Online doctor's apppointment is the new norm

I noticed last May 20, 2020 (Wed) that I was running out of Metformin (my maintenance medicine for diabetes). I sort of panicked, I had no choice but to give 'online doctor consultation' a try.

Actually pino-prolong ko talaga eh. Few weeks ago pa dapat ako nagbook ng appointment pero dahil may hesitation ako, I called my pharmacist and asked if they could give me an 'emergency prescription refill.' Pwede kasi yun kung ang request mo eh yung maintenance meds mo talaga. Binigyan naman ako pero good for two weeks lang (normally for 30 days eh), then the pharmacist instructed me nga to get a new prescription via call or video appointment.

By the way, wala na nga pala kaming family doctor kaya floating kami ngayon. Our doctor Dr. Sahil Jain, who I really like and feel very comfortable with, went back to Toronto na yata for good. We thought temporary lang, na magpa-paternity leave lang siya nang medyo matagal, but then the other doctor at their clinic advised me to look for another family doctor na. Hay, ang hirap! Tapos natapat pa na pandemic, nag-semi close ang mga clinics. Nandito na rin kami sa Aldergrove ngayon kaya dapat dito na kami makahanap ng new doctor, kaso nga alanganin pa dahil hindi advisable pumunta sa mga clinics at hospitals ngayon (unless emergency) dahil sa Covid-19.

Hence, the proliferation of virtual clinics. Kahit naman daw sa Pinas uso na rin ang online consultation.

Grabe talaga ang hesitation ko sa online consultation, ewan ko ba. Mas gusto ko syempre ang face-to-face. Pero dahil prescription lang naman nga ang kailangan ko, walang ibang magagawa.

I've been seeing a lot of "doctors online" sites dito sa BC (just google online doctors canada/BC) pero dahil itong VivaCare ang medyo familiar sa akin (dahil nagki-clinic sila sa mga Walmart), sige ito na lang.

Ang dali lang palang magbook. You just need to ready your Personal Health Number (PEN). Pili ka lang ng date at time na gusto mo. Sobrang daming available dates and time, hindi kagaya ng sa physical clinics na pahirapan magbook. I chose a 3:45pm appointment the following day (May 21). I just chose the "prescription" option nga pala tapos nilagay ko yung mga medicines na kailangan ko.

NOTE: If you're not a BC resident, they will charge you $150 pala for the consultation. Shaiks!

 I received an email afterwards, providing me a meeting link.

The next day, I received another email reminding me of my appointment.

And 28 minutes before my appointment, may reminder na naman via text. 

Tapos after aroun 3:35, may nagtext again, saying: "the doctor is available now." I was waiting na rin naman so clicked the meeting link in the email.

I first talked to a receptionist/nurse who just verified if I am indeed Celeste Blanco. Tapos tinransfer nya na ako sa virtual waiting room. A few seconds later, kausap ko na ang doctor, who I thought will be female (kasi babae ang name ng assigned physician sa email eh).

The consultation only took a few minutes. After saying hi and hello, he just asked me kung kelan pa ako nagstart magtake ng Metformin at kung may allergy ako sa mga gamot na nirequest ko (I also asked for my cholesterol meds). He also asked me kung ano ang current blood sugar ko, I answered that I haven't had it checked yet because I am afraid to go to the lab. But I am sure that it is high because I've been eating a whole lot more during this quarantine period.

And it's done, ifoforward nya na raw yung prescription to my pharmacist. I put my pharmacy details nga rin pala when I booked my appointment. I chose the pharmacy located insider our kapitbahay-grocery store Frescho para malapit lang.

Before we hang up nga pala, I asked him if he could access my file kasi may gusto akong itanong about my gallstone surgery (Yep, I have gallstones! Ang daming sakit noh?). Ang sabi nya walang access ang telehealth doctors sa ibang health records namin. Ganun pala yun.

Hay nakatapos din! The experience was not as 'dreadful' as I thought it would be pero syempre mas gusto ko pa rin ng normal face-to-face consultation. Pero baka nga ito na ang "new normal" talaga sa ngayon. But I admit na mas madali ito kung prescription refill lang ang kailangan, ang bilis eh. Walang kahassle-hassle. Very accessible din ang doctors, kahit within the day pwede.

I called on the pharmacy after and asked kung naforward na sa kanila yung prescription ko. Yes daw. I asked my husband to pick up my medicines na lang para hindi na ako lalabas. So easy!

