.....of the Canadian Health System. I am happier to seek remedies in the world of alternative medicine and natural supplements, as I have since I was first told "there is nothing we can do for you" 30+ years ago. I only need the medical system for emergencies. I have bad reactions to the prescriptions anyway, so there is nothing they can offer me. Take away the little white prescription pad of a Dr. and he will be helpless. They don't do many procedures anymore, the nurses do. I guess surgeons can do more, and those who deliver babies and set bones and stitch up cuts are useful, but those who can't do those things are just very educated pharmacists, useless without toxic medicines to pass out. It is forbidden to speak of prevention, or of natural remedies. When the American Medical Association was founded in 1900, they all made a vow to cast out all natural healer and herbalists as quacks, and to never mention such remedies that were no more than old wives tales. In just over 100 years, they have become greedy and corrupt, and those who go in wanting to serve mankind and heal them, are soon taught the corrupt ways of their peers, or pushed out of their secret society. it is rare to find a real "healer", one who wants the patient to feel better and is willing to find the source of the disease and the source of the remedy, even if it is natural. natural medicine has been here since mankind began. Yet now that it has been banned, there has never been such a high percentage of sick people. Modern medicine is a self perpetuating business. 40% of people in the hospital are there due to the side effects of medicines. There is a book I read about 30 years ago called "The medical heretic" and I guess after being cast out of the medical system this time because of corruption and greed, I will now call myself a medical heretic. My mother and I are blessed to have family doctors who agree with us, and offer us natural alternatives, and plan to retire soon from the secret combinations and private religion of modern medicine.
The Summary of just a few months of medical Insanity.
Follow this thread of emails to know the insanity of the local medical system. I don't know if all of Canada is like this.
First one of my support groups was sent this article:
Is hospice really about dying? By Kristopher Stice - Special to the Argus Observer Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:34 AM PDT
Hello all!
My name is Kristopher Stice. I am the director of Human Resources for Heart ‘n Home Hospice & Palliative Care, LLC. I’ve been with Heart ‘n Home since its inception in March of 2004. Each month I will be writing this column with the intent of informing you, the public, of hospice and its benefits.
Hospice is a set of services that we all may need someday — if not for ourselves, for our parents. While death is not optional for any of us, we do have choices about the services we use at the end of life. Hospice is, without a doubt, the best option in the last months of life because it offers a whole variety of benefits, not only to those of us who are dying, but also to those we leave behind.
Yet, despite its many advantages, hospice is still a mystery to most Americans, 25 years after its introduction to this country.
That hospice remains a mystery is due in part to our society’s resistance to discuss matters related to death. We, as Americans, seem to think that we are invincible; death is not an option. A National Hospice Foundation research on end-of-life care found this manner of thinking to be accurate. The study revealed that Americans are more willing to talk about safe sex and drugs with their children than to discuss end-of-life care with their terminally ill parents. It is this lack of communication that leaves people unprepared for the physical, spiritual and emotional strains caused by terminal illnesses.
The good news is hospice can help. We are specialists in end-of-life care. Hospice providers are committed to the idea that hospice isn’t about dying; it’s about living and making each journey the best it can be. It’s about living life to its fullest, up to the final moment. It’s about receiving comfort and care. It’s about surrounding yourself and your loved ones with medical, emotional and spiritual support.
Hospice doesn’t give you the power to shorten or prolong life, just the power to live it as you choose, to be at home, if you wish, to be pain-free, to be comforted and cared for. This is the essence of what hospice is. This is what we want people to understand. And this is why we love what we do.
You know, a hospice patient once grabbed a nurse by the cheek and said, “Don’t you ever forget what a privilege it is to walk someone to the gates of eternity. It is a privilege not a right.” This patient couldn’t have been more precise. It is a privilege and a great honor to serve these people in their homes wherever that may be.
