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Thread: My RANT for the week.

  1. #1
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    Default My RANT for the week.

    On Monday last my wife went to a Radiologist to have a Biopsy done on her throat to see what an Ultrasound picked up recently.
    For reasons still fully clear to me we went to this place in Bathurst 80 kms away instead of either the local Hospital or whatever is nearby.
    We had to pay $40 for for the Medicare cap, big deal.
    So we go to see the Doctor on Friday for the results but they had NOT been received at the surgery so the doctor rang and they were faxed through.
    When the doctor read the report it said that they didnt have a big enough sample to determine what was there !!!

    To say the least that astounded me because it my understanding that this place (privately run) has all the gear there and would locate the area concerned to do a biopsy, at least thats what happened when I had one done at the local hospital one time.

    It gets worse as now her Doctor wants it done again but not there (understandable) but is sending her to a 'specialist' who wants $200 up front, (annoying but coverable) we claim back on medicare but is located near WestMead Hospital over a 180 kms away !!!!
    To be there for a 9.45am appointment means we must be on the road by 6.30am and hope we dont hit peak hour going to Sydney.

    This area west of Parramatta is a total sweat bath this time of year, Penrith read 45 Celcius on Fri 13th.
    Transport is another issue we are contending with as what we have (Cars) are good around here but to Sydney and back may be a problem.
    I want to go with her but while I am not sick, my mobility is shit to put it bluntly making walking any distance a major problem.

    Going by Public transport isnt much of an option as we still have to drive to pick up a train then go by Bus if one runs near this Doctors rooms or a Taxi which adds to the costs.

    I am very concerned with what the biopsy MAY find so being strung out by this absolutely unbelievable failure to get a suitable sample isnt helping either one of us as I know while she hasnt much, I know its worrying her considerably.
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 14-01-17 at 02:32 PM.
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  • #2
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    Biopsies can be a tricky thing mate. Usually there is swelling around the lesion that makes life interesting . You don't want to go too deep in that area and risk a perforation of the throat wall, sever a nerve or hit a nice fat blood vessel and have a major haemorrhage. Usually they do an ultrasound guided biopsy which should have got it the first time. Was it a punch biopsy?

    It's shitty that you have been stuffed around by this but sometimes these things happen.

    All the best for the misses and hope the biopsy result is nothing to worry about

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    Gordon,

    I wouldn't recommend a car trip, regardless of if the car is up to it or not.

    There's a lot of roadworks on the western side of the mountains that may cause considerable delays.... and you will likely score traffic delays on the M4 at that time of day as well.

    Your best bet IMO is train to Westmeade and whatever means from there. I'm guessing your nearest station for the BM Line would be Lithgow?

    If the specialist is close to Westmeade Hospital it may only be a few hundred metres from the station.

    Agreed, it's very frustrating the biopsy sample wasn't performed correctly the first time.

    Best wishes to you all.

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    Thanks for the info MTV and I am aware of the roadworks on the Mountains, most of which are completed east of Katoomba with major works still in progress between Mt Victoria and the top of River Lett Hill.
    Personally I detest the so called Highway with its 25 sets of Traffic Lights (last count I did) and prefer the Bells line of Way even though its mostly just one lane each way and in recent years they have reduced the speed limits to a suburban crawl now.
    From here its about equal distance going either route so distance doesnt cause any problemst.
    While I have never been to the address we need to go to (Briens Road), I have been about one street away 3 or 4 times before to other specialist's rooms near the Hospital.
    The stupid thing in going by Train is that only selected trains stop at Westmead so you either have to change before (Blacktown most likely) or go to Parramatta where the interchange is and Bus back.
    My Youngest Son lived at Merrylands for several months and he often went via the Cumberland Highway to where he was working so he most likely will end up driving.

    I havent yet been able to check the current train timetable as the computer has decided NOT to allow any searches in either Firefox or Chrome AGAIN so I have had to turn on the Telstra dongle to do so.
    I have just done the Bus routes let along the timetables and that blew me away...........
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 14-01-17 at 06:06 PM.
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    3 years ago I was travelling daily from Kat to Westmead private about this time of year. The Great Western highway was being upgraded then & after 2 days of interminable delays I reverted to train travel. $2-50pp capped daily on a Seniors Opal is the way to go imo, the fuel savings can pay for a taxi.

