# Medical assistance



## whorian (10 Jun 2006)

I'm not quite sure if it's in the right topic.. feel free to move it.

Ok here's the deal. I enrolled in the RegF 8 months ago and injured myself before BMQ (wrist injury. Unable ot perform 1 single push-up since then). So they put my file on hold until it heals and until I'm ready again. Not really a big deal since I'm back to school and finishing college until then. 

Anyway, I'm having a hard time seeing good specialists and get the proper tests (MRI, etc) because of the REALLY bad public healthcare system. Maybe it's not that bad in other provinces, but I am in Quebec. Most tests I am trying to pass have a 6 months + wait time. Seriously what's up with this? Most sports injury have time to heal completely or get worse by this time. ..........Mine is getting worse everyday. Enough whinning. I'm worried about my wrist condition because I'm only 21 and don't want to be declared unfit for the army. A military career is something I've been focussing on for a while and I trained hard for it (maybe a little bit too hard). It would totally blows if this injury screws my career plans.

I'm wondering if I can ask the army for medical interventions, considering I have been sworn in but haven't completed BMQ yet. I think I'll need surgery for this one... duh. If the answer is yes, does military people get priority over civies? 


Here's an advice for recruits- don't go crazy on the push-ups before basic training.


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## beach_bum (10 Jun 2006)

Okay.  I'm a little confused here.  You have been sworn in, but your file is on hold?  What file is on hold?  Are you being paid by the military?  They sent you back to school?  If you are in the Reg F, what have the medics told you about your wrist?


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## whorian (10 Jun 2006)

I am enrolled, sworn in, but "unemployed". I receive no money from the army. My file is on hold at the recruiting center.

I've seen a few medics. One military, 2 civies. They all have differents diagnostics. Probably because they're lazy to refer me to the specialists I need to see. After a quick 2 mins talk, the military doctor sent me to physical therapy on the Valcartier Base which made the injury even worse (He obviously didn't care at all) so I decided to find another doctor in a civie clinic. He gave me the most "believable" diagnostic which is a mecanical problem with the semi-lunar bone. Although no tests has confirmed any diagnostic and he has no solution other than pain (stomach) killers.


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## paracowboy (10 Jun 2006)

well, since you obviously know more than the medics, doctors, and physiotherapists, why are you coming here?


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## whorian (10 Jun 2006)

Nice reply. anyone else?


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## beach_bum (10 Jun 2006)

Hugo said:
			
		

> I am enrolled, sworn in, but "unemployed". I receive no money from the army. My file is on hold at the recruiting center.



I've never heard of someone being a sworn in member who is not being paid before.  I have seen people who were to be sworn in, but weren't (file put on hold) due to injuries etc.  I'm not saying you aren't telling the truth, just a new one for me.

As for the Dr "not caring at all" I find this hard to believe.  Perhaps you just don't like what the medics and Drs have to say about your injury.


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## whorian (10 Jun 2006)

There's this certain time between the day you get sworn in and your BMQ date. They give you a paper and you're on "leave" for a couple days. I guess I'm still on leave but since months.

Why are you saying I'm scared of what they tell me about my injury? I'm up for anything... even surgery. Believe me, I'm so desperate. I totally care about anything they say. They just don't say lots.


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## navymich (10 Jun 2006)

Hugo said:
			
		

> *I'm wondering if I can ask the army for medical interventions*, considering I have been sworn in but haven't completed BMQ yet. I think I'll need surgery for this one... duh. If the answer is yes, does military people get priority over civies?





			
				Hugo said:
			
		

> I've seen a few medics. *One military*, 2 civies. They all have differents diagnostics. Probably because they're lazy to refer me to the specialists I need to see. After a quick 2 mins talk, *the military doctor * sent me to ...



You're asking if you can ask the army for medical interventions, then in your next post, you say that you have seen a military doctor.  What more intervention do you want?  You made the decision to see a civy doctor on your own.  Guess what? You aren't a civy anymore.  You say you are sworn in and therefore you are a member of the military.

How long did you do therapy on the military doctors recommendation?  If that was all through the military, there should be follow-ups to that.  Go back to the therapist and find out what your next route is.  To me it sounds like you are expecting a miracle (and an answer) overnight.  Not going to happen.


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## whorian (10 Jun 2006)

You seem to not understand my question. You're no doctor, and I am not. And I didn't want to go in details about the injury. I didn't ask for any diagnostic in here. I guess I just expressed myself wrong. So here is it again:

If you go through military doctors, is the process faster than civies? I'm assuming they don't have scanners and stuff on bases so they just send you back to a civie hospital?

ps- injured 8 months ago. miracle overnight?


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## navymich (10 Jun 2006)

:brickwall:

YOU are military now.  The only way that you can go through a civilian doctor is if a military doctor sends you to one.  If a military doctor feels that they do not have the equipment or knowledge or whatever, then HE will send you on to a civy doctor.  Just like you have said that he has already done.  Otherwise, you will be dealing directly with the military medical system.

and since you edited your post while I was replying, I am now editing mine to add:  why are you only bringing this up NOW if you have been injured 8 months ago?  This is definitely something that should have been brought up to CFRC, the doctor, whoever, long before now.


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## paracowboy (10 Jun 2006)

all right, Hugo, you're not making any damn sense to me. I suggest you take this up with your Base doctor. 

I'm going to move this to the medical forum. If any medical pers want to respond, feel free. Anyone else, just leave it alone. He'll either get the help he needs from a pill-roller, or the thread will wither and die.


