!!???  WTH right..??  i mean i was 10 mins late.. and you had to reschedule me.. but they can anyhow reschedule me..  and that’s alright..??  So mine is not urgent.. so can anyhow move my schedule and appt..??  my time isn’t time. .but yours is..??  Not impressed at all..!!

I guess i cannot really expect really much from the doctors .. or the clinics here.. there is just no justification in what they do.. and they don’t have to justify .. because they must think they are GODS..!!

Health Record Transfer Fees

Yes..! if you are in Canada.. or rather in my small town .. and your doctor leaves.. you have to pay to get your health record transfer.  YES..!!! HOW RIDICULOUS IS THAT RIGHT..?? so say .. you have 5 children.. with the same doctor.. and each time.. a doctor leaves.. no fault of yours.. you are expected to fork out .. $25 a piece for the photocopying.. of your health history to be sent to the new doctor’s office.  So every few years or so.. you have to pay like $125 .. for nothing at all.  Just things that actually already belonging to you.

A Miracle..??

Yes.. remember…  a friend’s mother who needed to see a gynae .. but couldn’t get a referral..??  yes..! the sad case of this town..!  but i managed to get a customer’s hubby who is the head gynae in town.. to see her.  Thank God..!!  a miracle.. no less .. i tell you.  But the friend who is not from here..  don’t know how lucky she is.. of course.  It was no easy feat.. but it was something i had to do to help..  afterall, they are not originally from here.. and has got no connection and ways to go about thing.  So yes.. ! i help… and knowing that my friend.. may not know how to show they are grateful to the doctor.. i had to come out from my own pocket to buy gifts for the doctor’s wife.. and the doctor.  Oh well.. it’s just money eh..!

New Doctor For Us

Yes..!! we lucked in .. we got ourselves new doctors in town..!!  hahha!! now whose getting the last laugh..??  i don’t know if he is gonna be any better than the ex-doctor.. but having a doctor is better than not having any..??  but this time.. i’m not gonna have much high hopes.. for the new doctor.. and just go with the flow.  If i really  need any advice.. i know to call home.. to get advice.. from my own doctor from home.

Not Serious About My Health

My old doctor who left late last month - accused me of not being serious of my healthy… because i keep missing my appt and didn’t do my blood test.  He seems to forget i have an online job, a store and also a kid - he forgets i don’t have a filipino maid.. or a pakistani one nor do i have a house husband .. like has has a housewife .

Yes.. blunt and without good bedside manners were some of the comments and views of his ex-patients who also happens to be our customers.  It’s bad to criticize your patient .. without even considering their feelings whatsoever.  And for someone who a year and a half ago.. didn’t wanna give me my diabetic medication .. and now doing it in full force .. *shake head* - no lost to the ppl in my small town - as far as we are concerned.

PS :  Does any doctor in the right frame of mind thinks that anyone wouldn’t be serious about their health?  only the really dumb ones.. or the ones with I DONCH CARE attitude would think that way.

Referrals From Doctors

Yes, we all know the town I lived in a kinda silly town where everything is managed badly or backwards.  The friend’s mother needed to see a gynae .. but because she doesn’t have a family doctor, she was asked to sit at the emergency outpatient to get a referral.  We all know that there are no design furniture or any comfy ones to sit for like 6 hrs at times .. and this old lady who doesn’t speak a word of english is supposed to be there on her own..?? so who can accompany her..??  Where i come from.. if you need a gynae.. you just make an appt with the gynae.. and no such nonsense.  And even though i had explained the situation to the daughter-in-law’s family doctor.. he still wouldn’t give her a darn piece of paper for a referral.  What is wrong with these doctors..???  one has gotta wonder .. seriously..!

Burning When Peeing

So Missy Moo complained since yesterday that she felt like it was burning when she peed - like any anxious parents.. we called our family doctor to be told that since it is his last week in town - he is moving away for good, we can only take a urine sample and have the lab test it.   So we did and here i go thinking.. so i pick up the bottle tomorrow.. and then take the pee the next day, since the lab is closed by 11.30am.. and then i have to wait for the next day before i get some medication from the doctor for Missy Moo.  I wonder if i need to get some cigars online the next time i have a new doctor, so that Missy Moo don’t have to suffer this long before getting medication.

One have to take off my hats to the doctor and his secretary.  Why? one donch have kids.. and the other must be thinking.. not my kid what..  ! if you want.. bring her to the emergency room.  But with the H1N1 thing going around.. you think i wanna bring my kid there..??  *sigh* ..  you know.. for our family doctor and the secretary.. they sure don’t show a lot of compassion at all.  One can only say.. no lost for me.. and Missy Moo.  I’m totally aghast and should have known better.. afterall, the secretary asked me .. to look for Dr Google.. when my hemoglobin was so low.. and i needed to know..  what i should do.. or eat..  to keep me from dying a year and a half ago.

