hitops Posted September 11, 2014 Report Posted September 11, 2014 So it sounds like Rob Ford has been diagnosed with some kind of tumour. Hopefully it's nothing too bad, I guess we will know soon. But I actually wanted to start this thread due to the comments of the physician the cbc put on to talk about it. It's always interesting to me to watch prominent people get involved with the health care system. The ER doc on the cbc, when asked about the timeline, suggested that we would be able to get the biopsy right away, surgery perhaps within a day, and pathology another day. As an oncologist, I would just like to say that this timeline for the average Canadians, is fantasyland. If you are Joe average, you can get a scope maybe within 2 or 3 days if you really, really need it. Nothing non-emergent happens at night. When a biopsy is taken, I have never yet seen in my practice that the pathology is ready inside a week. Where I used to work, 2 - 4 weeks would be about average. Organizing your surgery can easily take another month, the fastest non-emergent cases I've seen were around 1.5 weeks. I have seen several people die due to delays in investigations. Now you absolutely CAN have everything done within 1-2 days. But that's not even close to reality for 99% of Canadian in our system. Obviously, being special, Ford will be expedited. But it bothers me that this is portrayed as typical of our healthcare. It is not remotely anything of the sort. Quote
Topaz Posted September 11, 2014 Report Posted September 11, 2014 It's sad when anyone has this kind of health issue but by the news, its not his first tumor. I've seen people on TV who had a very large tumor grow like 50 - 100 lbs, which can kill a person because it can cut off blood to other parts of the body. Maybe that why he didn't lose so much weight at the time. The way he has abused his body, he's lucky he's still alive. Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 We probably don't need a new thread for this. Quote
Bob Macadoo Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 We probably don't need a new thread for this.I think we do. Is OP saying Rob is getting special treatment because he's a Kennedy....I mean Ford....I get those confused. This has nothing to do with the election so don't merge it there. I wonder what kind of stateroom they have him in what with his conference room he's set up to address constituency issues for Ward 2 (like he's got the job already) If I was in the adjoining room I'd be complaining to Nurse Ratchett about the comings and goings in the ward....hospital that is. Quote
Black Dog Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Ford tells BFF Joe Warmington he had a lung biopsy Too much crack, perhaps? Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) I think we do. Is OP saying Rob is getting special treatment because he's a Kennedy....I mean Ford....I get those confused. This has nothing to do with the election so don't merge it there. I wonder what kind of stateroom they have him in what with his conference room he's set up to address constituency issues for Ward 2 (like he's got the job already) If I was in the adjoining room I'd be complaining to Nurse Ratchett about the comings and goings in the ward....hospital that is. Yeah and a Toronto Maple Leaf can get an MRI the next day, I had to wait like 2 months. There's a thread about people bitching about Ford, it's almost 250 pages. Edited September 16, 2014 by Boges Quote
Bob Macadoo Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Yeah and a Toronto Maple Leaf can get an MRI the next day, I had to wait like 2 months. There's a thread about people bitching about Ford, it's almost 250 pages. Private machine? Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Private machine? Possibly. Just saying' certain people can get special treatment. I'm sure Jack Layton didn't have to wait in the queue to get his cancer treatment. When your average person goes to the hospital reporters also don't camp out each day looking for updates on said person's status. Quote
cybercoma Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I'm sure Jack Layton didn't have to wait in the queue to get his cancer treatment. I'm pretty sure nobody with cancer as advanced as Jack's has to wait for treatment. That's the whole point of the "queues." In fact, calling it a "queue" is misleading because cases are triaged, not queued. Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I'm pretty sure nobody with cancer as advanced as Jack's has to wait for treatment. That's the whole point of the "queues." In fact, calling it a "queue" is misleading because cases are triaged, not queued. Ford's case is pretty serious. They need to find out if he needs Chemo or not. Quote
Bob Macadoo Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Ford's case is pretty serious. They need to find out if he needs Chemo or not. Unfortunately the unknown doesn't make his case serious nor special. Just sensational.....and I guess thats all you need *sigh* Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Unfortunately the unknown doesn't make his case serious nor special. Just sensational.....and I guess thats all you need *sigh* All the media needs. He's got a tumor with a family history of stomach cancer, not to mention the additional risk factors due to his lifestyle. Should he have to wait a month or two for a biopsy? Now when he's diagnosed he might have to wait some time depending on the diagnosis. Quote
cybercoma Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I thought the doctors said they would have the results next week (meaning this week) and it would be up to Rob Ford if he wanted to divulge more about it then? Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I thought the doctors said they would have the results next week (meaning this week) and it would be up to Rob Ford if he wanted to divulge more about it then? In the news today, they had to do another biopsy on his lung. I'm not rocket surgeon but if you're at the point were you're having constant abdominal pain, the tumor is probably quite advanced at this point. Could be ominous. Quote
overthere Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) Possibly. Just saying' certain people can get special treatment. I'm sure Jack Layton didn't have to wait in the queue to get his cancer treatment. When your average person goes to the hospital reporters also don't camp out each day looking for updates on said person's status. Hockey players in alberta can get MRIs ASAP because the team pays for it. It's not special treatment, anybody with the money can get one. eta: private clinic, Edited September 16, 2014 by overthere Quote Science too hard for you? Try religion!
