From the moment I learned of the Royal Canadian Mounties–thanks to Dudley Do-Right when I was eight–I’ve loved the whole idea of Canada. After my first taste of Canadian Whiskey–at age 16–and more so now after my first through-the-mail drug order at age 65, I’ve got maple leaves in my eyes. The icing on the cake is their hunky Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

But, I digress… this is about the drugs. Legal ones. Hormones.

After switching to Medicare last year, purchasing a drug plan and being assured ALL of my prescriptions would be covered–including name-brand bioidentical hormones–this January, 2017, they were not covered. The insurance company would only cover two generics, and from my experience, they are inferior quality. I’m allergic to the adhesive, which doesn’t stick well, and their hormone disbursement is terrible! Without my regular hormones I felt horrid. And hungry. And bitchy. And bloated.

My dear doctor–who is young enough to be my daughter–and I went round and round with the insurance company but couldn’t convince them to pay for my hormone patches. Since patch-free is not an option for me, what was I to do? My doctor suggested looking at Canadian pharmacies.

What would have cost me $140 a month in the US, only costs $80 for three months from our northern neighbors. Who knew?

The whole process was easy, efficient, and highly professional, taking about 18 days from ordering and payment to receipt. A small box, in a plain brown wrapper, finally arrived from England: The Canadian pharmacy sources the best prices from reputable name-brands in European countries. I now have a one-year Rx on file with them and can order my refills online.

I tore into that box like the drug-craved banshee I’d become and 48 hours later, I felt good, again. I’d become the best version of myself. The soundtrack of my life went from The Righteous Brother’s “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” to Pharrell’s, “Happy!”

I feel so good that maybe I’ll write Justin, I mean Prime Minister Trudeau, a thank you letter.

XO Donna