This is no joke. If you read back a few posts, you will see that I had an entry about my lack of medical attention in order to get a simple drug prescription renewal for my asthma medications as I had no family doctor and could not seem to find one in my area.
Well, after sending letters to government officials last year, I was awarded the best family doctor ever – Dre. Raymonde Vaillancourt; she not only filled my prescription renewal request, she also put me thru varied tests that she wanted to see results for in her file.
When she eventually received the results of my PAPS test; she said she was skeptical about one finding and wanted to push the results a bit further with yet other tests from yet another doctor.
So I agreed, and was sent to see Dr. Yves-Andre Bureau – a fantastic doctor to say the least. His first order of the day was a colposcopie at the outpatient office at the CHUS in Fleurimont. When he was not satisfied, as a result of my body being strangely assembled; he took no chances and set up a second colposcopie in the one-day surgery unit. After this was done, I came home and was given pain killers, and was back to work in a few days.
Then a few days later, at work I began to bleed – quite a bit I might add – but strong willed and hard headed I worked another few hours, and then drove home – a 35 minute drive - and later when I arrived at home, I cleaned up and was met here by my son who quickly called 911 and my yellow chariot (Ambulances in Quebec are bright yellow) arrived sweeping me off my feet to the emergency room at the CHUS once again. Three hours go by and by 9:15 pm – the operating room was set up and I was back in surgery for the massive blood loss. The next morning, I was back on my way home – to settle in for yet another week of recovery.
Back to work again the following week, and the fine Doctor had tracked me down like the hunted, and said he needed to see me at the hospital ASAP. Back to the CHUS I go. When the doctor finally had a moment for me, he was then called out of the office and was gone for some time; upon his return he said his pager had not stopped and was returning phone calls. When it was my turn – he explained to me the unexpected. Saying that the biopsy results showed the bleeding was due to a pre-cancerous state and he was transferring me to yet another Doctor there at the hospital.
Being strong – I took his unforgiving news – went to the car – and cried all the way back home. As I awaited more news from yet another Doctor who wanted to see me, all I could do was think the worse. When Doctor Besette finally called me in, I was waiting in the reception room for well over two hours… many things can go thru your mind – and not always the best thoughts.
After meeting with Dr. Bessette he gave me some good news – stating that the cancer was only one millimeter and that Dr. Bureau could actually perform the operation. However, because of family history, they wanted me to see Dre. Lepine, a blood specialist prior to the operation.
Here we go again…. Another meeting… more tests…. and more waiting…. Then the hospital’s pre-operation day! Yahoo! What another great experience and oh yes, more blood tests!!!
Then I get the call from the hospital stating the operation would be on November 27. I had made my request clear to Dr. Bureau that he was to take everything at this time – as I did not want to have to go thru yet another operation later on….
He agreed to take uterus and ovaries at my request.
The day following the operation, upon his daily visit in the hospital Dr. Bureau then advised me that they had found a benign growth hiding behind my right ovary – the size of a grapefruit none the less. So that was removed as well….
Today, I find myself in the recovery stages – a week after the operation – awaiting news on the biopsy of my uterus and to see if I will need any type of follow up treatments. So far, the recovery process is more painful than I expected – and sleep patterns are definitely different.
All this to explain that if I had not sent my request to the Liberals – the party in charge at the time – not one of these events would have taken place, and I would be a very sick person later on in life.
So, I dare say, thank you to the Liberals for taking my uterus – and the team of Sherbrooke doctors who have taken such good care of me since writing and sending that letter - Dre. Raymond Vaillancourt, Dr. Yves-Andre Bureau, Dr. Bessette, Dre. Lepine and the kind CLSC nurse; who removed my surgical staples at the clinic onCamirand Street.
December 9, 2008
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