so ANGRY!!!

 so, as y'all know, I'm waiting for my initial consult - there's not many surgeons here that do bariatrics, and lots ahead of me on the wait list. So, I've been doing my best to prepare myself so that when I do get that consult, I'll be ready to go!

this week we learned that funding for our full bariatric program had been cut...surgeons, dietician, therapist...almost everything. I'm pretty sure other elective surgeries were also cut, but we don't have any details!  At this point, there are no new surgery dates this calendar year, and we don't know what funding will be in place next year! So my hopes of a consult in December and a surgery date in the spring are floundering!

I have written a very detailed letter to my MLA (like a state rep) as well as the Minister for Health filled with facts and figures (I'm an accountant, numbers are what I do) - and everyone in our program's support group is writing too, but damn, it's saddening and frustrating and disheartening and annoying.

don't get me wrong - even with this setback, I wouldn't trade our healthcare here in Canada for a private system (where'd I'd likely still have to fight with insurance companies), but its hard when YOU'RE the one that gets caught by the need to allocate scarce resources.

That sucks!  Which province do you live in?  I am in New Brunswick and I know the same thing has been talked about here.

Ugh, that does suck.

Sometimes, I'm kind of glad I just decided to finance it and "cash pay". Between insurance issues here and the stuff you guys are dealing with... oy.

((HUG))

 HI Nikkal,

This is an awful turn of events. I am so sorry. Can you afford to finance this yourself? Have you ever seen Eggface's profile and blog?  She went to Mexico to have her surgery, as have many, and it is cheaper to go that route. You may want to check into that and start saving. 

If not, all I can recommend is upping your protein and upping your movement. It works. The surgery is truly a beautiful effective tool, but it is only part of this and ultimately the diet and exercise are what makes the magic happen.

Don't give up. There are so many on here who have had to put their surgery off because of insurance ( I was one) but ultimately got to have the surgery. 

Best,

Sharon 

 I'm in BC - and I'm not taking this lying down.  I've written the Minister, I've written my MLA, and I'm using all my powers of persuasion to get media attention...I've been in contact with 2 of the three main networks...hopefully they decide there's a story.

I'm not interested in going out of country - I'm sure the surgeons are great, but if I can't get the surgery at home, I won't get it. I'm also not interested in having it done privately here, even if I could afford it. I won't support a two-tiered healthcare system - at least not while I'm not dealing with any metabolic issues. My health does not depend on the surgery at this point.

frankly, I'm happy with my progress so far, 45 lbs since Xmas. I'll keep doing what I'm doing as long as I'm able.

thanks for the place to vent!