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Hockey players in alberta can get MRIs ASAP because the team pays for it. It's not special treatment, anybody with the money can get one. eta: private clinic, I thought paying for health care is against the Canada Health Act. Quote
overthere Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I thought paying for health care is against the Canada Health Act. Why would you think that? Quote Science too hard for you? Try religion!
cybercoma Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 I thought paying for health care is against the Canada Health Act. Double-billing is against the Canada Health Act. Some doctors abused it, so they have to choose to either accept private funding or public money when they open their practice. They cannot bill both the clients and the provincial insurance plans. So in essence, we've always had a two-tier system, but why would you open up a private practice when people can just go to a public hospital/doctor for no out-of-pocket costs? Quote
overthere Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 why would you open up a private practice when people can just go to a public hospital/doctor for no out-of-pocket costs? Because you can get very fast service, no need to wait weeks months or years for a simple image. The privately funded imaging clinics have done well. My SIL, from UK, got a CT scan of her brain while visiting here. She had been waiting months n the UK for a scan, though she could get an appt with a neurologist there quickly once she had the results in hand. So thats what she did: paid (about $900 as I recall) for a CT scan here, took the result home and got diagnosed quickly. A work colleague had a bad knee that was getting much worse, and she was having trouble walking and driving , both of which were essential to maintaining a substantial income. After waiting several months and getting no closer to the required surgery she went to the same clinic for Xray and MRI, then sent the results to a clinic in Arizona. The next week she flew down and had her knee replaced at a cost of about $20k plus travel expense. It saved her three times that in income, easily. A business transaction. Quote Science too hard for you? Try religion!
cybercoma Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) Because you can get very fast service, no need to wait weeks months or years for a simple image. The privately funded imaging clinics have done well. The only people who wait weeks or months or years are the ones who can. If Rob Ford has liver cancer or lung cancer, he's not waiting and neither is anyone else. If you show up to an ER with chest pains, they're checking you out right away. You're not waiting. If people want to pay out of pocket to a private clinic to have scans and tests done, that's fine, but let's not pretend that people are dropping like flies because they can't get an examination done in the public system. Edited September 16, 2014 by cybercoma Quote
overthere Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 If you show up at your GP with a bad knee or hip, you can wait for months or longer to get a scan and see a specilaist. Which was the topic here in the last few posts. Please don't equate that to Fords situation. Your 'dropping like flies' comment is beneath you and insulting. Quote Science too hard for you? Try religion!
cybercoma Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Please don't talk about the OP? Ok. Quote
guyser Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 If you show up at your GP with a bad knee or hip, you can wait for months or longer to get a scan and see a specilaist.Or you can show up and the Doc deems it pretty bad and voila, scan, operation and good to go. Quote
Boges Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 Or you can show up and the Doc deems it pretty bad and voila, scan, operation and good to go. How bad would that be? You didn't give a timeline. Someone who makes their living playing sports a torn ACL is pretty bad. Or if you're required to do physically strenuous tasks But if you're a desk jockey and you just want to play beer league hockey on the weekend, it's not that bad. Quote
guyser Posted September 16, 2014 Report Posted September 16, 2014 How bad would that be? You didn't give a timeline. Someone who makes their living playing sports a torn ACL is pretty bad. Or if you're required to do physically strenuous tasks But if you're a desk jockey and you just want to play beer league hockey on the weekend, it's not that bad. Process starts right away. Did for the Achilles Tendon, called, went in and in 2 hrs the surgery was done. Ive seen it done w knees etc. A lot of the time, its who you know , and private schooling has its own rewards Quote
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