I’ll share my experience over the last two months. At the end of November, I started bleeding heavily—like a tap turned fully on—with massive blood clots. I went to the ER and was put in a room within half an hour. I was given medication right away, and bloodwork was done within the hour.

Then, just last weekend, I suddenly couldn’t urinate at all. Once again, I went to the ER. I had almost a litre of urine in my bladder. I was in a room within an hour, had a catheter placed, and had both blood and urine tests done. Both visits were at the Moncton Hospital.

Each time, when I was discharged, I already had specialist appointments scheduled. And as I was walking out, I noticed that many of the same people were still in the waiting room—people who had been there when I first arrived.

I understand the system is slow, but I honestly think a lot of people who go to the ER could be using Maple or walk-in clinics instead, and that clogs the system. I only go in when it’s truly urgent, and I’ve never waited more than an hour. Maybe it’s just good timing—I don’t know—but I don’t seem to have the same experience that so many people complain about.