I thought you guys would appreciate this.

While Canada has a reputation for “free universal healthcare”, every actual Canadian will want to explain to you how it’s not actually free. We pay for it with our income taxes (in some provinces we even get a separate bill for healthcare, though, it’s not nearly as high as what I’ve seen insurance rates cost in the US), there’s a lot that isn’t covered (medication, dental, and eye care) and for what is covered, if it’s not a dying-right-now screaming-in-pain emergency, you have to wait for it. It can take a long time to get a test, or an appointment with a specialist. It’s a better system, but it’s not a perfect health care utopia.

I think I have bladder angels, helping me to navigate this process. The last time the urologist was in town, (he comes here four times per year) even though I was told it would be a three-month wait, he had a cancellation and was able to get me in on the one day in three months he was going to be in town. Cool, right?

He then fired off requests for more diagnostic tests, and the waiting would begin again. The wait for one test, happening tomorrow, was *four months long*. The plus side though, is my need for this test isn’t considered “urgent”.

It does take a whole day, and I might need another day for recovery, depending on how well I tolerate the process. What’s really cool is what just happened:

The urologists’ office called and they had *another* cancellation. I can get a second procedure completed just before I get the first test! I get a two for one tomorrow, which is great, because each appointment is a whole day’s project – a trip into town, time at the hospital, and the time spent trying not to worry about it.

In talking with the urologist’s receptionist, she said, “Wow, that never happens! People ask for it all the time! We’ll be sure to have you out in time for your second appointment.”

Lucky me. I must have bladder angels… and really nice people sending me lots of love. Through sheer luck and providence, I think I’ve already had my wait time reduced by six months.

Thank you for that.