Another story from a client of our great health care system

"Here's yet another positive story, after last week's story from Mofi about the Canadian Health care system:"

"Two significant things happened to me last week. I turned 39 and I found out I need total hip replacement surgery. These are two things that I never dreamed would happen within a decade of each other, let alone a week.

I've had some issues with my right hip most of my adult life, but never imagined that I had osteoarthritis and that my hip joint was deteriorating out from under me. My dad had both his knees replaced, but that didn't happen until he was in his late 60s.

Finding out that you need this kind of surgery is a shock at first. I felt a little embarrassed to be so young and need something like this. After some research, however, I realized more and more young people are having the surgery.

Former U.S. Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast Mary Lou Retton had her hip replaced at the age of 38. And world-famous tennis champion Jimmy Connors had his hip replaced at 52. Both athletes reported being debilitated by their pain and then regaining their full quality of life after the surgery.

So, now that I am beyond the shock and embarrassment, I find myself in a state of amazement at just how far we have come in medicine and how great Canada's health system is. Had I been born in my grandmother's era, I would be facing a life of pain and the inevitability of a wheelchair. Now, just like something out of the 1970's Bionic Woman series, they tell you "we have the power to rebuild you." Maybe not better or faster than I was before, but with much less pain and much more mobility.

I know we all get frustrated with our wait times, but if we compare our system with those around the world, we have one of the best. Two things always enter my mind when I am accessing our health care system: the incredible care givers I have, and the cost of my care.

My family doctor is Dawn Edgar. She has been caring for me for about 12 years and knows everything about me, so my health care is personal and focused and I realize how lucky I am to have her.

As soon as my hip acted up she got me in to see Reginald Yabsley. He was the first orthopedic surgeon to do hip replacements in Nova Scotia. How lucky we are to have someone like him in Halifax.

His bedside manner is second to none. He has a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach that completely put me at ease. Through the entire appointment I felt informed and respected as we figured out my next move.

My feelings of comfort and joy stem not only from being in the hands of these two excellent doctors, but from not having to ask the question: How much will this cost?

I know that while I will wait for the surgery, I will be able to have it based on my need, not on what I can afford. So this holiday season I will be saying an extra prayer for all those care givers in our system who help us maintain our quality of life and for a system that is based on need, and not greed."

Candy Palmater for HFXNEWS

What to buy for loved ones with physical disabilities?

While the gift you bought for a loved one with a physical disability in the past may have come from good intentions, it could be stuck in a cupboard somewhere, says the March of Dimes' (MOD) manager of group development and support.

"It's always hard to know what to buy because often the regular products that are available, they may not be suitable," Sheila Casemore said.

On Tuesday, December the 18th staff from MOD Canada, a non-profit organization that offers programs and services for people with physical disabilities, will be at Ajax Shoppers Home Health Care for its grand opening.

The store provides specialty home health care products and services, and MOD consultants will be on hand to recommend proper gifts for people with physical disabilities or mobility issues. Specifically, items recommended will enhance mobility and increase safety and independence for people recovering from a stroke.

"There's 50,000 new strokes per year and there's about 300,000 people in Canada living with the affects of stroke, so it's quite substantial," Ms. Casemore said.

Ideal items for stroke survivors would be anything that's anti-slip, including bathtub mats, devices for plates, knives and forks or fold-up bath chairs that are portable and convenient for traveling. But, people with any mobility issue are welcome to attend and ask about products that may help them.

"In terms of the barriers, it's really difficult to find these products," Ms. Casemore said. "I mean they're not often commercially available."

She added that modifying products can be risky since they haven't been properly tested, so it's important to go to specialty stores because the products are properly tested and designed for people with mobility issues.

MOD is also reminding people to buy gifts for caregivers this season. Ms. Casemore said it can be difficult for caregivers (often family members) to find time for themselves, many times working 24-hour days.

"Caregivers are always forgotten, we find," she said.

While the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provides funded home care services, Ms. Casemore explained it's not usually long-term. And, while some people assume relatives can help out, Ms. Casemore explained "families are very dispersed these days."

A professional body massager, a magnetic therapy necklace or a light therapy system are some ideal items to pamper caregivers.
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