My adventures getting routine bloodwork and medication refills in Ottawa

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My crazy adventures just need to be documented with random pictures of Ottawa sometimes. I have hypothyroidism so I routinely get blood work done at least once a year sometimes every six months to ensure I have the right dose of medication. This has been the most interesting session I have ever had. I’m currently waiting for someone to fax my requisition because they lost it.  Let’s go back. It’s very difficult to get a family doctor in Ottawa. I am very lucky to have a retired doctor. He only works in the office for half a day once a week. This timing conflicts with my work meetings but I took a couple hours off to go to the appointment as I’m on my last refill. I also wanted to talk to my doctor. I arrived for my appointment and it’s often the case where I have to wait. I waited for quite a while in the waiting room which is normal there are other doctors at this clinic so can’t tell what the wait for my doctor is. I heard the doctor come out and staff telling him he was done for...
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Part 2 what has been happening in my life

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If you have not read part 1 you can read that here 
Part 1 What has been happening in my

My mom had moved to Ottawa before me and stayed in apartment hotel in downtown. I stayed with her for awhile. This was a hard adjustment. My mom and I were both used to living alone but close to each other. My mom had already made this her home as much as one can in a hotel. I had my own bedroom and bathroom in the hotel but no area to sit and the area was not the greatest. Ottawa is very safe but downtown is downtown everywhere especially as mental health issues and homeless populations increase due to the pandemic. The nice thing was the mall and Byward market were close by and vegan food options were easily accessible. 


I was looking for my own place but the condo market was overpriced. I found a place that had an option to rent and thought it would be a good idea to rent until after I have experienced winter here. Through connections things ended up working out my mom’s retirement home and the apartment I am renting are a block away from each other. 


I love the area and the apartment I am living in now. It is a very walkable area with lots of small businesses along with great vegan food options. There is even a farmers market and during the summer a night market. Ottawa night time is from 4-8 pm everyone sleeps at 9pm here. I love how it’s a busy area during the day and at night it is quiet. 


The view from my apartment window is amazing. Everyday it looks like a different painting. The building also has fantastic amenities like a rooftop, gym,



I really like Ottawa. When I think about the things that have happened this year it all seems very stressful. My mom and I often talk about how things have worked out great here and we keep getting connected with the right people. I hope I will have more time to write about life updates in the future as there are so many things happening. Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @livingottawalocal if you enjoy the life update series. 





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