It took some effort but Debb was able to help me to my feet eventually and we drove to the University of Alberta Hospital
U of A Hospital, Edmonton Emergency Department
fully expecting that they would investigate the origin of my severe pain episode. I had extreme difficulty walking that persists now 2 days after that event, and I had extreme difficulty getting in the car to go to the hospital.
I was shocked and appalled at the flip and smug level of dis-concern from Dr. Naismith at the University Hospital. She offered to give me a Morphine injection and that was it. When I asked if she was going to order any scans she immediately snapped back that under NO conditions would she order ANY kind of scans on my back or body.
She casually repeated the Stephen Mandel scripted line that "MRI's are unnecessary". She was very quick to point out that BECAUSE I suffer from Chronic Pain; there is absolutely NO condition that I would find myself in that would require the need for investigative medicine or imaging to determine the precise origin of my pain!
I was flabbergasted, we could hire a Parrot
for a lot cheaper than a ER Doctor, or even a Video Kiosk at the ER entrance informing patients who have been injured at work to NOT BOTHER waiting for care.
I may have suffered a ruptured disk, as slipped disk or perhaps even worse, it is impossible to know without ANY kind of imaging. She informed me that unless I was suffering from uncontrollable diarrhea that under NO conditions would she be prepared to order ANY kind of radio-graphic scans. She informed me that without ANY kind of investigative tools that SHE with her obvious inbred Super-powers, that SHE is capable of telling what is wrong with me without the aide of ANY kind of bothersome electronic equipment.
I was shocked at how similiar her scripted message was to the Stephen Mandel warning about how 50% of MRI's are unneccessary. Dr. Naismith was very quick to dole out free advice about how I walk across the street to a private MRI clinic in the College Plaza and pay $1000 CASH for the Privilege to get an MRI the NEXT day.
She is a doctor, she works in a hospital, I am on AISH, she knows I cannot afford MRI scans. She seemed to be extremely PROUD of her performance as an Emergency Doctor that is keeping the NON-Government workers that have been injured at work DOWN.
1) KEEP the Injured Workers DOWN, step on workers who are NOT COPS or FIREMEN
2) Trample any expectations Injured Worker ER patients have of "receiving EQUAL Medical Assistance" ensuring you as a WCB Crony Quack KEEP THEM DOWN!
2) It had not occurred to me that the Alberta Health Services now has specified WCB Hacks and Quacks on duty, so they can SQUASH and ideas suffering patients have of recieving the bare mininum medical treatments that ALL other patients are offered when they land in a Trauma Center in Alberta.
I have always said, "A person who is standing around while giving out really BAD ADVICE is NOT the same thing as a person who is really trying to help."
It would appear that this doctor wears the "Do-nothing Bad Advice CREDO" like a badge of honour. This event signals that this is a sad day for medicine in Alberta.
I knew for a fact that when Mandel was announcing his Bean Counter tactics for the tenth PC Savage ATTACK on our beleagured Healthcare system, that we are in for BIG trouble this time.
Alberta Taxpayers could hire a PARROT for the Stephen Mandel Advertising Campaign that is a clever diversion to draw your eye away from the PC Medical SAVAGE ATTACK.
Alberta does not need PARROTS who are paid Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars! We can hire parrots for this job. Phillipino Parrots to be precise because then the hospital can claim them as TFW's, and thereby share in the proceeds of "Settling Grants" from the Harper government.
AHS is now running a made in Hellberta Medical Caste System, and it has been operating successfully for some time. It makes sense since we are the product of a British colony who ruled India and what is now Pakistan for decades. It has to be very easy to pull this off here in Canada where we have so many different kinds of Status Indians.
This caste system has enabled the government to causally attach what appear to be erroneous alpha numeric designations to Indentifiable groups of people in Canada. Thus is born the non-government Seriously Injured Worker designation for seriously injured workers who are not Firemen, they are not Cops, they are not EMT's, they are not government workers etc. who have AWESOME Medical Coverage!
Don't come to Edmonton for work, Alberta is DEAD. This is the DEAD ZONE.
Do not come here, you will regret it. Do not get hurt at work in Alberta they will NOT medically treat you when you get hurt at WORK. Do not come here, for YOUR own safety and the safety of YOUR family DO NOT COME to Alberta. This is Hellberta and the Alberta Health Services will WATCH YOU DIE, and force you to go home from the hospital with NO HELP. Do not come here, I have warned all Canadians now. Do not come to Hellberta, the Health and Wellness of your family depends on it, do not come here you will regret it.