Get well or die trying
My second fault is about how I don't understand the medical system. This week I had to go with my sister to the doctor's office to get a notice that she is able to perform during her sport's classes. Since I was little and she was born we were registered at the local health care office in our neighbourhood. The doctor loved us and knew everything about us. But last year she unfortunately died. Since than, my sister and I had no family doctor, though our files were still registered there. Now we moved to a bigger medical center, where you can find all sorts of doctors. First I went to a very bad family doctor to get a paper for analyses and than to a very good dermatologist. Nobody asked anything about my medical file. But when I went with my sister to the paediatrician’s office, the nurse asked me for her folder. I told her the story and she said she cannot let me see a doctor unless I have the folder, because the doctor needs to see her medical past. I went home, told my mother, and after two visits at the former medical office and several requests, she managed to get the folders, both my sister’s and mine. As we had my sister's folder, we went back to the medical office. Another nurse, another rule. They didn't actually need the folder, she only needed some information I gave her to make a new folder. I told her to also keep the old folder since we have it now and the answer was "No, it's better to keep it at home. It's safe at home!". So, not only the rules change from one day to another, but I should also understand that not even a paper is safe in that place. This is how, in one week we managed to get the medical notice for sports, that we could have gotten since the first time we went there.
After all, we had to take them from our old doctor, so it was ok. Now, personally, I am a bit confused. I have at home my medical folder with my medical past since I was born to this day and also my medical folder from school with all the vaccines I took. At the sane time I have the analyses from all the private clinics I went to and even the notice from the emergency room, from the car accident. All these are totally different papers, not related in any way or centralised in any system. I am thinking that in case anything might happen to me, they would be useful for the doctors analysing my case, because it would be easier to see where the problem starts. As I know, all the information I have at home in one plastic folder, is not centralised anywhere...a folder that tells my blood type, my allergies, my surgeries...everything. Should I carry it with me every time I leave the house, just in case? Would that make me paranoid or would it just help me in case I have a sudden accident?
I know the medical system has a lot of problems, and not only in Romania. Ana’s accident from this summer is a good example. Still, wouldn’t the feeling of at least knowing that if you have an accident you will not die because something you are allergic to might be administrated, could make people trust the system more and bring at least a superficial feeling of safeness?! Maybe I am doing something wrong...