Bird Talk

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, Today I am writing as a self-appointed poster boy for prostate cancer awareness, to male snowbirds across Canada. Many of your readers are men, probably well over 55 who may have sons or male relatives in the 40 plus age group. My message is short. Men, start testing for prostate cancer early. […]

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, I have just spent 2 weeks in one of our Ontario healthcare facilities. I had a really hard time realizing that we are in the 21st century because sometimes in the ward it was like the dark ages. My wife had a double bowel resection. The operation was a success; the care […]

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, I read the letter from a member that included a letter from their physician saying he was quitting practice because he could no longer tolerate the conditions under which he had to work for OHIP (Spring 2005, Issue 54). Obviously, the reasons are very disturbing though it has to be said in […]

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, There has been a drastic increase in Medicare premiums for alien permanent residents (formerly Green Card holders) in the United States. This affects persons over the age of 65 such as myself and my wife. For the past ten years I have been paying a premium of $340.00 per month, annually $4,080. […]

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Sir, In the winter 2000 issue you had an article under Health & Wellness pertaining to the procedure “percutaneous vertebroplasty” which was administered to your mother for an osteoporosis condition. I would be interested in knowing what the lasting results of this treatment were. Yours Truly, Ivan E. Smith Response: This is the toughest […]

Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk: I have just received via snail mail the winter issue of CSA News. The article on Prostate Specific Antigen Test (PSA) is, in my opinion, probably the most important article I have seen in the News. Hopefully it will save many lives because I know that the PSA test was the main […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, In the spring issue of CSANews, Mr. Quigley, in his article “What Does it Really Cost?,” refers to “slimy lawyers.” apparently, to Mr Q., any lawyer who tries to collect money owed to a client is slimy, whereas health insurers who will use every trick in the book to avoid paying claims […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017.

Gentlemen: It’s really a shame that fuel economy means so little to automobile manufacturers, when so many people are conscious of how much their own cars are giving in mpg. I personally think they should spend a little more time on economy instead of on 0-60 speeds, top speeds, power that is useless, and bulk […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, Neighbours from Kelowna recently arrived in Hemet, California and e-mailed to say that the customs officer asked a new question: “Show me your Visa statements to prove that you have been in Canada for six months.” Our neighbours didn’t have the hard copies, but offered to pull up the details on their […]

Posted date : Nov 4, 2017.

Dear Bird Talk, When reading the article regarding the “death of four Canadian soldiers” included in the “from the desk of the late Don Slinger,” I felt moved to write a comment regarding the Canadian involvement in the Second World War. I was born in the Netherlands, in the Hague. And I lived through the […]