Dear Editor:
I was very disappointed to open the Nov. 17 issue of the Rimbey Review and see yet another letter criticizing Rimbey doctors. I have visited the Rimbey Medical Clinic and Rimbey Hospital many times, either for me or one of my three small children and I have had nothing but positive experiences.
One such experience was this past spring when I suddenly became ill and was in extreme pain. I went to the emergency room late in the evening, the doctor on call saw me within minutes of my arrival. After a quick examination and tests, the doctor felt it was my appendix and called in a surgeon in Red Deer. I had emergency surgery in the middle of the night.
The next day, the surgeon in Red Deer told me I was extremely lucky the Rimbey doctor sent me in, as my appendix was already leaking and it would have ruptured before the morning. In that case, I would have been in the hospital for weeks while they tried to rid my body of the toxins. This would have left me unable to care for my children. I owe this one particular Rimbey doctor for saving me from that fate.
We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful doctors and a hospital in Rimbey. The are many places in Canada where you can't even get a family doctor. You then would have to visit walk-in clinics, where the doctors may not even know you or your history. I for one would not be comfortable with that.
People must realize that the emergency room is for just that — emergencies. It's simple, if you have a emergency, go the hospital. When you need medical attention for something that can wait a few days, make an appointment at the clinic. I don't blame doctors for refusing to see patients in emergency that clearly don't need emergency attention. It's those people who are crowding Canada's emergency rooms and endangering those who truly need emergency medical attention.
I feel for those who have had negative experiences with the Rimbey doctors and the hospital. I am not suggesting the doctors here in Rimbey are perfect — they are human. I just hope all this grumbling on the part of a few Rimbey citizens doesn't make our wonderful doctors want to say to hell with us and move to another town where they will get the appreciation that they deserve.
Natalie Evans,
Rimbey