Re: urgent Medical Services and Surgeries

[Guest guest]

To the honorable Colin Hansen Minister of health and To all those this may

concern:

I write to you this evening, in the hopes that finally some things can

beRemedied in our medical system. And that you can help speed up a laborious

process. I also write to you with much emotion and exhaustion due to my

health and the long journey I have embarked upon to come to this end. A

journey that has brought me close to wanting to end it all more often than I

like to think about.

In 1980 at the age of 27 I was tentatively diagnosed with MS, it took 13More

years of anguish for a Doctor to enter that debilitating name on myMedical

charts.

I have gone from a simple limp, to a cane, a scooter and now a power

wheelchair.

I have since then been diagnosed with optic nerve damage, Poly Cystic

Ovarian Syndrome in 1987 which has caused Morbid Obesity, edema (showing

that the liver and kidney are failing probably due to the pain killers I use

for) Fibro Myalgia, and recently Osteo arthritis of the Cervical and

Thoracic spine in multiple levels.

It is not uncommon for all of these things to flare at once, sending me

intoEmergency wards for hopeful treatment.

I have been left 5 hours waiting for one head neurologist (Dr Paty was too

busyTaking Foreign Doctors on a tour of the facilities) at UBC to phone

andRelate medications needed for an MS major attack, he never did phone andI

was sent home to wait, a week had passed and my GP had not heard a word.

(I could not walk, nor see with out a patch, so there was one image instead

of two) My internals were shutting down).

Finally, I saw the honorable Grace McCarthy at one of our conferences and

she asked inHorror what had happened. I related the story and that I was

scared.

She offered to call for me. That was a Sunday, by Monday early afternoonI

had medications prescribed and waiting at the pharmacy. I related to her

atThis time, thank you so very much, but I can not help thinking of all

theOther people who are in dire straits and who do not know someone like you

Still again, I encountered a fixed and dilated right eye, which caused my GP

to refer me to a Neurologist Dr. Sardowski ASAP. He requested an MRI because

he thought I might have a aneurysm.

This was met with a six week wait. He had told me, if it was an aneurysm he

did not know when it could burst, a day, a week, a month.

I was able to go to a private MRI in 4 days, only because they would bill

the $650.00 me over time. As it turned out it was an MS attack luckily. But

what if it was an aneurysm it could have been to late. Also the had found

the same damage that was on my MRI previously from UBC one 2cm lesion and

one 3cm lesion, one being on the right side front and the other lower back

left of my head. The interesting part here was UBC had told me they had

found no damage in their letter.

Another time I went from March of one year until August with a severe

headache every day, when I finally got an MRI, there was a growth on the

base of the skull at the spine. It took six specialist’s to look at the film

before they could say I think it’s benign. Thankfully it dispersed on it’s

own.

I was later to encounter a Dr. at Langley Memorial on a Saturday

morning; I went in to emergency for severe back pain that Radiated to the

front.

The triage nurse took my BP and said it was 189/70, I got in quick enough

asIt was a slow morning, but the Doctor took one look at me and said to

goHome and take two advils and a robaxicet and that people with my weight

haveBack problems. The nurse was flabbergasted to see me leave so quickly

andWith that advice.

On the Monday the pain was still extremely severe and I saw my own GP,

itTurned out I had a severe kidney infection with blood in my urine.

I also have been to a weight specialist Dr. March that recommended I

haveWeight loss surgery in 1998, even with my other medical problems. He

said heWould be surprised to see me alive in 5 years if I did not get it.

He had recommended a surgeon in the states a Dr.Ross that did a lap bandType

procedure one not done here, with his letter I was approved by BC MSPFor a

six month period.

I investigated the possibilities but was unable to get the $28,000

00American to have it.

BC MSP at the time only paid 10% of the DR and surgery in Canadian funds.

So I took my case to DR.Cleater at St ’s Hospital and he accepted meWith

his partner Dr Birmingham cautioning that all the test be done

beforeApproval.

I went for the stress test, breathing test, I had a Mibi scan and had

myMedication changed for depression, the only thing needed was a sleep

apneaTest, I kept reminding my GP, I called Dr.Birmingham's office and still

no Arrangements were made. It took a Doctor subbing for my own this summer

to arrange for the Sleep apnea, which is now scheduled for April 9th 2002.