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## George Wallace (10 Jun 2006)

Hugo said:
			
		

> You seem to not understand my question. You're no doctor, and I am not. And I didn't want to go in details about the injury. I didn't ask for any diagnostic in here. I guess I just expressed myself wrong. So here is it again:
> 
> If you go through military doctors, is the process faster than civies? I'm assuming they don't have scanners and stuff on bases so they just send you back to a civie hospital?
> 
> ps- injured 8 months ago. miracle overnight?




Your quote, (without any edit) is asking if the process faster than civilian medical services......Right?   The answer is "NO".  You will get no preferential treatment.  Now on the matter of the injury being 8 months ago, and your time in on LWOP I am assuming, may be cause for you to be assessed as unsuitable and Release medically.  It may even be worse, had you lied and not mentioned that injury before joining, which will mean you are an undesirable for the reason of lying, and subject for Release on that count alone.

Your story is so convoluted, it is hard to say what will happen.


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## Hot Lips (10 Jun 2006)

paracowboy said:
			
		

> well, since you obviously know more than the medics, doctors, and physiotherapists, why are you coming here?


 Ed-Zachary...I was thinking the same thing Paracowboy

HL


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## 17thRecceSgt (10 Jun 2006)

Hugo said:
			
		

> There's this certain time between the day you get sworn in and your BMQ date. They give you a paper and you're on "leave" for a couple days. I guess I'm still on leave but since months.



LWOP (Leave Without Pay), is that what you are on?


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## 17thRecceSgt (10 Jun 2006)

paracowboy said:
			
		

> all right, Hugo, you're not making any damn sense to me. I suggest you take this up with your Base doctor.
> 
> I'm going to move this to the medical forum. If any medical pers want to respond, feel free. Anyone else, just leave it alone. He'll either get the help he needs from a pill-roller, or the thread will wither and die.



Ack (read that after I posted).


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## navymich (10 Jun 2006)

Nemo, since you missed it the first time, here it is again: 



			
				paracowboy said:
			
		

> Anyone else, just leave it alone.



(can't believe I'm saying this) But I agree with Mud.  And no Mud, I don't think you are wrong in what you said above.


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## Hot Lips (10 Jun 2006)

From the above though...did this lad not exhaust all of those options already...or have I misread what he posted...one way or another he needs to have the injury addressed...if he will or will not be an active service member he is young and still has many years ahead of him to be an active contributory member of Canadian society...right  

See Mich you didn't totally have to agree with MudMan...lmao  :rofl:

HL


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## navymich (10 Jun 2006)

Probably not HL, but it's in writing now....LOL

As for what has been said, it seems that the injury happened 8 months ago, after he was sworn in.  The military doctor sent him to a civy for therapy, but he wasn't happy with it, and is now wondering as to his next route.


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## medicineman (10 Jun 2006)

Now I`m really annoyed - I just finished posting a big rant that didn`t show up, so now it isn`t going to be very polite.  Dude, if you`re on leave without pay, you belong to the CF, plain and simple.  As such, we are your care provider when it comes to your health full stop.  If you were in any other province, your doctor shopping could get you fined for double dipping, as you aren`t allowed to have a provincial health care card if you are in the Regular Force.

If you felt that you weren`t getting the appropriate care from your Army physician and physiotherapist, why didn`t you follow up with them to let them know things weren`t improving?  Doctor shopping only compounds problems, as things get convoluted, such as your story is now.  Of course, I`m giving you the benefit of the doubt that you were actually being compliant with the treatment you are being told to do by the physios - it`s amazing how many people blame the therapist when they aren`t doing what they need to do to get better themselves - it is a two way street.  While I`m on the subject, the advice Nemo gave you is crap.  Strangely enough, if the clinics are overbooked, they tend to refer their PRIORITY patients out to other clinics on the same priority basis.

Lastly, 8 months to wait for a wrist problem in some provinces is good.  I`ve had to beg and plead with some secretaries to to get patients of mine in to see a civvy orthopedic surgeon in a large, well served urban centre to get people seen in under 9 months for very debilitating conditions.  This is what happens when people demand free health care, then abuse it, and then elect governments that restrict the number of publically funded medical schools and graduates and then pay those grads alot less than they are worth - see a pattern forming?  As an aside, contrary to popular belief, just because the physicians are military doesn`t mean they are junk - they are often there because the military gave them a good deal on education reimbursement.  And don`t forget - 50% of all physicians, nurses, etc graduated in the bottom half of their classes - nobody is perfect.

Rant done for now.

MM


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## whorian (11 Jun 2006)

Thanks for those who responded. You might think I'm an idiot, I'm not. It's just I haven't gone through basic training, therefore I am not aware of what to do and what not to do when you're military and need assistance. I'm guessing they teach you this stuff in basic. I didn't know I HAD to go through military doctors first. I don't have any military healthcare card neither nor paper that explains it. Gathering infos is hard too. The recruiting center doesn't respond any of my calls/messages and I have no unit.

So I'm gonna go back to the CSV Valcartier Health Center, no uniform on, and look like a complete idiot again. 

I wasn't expecting such mean answers, but I appreciate the time you took to answer me.


Peace.


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## 17thRecceSgt (11 Jun 2006)

Hugo,

Don't take stuff too personal...you will, in time, get some thickers skin.   ;D  Alot of us on these forums take for granted the stuff we know and take for granted every day, and also would assume (as I did) that all this stuff would have been explained to you some time ago.

Go to Val HC.  Talk to the staff/med tech/nurse/Doc, let them know your concerns, be cool about it.  I have had the same sort of thing happen, and went back to the NP and said my peace, but cool and rationale about it.  Ranting and raving and telling people they don't know what they are talking about/doing will only slam doors shut in your face.

The CF is your primary care provider now.  And so begins the never-ending learning process every CF member goes thru.  Enjoy the ride!


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