what do I know about socialized medicine?  i don’t have much inside knowledge but I know that the system has been vastly underfunded, understaffed, and underpaid and that what keeps them going is a determined dedication to their task.

i also know that they are as organized as possible under these circumstances.  maybe my gp doesn’t have more that 5 minutes to give me in a visit, but if i write him with a specific question he answers me, sends me the prescription i need, and refers me to a specialist if i need it.  he’s got all the information he needs to treat me most of the time, and if not, he calls me in.  he knows i’m a stubborn bitch and works with that.  he is also in charge of the ward i was hospitalized in last summer and made sure i got out of there as fast as possible. 

my daughter is a therapist in the system and since all of us are going crazy now she’s working long and painful hours.  her kids are home and she’s at the clinic comforting strangers.    And people really need it!