The Province of Misfit Doctors

Do you remember the animated special that plays every Christmas Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? And if you do do you remember the land of misfit toys?  Well my husband and I have come to call Manitoba the province of misfit doctors, which would be funny if it wasn't such a sad statement.  We are talking about peoples lives at stake not a game or toy you get tired of playing with  and cast aside or pass onto another person over and over again.  Because you just don't want to do you job or in my case play the game of let's learn and educate yourself like I have done.  I am here to help you try and lead as comfortable and normal life as possible.  

Don't get me wrong I in my journey have had one out of the countless doctors I have seen being one I can say had the expectation any patient goes to a specialist/doctor to one who is doing their job out of concern for the patient and not for the money or to boost one's ego.  As for the rest I cannot say the same.  Unfortunately he passed me onto another doctor whom he thought could be more beneficial then himself.  I wish I could go back to him but once you have been passed on you cannot go back, I have learned.  Since then that doctor past me onto another one, who then passed me onto another doctor who has since passed me back. Like a toy no one wants to have anything to do with.

For any one who finds themselves living in this province I wish you well and hope that you hit upon a doctor that does know what they are doing and are willing to listen to you.  I'm not only speaking because of my situation but also for my sister who the doctors here took years to diagnose with Scleroderma. She passed away but with my recent experiences I am sure because of how long it took them to diagnose her, her life was shortened because again they would not listen nor did they know that with Scleroderma the disease can manifest itself internally, before showing on the outside.  For most diagnosed with Scleroderma it attacks the outside before moving internally and attacking your vital organs.

Our aunt who had a brain tumor/cancer who was told for a year she had vertigo and tinnitus which was causing her balance and dizziness.  The day she was taken to the hospital thinking she had, had a stoke. By the luck of the draw of the doctor on call, they knew it something serious .   Lucky for her they were able to treat her and remove the cancer but had she had waited even a few more days we were told she more then likely would not have survived.

We also have a cousin who kept saying she was having mini stokes after going to a chiropractor and the doctors here kept telling her she was not.  She finally found a doctor in Alberta who did confirm that she was indeed suffering from mini stokes.  Again why did she have to go out of province to find a doctor who could help her and actually listen to her.

I also as some know am currently in a study for a new drug with Health Canada for another medical issue I have.  Part of the study requires a full exam every few months which does include a very basic neurological exam.  Last week I went for my appointment which required a full exam.  Now granted the doctor who does the exam is a cardiologist not a neurologist however if you are part of the doctors in this study you should know how to perform the very basic tests requested in this study. Heck there are countless videos on You Tube with step by step instructions.  I as a non medical person should not have to tell the doctor how to perform these tests but I had to.  If that doesn't scare someone it should.  Lucky for me I knew what and how these tests are done because of how many I have taken but what if I had never been or had these tests?  And the best part is even though I was having trouble with all of them because he did not know what he was looking for he marked them all as normal!

Because of the stress/anger I was feeling about this situation and how my body was moved in directions that anyone who knows anything about Stiff Person Syndrome should not move I started having spasms.  The sad part of all of this is as I walked to the parking lot stopping and doubling over in pain I had medical personal walk past me not one asked if I needed help or was okay.  I finally made it to my car and sat for half an hour screaming in pain watching again medical personal averting their eyes as they walked past my vehicle.  I was within a 5 minutes walk away from the emergency room and could not get myself there.  And could I have would any of them besides myself know what needed to be done?  I wish I could say yes but sadly I know as we have made that trip many times to emergency that the answer was no.  So I sat crying and screaming in pain until they subsided enough for me to take as many back roads as possible to get myself home and to the medication that I knew could help me.  I do carry extra but when you are in that much pain the brain shuts down and too I know I have a short window to drive myself home safely on those meds that even if I could I would not have taken the chance.

That my friends is a small glimpse of life living in the city of misfit doctors.  And if any doctors would like to get a job here the last time I looked on the government job bank site there are taking applications.  As far as I know we are the only province who advertises on the job bank for specialists!   So if you are one that just made the passing grade in medical school not to worry Manitoba is desperate to hire you, just go to their website and apply.  Yay lucky citizens of Manitoba we will always be the province of misfit and uncaring doctors taking care of us!  One more thing to be proud of in Manitoba!

*Since writing this article in Oct. the study with Health Canada has been cancelled. I am publishing this as everything else is still relevant to the healthcare in our province.*