Well from the excitement of pending, life improving surgery to total distress. My surgery scheduled for next Wednesday has been cancelled for a more urgent case. The system is so tight that just one has to step aside for just another. No alternative time has been given, other than the surgical staff at the PA Hospital in Brisbane don't return to work until 18/01/10. Public health is the pits, but I can't afford private health. Why should I have to pay private health? We should all be able to be treated equal no matter what our financial standing is. Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit browned off. I was advised by phone at 1.30pm today, only about 5 working day hours from the time I was expected to be admitted on Monday morning. I've already written a letter to the state and federal health ministers. This is just the last straw. I'd even cancelled Christmas with my family for surgery. At least I may be able to spend the time with them now. What can the little people do?

I am so sorry Chris.  You are right though, what can the little people do.....maybe if ALL  the little people got together there might be some hope.

Our thoughts are with you,

Elaine and Rob

Sorry to hear your news.
Was hoping that it would all be over before Christmas.  Bugger.
Keep your chin up.
Barb

Sorry to hear that sad news Chris.

A real bummer.

Now, if some of that "stimulus" spending had gone into the health system, it would have made some sense.

We've had health managements under stress and grossly over budget going back decades and yet there seem to be a general community reluctance to allocate the funds necessary to resolve the continuing dilemma: The need for greater taxation to pay for increased services and improvements to infrastructures.

It always seems to me that the general community attitude is that it is more important to have flash cars and home theatres for those that can afford them, than to have public transport and home help for those who cannot.

In one of Perth's more affluent suburbs there is a day centre for the aged and infirm which is in danger of closing as a result of adequate funding and community support.
They have had to curtail their bus service and can no longer collect their clients from their homes as they once did.
Day trips are only undertaken when they have enough paying customers.

As Nino Calutta wrote: "They're a weird mob."

Priorities all askew, I reckon.

There is a solution Christine, move to NSW, go to jail and you can have anything fixed way before those of us on the outside.  Refer to thread HEALTH SYSTEM.

Elaine

Sorry to hear that Chris.  Tell you what would likely work:  Get a quick sun tan (a fake one would do) dont wash for a couple of days, roll up to the emergency dept of the hospital half full of booze (goon works best for effect), swear at all the hospital staff and threaten to smash the place up if you dont get seen to straight away.   This seems to work for certain members of the community at Cairns Hospital. 

Good luck mate and have a good Christmas with your family. 

Ian

so what happened to Ducky and Ibbo, are they on the piss again, why cant they perform the duty as previously described never mind I will have to put the extra xmas plate away! talking of extra plates, we have a tradition at the madhouse that we always have "an empty" plate and chair at the table at special occasions for those that are no longer with us anyone else do this or is this perculiarity restricted to us looneys!

dave06 wrote:

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so what happened to Ducky and Ibbo, are they on the piss again, why cant they perform the duty as previously described

never mind I will have to put the extra xmas plate away!

talking of extra plates, we have a tradition at the madhouse that we always have "an empty" plate and chair at the table at special occasions for those that are no longer with us

anyone else do this or is this perculiarity restricted to us looneys!

---

No Dave we usually have an empty set place to remind us of those who can't be with us. 

 

Strewth Granny thats all you need.

I may suggest that you send a letter to the PM who as you will all recal promised to fix hospitals up and said the "Buck will stop with me!!"

Just hang in there till the 18th...

So sorry to hear that Chris, we both feel for you.

John & Irona

Chris.Cheer up,you have a great team behind you and wishing you well.I was going to say Rooting for you but you know how sick some of the Ducks and Daves are.Cheers.Ibbo...................Come on guys where is your sense of humour.lol.and He He.

Someone said we couldn't say Ho Ho Ho anymore.  Seems the Yank way of saying it is equivalent to us saying "whore"

With everything that has been banned in fear of offending someone or other, better just ban the whole bloody thing and be done with it.

Sorry certainly not a topic for this thread.

Ma wrote:

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Someone said we couldn't say Ho Ho Ho anymore.  Seems the Yank way of saying it is equivalent to us saying "whore"

With everything that has been banned in fear of offending someone or other, better just ban the whole bloody thing and be done with it.

Sorry certainly not a topic for this thread.

---

This is Australia and we speak Autralian, bugger the Yanks.

 

I'm with you JRH.

Unfortunately if it's left to the Political Correctness Police or Snivel Libertarians or the Riot Squad for that matter, we Australians just have no say in Australia, basically

I still and always will say "Ho! Ho! Ho! merry xmas" as i enter a friends house, dont ask me why, sounds strange in august, it's only xmas once a year and i say it all the time?????? but no stuff the yanks and their weird ways, I will always be "dashing through the snow" at xmas ummm!! well maybe not, I KNOW!!! following "rudolph the red nose reindeer" hmm!! not a good one either ah!! I know my "big red suit" nope maybe not "sleigh bells" ringing over the snow, nup not that either! yes but I will be coming down the chimney, er perhaps not, wont fit in there oh bugger it at least I know I'm on the "nice list" , cos the tooth fairy told me last night! but then after a couple of my posts even that I'm not so sure of anymore right that's it, I hereby proclaim xmas as null and void and never to be spoken of again!!!!

Thanks troops. I feel a bit stronger now. I can tell you the lady on the other end of the phone delivering the message won't forget me for a while. I even hung up on her thinking it was someone playing a cruel joke. My travel bookings with Virgin were cancelled twice at the expense of the tax payers. Sorry guys. I'm not sure if it's all Rudd's fault. There certainly isn't enough resources allocated to the health systems to ensure there are enough surgeons, doctors and staff to keep the chain of patients moving. I suspect some of my dilemma could be something to do with the lack of communication within the PA Hospital. The phone calls I've had indicated they don't speak to the surgeon and the chain of command before they start the booking and pre-admission process. I will be documenting that process from my own experience and sending it off to the Hospital management, the Health Min of state and country. It's very hand to have this writing thing, and my skill for speaking my mind, with respect, but with honesty. So I'll put it to good use.

