Toe Nail Cutting Appointment
[ Thursday July 20th 2023 at 1:18 pm ]
The toe nail cutting in / of itself was straight forward. I am not prone to sores. I don't have diabetes resulting in the classic feet related ailments. When I am soaking in the bath with really warm water to help my legs be comfortable my feet are cleaned. It is only toe nail cutting that I need. It doesn't take long to help me.
The nurse who does foot care also does wound care. The management have asked her to not book appointments with patients like me. There is an increase in wounds. I suppose it is summer time and people injure themselves. From what I'm sensing they seem to be struggling with staffing. I am not yet convinced that it is the facility itself. It seems emblematic of the shortage in doctors and nurses or possibly burn out from the stress endured courtesy of the pandemic.
Instead she is now doing same day appointments for the patients who only need help cutting their toe nails. She is keeping track of the time frame when the next natural appointment would be. I live close enough to the facility being called to ask if I would be available the same day does work. I had offered this to her during my first appointment. I am not particularly bothered by this. It takes me all of 5 minutes to arrive there. She regularly has patients who aren't prioritizing their wound care over other commitments in life.
The problem with this potentially arises in 2024 when the 10 year lease of the facility is up for renewal. I see evidence that makes me question if the owner of the facility is suitable maintaining the building and things like parking lot lighting. I perceive that there could be a desire to relocate. But practically speaking I don't know where else they could locate within the city that has the same square footage and sufficient parking for both staff and patients. When they started in 2014 the services on offer required a large facility. The pandemic caused some programs to become remote (such as using Zoom).
If the presently elected Ontario Government doesn't provide the funding needing I see how some programs could permanently become remote or even more extreme would be if the doctors disband into their own medical practices. I presently don't have a lot of confidence with the way the elected officials had wanted to merge the various Public Health Units located throughout the Province of Ontario only to turn around and desperately need them for managing the pandemic. I think too many decisions have been short sighted. I honestly don't know what will happen in 2024 with their lease or what impact this will have on my own health care.