It is for this reason I’m writing this column, to help everyone understand hospice. If you need the help, please get it. It will be one of the best decisions you could ever make for you and your loved one.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me or the staff at Heart ‘n Home Hospice & Palliative Care, LLC, at our Fruitland office, (208) 452-2663, Baker City office, (541) 524-7688, Caldwell office, (208) 454-0262, or Emmett office, (208) 365-2099. You can e-mail me at kstice@gohospice.com, or visit National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization Web site: www.nhpco.org
http://www.argusobserver.com/articles/2007/09/30/news/us/05.txt
Then G. from the group replied:
I've been involved recently with hospice twice, once in-home and once in-hospital, so I've been exposed to both types of the services they offer.
I am on the fence regarding hospice.
The theory is, of course, excellent. However, in practice........I agree that most folks don't understand what is involved here. But we part on much of what that disagreement entails. I cannot speak for how hospice works in other areas, but again, the two experiences I've had have been in vastly different areas. The one was here in our rural hometown, the other was in a very urban setting. They were both the same, however, in how rarely the nurses are on-site. The actual care was left to either the "regular" staff nurses (as in the hospital with my dad) or the home care agency folks (non-nurses) that had been tending to my aunt's needs prior to her going into hospice. The BEST thing without a doubt is the painkilling drugs and how there is no hassle with the availability of these. However, if people think that hospice nurses are on-hand throughout the experience, that is not the case. The brunt of the care is left to others. Hospice makes arrangements for things that are needed, such as the meds, hospital bed, things like that, but they are a phone call away..........not on-site. I know I'm not the only one to have had somewhat differing illusions that I found were inaccurate when reality hit. I'm not saying that it's realistic to expect hospice to provide a nurse 'round-the-clock, but that seems to be the impression that they give.....
I'd be curious to hear of others' experiences.....
~~G.
Then I replied to the group and to G.:
Hi G.,
I had a bad experience lately with my local hospice and I am wondering if these same rules apply to every hospice. It seems as if a person has cancer, he can get hospice, but if he is dying of any other condition, he can't.
When I was told a few months ago that I probably have less than a year to live,(due to end stage lupus causing my organs to shut down), I started calling every agency in town to ask questions and to try to deal with all the confusing ideas swimming in my head. No one could help me. I called the hospice, and asked if there was anyone there I could even talk to after being told this news. I didn't know whether to tell my family or not, because there are 4 terminally ill people in this house and I didn't want to add to their problems. I was told that I couldn't even speak to someone from hospice until I got a Doctor's referral saying I have less than 6 months to live. I told them that my Dr. said he could never tell a patient with that much exactness how long they have to live, because each person is different, and a lot of it depends on God, not on what the body is doing. So first rule is that you don't get in if your Dr. doesn't say you have less than 6 months. The second rule they have, is that if you live longer than 6 months from the time you were signed up, you get dropped from the program at the end of that 6 months. So if I were to live 6 months and 2 weeks, the last 2 weeks I would be on my own when I need help the most. Is that a rule of all hospices? I thought it was horrid to think that suddenly they could take away my oxygen and pain relief etc. on the day that my 6 months runs out. It would make people consider suicide as that 6 month day approaches !
Calling home care agencies has been a joke. The other agency had stupid rules. For example, they would sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, but would not pick up anything that needed to be put away before dusting or vacuuming. They would dust or vacuum around them. If I had the strength to pick up all the things before dusting or vacuuming, I would not need to hire someone to dust or vacuum! The other rule was for the medical home care, I can't get that until I need help to bath or dress or be fed or take my meds, but they will not help do any laundry or iron any clothes to put on me when I need to get dressed. If I had the strength to do my laundry and ironing, I would not need to have someone dress me! They are not even allowed to empty a garbage or make a bed. Sounds like a dang easy job for $25 an hour. Even people with health problems or not able to speak English could do that very easy job and wow, maybe if I get feeling a bit better, I will apply there myself! Of course I know that I would wear myself out doing as much as possible for the clients. That's just how I think. I love to help.
I'm really glad you posted your letter, because I DID think hospice offered more help than you point out. I am writing to the author of that article to find out some hospice laws and ask him if our hospice is out of line.
