Bitten by a dog and the system

Two things happened to me on Aug. 16: I was bitten by a dog, and I lost all faith in Quebec’s health-care system.

The bite wasn’t bad enough to warrant a visit to the emergency room, though I was bleeding and I am 75. I called the CLSC in Old Lachine instead. Impossible to get through to a real person there.

Next, I called Info- Santé. The nurse on the phone was excellent. Calmed me down, advised me what to do and said I needed a tetanus shot. I was advised to go the CLSC in Pointe-Claire.

I don’t drive, so a friend took me. The CLSC was empty when we arrived, my leg still bleeding. As soon as the person at reception learned I lived in far-flung Dorval, I was told this wasn’t “my CLSC” and must go to Lachine.

I pushed for assistance, to no avail. Nobody looked at the bite. Nobody cared about my mental or physical wellbeing.

So off to Lachine. But guess what? They wouldn’t see me immediately, either. I was told they were not a “walkin.” I was advised to make an appointment for the tetanus shot.

Again, nobody cared enough to look at the obviously distraught person standing in front of them.

It was suggested “somebody” might see me if I waited about two hours. Or I could go to the new clinic next door.

I went, and the staff there were fantastic. The doctor gave me what I thought was a prescription for a tetanus shot. But when I went to the pharmacy in Dorval, I was told no medication was indicated on the slip. And their nurse was not on the premises.

I went back home, called Info- Santé again and, after waiting on hold for 10 minutes, gave up.

In the end, a friend drove me to her pharmacy in Pointe-Claire, and within 10 minutes a caring nurse gave me the shot, which cost me $75.

So, what is the CLSC system for, exactly? What exactly do they do there? They were of absolutely no help to me.

Let me add that I have recently lost my GP of over 30 years due to her retirement and have been advised that the estimated wait time in my region for persons whose health condition is similar to mine (excellent) is 164 days.

I often travel to the U.S. and am always bragging about our health system. That won’t happen again.

I have been a Liberal supporter, federally and provincially, since I became a citizen of this great country more than 40 years ago. If this is the best the Quebec Liberal Party can do, I’ll be looking for a political party to vote for that cares about the people who put them in power.

Incidentally, I was going to contact my MNA about all this. But I seem to have lost him, as I live in the riding of Marquette.

Brenda Stewart, Dorval