Solutions Health Care Associates- the Finale

So, I actually went and spoke to Dr. Chan at Solutions Health Care Associates He was quite open and not defensive at all. (perhaps he fears a complaint but I am going to 'assume' he was being genuine)
I told him he was negligent as the antibiotic was not helping and in fact when she came back the next day her symptoms worsened. She needed to go to the ER and I asked him why he did not refer her.
He claims he did and she did not take his suggestion. 
I asked him why she followed my recommendation to go, to which he responded, maybe because I am a woman. Of course.
This led me into discussing beside manners and perhaps he should work a little bit harder on his. It was rude and disrespectful to not help her with her bandage and arrogant to say it is not the job of an MD (then whose job is it?). I also suggested he try listening to his patients, perform proper physical exams and not simply write prescriptions.

I looked at RateMDs. I was not surprised at his poor rating. 2.8/5. ouch. I was quite happy to see my pediatrician and family doctor have excellent ratings. Just like any profession, there are the good and the not so good. I hope this MD will strive towards better.

A Walk-In Clinic on St. Clair West

I had this woman call me today in complete desperation. She had been to a walk in clinic on St. Clair West and had a terrible interaction with the MD. I knew right away who she was talking about and asked if she had gone to Solutions Health Care Associates. I had been to this walk-in clinic myself and remembered how awful this doctor was. It was my wedding day. I had strep throat and needed a quick prescription. I was educated in medicine and knew what I needed so his terrible bedside manners did not affect me.

This woman saw him yesterday in terrible pain, from what I believe is an infected site. She told me that he barely assessed her, as in he sat across the room from her and then simply sent her off with antibiotics. She woke up this morning worse and was unable to cover the wound due to restricted movement and went back to see him. She waits to see him and he tells her, that it is not the MD's job to put on a dressing and to continue with the antibiotics. She is in excruciating pain, visibly upset and desperate for help. She tried to see her family doctor but could not get an appt. for 2 weeks. Welcome to Canada and free health care.

She came to see me a few hours after him. I looked at the site and noticed how fire red it was. There was spreading of reddness with defined margins from the area, as well as it feeling warm to touch.  She was also in excruciating pain and had limited range of motion. My slightest touch elicited pain. I sent her to the ER for a proper assessment and treatment plan. I will call her tomorrow to see how she is doing. It breaks my heart that this was her experience and that our system treated her this way.  

She told me how compassionate I was. It's kind of her to say that, but really all I did was attentivley listen and genuinely try to help her. I made eye contact, passed her a tissue as she sobbed and sat beside her for reassurance. It took all of about 10 minutes. It does not take that much effort to help another person in need. I am going to approach this MD tomorrow morning to tell him negligent and hurtful he was. I'm sure he won't give a sh*t but I'll feel better.
keep you posted.....

easy home remedies

i take this herb class every thursday evening with john redden. he's amazing. his herb clinic and shoppe are called viriditas and it's amazing how much knowledge and information this man has.
here are some of the things we've been busy with.

 garlic honey

whole garlic cloves topped with organic honey. we let this sit for about a month. then strained the garlic out and were left with the honey infused garlic. 

kai had a terrible cough last week. i put dropperfuls of this into his mouth, he gladly opened, and within 2 days his cough was gone. this is a really great home remedy and super easy to make.

 horseradish

blended in the vitamix

on the left- horseradish with mustard powder and apple cider vinegar

on the right- horseradish with mustard powder, apple cider vinegar and tumeric

this stuff tastes amazing! it is a bit spicy and full of amazing medicinal qualities.

horseradish for the lungs, tumeric for its anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant/anti-cancer and liver promoting properties and mustard powder for its anti-inflammatory/immune enhancing benefits

i made a salad dressing tonight with olive oil, lemon and honey and then added a tsp of this paste into the dressing and tossed onto the salad. so easy to get into the kids this way! (mine eat salad. you can also put into rice, pasta sauce, soups and stews)

Lentil Butternut Squash Soup with Chard

this beautiful chard was the inspiration for this soup. i was at the barns on saturday for the weekly farmer's market and saw this rainbow chard. i found this recipe online which looked easy enough.

butternut squash and carrots

 leeks

 sauteed leeks, garlic, squash and carrots

 all cooked up. the chard went in at the end. i also did not use the dried herbs but at the end added fresh coriander (can't get enough of this herb!) and fresh basil.

when bella got home we decided to make pumpkin squares. i made them back here

i now put in 1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of sugar instead of the 3/4

bella basically made them herself. i measured and she poured and mixed.

 and then kai, hanging about...

i made bread? from scratch!

i got this kitchen aid mixer for my bday. i've been looking at it and wondering what i was going to make. i'm more of a healthy, one bowl mixer. so i felt intimidated by this machine. my kids love challah. i usually go down to silverstein's bakery on mccaul. this is such a great place to buy bread in this city; straight from the warehouse, fresh, no perservatives and the price is right! people don't know you can just walk in and buy bread. go there. it's amazing.
when i look at the ingredients from breads in the grocery store they contain additives, perservatives, chemicals and even food colouring. the stuff never even seems to mold. this challah is made with white flour but it is made from natural ingredients; flour, yeast, eggs, honey, olive oil, salt. that's it. simple simple.
so, my friend in the neighbourhood suggested this receipe (excluding the fig jam insertions) from smitten kitchen (i love this food blog and have tried several recipes before). i decided to give it a try. then i got a little obsessed. i made a loaf a day for 3 days. i'm in the process of perfection. i think i'm almost there.....

 the hook

 kneaded

 loaf #1

 bread and hummus (with zatar from israel)

 dinner

 huh?

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this week with Che and Fidel

A and B with baby R. it took this little one quite sometime to get to his mama and his beautiful mama waited so patiently. i am so honoured to have been able to support and help her thru fertility challenges, with great success! A and B adore this baby's mama and finally got to hold the baby this week. they are beaming!
oh Kai. nothing like a book in one hand and a pad on your foot. you do make us laugh....

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we went organic apple picking at avalon orchards

the apples are tasty just a bit weathered. 

linking up with jodi from che and fidel

here are A, B and K