Consumed by symptoms that prevent him from living normally, a Quebecer of Ukrainian origin preferred to consult doctors in Ukraine, despite the war, as he is discouraged by the Quebec health network.
“I just want to be told if I’m going to live another five years or ten years, that I prepare myself and that I organize my life, that I make a plan”, drops André Boris, 61, with tears eyes looking at her daughter Alina, 31.
For several months, the latter has been struggling with symptoms that prevent him from living properly, such as intense fatigue or a feeling of being almost asphyxiated.
After going to the emergency room, having seen his family doctor and having passed numerous tests, Mr. Boris resigned himself to going to Ukraine, to a private clinic, to try to get answers more quickly.
It is that since May 2022, this political refugee who arrived in Canada almost 30 years ago has seen his state of health deteriorate rapidly.
He was first diagnosed with gastric reflux, then with blood pressure issues, and asked to take sleep tests. But nothing changes.
“Every time we make an appointment, we can [médecin] see that 10 minutes, I don’t have time to talk to him and be listened to. It’s disappointing, it’s frustrating”, explains, out of breath, the computer analyst who lives in Montreal.
care during war
This is why, tired of waiting in the Quebec health system, he decided to consult in his country of origin, despite the war that began in February.
“Here, taking exams can take weeks or months. In Ukraine, I pay a little, but I take the exam right away,” he says.
It is that in Lviv, in the west of the country, where Mr. Boris’s mother lives, life is almost normal. It is easy to see a doctor from a private clinic or to undergo medical examinations there.
“In Ukraine there are more and more private clinics. For an MRI, it costs about $150, whereas it would cost $1,000 in the private sector in Quebec,” he explains, adding that it will still cost him almost the same price as here because of the ticket. of plane.
Cheaper
Private clinics have become a real business, because the public system is far from being at the cutting edge of technology, explains Mr. Boris.
“Ukrainians who work outside the country can afford treatment there,” he says.
But, unfortunately, no doctor consulted there was able to give him a diagnosis, only to give him some leads, he says. And when he returned to Canada, his condition worsened.
After having passed new tests in November, this time respiratory, Mr. Boris was able to see his doctor again on December 30.
Still no diagnosis
“He thinks I’m not telling him everything, but that’s because my symptoms are getting worse fast. He prescribed me pumps which help me a little, but I am still very far from breathing normally. My doctor told me to call him back in a month or two”, he laments, adding that he often has the impression of being asphyxiated.
Still without a diagnosis, Mr. Boris does not rule out taking advantage of a future trip to Ukraine with his children to go see his mother there and return there to be examined, if he still does not know what ailment is eating away at him.
“I just want someone to tell me what I have,” he breathes.