H1N1 Shots For Everyone Now

Are you a Nova Scotian..?? if you want you can have your H1N1 shots right now.. and do your lasik surgery Mexico without fearing of getting the virus while you are traveling.  This was announced yesterday on the news.   These are the clinics to go to .. depending on where is most convenient for you.  I also heard that the wait time is not that long now.. and if you are an employer, do let your employees take time off to get the shot.

•Friday, Nov. 20: Carleton Legion, 1-6 p.m.

•Saturday, Nov. 21: Barrington and Island Fire Hall, 10 am. -4 p.m.

•Monday, Nov. 23: Freeport Legion, 2-6 p.m.

•Tuesday, Nov. 24: Port Maitland Fire Hall, 1-6 p.m.

•Wednesday, Nov. 25: Saulnierville Legion, 1-6 p.m.

•Thursday, Nov. 26: Pubnico Legion, 1-6 p.m.

•Friday, Nov. 27: Yarmouth Lions Club, 1-6 p.m.

•Saturday, Nov. 28: Shelburne Fire Hall, 12-4 p.m.

H1N1 & School

It’s bad enough that ppl who has the flu, cold or even the H1N1 come into our store.. without a nary of apology for being out in the public.. and spreading their germs.  If the kids don’t know any thing, it is up to you as a parent.. to keep them away from healthy kids. .and healthy folks.  You can imagine me getting  dark eye circle from worrying about it.. and worrying about sending my kid to school.

A kid from Missy Moo’s class was said to have H1N1 .. a few days ago.. but today i read on her FB.. that she is sending him back to school on Monday.. because he was bored.  *slap forehead* .. so to send Missy Moo to school or not..?? Really at a dilemma because if I don’t send her.. she would be bored at the store.. but if i send her.. i’m exposing her to all sorts of germs.  Tough being a mother eh. … and for those whose children has H1N1 .. DON’T SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL..  NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU ARE FEELING YOURSELF..!

3 New Risks Group For H1N1 Vaccine

So i was out getting a bar faucet and picked up a copy of the local papers and learned that after several weeks of miscalculated and misinformed medical officers.. they again released 3 new risks group that are eligible for the H1N1 vaccine.  Woohoo..!!!  should nova scotians be happy about it.. or still upset..??  Anyhow if you are in this group, you can now head to the your nearest community clinic to get vaccinated.

•Adults under 65 with chronic health conditions;

•People working in residential care facilities, community-based small-options homes, group homes and developmental residences;

•Anyone who lives with or cares for one of the following groups in their home:

-infants under six months old;

-people at high risk who can’t be immunized – for example, anyone with anaphylactic, or severe, allergies to eggs;

-those with significantly compromised immune systems who may not respond to vaccine.

All of the other previously-announced risk groups are also still eligible to receive the vaccine.

H1N1 Vaccine Only To Risk Group In Canada

With office furniture all set up and ready to go even before the opening.. you would think that they came prepared to vacinate those that wants the needles right..?  But the town was disappointed.. and more than 1000 were there and 900 were the only ones that got vaccinated.  And now they are saying that they are only giving out needles to risk group. How can they be so wrong with their estimation..?? Only the first day..and they are already changing the rules here. Had we known.. that they were gonna be short of supplies.. we would have lined up .. even before 7am.. to get it done. Now they announced that the  H1N1 flu vaccine is in short supply for the next few weeks and that until further notice.  JOY!  This is afterall Y.A.R.M.O.U.T.H eh..??

H1N1 Vaccine

So it’s all over news this morning that the H1N1 vaccine has arrived on our shores.  So while out for getting our pet supplies we met up with some friends and weigh the pros and cons about getting the needle.   As Mr Moo and I are at high risk - one with asthma and another with diabetes.. we can go in and get the first shots.  But no one will be turned away .. according to CBC if they arrived on the inoculation center.

We are still checking with our public nurse about it.. but this is what i’ve found out so far.  The government had spent like $300 million for this vaccine .. and 85% of any healthy adults who are vaccinated will develop the immunity for the H1N1 flu within 10 days.   In my humble opinion.. i don’t think there would be any harm in taking the vaccine, in fact - this should really keep us doubly safe especially since we deal with the public so much.  What’s your take on it..??

Swine Flu Myths

Yer’re all gonna die !

Hehehe!! thought the picture was funny.. i hope it made you laugh too..  hahahha!!