She also scheduled an MS check up because I was having neurological problems

The MS specialist did not know why I was having electrical type sensationIn

my head, eyes and mouth. I am still waiting for the recommended MRI to

beScheduled.

In the mean time, I found out through a friend who was supposed to see DR

Cleater, she had been refused by letter. No appointment with him.

HisReasoning, was that he had changed his criteria to people under forty

Because he felt that there were possible problems in over that age (1 in300

By his stats)

I have never received a letter or a phone call nor did my GP, informing us

ofThis change. I was 45 when I first saw him, I will be 49 in December.

After reading his letter and I know it is his decision, both my friend andI

have come to the very sad conclusion, that as possible failures we may

skuHis good results for his type of surgery. So we are left as write offs.

The story does not end here; I made arrangements with my GP after

scanningThe Internet for other Bariatric Surgeons and called their offices

forInformation.

I called a Dr Carol in Surrey, a surgeon who did weight loss surgery, but

was firstly A cancer surgeon and his wait list is two years, fair enough, so

heRecommended I see Dr. Leung in Surrey who was training for the

adjustableBand Laporoscopy. It only took a week to get to see him. And I

told myFriend who got her DR, to refer as well.

I had not seen this DR. more than one minute before he said he had read

myFile and felt I did not qualify? I asked why? And he said with all

theThings wrong with me he did not want to be sued if after the operation

ICould not walk or had lung problems.

I said, I wake up everyday wondering if the MS will take another

functionThis was not a concern to me. Who would sue him I asked?

He said your husband or the Government. I said my husband would not as

heKnows this surgery would be for my betterment in quality of life. And as

for the government I have never heard of this happening.

He then told me that he knew it was hard, but I could go home and eat

300Calories a day for a year. (My GP was not amused, this also led my beleif

he had not read my whole medical chart as 300 calories a day for me would be

extremely dangerous) Or go back and see Dr.Cleater (who now will not take

even calls from people over 40) I tried oneMore time, saying, so you won't

do this surgery on me and he said no.

I barely made it out of his office before I broke down.

****A side note even if I did qualify the appliance at a cost of over $4000

00

Is not covered. Why not? This is not cosmetic surgery; too most it is a life

And death situation, also there is a sad lack of Weight loss Surgeons in BC

Next step is out of Province, we are now trying to get a consult with a

DrCalqhoun in Saskatchewan who does a Bilio Pancreatic Diversion not

available in BC.

He called yesterday and requested I see my MS specialist about possible

BowelProblems, fair enough. But with the medical system the way it is, my

elationDrained rapidly to being mortified.

******You see I have a penciled in consult with this Surgeon November 29

2001 In Saskatoon, an appointment with an MS specialist can be many more

months than That. I only need for him to say it's okay a five minute

appointment and/or A Phone call probably with a hard copy letter mailed to

Saskatoon. And if I am to fly back the seat sale is only for a few more

days a difference Of over $200. I also cannot seem to get the information I

need either by Phone call to out of Province claims or your BC MSP Internet

site.

***** People looking for information are mislead or totally confused by this

site adding to their already stressful and emotional state, it needs to be

more clear about the criteria needed to get surgery and also the criteria if

one has to travel for it.

****Do I need pre approval for this surgery; the only thing listed is

surgery Needed while visiting another Province.

****I already know I need surgery before leave home. Others on the net have

had Complications or found out just before they had to go that more was

needed, And we can get nothing in writing from the BC MSP offices. Why are

there not pamphlets or a link to a download site for all of this.

In summary, your government seems to be cleaning house and working

quiteSwiftly.

Please look at medical services, we with a need for Weight loss operations,

will save you a bundle.

If we are able to get surgery, either here or across Canada, the weight

loss surgery will alleviate, diabetes, Emergency visits, ambulance,

medications, Specialists visits and Doctors visits and valuable diagnostic

machinery and technician time in the long term, saving Hundreds of thousands

of dollars probably more for the ministries Budget. I request your help in

this situation, and also I plead for help for all those with similar needs

for surgeries of all kinds.

Respectfully submitted

Penny Kittson

Past Vice President Social Credit Party of BC

http://ca.geocities.com/phoenixrisngca/blue.html