Bluebirdy
G's reply:
Bluebirdy;
This is utterly horrible. First of all, hospice should pertain to ANY terminally ill patient, and I don't even believe you have to actually have an appointment with death, necessarily. You certainly should not need to have a particular timetable!! That's beyond absurd.
And as you say, rarely any more does a doctor give a specific timeline. They know better. That hospice sounds like it needs a kick in the head. I do believe there must be national guidelines, they can't be making this up as they go along. It needs further investigation. What area are you in?
And, those home care agencies, they sound like a bad joke as well. You're right, you may as well be doing this stuff yourself, if you have to supplement what they are "allowed" to do. And for 25 bucks an hour?? I'll come and do it......yes, very easy money for the little work they are ASKED to do. It's nuts. I really feel for you, and I'm sure you're not the only one who can tell this story. The homecare my aunt had, while individually there were a couple of really excellent ladies, basically was the same. At one point, the lack of housekeeping was so awful, they had to fumigate the apartment (and my aunt was wealthy, lived on the 30th floor of a high-rise), it was dreadful. That particular "caregiver" finally was fired, but I'm sure this kind of thing runs rampant.
Your complaints need to be aired publicly. Try contacting your local legislature and also there should be what's known as an ombudsman who takes care of this kind of thing. They also cover nursing homes. Again, where are you?
People in your situation do not need to have to deal with this!!
Love, G.
my reply:
G,
I'm in Canada, I don't know if every province has these rules but I do know our province has the shortest waiting lists and the most medical employees, so less shortage of help.
This whole time since I have been told I have about a year to live, I have found that it is very hard work to be sick, to do all the research, make all the phone calls, go to all the tests (and treatments if they are offered), to fight every door that has been closed, etc.
I feel like I am walking through a maze from Alice in Wonderland with such absurd rules and illegal, unethical rules, that I am just worn out. I have an Internet friend who works for a government representative, and they pretty much said "too bad, there's a million other people in the same situation as you and we can't save them all and we can't change all the rules by ourselves." From what she could find from some digging, she figured that if you want to find the answer to why there was such a stupid rule made, follow the dollar signs. You just follow the trail to who was paid off in order to pass such a rule or law, or someone who decided it would save a dollar a day or some minuscule amount. Yeah its absurd that there have been 4 critically ill people in this house for 10 years that can't get help, and when we did tall to lawyers and legislators, the College of Physicians and Surgeons (The governing body for the medical system, where you report neglect and abuse) in the past AND EVEN A TV STATION, who called the agencies involved, the agencies were saying "What are you talking about? There are many times this family got treated medically, and many agencies that offered to help them with housekeeping and home care, but THEY turned us away! " And that's true. I don't have the strength to clean BEFORE they come to vacuum and mop. I don't have the energy to do the laundry BEFORE they come to dress me and nag me into the bathtub, and I didn't want to pay for them to come here at THEIR convenience to not do what I need, when I could maybe find some private person to hire who WOULD do the things I need done. If I had a husband or even 2 or 3 friends locally, I might have enough of a support system to fight with, but I don't have that, and I don't have the physical strength to fight, even though my spirit is willing, my flesh is too week to do publicity and go to appointments and court and hearings etc. etc. etc...so I am just at the point of doing all I can to improve my quality of life, attitude, improve my health, and live as comfortably and happily as possible for as long as possible. I believe there is a reason for everything, and there must be a reason that I was suddenly forced to move to Canada from my US home for 20 years, and then have my health decline here, be neglected here, and eventually die here. Maybe its for no other reason that all those who died innocently due to ridiculous greed and corruption will be justified by the leaders having to pay for their crimes sometime in the next life. Maybe its because it is part of God's plan for my life that I was only supposed to live to my mid 40s, and in order to facilitate my demise in a natural manner, maybe I had to leave the USA where I WOULD get treatment, even though it did bankrupt me. I don't know. I guess in the next world we will find out the reason for all these things. Thanks for your kind support and compassionate heart!!!
Blessings
Bluebirdy
