Like much of the community, The Fitzhugh is ill.

The office has been transformed into a clinging, clanging caucophony of coughing and wheezing. Alternating between sweats and chills, we schizophrenically wear toques while sweating up a storm.

Weird potions are passed around in hopes of achieving some level of consciousness, and the over/under on hours of consecutive sleep comes in at a depressing three. We’re getting creative in our illness fighting, as bottles of Xango and oil of oregano sit alongside the Tylenol, Neo-Citron and the rest. But if this persists much longer, I suggest we sacrifice a chicken. One of these mountains around here has to be a God of healing.

The knowledge is we’re not alone. Much of Jasper is battling flu-like symptoms, and I’m sure we’re not the only ones to blacken the windows. Being such a close knit community, such germs spread quickly.

I’ll plead guilty for bringing germs back from Canmore, however I’m sure there is some way we can blame our three staffers who are currently out of province. 

But as much as we can lay blame on who made who sick, all we really want is an end to this germ-ridden office. 

So it was with great interest I attended the Jasper health advisory committee meeting on Friday. Finally some answers! The topic of the day was a meeting with MLA Robin Campbell to create a transportation system for patients to reach appointments in Edmonton. Great! I thought. Sign me up! Specialists in Edmonton can help me, and I really shouldn’t drive in my condition. Nor should I subject someone to three-and-a-half-hours in a car with me.

But MLA Campbell had no easy answers. He said he won’t have an answer until spring. While he supported the program, he kept mentioning the bottom line. No guarantees. Maybe good news in the spring.

While Alberta’s health care system has seemed to be under some form of review since I arrived two years ago, and long before then I suspect, such an answer can dishearten.

There are a number of positive services offered in the Jasper medical community, however when asking for more from the province, there is a concerning response: be happy with what you have.

Now that used to work on me as a child, but as a voting citizen hearing stories of seniors and vulnerable members of society spending thousands of dollars just to reach medical appointments, it doesn’t cut it. I am happy if my tax dollars are spent helping the less fortunate reach their medical appointments. I’m happy if they’re spent getting me to appointments.

Unfortunately, the be happy with what you have attitude keeps many from asking for the services they need. And when services they used to use are clawed back, do they have a reason to be happy?

Health care is a $13.5 billion dollar business in Alberta. We spend more per capita than almost everyone else in the nation. So when we have an idea, and a good one to boot, the powers that be in Alberta Health Care should help make it happen.