On this night of the #VPDebate , allow me to live-tweet my adventure in Canadian healthcare that is happening *right now*... I am waiting outside to go back in 45 mins from my original appointment time (which was 8pm). Waiting outside, because doc is delayed and #ventilation.

In no small miracle, I thought that I had won the lottery when I was able to secure a family doctor in Quebec. Many people have to wait 7 years to be matched with one.
Unfortunately, when I called today my doctor was booked until Tuesday, and there is no way to email/message her.

This was/is a problem because I am 99% sure of the prescription I need, and yet it’s too small a deal to risk an ER visit right now. At the same time, I don’t want to wait until Tuesday for an Rx. So I called around (a lot) and was able to find a ‘walk-in’ appointment elsewhere.

When I first moved here, the lack of family doctors in Quebec really struck me. Most of my friends here, in their 30s and 40s, but also older, don’t have a family doctor. The system is built on walk-in and emergency service, which when you’re sick/there’s a pandemic, isn’t ideal.

All this complaining aside, tonight when I arrived, I wasn’t asked for a copay or anything. Because #taxes and #UniversalHealthcare... you know.

Let me start complaining again. Because it is a damp and chilly 54 degrees F outside the clinic where I am waiting for my appointment and I wish they had given me the telemedicine option.

Omg, I came in and see the doctor walking a patient to the front desk and his mask is *below his nose*. My god.

Forgot to round out this thread: saw the doc at 10:45pm. It is (as I suspected)... shingles. Biked home and then got to the 24hr pharmacy across town, and back home after midnight. Crazy to now be on an antiviral that was approved after I was born... Here’s to hoping it works!