NOTE: We actually don't pay anything for our prescription medicines. Pinapaluwalan lang namin tapos pinapa-reimburse online sa health insurance provider namin. Ia-upload lang ang receipts tapos after a few days, papasok na sa bank account namin yung reimbursement. =)

Reduced MSP Premiums

As I have mentioned in this post, we British Columbia residents pay monthly MSP (Medical Services Plan) rates "which help meet a portion of the costs of  BC's health care system." We were being charged $150 per month (for two adults). I actually dislike the idea of paying these premiums kasi wala namang ganito sa ibang provinces, dito lang yata meron.

Buti na lang that starting January 2018, they reduced it na by 50%, kaya $75 na lang ang charge samin kada buwan. Thanks to the Liberals, lol.

Whew, we will save a total of $900 in a year. Sobra sobra na yan pambayad sa kuryente. Malaking bagay talaga. I hope magtuloy-tuloy na kasi they have plans of totally eliminating MSP premiums later on.

Sana marami pang good news ang dumating this 2018!

D-Day -- August 16, 2017

Hello! Yes, I am still alive.

I just have diabetes. *sigh

I'd probably never forget August 16, 2017 (aside from it being my BFF Raxie's birthday). It was my D-day, the day I learned that I have diabetes.

Parang deja vu. Three years ago (August 2014), I was diagnosed din with gestational diabetes.
Then three months after giving birth (February 2015), pre-diabetes naman. As I have said in my previous posts, ine-expect ko na rin naman na magkaka-diabetes ako. Both my parents are diabetic at napakalaking factor talaga ang family history sa pagkakaroon ng ganitong sakit.

It's just that I am only 37 years old (38 on August 27).

I only have myself to blame for this. I abused myself. I had a very unhealthy lifestyle. Despite the "warning" of pre-diabetes, I continued to eat a lot and live a "tamad" life. Di na rin ako bumalik uli sa family doctor namin sa Edmonton para magpa-check up. If I remember it correctly, they mailed me two laboratory requisition forms and I just ignored them. Sa isip ko, saka na lang. We were so busy then with our pending move here in BC kaya hindi ko siya pinriority. Tsk. Akala ko rin kasi mga 5-10 years pa bago mag-fullblown ang diabetes ko.

I also did not listen to my body and to those symptoms that I felt -- extreme fatigue/lack of energy, weight gain, frequent urination, blurred vision, numbness in my hands, frequent infection (UTI), many "low sugar" episodes.

Kaya nasa huli talaga ang pagsisisi.

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The doctor was 'apologetic' when he told me the bad news. Diabetes is a lifelong disease so I would have to deal with it for the rest of my life. Again, I am only 37.

I honestly wasn't expecting him to tell me that I have diabetes. Ang dami dami ko ng inisip na pwedeng sakit ko because of my stomach pains, pero never nga nag-occur sa akin na diabetes ang sasabihin niya. Ang tagal ko na kasing may problema sa tummy. Almost two decades na siguro.

Kaya nung sinabi niya sa akin na, "I am sorry but you have diabetes," ang unang pumasok talaga sa isip ko ay "hay, buti hindi cancer."

Later na lang nagsink-in sa akin na ang hirap hirap magka-diabetes, forever na talaga ito.

After texting my husband, who of course was shocked as well, I cried. Umiyak ako dahil sa regrets. Umiyak ako dahil nga panghabambuhay ko ng dadalhin ang sakit na ito. Umiyak ako dahil siguradong nabawasan na ang buhay ko (kawawa naman ang asawa at anak ko). Umiyak ako para sa mga pagkaing di ko na pwedeng kainin. Umiyak ako para sa malaking pagbabagong ito sa buhay ko/namin.

After wallowing for just a few minutes, I calmed myself. Ayoko ng mag-dwell sa negative. Inisip ko na lang na hindi pa naman katapusan ng mundo. Hindi lang naman ako ang may diabetes. In fact, one niece of mine (daughter of my first cousin who is also diabetic) was also diagnosed last month, and she's only 29. We also have one employee in the Philippines who is the same age as me who has it. Manual pa ang trabaho nun ha, kaya sagana sa "exercise."

Ang sabi ko na lang sa sarili ko, it's about time na rin naman na baguhin ko ang lifestyle at eating habits ko. At saka gusto ko ring pumayat kahit papano.

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So here I am today, feeling a little bit better than week ago. I've been instructed by my doctor to test my blood sugar every morning (after I wake up). He also prescribed Metformin and Glyburide for me to take. My numbers are good so far, kasi talagang on low carb diet na ako.

It isn't easy. Everyday is a struggle to get better. Ang daming adjustments and challenges. Pero sige lang, kakayanin.

