Remote and forgotten??

[LivinOnAPrayer]

Hi. We live in Blackwater in Central QLD. Its a small mining town 200k west of rocky. Although the place is big enough to have a woolies (and thats it), we dont seem to be getting much medical help out here at all!

The hospital is tiny with only 12 beds (including er) and the helipad im sure is bigger!!

Anyways, so there is sometimes only 1 dr on, and next to no specialists that visit monthly. Out of those, very few (maybe 2) are trained in peadiatrics and only very minimally.

My DD is 18 months and has had problems since birth. I used to love our town and our home, but now im really beginning to despise it. I hate feeling that way, I want my DD to grow up in a small place...

Does anyone else feel like a lack of services is pushing you out of your home??
My DH has applied for the army, as our ticket out of here

[Rah]

Just wanted to say Hi.:wave: I grew up in Blackwater, and although alot of people don't like it, I enjoyed growing up there. Just wanted to give you :hugs:, sorry that it is so hard getting the support that you and bubs need. Can you travel into the Emerald Hospital? or don't they have the resources you need either?

Considering to move towns is a big decision to make, I wish youall the best with whatever you decide.

[subaruforestermum]

My uncle lives in Blackwater, and has 3 children. They have lived there since 2 of the kids were babies, and the eldest son has had some pretty major problems, but they just travelled to a bigger hospital suitable for the surgery he required, none of it was emergency!

I live in suburbia at the moment, and yet we find it hard to get to see a doctor, as they are always fully booked out. And the hospital emergency wards, well dont get me started.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the health system is pretty sh!t no matter where you live.

I cant wait to move to my rural community. Peaceful and tranquil. Only 1 doctor out there and hospital will be just under an hour away, but we dont often need those services!

Is your DH happy with using the army as a scape goat for moving?? That's a pretty big decision in itself I think.

[Nex]

Living in a small town is only any good if you are extremely healthy. Just don't dare get sick or need regular medical attention!

It sucks...but I kind of understand it. It's hard to attract Dr's to an area where their earning potential is limited.

I sympathise, I'm in a small town too, and while we are only 3 hrs from Brisbane, having to get to and from there for my IVF last year nearly drove me insane!

At one stage I was having to go to Brisvegas every 4 days! A whole day written off to see a Dr for a 20 min appointment!

[M O P]

I too live remotely but am absolutely spoilt as we have a RFDS clinic once a month about 25 mins away and the Broken Hill hospital & RFDS base is only 1 & 1/2 hours away.

I am also lucky that in SA if you have to travel over a certain distance you can receive a travel subsidy.

[misskittyfantastico]

I'm on a farm three hours east of Perth and feel quite lucky with the amount of services we have. We have a wonderful GP and a very small but lovely hospital. We have a dietician, physio, dentist, eye specialist and female GP visit every few months.

I do have to travel to Perth for every OB appt and will have to birth in Perth, which I dislike but yanno, part of the deal I spose.

[LivinOnAPrayer]

Hi everyone.

Rah, we do often travell to emerald (tomorow actually!!) to see the specialists as most dont come here, just go straight to emerald. Its not too bad as a day out but even then, if we dont get answers or the help were after it feels like such a waste. Emerald and Rocky dont have the best reputations lol. Bit sad actually. So we travell to brissy often and thats a long way with a now 18month old.

Kazza, the RFDS came and got DD and I from emerald when DD was 12 days old and flew us to RCH brissy. Arent they invaluable!!! If it werent for the RFDS, id hate to think what my life would be like now.

We do get subsidised for travel when we go to brissy, although it takes a few months to come through, so ready for the next trip! lol.

subaruforestermum, your right, the health system is sh*t. Its failed us.

DD is 18 months, underweight. losing weight and not taking or tollerating feeds and its taken almost 3 months to see this pead we see tomorow, after a few cancelled appoints (on his behalf). grrrr

[Rah]

Hope your visit with the paed goes well tomorrow.:yes:

[LivinOnAPrayer]

:gloomy: Peads cancelled due to weather. APPARENTLY cant get out here.

[Bellas_mummy]

I totally hear you. I (when i am not pregnant) am a nurse at our local hospital and i think that frustrates me even more because i am well aware of the true lack of support we have out here. The local towns keep loosing doctors and they cant get replacments. To travel to a decent hospital is 2 hours and even then most of the time you need to travel on to adelaide which is another 4 hours.

I dont know what i would do if we have a sick child. We have said if they have a major illness we will move to the best place for them. But sometimes it is the little undiagnosed things that cause the most stress and heartache for the parents.

I think all we can do is make sure the local government is aware of our situations through petitions, letters to the editor etc and hope that one day things will change.

Good luck with your appointment though. I hope it doesnt get cancelled again!!!

[LivinOnAPrayer]

ttcin2007, its sad isnt it. And i do want to be a nurse but how do you do it?? I mean, how can you put up with the way you guys are treated, or not treated really?


I think all we can do is make sure the local government is aware of our situations through petitions, letters to the editor etc and hope that one day things will change.

I;ve actually contacted the local paper (actually our next big towns paper but we get that one here) and our story is running this week. I really hope that helps cause the town im talking about is also where we usually go for the appoints with peads ect, emerald, is in disaster with this flood. So im not too hopeful about thursday, we might end up just giving up and going to brissy. *sigh*

Anyways, i hope your bub is healthy as a horse and loves growing up in a small place. :)