My experience with Universal health Care

Hello

As some of you might know - I'm living in a small country in the north of Europe, in Norway - where we have universal health care for all.. And I will like to tell you all, an experience I had when I got sick a month ago. But please, bear over with me, when it come to the grammar - as some of you might know - I'm not fluent in english as it is.. and my grammar is maybe somewhat off most of the time, but I will try to write as good as I manage..

Well, a mount ago I got sick - really sick - even though I was first at my local doctor - and was given some medication for an small infection I was still sick, and was starting to be more and more sick as the week passed.. Finally at an sunday I asked my nabour to come pick me up, and drive me to the emergency room - And I guess it was time for it as I was feeling really sick....

At the emergency room - I had to fill out some paper (of course) but I managed - and had to wait for a while before I was called up and was coming in to the emergency rom for real.. When I finally got into an room where a doctor was, I was put on IV - and a lot of blood work was being doing on me - I was still sick as hell - and was rather helpless where I was laying.. After some test I was put in intensive care - the doctors was afraid I had a blood cloth in one of my lungs - so I was ex rayed and had a lot of other blood work being doing on me.. The first days was somewhat in a haze as I was on IV, got a lot of medication - They discovered I had pneumonia and a kidney that was not working at all - So I continued to be on IV for a long time, to get the kidney working properly again (it took almost 3 weeks to make it so ). But I managed at least, and was in hospital for most of 3 weeks - on medication - when my kidney was starting to work again I was taken off the IV, but they did kept an eye on me for as long as I was at the hospital.. But I did had another problem who surfaced rather unfriendly - I have a condition who can give me some problems in the joints specially the knees - as I was off my regular medication - this condition surfaced in all its pain and misery - so the hospital stay was not the most pleasant for me even as I was given painkillers to manage it all..

After almost 2 weeks, I was transported to an another hospital - across the street from where I was before - a smaller one, but who had expertise for the one problem I had with my knees ... There I was given first class service from the nurses and the doctors - who really seen to care about their patients.. And my knees also improved as they had taken out some of the inflammation who was inside the knees - and put in some medication by syringe - It was almost as a lot of pressure was coming out of the knees - and the medication they put in at least did some for the pain....

After a while they managed to get me up of the bed - first I was in a wheelchair - not able to walk at all - but after a few days as I progressed I was able to walk small distances - to the toilet - and even out in the hall sometimes - of course with help of a "preachers chair" and so one.. But after a few days I was even able to not do that, I was able to walk around with crutches - and after 3 weeks I have recovered enough to get home again.. I'm still on some medication but I am at least back home....

I'm not sure what it all would have cost me, if I had been in the US, but I fear I would have broken the bank just a few days out of the 3 weeks I was in hospital.. Thanks to Universal Health Care laws in Norway I was not broke - and I got my heath back.. I'm on the "recovering" side of my illness - and I guess I would have some fycio for my knees - and for getting rid of the crutches I must go with at the moment (not easy if you want a cop of tea!) And for the medication I had to get from the pharmacy - I paid 69 nkr for 5 types of medication... (it was on something called "blue receipt" and therefore the State take most of the cost as the medication else would have been horrible expensive for me)

This is just my experience with universal health care - I got the medical help I needed - and was given the care I was in need of having when I was sick - I am not trying to glorify or to tell how great it is - I'm just trying to explain what Universal Health Care can do when you are sick.. And it is "free" of charge - no great bill waiting when I got home - no ten of thousands of NKR in debt and so one.. But then again in Norway we do pay taxes according - and our tax brackets is little more steep than it is in the US I guess....


Well, this is my history, and my latest experience with universal health care in Norway - I hope one day, that even the mighty US can give their people a universal health care system where at least people is given a possibility to be well, without broke the bank...

Diclotican