Canadian Healthcare, Holidays, etc...

I took all four of my kids to the doctor today, for routine annual checkups (something I haven't done for several years, since our last insurance didn't cover that after the age of 2 years or something). REALLY STUPID! I usually just took my kids to the doctor when they were sick & I figured that was good enough, if we got there once a year or so (and Preston actually went a couple years without ever going, because he just didn't get sick). Anyway, with our last insurance, for a regular doctor visit, (just to be seen...a 5 minute checkup kind of thing, to diagnose bronchitis, etc., and write a prescription)...it would cost us about $80. OUCH! So if I had taken all 4 of my kids to the doctor there, I would have forked out about $320! But today...NOT A PENNY! Hooray for Canadian health care! :)

Now of course there are pros & cons to different healthcare systems, and they do take out plenty of income tax for the socialized medical care here, but I have to say that it's really nice to be able to go to the doctor and not have to spend a fortune. And I still can't believe that people will have surgery, have babies, and other medical treatments, and not pay anything! So weird, coming from the U.S. and having spent LOTS of money on medical care over the years....having 4 kids, plenty of doctors visits, 4 tonsilectomies, 1 quarterectomy (yes, really), a broken arm, and bronchitis several times, etc. It's funny talking to Canadians about what we had to pay for doctors visits, hospital fees, delivering a baby, surgeries, X-rays, ultrasounds, etc. in the U.S. They can't believe how expensive U.S. healthcare is & how much people have to pay. But then again, there are things here that we about choke when we see the price. I guess you just get used to whatever you have been around. So anyway...hooray for "free" healthcare today! :)

And while I'm on the topic of good things Canadian.... We get to have a 3-day weekend, thanks to a random holiday here in Canada. Monday is Family Day! It's a national holiday, so Neil will be able to stay home & have fun with us! We are going to take the kids swimming at one of the community pools, go to lunch, maybe see a movie or go bowling. Just have lots of fun & make the most of our extra day off! When we moved here, some of the people were joking with us, saying that the Canadians really love their holiday breaks, so they've come up with some random holidays (usually on a Friday or a Monday), so that we have a 3-day weekend almost every month. I LIKE THAT!!! :)

And the best thing about being here is that Neil loves working for Sobeys, loves his boss, loves the environment, etc. It has been a GREAT move for his career and for our family. This week he was at a big International Food Safety Convention in Orlando, Florida. He was there with his current boss, and also met up with his previous boss from Walmart. They had a nice chat. And Neil was able to visit with a lot of people he worked with at Walmart in Bentonville and Internationally, as well as others that he's worked with in the food safety industry. Many of them came up to him & said that they missed working with him & wished him the best & were happy for him, with his new postion as VP of National Food Safety for Sobeys. A couple even said that in all the years working with him, they've never seen him so happy. THAT is the best thing about living here in Canada! :)