For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 30, 2010

Seems she would have called Connie by now.

Thanks Diana for your comment in yesterday’s post.

Uh, sierramadre, this venerable strip dates back before the cell phone era when phone calls came out of the wall and you had to be near one to get a call or make one. But at least they didn’t cause brain cancer or car wrecks.

Looks like Connie is expected to check in tonight. I’m trying to figure if it would be better or worse for Elly if she’d had access to cell phones during this whole time? She wouldn’t have to wait and dread to tell, but during the whole time she was getting him taken care of, calmly, she’d have a hysterical Connie on the phone to worry about.

Truly an earlier era. I doubt that a hospital would have treated him without all sorts of forms and permissions from Connie - none of which I suspect were provided.

From the last time we saw Connie, I don’t think Elly has a big problem because Connie was in such a state from going to ‘Phil’s’ apartment that it won’t even register.

speaking of that story line. that should be an interesting scene when Connie show up at the club Phil’s playing in.

sigh…

Oh wow, I thought the irony of “not panicking” as an euphemism for “barely containing my upcoming nervous breakdown” was aplenty, if not the gist of the joke. Man I’m glad some can read so much more into it!

Bill Case–maybe not. Remember this strip takes place in Canada, where they have national health care. 90 percent of the paperwork involved with an emergency room visit has to do with the question of who will pay, not authorizing emergency treatment. In Canada, no such problem…

I didn’t even realize John had taken off his shirt! :P As for Elly’s, it’s the same, just the wrong color. :P

not completely correct, puddleglum you still need to be authorized by a child’s parent or gaurdian to give approval for treatment in order for ER staff to give treatment. when taking care of siblings children, i have always needed to have a note giving me the authority - just in case.

I wonder where Connie goes after she found the wrong house with wrong person who speaks French. Connie could have a worse ordeal than better.

Uh, ArtyG Honey, I date back before the telephone was invented. (Well, almost). Very few people had telephones in the depressed rural area where I grew up. I don’t recall having made reference to cell phones or calls that come out of the wall in my post, so I don’t know if I am being chastised or what the deal is. I still feel sorry for Lawrence, and I know that Mike wouldn’t be envious of him if he had to go through the pain and discomfort that Lawrence is experiencing. I read FBOFW for enjoyment and don’t analyze every strip, but I can identify with lots of them.

Now would be a good time to turn him over to DCF. Maybe he’d turn out normal without a cheap, absentee, tramp for a mother.

Btw, since when can anyone obtain medical help for a child that isn’t theirs?

^^^Woops^^^, after I wrote this, I see that others have already noticed that too.

I’m shocked that Elly has gone this long without opening her mouth like the Grand Canyon, and screaming “WHY ME?!?! POOR MEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

I had to do it. It’s been too long, even though this whole week took place in one cartoon afternoon.

I seriously doubt any hospital would refuse to set the bone of a child because they didn’t have a note from mom. When we go somewhere, we make sure the babysitter has the kids’ healthcards that we carry everywhere here in Canada. The hospital probably took the health card number, set his bone, and will follow-up.

Of course, it never occurs to any of you hyper-critical readers that Elly could have had the note & shown it to the doctor without it being shown in the comic strip. If she HAD shown that in the strip, you’d all be whining about the strip being boring because Lynn spent a whole day on Elly getting the paperwork done. Why do any of you even read the strip if you all hate it so much?

Yes, hospitals see kids without their mother being present. My grandson had to be taken to the E.R. because he was asthmatic, and the “babysitter” said that she was the mother of my grandson. Now this “babysitter” is the guardian of my grandchildren! Grrr..

When my nephew needed to go to emergency (in a Canadian hospital, in the eighties) I had to take him. The hospital accessed his files and stitched up his leg without question. And I’m quite sure that those records didn’t include a note that “uncle-by-marriage Steve was authorized to approve treatment.” No care card either!

Thanx Jerzy!!