A&E - Accident and Emergency

We got to see how they're screening for Coronavirus at the door of the hospitals, and no we were not there because of the virus.

The 3 girls and I had just arrived at one of the far lap pools, MsC lied down on her stomach on the pool deck, reached out to grab a floaty, over balanced and slipped in head first. She knocked her chin on the tile pool edge which sits about 6 inches below the pool deck, and split her chin wide open.

There was screaming and crying. I gathered up 3 kids, and grabbed our pool bag. Thankfully our pool stuff was still mostly in the bag. We lots most of our driving toys because we didn't even remember to check for them for 2 weeks. I carried MsI home and walked back to our house - back the over 2 bridges, past 2 wading pools, a birthday party and another lap pool where we had just come past about 10 minutes before. I guess I looked like I had it under control because no one offered any assistance to us.

MsC needed stitches. Doctor's offices had all just closed for the night so off the Hospital we had to go. We call it the ER, the Emergency Room, in Canada, but here it's A&E, Accident and Emergency. There were 3 A&E's within a 10 minute drive of our place, but we weren't sure which one we should go to. We called our Insurance, who directed us to the private hospital. MsC and I took a grab there.

We ended up at the wrong entrance to the Hospital, but after completing the COVID19 questionnaire, getting our temperatures checked and receiving our "approved for entry" stickers, someone escorted us to the A&E. This entrance also had valet parking and a giant fountain outside the door. The cars were beautiful and oh so expensive.

At A&E we were screened again, entering A&E was pretty different. We were immediately seen by the receptionist who took our insurance cards and personal information. A nurse popped MsC into a screening room, checked her chin, temperature, weight and height; while I was at reception. Pharmacy came over while I was still there and got allergies. After waiting for a few minutes in the main waiting area where there was only 1 other couple we were taken to the back to a Minor Surgery Room. A nurse stayed with us.

The doctor arrived after about 20 minutes. He said he figured about 5 stitches were required and that he could do it for about $400, but seeing as it was her face, we could have a plastic surgeon do it for $5,000.

At this point I was kind of stumped. It was my first real experience with private health care. I tried calling insurance, but they wouldn't tell me if the plastic surgeon would be covered because it was "after hours". I tried calling twice. The doctor came back and I asked him to the stitches. It was under her chin, it's a pretty hidden place.

Even calling later in the week and trying to get clarification as to whether they would have covered the plastic surgeon, was difficult. We're pretty sure they would have covered it, because the policy says they will cover anything related to an accident for 24 hours from the incident.

Bedside manner was a bit different than I'm used to in Canada. The nurse told MsC to do what the doctor told her and be "a good girl". MsC was a very good girl through 4 needles of freezing and 5 stitches. She asked me to take a video of it, but the doctor said only photos please.

Before we left we had to pay and get our prescription of medicated cream.

There was a follow up appointment to make sure it wasn't getting infected 2 days later and then the stitches were taken out about 10 days later.

All in, MsC's treatment cost $900, including the A&E visit, her follow up appointment, and then the stitches removal. We were back home before 2 hours had passed, and I think it would have been about 20 minutes faster if I hadn't had to call Insurance.

Her chin is all healed up now - Just a thin red line.