My 23 y.o. g'son is French, has been studying abroad in Calgary, Canada. Yesterday he broke his shoulder snowboarding in BC, not sure where, but he has had x-rays, (I've seen them on the computer, but I don't know what I'm looking at), but I believe his friends will bring him back to Calgary. We have no idea, yet, what the details are, but he's 'OK' & doesn't know if he'll need surgery, hopefully not. He has health ins from France and maybe from the school as well, but we are concerned that he gets prompt attention. We hear so much about CA health care, I don't know what to think. I've heard that people can go to doctors not in the system and pay out of pocket. If any of you have any thoughts, we'd like to hear them, and if anyone knows of a doc in the Calgary are, that would be helpful as well. Many thanks. Betty Weiss
Betty, can you contact your grandson quickly? If so, tell him to go directly to the Foothills Hospital Emergency and have his shoulder dealt with. He will be looked at by an Emergency Room physician and referred to an orthopaedic surgeon if necessary. He should give the admissions people all his insurance coverage information. I would guess he would have health insurance coverage if he's attending the University of Calgary, but his French coverage should cover him as well.
I used to work at Foothills - it is a very good hospital - it is attached to the University of Calgary Medical School and also the Tom Baker Cancer Center.
Bar-bra - Many, many thanks. Don't know just where g'son is, he may be back in Calgary, but I've sent your info to his Mom & she will contact him. It's good to at least have an idea of what is happening. Somehow it just makes me feel better. We're in Los Angeles, but daughter will go there if it's very serious & he needs surgery. We just don't know yet. I'd think the University & the entire area is all too familiar with these types of injuries. Kids! Why don't they just collect stamps! Betty
I think it's called "Adrenaline Junkie"...like me. I just never outgrew my obsession with exciting, dangerous sports. I've had lots of injuries because of it.....hence my nickname I've earned, "Stunt Girl". For real. No stamp collecting here. Hope your grandson is okay. Some things they don't do surgery on, surprisingly. Jen
Finally have an update on g'son's broken collarbone--I think it's the collarbone. We've become so used to instant contact that it was difficult being unable to know what was going on, but he's back in Calgary now, has seen the doc near the university and will go back periodically for check-ups. Don't know if there will be surgery, likely not, but they don't decide for a few weeks. Got a short email from him that he's OK & will take care of himself--either he typed w/his left hand or someone did it for him. It's just comforting to know that there's a reliable doc in Calgary he can see--thanks so much Bar-bra. It's going to be a rough few months in school for him, no driving & missing all the snowboarding week-ends he had signed up for, but I'm just grateful it's no more than that.
Stunt girl - I know about the adrenaline junkie personality, not exactly one myself but have done a few things on occasion that were not the brightest, but we were in auto racing for several years, son was the driver, DH the mechanic & I was the worry wart. It really was great fun, and in some ways I do miss all the excitement. Watched the Olympic snowboarders last night then saw the other g'son off this morning to snowboard for the week-end.
DH & I had lunch in the village at Whistler years ago, high tea in Victoria, did BC by train, wonderful journey. Went to the Montreal Olympics when daughter was a teen-ager, fabulous city and love Quebec. When daughter moved to France, I went to Jonquiere for a summer immersion course in French--which I speak slowly, badly & haltingly, just enough to get into trouble. So all of this has brought back many fond memories of Canada.