Paging Doctor Anyone

It looks like I need a new GP. Mine came back from mat leave, only to work 1/3 time with a full client load. She will not be able to accommodate my wonky hours of availability, and my darlin' husband can't really take any more time off. Also, she's moved to the other end of the universe from here. And can I wait for 6 wks for a doctor's appointment? No, probably not. Usually I don't plan 6 weeks in advance for when I get sick.

This is a HUGE hassle, as many of you may know. There simply are no damn doctors here. Don't believe me?

There are no doctors in Victoria taking new patients. So what the hell am I going to do? I've got my ND, who is awesome, but she's not allowed to refer me to a specialist. Which is what I need. Why in the hell can't an ND refer, anyway? That's insane. It's not like the MDs are so underworked that they need me to come in there for a quick, "Oh. You need a specialist" appt.

I could gamble with a walk-in, but most of those really don't like to give referrals. They want you to come in there with a sore throat they can throw pills at, or a cut they can stitch up. Go there with "issues" and they ask why you're not seeing your family doctor. Riiiiiiiiiiight.

What really makes me mad is that we pay to educate doctors in Canada, and then they fuck off to the US where they can make big bucks. We could fix this so easily. Stay in Canada for 10-15 years or pay the entire cost of your education. Double down for people who work in rural areas.

In the meantime, I guess I'll hit the clinic on the corner, and hope I don't get Dr. Douchebag (the clown who tried to tell me I'd get no painkillers except Tylenol after my epidural wore off after the c-section, told me to eat Cream of Wheat for my anemia - I have Celiac Disease, told me I don't have Celiac Disease and to just eat the damn wheat, etc.) Because if that guy walks in, I'm not only going to need a doctor, I'm going to need a lawyer.