This is the newest member of our extended family who was born two weekends ago, the first child for her parents. I am being careful to be as vague as possible to ensure privacy. Months before they were born a heart defect was identified which would require corrective surgery almost immediately. A complication was that mother went into labour a month early so this precious soul weighed 5.5 pounds at birth. Within a day it was established that their heart wasn't up to the challenge and six-hour surgery took place through the night at Sick Kids hospital in Toronto. While the surgical team felt it went well, two weeks later literally every assisted heartbeat is being monitored.
We Canadians live in an astonishing country. Not only is this world-class care, the parents won't have to fight with an insurance company over coverage or risk bankruptcy over the costs.
We are all attempting to fathom the madness of the Mob Boss in Chief from across the border affecting every sphere of our lives. There has been a lot of clever, defiant humour and it has been good to laugh out loud. There has been a fair amount of chest-thumping and patriotism as well. We put up our Canadian flags when the former prime ministers invited us to do so.
As worthwhile as this has been, a fragile newborn getting the best of care speaks to me more of what I hope for in this our "home on native land." Canada has become an increasingly secular nation in many respects and Americans tend to wear their brand of Christianity on their sleeves. This is a good time to remind ourselves that universal health care was a dream brought to fruition by Tommy Douglas, an immigrant from Scotland. Douglas was a Baptist pastor who became one of those dreaded "socialists" and changed our country based on his gospel convictions. Back in 2004 he was voted the Greatest Canadian in a national competition in which the Not-So-Great One was number 10. Sure, the list was all men, nearly all white, so we could do better. Still, I love that an immigrant socialist is considered our greatest citizen.
That photo, above, reminds me of what Canada is about. I don't mind the "elbows up" meme as a statement about our feistiness but "arms around" works for me even better.
2 comments:
Prayers for your wee one, David . My first great grandchild was in a similar situation, and needed open heart surgery at the ripe old age of 9 days - she is thriving now, 8 years later, but will need more surgery later... regular visits to CHEO are needed to monitor her heart. Canada is the best place to live !
Judy, you know well the experience of living between anxiety and hope when a helpless, tiny soul struggles for existence. As I write the surgeons are closing up this child's chest, a crucial step on the road to recovery.
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