10 great things about SK

1. Beautiful long lasting sunsets where the colour almost blinds you.

2. Space, miles of miles of it.

3. Peace. Thank God there aren't so many people here It is SO lovely just to have silence once in awhile.

4. People being neighborly. Before I even moved to my town and was looking at the house, the guy across the street came and helped us when our car got stuck, and he didn't even know us! No one in Vancouver would do that!

5. Reasonable realty. Almost anyone can own a little house here. A great way to build a little nest egg.

6. Comraderie. People from SK stick together. We love our province, our hockey, and our football team.

7. Wildlife. Not having so many people means you can see them in your backyard! Deer, prairie chicken, coyotes all so close you could touch them.

8. Raw lanscape. A landscape so untouched that people come from all over to hunt and fish here in places so remote that you can only fly in.

9.Talent. So much talent resides and is from here. We are a small province, but we are mighty. Artistic and scientific minds abound.

10. Hard workers. People who live by the sweat of their brow and work the land and don't feel the need to "keep up with the Jones".

SK is a fantastic province full of beauty and friendly people with purpose.

Thanksgiving

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have. So, as it is thanksgiving weekend, I thought I would blog out a list.

1. The weather. OMG, it has been so beautiful here lately!

2. My beautiful yard. After many months of thinking it would never get done, both the back and front yards are finally finished (allowing us to indulge in the beautiful weather)!

3. Our hot tub in the back yard. So lovely (see one of my previous posts).

4. A great job. When I was in the thick of things always studying, doing research, and preparing rounds, I was never sure if it would be worth it in the end, but, thankfully, it is. Many times I can't even believe they pay me for what I do!

5. Travel. We have been some amazing places in the last couple of years: Thailand, Greece, Jamaica, Las Vegas, BC, Montreal, California. There are so many places in the world yet left to see. I can't wait!

6. This great country of Canada that we live in. No matter where I go, I am always happy I am Canadian.

7. My home. Again, no matter where we go, I am always glad to come home.

8. My house. Ok, this might be beating the bush a little. But a home is where your heart is, that can be anywhere, but I really do love our house. Our house in White City is so great for us, and just so perfect!

9. My cats. Seven and Stupe are really good cats. No matter how I am feeling I can always come home to some furry loving - purring and face licking!

10. My friends. I have a great group of people I am privileged to call my friends. Through all walks of life at every point in my life I have been blessed with knowing wonderful people.

11. My family. I am blessed to have such a great family. My immediates, My grands, and my in laws. All wonderful people!!

12. Health. Not just for me, but my whole family is very healthy. Thank goodness!

13. My hubby. Probably most important. He keeps me grounded, is great fun to be around, and is always a source of comfort. We balance each other well.

There are probably many more things I could come up with to be thankful for (I have such a great life!), but these are the tops for now.

What are you thankful for?

Physician advocate

My husband asked me a question that I thought was very true today. He said that there are a ton of patient advocate groups. Different places where patients can go if they feel they have been treated wrongly, and launch a complaint. But what about physicians? There doesn't seem to be any kind of organization which fills the same role for us. No one cares.

The only group that has any semblance of that is the CMPA (Canadian Medical Protection Agency), and personally I don't find them helpful. Oh yeah, they are really good when it comes to defending us in court (most often they win, and if they don't think they can, they settle), but they are not very touchy-feely. The one time that I had to contact them about a case that I thought had gone wrong (through no fault of my own, as I was a resident), all they told me was "not to talk to anyone about this". There I was a first year resident feeling afraid and alone, and terrible about the outcome, and that was all they could say? Thanks. Thanks a lot.

So why is that? Do patients really not value what we do? I don't believe that is the case. Are all physicians so bad? I don't believe that either. Or is it our system of a mostly non-litiginous based society (versus the States), where patients feel they need someone to complain to because they don't want to take it all the way to the courts? I don't know, but it doesn't sit well with me.

We work hard. We have given up the best years of our lives studying and working hard to become the best physicians we can in order to give our patients the best care. In the years where my other friends were getting married, having babies, and beginning to advance in their careers, I was stuck in a classroom for 8 hours a day, and then would study for at least another 4 more. And no, not for the average 3-5 years it takes for most people to get a degree, but for 14 years! OK, sure I am whining now. Was it worth it in the end? Sure. Am I happy doing what I am doing? Absolutely. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

But really, when someone who is SO good at their jobs gets a complaint from a patient (and farther up even) that was in NO WAY below the standard of care, that is just sad. No, this wasn't me who had the complaint launched, but I feel for that person. I feel like we really give up a lot for our patients (long years, long days, long hours, lack of sleep, lack of any kind of recognition), and we all do it willingly for THEM. So, really, where are OUR advocates?!