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Sipdown (353)

I decided to try to go to a walk-in clinic in London because my cough has gotten pretty bad and so I mustered up some energy to go over. Except when I got there and gave my health card to the person at reception, she told me my card was likely invalid since it is an older version of the Ontario health card that is being phased out. I told her I haven’t gotten a letter to update it yet and that they are being accepted until July 2020. She put the info into the system and when the card came up invalid, she just looked at me and basically said “I told you”. She then told me it would be $50 to see the doctor and when I offered my credit card, she told me they only accept cash and the closest ATM is at the Shopper’s Drug Mart across a busy main road.

Given that I am sick, I didn’t have the energy to (1) attempt to dodge traffic and run across a busy road or (2) walk the block to get to a light to cross the road and walk down the block to the Shoppers and then circle back again to return to the clinic. So instead I just went home.

My sister took pity on me and sent her husband to come get me. Then this morning, my brother took me to a walk-in clinic by my sister’s place. Initially my health card came up as invalid at this clinic too. However, unlike the jerk in London, this person called Service Ontario to look into the matter and it turns out the card is still valid, they just missed a letter because on my version of the card, the number is in the middle of the card but the letter is in the bottom corner.

So this very long story basically ends with me finally seeing a doctor and getting prescribed a puffer and antibiotics and lots of fluids and this tea from Roswell Strange came to mind. It’s a mild green tea which takes honey quite well so it’s nice for when you’re not feeling great. Thanks Roswell Strange for sharing. Like you, I don’t love green teas but as far as they go, this is pretty good.