Trying to find a doctor part III

Being sick when you have kids is hard enough but add in uncertainly about how the medical system works here and of course it ends in tears!  

I've had a nasty cough for a few days and with the help of Google, I'd diagnosed myself with pneumonia!  Yesterday I made the decision to try one of the walk in medical clinics after Angus went to bed.  Mid afternoon I called the clinic just to make sure it would be open.  Well the one I thought I'd go to is only for follow up visits... so I called the next one and it was full!  Despite being open until 8pm they wouldn't be taking any more patients from 3pm.  What?  I lost it.  Tears, sobs followed by massive coughing fit!

I called six other clinics who were also full or by appointment only and no, none of their doctors would be taking on new patients.  By this stage I figured I'd have to wait until I could hardly breathe and then go to emergency.

I finally calmed down and thought if I'm not better in the morning, I'll be first in line at the walk in clinic.  So this morning I started coughing up blood so we knew we were headed to the doctor.  I packed supplies (lots of food and the iPad), dropped Little Miss D at preschool and the boys and I went to the doctor (Action Boy is on school holidays this week).

I tried a different clinic this time and I was so glad I did.  This place was clean, tidy and professional.  (You'd think all doctor's clinics would be like this, but no...).  I saw the doctor within 90 minutes and thankfully it's not pneumonia but bronchitis and given a prescription.  There is a pharmacy in the complex and we were out of there in two hours.  Before arriving in Quebec I would have thought two hours completely out of control but today I was relieved.  Relieved I found a decent clinic, relieved the doctor could help me and relieved to have finally figured it out - get there early!

This little bottle of antibiotics cost $53!  I'm not sure if that's the price all Quebecers would pay or this is the price they charged me because we have private health insurance to cover prescriptions...  In any case, I'm glad I have them and I'm looking forward to getting better!

xx

PS - While we were waiting there were people wondering around taking about renovations and an expansion of the consulting rooms.  I heard one man say that this clinic services 110,000 people...