I still have an ultrasound on September 9. I can feel na may ibang problema pa ako other than diabetes because my stomach is still not well. Sana naman hindi grabe. =(

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D-Day = Diabetes Diagnostic Day

I am sick

I am sick. I haven't been feeling well for a couple of weeks now. I am scared, I can feel that this is something serious.

I actually went to a walk-in doctor already last July 24 for my stomach pain but I was told that I need a family doctor who could request tests for me. He just prescribed antibiotics because I suspected that I had UTI. They didn't even test me for it.

Since then, the state of my stomach has fluctuated. There were days that the pain is manageable, and there were times that I just wanted to die. I was actually hoping to get a Filipino family doctor so I was indecisive to go to the clinic near our place that accepts patients. But because I couldn't take the pain anymore last weekend, I promised myself I'll have myself checked. The hell with my fears, I have to get better.

August 14, 2017 (Monday). Bringing Nathan with me,  went to see the doctor after lunch. I was lucky he had no scheduled appointment that time so he was able to see me immediately.

He asked several questions and briefly examined my side stomach. He then handed me several papers and instructed me to have some blood works and ultrasound done. He also gave me a prescription for acid and gas pain.

I asked the receptionist on where the nearest laboratory is. Hay, I feel like starting all over again. I am already familiar with medical procedures in Edmonton, eto panibago na naman dito sa BC.

There's a lab at the back of Sheraton Hotel daw so I googled it if it's walkable. I wanted to finish my blood works as soon as possible. It was only a 13-minute walk (1.3km) daw so off we went.

It was sunny (but thankfully not that hot). While walking (and pushing the stroller), a lot of mixed thoughts have run in my mind.

Mamamatay na ba ako? Kawawa naman ang anak ko, ang liit pa niya.

Paano pag ooperahan ako? Paano na kami? Sino na mag-aalaga kay Nathan? Kelangan ko sigurong umuwi sa Pinas pag ganun.

Kawawa naman ako, naglalakad ako. Eh me sasakyan at nakakadrive ako sa Pinas. Hindi ako maglalakad sa initan doon.

Ano nga ba ginagawa ko dito sa Canada? Ba't nga ba ako napunta dito?

Sayang, sana nasa Edmonton na lang kami. Marami akong kaibigan doon na dadamay sa akin. 

Tsk, tutusukin na naman ako. Ang sakit nun. Di talaga ako masasanay sa tusok tusok na yan.

Sana Pinoy na lang ang doktor ko para mas ma-explain ko sa kanya ang dinaramdam ko.

Tiyak mahaba ang wait time sa ultrasound. Tsk, kung nasa Pinas ako tapos na agad ito at alam ko na agad ang results kasi nga Radiologist mismo ang pinsan ko. Siya na ang magu-ultrasound sa akin.

"Libre" nga ang health care dito sa Canada kaso pahirapan naman. Paras mas ok pa rin magkasakit sa Pilipinas kapag me pera ka.

Gusto kong umuwi sa Pilipinas. Gusto kong makasama ang Nanay ko.

I received a call from the doctor's office this morning. They now have my lab tests results and the doctors want to see me. I am going there in an hour.

I am so nervous. It's good that my good friends in Edmonton (Mylene and Joy) are cheering me up.

My ultrasound schedule is on September 9 pa. Ang tagal pa. :(

Medical Services Plan of British Columbia

We moved to Surrey, British Columbia last October 2, 2016. Unlike in Alberta where you are covered the moment you moved there, we had to wait for 3 months to be eligible for BC's health care.

Just a few weeks ago, my husband informed me that we are already "covered." (By the way, I had to write to Health BC to explain why my son and I will be 'away' from BC for five and a half months). I was grateful but 'disappointed' at the same time.

Why, we have to pay $150 per month as premium for our Medical Services Plan!

Waaah! Another reason why I want to go back to Edmonton.

Bigla talaga kasi akong nanghina. I mean, on top of additional 7% provincial tax on goods, eto at me additional monthly bill kami. We are now paying the maximum premium (for those with above $42,000 net income) of $75 per adult (hence, $150). We don't have to pay for Nathan as there are no premiums for children under the age of 19.

Ford argues na meron din namang "bayad" talaga ang health sa Alberta, naka-imbibe lang sa income tax. Mas mababa daw ang income tax sa British Columbia.

Oh well, we will find that out this April when we submit our income tax returns. Pero sa ngayon, hindi ko pa talaga masabing gusto ko na sa BC.

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NOTE: I consider $150 a 'big' amount already. When you are living in Canada (especially on a single income), every dollar counts.