Anyhow.. to continue on the facts and truth about the Swine Flu.  Some ppl said they will never get swine flu because they put on the mask.  How true is it..??

The blue surgical masks you’ve seen being passed out to any  pedestrians are better than nothing but probably only marginally useful, said Andrew Pekosz, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.

While such masks block the relatively large, virus-carrying droplets sneezed out by infected people, the viruses themselves are much smaller and could easily pass through. Specialtymasks, designated N-95 or N-99, are better filters but still not perfect.

Some ppl say not to eat pig or touch the pig.. because by doing so - you can get infected…??  *roll eyes(

This is untrue. The virus itself mutated so that it transmits from human to human. This is the reason the World Health Organization and the Disease Control Center  began watching how the virus transmitted.

Swine Flu

So what do i know about Swine flu right..??  but everyone is talking about it.. and everyone is afraid of it - well, almost everyone.  And Missy Moo being in school and all, one cannot but be afraid.. that she might catch something from her friends who are less informed about the swine flu.

Can it kill..??  I’ve listened so much to the radio.. and death toll reported in this part of Canada.. I thought we should call our public nurse .. and pick her brains.   Just so you all know .. the vaccine is not here yet - there was not much she could tell us yet but she was very helpful.  And if you are asthmatic, you automatically qualify for the vaccine.

How bad is swine flu, really?  In many ways, it’s really not that different from seasonal flu, experts say. But there are some important distinctions.

It’s natural to feel a little anxious, if not downright panicky, about the possibility of you or a family member catching the swine flu. But before you worry about worst-case scenarios, let’s put some things in perspective. The fact is, seasonal flu — the kind that circulates every fall and winter, year after year — kills 30,000 to 40,000 people. We just don’t read about every single hospitalization or complication in the news. In comparison, current government predictions are calling for anywhere from 30,000 to 90,000 swine flu-related deaths this fall. That may sound like a lot, but keep in mind that it’s out of hundreds of millions of potential infections — meaning that even as a worst-case scenario, only a small percentage of the US population would get seriously sick.

Is the swine flu really like the seasonal flu..??

So far, swine flu doesn’t seem to be more virulent than seasonal flu (symptoms are largely the same), but it is slightly more contagious. According to a new study from Cornell University, every person infected with swine flu puts 1.5 other people at risk in the few days before they themselves experience symptoms. With seasonal flu, that number is about 1.3.

Part of the reason why swine flu is more transmissible is that most people don’t have any immunity to it, unlike other seasonal flu strains, to which we may have been exposed before (this gives our immune system a leg up in fighting off the virus).

Does the swine flu only affect those old and unhealthy individuals..??

Unlike seasonal flu, which has the most serious health effects in people older than 65, with swine flu incidences so far, 75% of serious cases and 60% of deaths have occurred in people younger than 49, according to recent CDC data. But some experts believe that it’s not so much that young people are more vulnerable, it’s that older adults are less at risk. About one-third of adults over age 60 have some kind of pre-existing immunity to the H1N1 strain, according to CDC data. (There were likely strains similar to the current swine flu circulating when they were children).

What this means for you: Unless you have a chronic condition that’s shown to increase complications of swine flu (pregnancy, asthma, diabetes, or heart, kidney, or liver disease), you’ll likely battle the flu and come out just fine, says Allison Aiello, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. But that doesn’t mean you should blow off preventive measures. No matter what your age, be a vigilant handwasher and instill the habit in your kids. Get vaccinated for swine flu if you’re eligible (as well as for seasonal flu). Avoid people who are sick if you can. And pay attention to symptoms (most commonly fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, sneezing, muscle aches, fatigue/exhaustion — and in some cases, diarrhea, headache, and a stiff neck). If you feel sick, don’t be a warrior. Stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids to help ensure that your body fights off the flu instead of developing complications.

More answers later.

Birthing Experiences

I just helped a good friend .. with having her baby 2 days ago.  I promised i was gonna be there for her.. and am glad that I did.  The birthing experience was great..  and the nurses were wonderful.. but once you  have the baby.. the other side of the maternity ward.. is a totally different story altogether.   I seriously think that the hospital need some kinda video surveillance equipment to watch and see what the nurses at the other end are doing.. coz’ they ain’t doing much.. unless absolutely  necessary.  It certainly hasn’t changed a wee bit.. from the time i had my daughter.. some 6 yrs ago.  They wouldn’t help me.. unless there was someone there to fight for us.. that was the real reason why i wanted to be with my good friend.. when she had her baby. So if you are having a baby .. make sure you have a support system with  you in the hospital.