Last week I had an appointment for a CT scan at the Stratford hospital. I have the scan approximately every three months while they check for cancer – melanomas – in my body.
My first positive (bad) scan I had was while I was in hospital in London in 2021. They were removed by surgery. No melanomas were detected in the past four scans.
That is good.
I am on a very strong anti-melanoma drug (pills) for the last year. Melanomas appear to have disappeared. My wife (my caregiver) and I are very strong advocates for our personal health. We are very active in solutions for us.
At the Stratford hospital, there is usually 6-10 people waiting for various scans in the imaging section of the hospital. This time there were at least 30 people waiting. I made me wonder what is going on. I have had a lot of scans in Stratford and never have seen such a large number waiting for their turn. My curiosity is aroused.
I asked a nurse what was going on, and she told me that management was trying to make changes to increase the efficiency of the hospital’s operations. That made sense to me. I think that we all want increased efficiency in the medical system. They appear to be juggling their resources trying to find best practises for their services. Stratford provides me with a brain scan primarily for melanoma cancer. A necessity for me.
Usually, for a CT scan for melanomas, I would go to the cancer hospital in London. In my case, London sends me to Stratford because it is much closer to me – a 75-minute drive to London compared to a 30-minute drive to Stratford. For my autoimmune appointments I go to London (St. Josephs). For my oncologist appointments, I go to London (Victoria). My dementia appointments, held virtually, are at the Toronto Memory Clinic (TMC), the office of my neurologist specialist. The TMC was my personal choice, as I feel that they are the best in Canada. Physio, occupational therapies, and nursing services are provided to my home via home care.
I live in Seaforth, but none of my medical specialist appointments are in the Seaforth hospital. Apparently, the Seaforth hospital is considered a rehabilitation hospital. I guess I don’t need rehabilitation from a hospital.
The only time that I visit the Seaforth hospital is for emergency services when the family health services are not available. My personal care doctor (PCD), a family care specialist, is my prime doctor but I seldom see her.
Some examples of services that I use when needed:
Stratford provides me with a brain scan, primarily for melanoma cancer. A necessity for me. I have also had colon cancer surgery in Stratford.
I have some health issues, such as an autoimmune disease (dermatomyositis). For this, I go to St. Joseph’s.
I have a cochlear implant for my hearing in my right ear. This was put in at Sunnybrook. Covered by OHIP and serviced on an on-going basis by Victoria in London.
There is the possibility of a new drug that could help dementia. The cost is unknown (rumours are $30,000 per year) but it might be covered by OHIP. The next question is whether a hospital relatively near Seaforth would be able to administer this drug. It could stop the progression of dementia.
I will admit that I am taking a new expensive drug (cost unknown) that is supposed to kill off my melanomas – that is why I go to Stratford for my CT scan. I find out the results in two weeks from my oncologist who is in the London cancer centre (Victoria). It is covered 100 per cent by OHIP.
I am having difficulty handling the pressure from these diseases. Stress of any kind is bad for me. Professional help would be appreciated. I would like to find a psychologist who could help me deal with these issues. I have found one only an hour away (in Goderich) but she charges $170 per hour. That is a lot of money, but it may be able to improve my life. I would probably spend the money – my life may be at risk if I don’t take the drugs, if available.
My wife and I are strong advocates and the concept of self care. It is this belief that has brought on all these doctors and medical services in to help us in our good health activities. I think that our medical services work quite well. There are some changes that I would recommend… but no one is asking.
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Bob Murray is retired from the graphic communication (printing) industry and has been living in Seaforth since 2015. Murray was diagnosed with Dementia in 2013 and works hard to stop the progress of the disease. Follow him on his blog entitled Voyage with Dementia – https://myvoyage553264702.wordpress.com.