Hi Chris . Its the same here dont have an accident during hollidays as most hospitals put most of there staff off. 3Yrs ago my Dad broke his hip in the nusing home at the start of Easter flownto Adelaide toRAH had hip repared no prob, But hardly any staff for after care & wasnt a pretty sight, tryed to get him back to Yorketown hospital for hopefully better care. Not hapening no staff here we dont want him, he did get back after Easter but mercifully he died 2 weeks later he was in his 80s & bad dementure. Moral of story stay healthy for hollidays. Cheers Daryl

I think our opportunity is getting closer Ibbo. In fact it won't be long and Granny will be begging us to operate!! Do they still tie the stick in the mouth for anesthetic.?? I think we'll use the bottle of Scotch. That's for us......Granny gets the stick to bite on!!

Cruising Granny wrote:

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I will be documenting that process from my own experience and sending it off to the Hospital management, the Health Min of state and country.
It's very hand to have this writing thing, and my skill for speaking my mind, with respect, but with honesty.
So I'll put it to good use.

---

Yes Granny it is good that you can put your skills to use. As a person who clashes with beaueaucracy at all levels I've learnt the best solution is to state your case clearly, concisley, unambiguously and be PERSISTENT. Don't allow them to fob you off and don't accept a piss weak phone appology either, demand it in writing. Also don't enter into phone conversations either unles you can record it and tell the other person that it is being recorded for your record. If you get no where then a brief note explaing that as they obviously do not have the time to resolve the issues that you will make it public, letters to the editor etc.

You may recall that I had a few runs in with our motor registry in the ACT well I can't tell you the outcomes but after some persistent Emailing I can assure you that I got what I wanted in exchange for not telling anyone what a bunch of f wits they are.

 

So sorry to hear this Chris I cant imagine how frustrated and disappointed you must be.

As for documenting the process...thats your answer to what can little people do. Go for it!

And I hope you can get to spend Christmas with your family now.

Well I won't be spending it with them, because after I found out I was having surgery they made other plans. It's all good. I finally found seat on a plane to Adelaide on 30th Dec. So I'll be haunting the hollows of Yorke Peninsula for a week - look out DeBe! I'll only be around the corner, sort of. It will just be a flying visit, but it will be good to catch up with the kids, and maybe some more nomads. Put the kettle on. Ducky, just make it a nice tasting stick, not just any stick, and maybe you could soak it in the scotch first. At this stage I'd almost be willing to let you blokes have a go. Do you know where the left adrenal gland is? Right, let's do it!

We await to catch up, i wont be wearing the uniform!!!!

As soon as I consult Ibbo's book of body parts I will know where that gland is Granny. In the meantime we could just have some fun looking for it. What was it called again?? hang on...........page 275...............aaaah yes!! I see it........right above the kneecap. Don't worry mate..............it'll be a cinche.!

Nooooo Ducky, it's not there. Try again, there could be a prize in it for you if you get it right. And then can I have the surgery? DeBe, I'll be right over after I've enjoyed the crayfish my daughter has waiting for me in her freezer. She's rounding up some blue swimmers, and maybe some yabbies from Waikerie as well. I'll be shellfish heaven! No, I'm not going to tell you where she lives. In fact I don't know, because she's moved house since I was there 2 years ago. Surgery? What surgery! After all those treats I could be cured.... well, all except my cholesterol.

Granny check out this, "DIY surgery" http://www.surgicaltechnologists.net/blog/frightening-examples-of-do-it-yourself-surgery
Or easier still get it done in India at a fraction of the cost:
http://www.articlesbase.com/medical-tourism-articles/adrenal-surgery-in-india-at-affordable-costadrenal-surgery-india-cost-1142648.html

The Adrenal glands are just over the kidneys from memory.

Ducky who is this Basil bloke trying to bring in off shore operators.Here we are trying to help our poor unfortunate Forum sister and we are being shafted by one of our best mates.Chris who cares where the Adrenal gland is?to Ducky and myself one gland is the same as another.Basil on behalf of Ducky and myself we invite you to be part of the Team.Are you game to come on board?Can you imagine an indian surgeon working on Chris's gland.Press one for directions in english,oh my Goodness gracious me,i have pressed the wrong number.This must not happen.We are on Red Alert to fly to Cairns and perform the surgery.We intend to email Ma and Rob to find out if the RAAF have at least one servicable aircraft to transport us and our tool kits............should have read sterilised operating equipment.I think that we are having a lend expecting the RAAF to have an available aircraft,Ruddy has them all in Europe.Cheers.Ibbo.

Don't invite him on our team Ibbo...............much as I love him............I think he is too old to hold a surgical weapon........err sorry ......instrument......steady. We don't need the lawsuits mate!! Prees one for........sorry mate can't understand you!! Oops .....wrong bit......sorry Chris!! This will never happen Granny.............we are a team of professionals........that is what our business cards state!!

Have faith Chris.I am out of de tox next monday,we will give that awful Adrenal thingy a shake.cheers.

Thanks Ibbo, where would I be without your kind heart and steady hand. It is steady, isn't it? All you have to do now is find my left adrenal gland. Perhaps you and Ducky could confer. See you in surgery. Is that scalpel sharp? No blunt scalpel please!