So this post isn’t about travel, but it’s a story that needs to be told.
On October 24, 2018, I went to a flu clinic in the building adjacent to mine for my annual flu shot. The shot itself was quite painful, and I noted that the clinician – a pharmacist from a nearby national drug chain – had injected me high up on the arm, close to my shoulder. The pain was quite intense but it eased after about 48 hours.
I’ll make a very long story short. The pain returned about a week after the shot, and it affected daily life significantly. I saw a duty doctor in December who diagnosed nerve pain and prescribed something that did nothing for the arm but made me seriously contemplate suicide (stay away from old antidepressants). In December I saw another duty doctor with more experience. He gave me a strong anti inflammatory (and told me to stay away from anyone who wants to give me a flu shot who isn’t a doctor).
The second round of meds helped a lot with symptoms but the pain and weakness persisted so I saw my own doctor in February. She ordered an X-ray (it didn’t show anything) and wrote a referral to a local physiotherapist who she said was the best.
She was right! Andrea’s diagnosis got right to the heart of the issue and within a week or so, with some work on my part, I started to feel a lot better. I continued my visits and the exercises, seeing her for the last time on Monday of this week. Immediately afterwards, I submitted my claim to Sun Life for more than $500 in physio fees.
This morning, I received notification from Sun Life that the claim had been processed. And denied. Reason? My doctor had failed to include the word “physiotherapy” on the referral. She had gone a step too far and written the name and location of the physiotherapist she wanted me to see. It apparently doesn’t matter to Sun Life that they have this physiotherapist in their data base…that they know she’s a physiotherapist….the word must be on the prescription.
Yes, I will fight this. But I gotta tell you, I’m gonna think twice before I let anyone approach me with a needle. Unless it’s filled with something that’s gonna make all this go away…