Ontario Healthcare is a Joke
My dad has been waiting to have a Cardiac bypass surgery at a GTA hospital since June and the entire process has been nothing short of a failure. It's like one big sick joke.
June 2024 - They told him he should receive an email within a month for his surgery. No one emailed him.
End of August 2024 - Someone emailed him to have an appointment with the surgeon to discuss the bypass surgery. The appointment was scheduled for 2nd week of September. The day before the appointment, we got an email that it was scheduled for end of September. We had all moved around our schedules and booked off the day for the original appointment.
End of September - This was his new appointment with the surgeon. We thought this appointment would be to discuss the surgery, but instead it was to go over options and he said how bypass is expensive and stent may be an option (even though stent is NOT an effective option for diabetics). The appointment really went nowhere and instead created more doubts as the surgeon said he needs to discuss with other surgeons about the best option and get back to us. He finally got back to us about bypass being the best option at the start of October.
October 21st - This was the date given for the surgery at the end of September. They told him to stop taking his diabetes and blood pressure medication 5 days prior. My dad also informed his HR he was going on leave while I booked off days from work. They told him his surgery could get cancelled up to 3 times. The Friday before surgery, they emailed to say the surgery was cancelled due to a more critical surgery.
November 18th - This was the date given end of October after his first appointment was cancelled. Again he started tapering off his medication and once again, they cancelled it on the Friday prior to surgery and once again my dad had to restart his medication.
December 9th - They confirmed several days after November 18th that his new surgery date would be December 9th. He had to redo blood work and everything, and we thought for sure everything was confirmed until just now they said they have no CT SCAN results on file for him and he needs to complete this prior to the surgery so they cancelled the surgery. Keep in mind, they never sent a requisition for this nor double checked to ensure it was completed ahead of the surgery date.
So we are now at the 7 months mark and still no surgery. This is our "incredible" healthcare that politicians keep raving about. Our system and politicians have failed us. While these elitists get to go to Taylor Swift concerts and get VIP or get money from their developer friends, get the best care possible, we the regular folks are the ones who suffer.
It has left me fearful, frustrated and angry because I am constantly afraid something will happen to my dad before he has his surgery. But also, I am feeling burned out because I cannot do anything, make plans, or travel until this surgery is completed.
EDIT:
Both Feds and Provinces fund healthcare. Yes it is predominantly the provinces, but the federal government provides funding through the Canada Health Transfer.
Yes, I am aware healthcare is mostly a provincial matter...I have just been frustrated with various issues and different levels of govts and how out of touch they are. Inflation, unaffordability, housing crisis, Bill C-18. Yes, this post started off about healthcare, but I was ALSO trying to say both govts have failed us for different reasons (not just healthcare). So I went off topic and on a bit of a rant at the end🤣
This is for the people calling me pro Pierre. Lol my post is not to single out any political leader. My whole point is they all got us to where we are. The reason I mentioned Trudeau in addition to Ford is because the reality is, Trudeau has become very unpopular recently for some valid reasons. His own MPs want him out as well as his senators and instead he is still out here. We need fresh blood with the Liberals. We just had two jewelry robberies in GTA and these kids walking as if they're going to go buy candies. Numerous car thefts and home burglaries. Violence is up. Inflation is up. I talk to so many new immigrants who are barely surviving and regretting coming here. Or people who can't buy homes. While my post was about my dad's situation, I have felt a lot of frustration about how our country is going and that's why I'm mad and every level of government has played a role in this. Yes, I understand some of this was out of their control (covid) but we have every right as voting citizens to critique our leaders and hold them accountable in order to advance our country.
Let's stop labeling people as bad because they believe Pierre or Trudeau and intead critique why the leaders' policies are not good, rather than the people who support them. This is why there is so much division because we can't all hear each other out and acknowledge people have valid concerns on both sides.