"Canadacare may have killed Natasha," screamed a headline in the New York Post. "Was Canada's healthcare the problem?"asked another in the Chicago Tribune.
This is really pissing me off. It twists the emotions that we feel for this tragic and bizarre loss of life, by making it into something that it isn't. What should have been done is crystal clear AFTER the fact.....but there was no negligence here. Is making this claim some part of a political agenda ? Crucial details are ignored in coming to this conclusion. Like the fact that it was a minor spill, which is what probably made Natasha refuse the immediate medical attention that was offered.
I just listened to this new 'take' on things on the news, and it just makes me burn. [A href="http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Socialized+medicine+didn+kill+Natasha+Richardson+says+doctor/1440316/story.html"][FONT size=1]http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Socialized+medicine+didn+kill+Natasha+Richardson+says+doctor/1440316/story.html[/FONT][/A]
Well its Vancouver Sun and CanWest, every sentence they write has an agenda.
I don't see the big deal, okay they should have a helicopter for mt. tremblant, but the emergency services came on call immediately and then went back because Richardson said she was fine.... So they did their job.
I wasn't referring to the Sun's agenda. What they wrote in this case is true....and whether it IS or isn't a big deal doesn't change the fact that it's a big deal to me. [H1]Was Canada's health care the problem?[/H1] [H1]
[FONT size=3]Could actress Natasha Richardson's tragic death have been prevented if her skiing accident had occurred in America rather than Canada?
This is a legitimate question because of how Canadian and American medical care differ. Canadian health care de-emphasizes widespread dissemination of technology like CT scanners and quick access to specialists like neurosurgeons. While all the facts of Richardson's medical care haven't been released, enough is known to pose questions with profound implications for both countries.
Richardson died of an epidural hematoma, a bleeding artery between the skull and brain that compresses and ultimately causes fatal brain damage via pressure buildup. With prompt diagnosis by CT scan, and surgery to drain the blood, most patients survive. [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"]Could Richardson have received this care? Where it happened in Canada, no. In many American resorts, yes.[/FONT][/FONT][/H1]
Okay, so then how do you propose we fix this problem?
PC,
I guess I'm so tickled pink to be in a place with health care like Canada.
In Vietnam you take your mom or aunt with you to teh hospital - otherwise nobody would feed you.
if you want the doctor to see your loved one - you slip him a $20 or else they would never get any attention at all.
In Mongolia our carpenter got some sawdust in his eye - we pulled out or plastic eyewash station (plasic bottle with an eye cup thingy) he said - boy our hospital should get one of these. We took one of out workers in to the hospital - he was suffereing an extended epileptic seizure - the hospital starting "cupping" him (take a glass jar and light a match put match inside and put cup on body - forming a painful welt)
I was luck enuf not to need any kind of medical attention myself in any of these countries but let me tell you - Canada is a wonderful place to get sick or injured.
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I agree van guy. Like anything, it has its flaws, but over all, we're pretty lucky.
This headline just made me vibrate, I was so angry.
P.C. wrote:
[div style="font-style: italic;"]I agree van guy. Like anything, it has its flaws, but over all, we're pretty lucky. [/div] [div style="font-style: italic;"] [/div] This headline just made me vibrate, I was so angry.
I'm with you.
They seem to have overlooked the little detail, that Natasha had refused treatment, saying she was ok. It wouldn't have made a difference if she was standing in the ER. I certainly don't want to sound like I think she was in at fault in any way at all. I think her reaction was probably quite normal....minor tumble....bit of a headache....I'll be fine.
"..enough is known to pose questions with profound implications for both countries ???"(http://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Angry/5.gif)
"..enough is known to pose questions with profound implications for both countries ???"(http://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Angry/5.gif)
Just asking someone who is making $20K per year in the US about the profound implications ...
Exactly !
And....don't they answer their own question.....[FONT size=4]With prompt diagnosis[/FONT] by CT scan, and surgery to drain the blood, most patients survive. (http://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Angry/5.gif)
[img]http://www.ratemyeverything.net/image/987/0/Canada_vs_the_United_States.ashx"]
nuff said
[FONT size=6]LOL ![/FONT]
P.C. wrote:
LOL !
I hadn't really noticed ... but if you follow through with the "bitch" analogy - what would the great lakes represent (assuming of course that the brains are in BC and the a**holes in the Ottawa valley)
Well its like everything in life.
We'll help you and all you have to do is ask for the help.
Yeah okay, it is probably a good idea that ski resorts have CT Scan machines.
Okay, sure we probably should have a helicopter pad for emergencies.
but if the patient says she/he's fine, then there's not much you can do. Ya know, there's that old saying that I was always taught to keep all your doors open in life so you don't close off any opportunities. Same goes for health care. If people tell me I should go to hospital, I go, because you never know.
(http://discoverseattle.net/forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/4.gif) .
I visit that place enough as it is.
Michel wrote:
Go to the hospital [img style="font-style: italic;" src="/forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/12.gif[/img]
Michel - just in case nobody has told you recently - you are one funny dude.!!
There was a CT scan at the first hospital but no specialist to operate. I've made it clear to my family if anyone gets seriously injuried that they are taken directly to the regional hospital not the local first aid hospital. I don't know why they don't let the ambulance attendances make this decision.
JJ wrote:
There was a CT scan at the first hospital but no specialist to operate. I've made it clear to my family if anyone gets seriously injuried that they are taken directly to the regional hospital not the local first aid hospital. I don't know why they don't let the ambulance attendances make this decision.
If I understand the accident properly the poor lady fell down and bumped her head - by all accounts it was a very uneventful accident.
If I went to get a CT scan every time I fell down I'd be in hospital 1/2 my life.
My kids would probably never leave the hospital --- in the hall on the way out heckyl would push jeckyl into the wall and bump his head then straight back into the CT scan ...
That's how I hear it was described as well van guy....uneventful. I know for a fact, that if it were me, I'd be saying..."don't be silly....it was just a little fall". I think that's what made it all the more tragic. One of those things that reminds us how fragile life is.
CT scan or no CT scan...the bottom line is, hindsight is 20/20.
You know the guy Cory or whatever his name was that wrote an article about this from the states responded on the 'readers comments' section of the NAtional post a few days ago.. I read it somehwere.
Dammit, Im going to search for it now cause Starfishy is telling me she doesnt believe me.
I cant find the article.. these newspaper archives suck.
Haven't read it yet....just a quick scan. but I think this might be it, Russ.
[A href="http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2009/04/commentology-the-natasha-richardson-debate-.html"]http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2009/04/commentology-the-natasha-richardson-debate-.html[/A]
Thats it!
But he posted it through the national post in teh comments section.. Or someone else did for him I guess.