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    This area west of Parramatta is a total sweat bath this time of year, Penrith read 45 Celcius on Fri 13th.
    Minimum Penrith temperature last night was around 29°C, which I reckon is a record! I plan to be at Springwood in a few weeks time, hope it cools down by then.

    Hope the biopsy goes OK.
    Never stand under a shadow that's getting bigger

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    Antennaman, I have a friend who lives at Valley Heights and works at Katoomba 3 days a week (gone to ELVIS, silly bugger) so he keeps me informed of the roadworks.

    If your driving when you go to Springwood, the cheapest servo generaly is the one about 2 KM past Falconbridge station on the left hand side heading west, next door to the Railway OH substation,ramshacle old place but he's CHEEEP.

    One thing you can generally count on is between a 5~10C drop in Temperature once you pass Blaxland/Warrimoo as far as Falconbridge as you probably well know.
    The next step is from there to the Top of Boddington Hill before Wentworth Falls.

    I just roughly checked the timetable and for us to make the 9.45AM appointment means getting up between 4.30 and 5AM, to drive to either Lithgow or Mt Victoria to get to Parramatta at least by 9AM to catch the Bus to where ever this Doctor is.
    By car we can leave here no later than 6.30am giving us 3 hours plus to get there as we are following the morning Peak down the mountains if we go the GWH.

    We both have Free Rail/Govt Bus passes so driving is even more expensive than your $2.50 OPAL card !!!
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    If your driving when you go to Springwood, the cheapest servo generaly is the one about 2 KM past Falconbridge station on the left hand side heading west, next door to the Railway OH substation,ramshacle old place but he's CHEEEP.

    We both have Free Rail/Govt Bus passes so driving is even more expensive than your $2.50 OPAL card !!!
    I'll look out for the servo when I'm there, thanks for that.

    I travel on an interstate seniors card as I'm not a OAP or a resident of NSW. Free is good!!!
    Never stand under a shadow that's getting bigger

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    I'd train it if i were you Gordon , there is bugger all parking around that shitfight called Westmead Hospital , even the staff ( who pay for parking ) often miss out. most of the consulting rooms are in Obriens Rd , short taxi ride away.

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    We found that out the last time we went to a doctors rooms near the T junction of Darcy Road and the then Free parking area was western side of the Hospital, vroom vroom.
    It was no use looking to use the paid area parking which was far closer as it was completely full so we parked and walked along the full length of the hospital which I could do easily then.
    Nepean is no better either but fortunately I have a mobility parking permit which helps.

    On Google Earth it looks like these rooms are on an Industrial site as the receptionist said they were opposite the big Coke/Amatil building on Briens road.
    I noted on the map there are both a McDonalds and KFC outlets not that far away so I was thinking if we cant park in the near area, Son can drop us off at the address and go there and we can ring him to come back and pick us up.

    One thing I found was the bus service seems to run between Rouse Hill and Parramatta, much of it on on a designated road.
    There is a huge underground parking area at the 'new' Rouse Hill Shopping Centre which might be an option to use one day.
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 15-01-17 at 11:34 AM.
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  • #10
    LSemmens
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    I'm not sure that I can be much help, other than sympathetic. I live in rural South Aust and spend a lot of time travelling back and forth (100km one way) to a couple of the major hospitals with treatment for my wife, so can understand the travel. We have found that, if you explain that you've got a long way to travel, the staff can sometimes move you to a later appointment so you don't have to leave so early. There is also a possibility that you may be able to find overnight accommodation nearby, ask at the hospital about that as they do have some stuff available for out of towners. You may be also eligible for travel assistance, again the hospital should be able to inform you on this. If no help there, ask to speak to the patient advocate and explain your situation. If you have family nearby, they, too, may be able to help. I do have sisters in town, but I actually find it not much slower returning home than travelling to their places, even though they are closer.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    Isemmens, as you say appointment times can be adjusted when you travel distances and when we apply we always say where we are and the distances/time to travel but even then it sometimes they dont absorb it.
    One friend was in a hospital further in than we're going had the remark made to him when he said how far the hospital was from his home (180~200kms) only to be told 'He should live closer to the Hospital !!!'
    My basic rant in this matter is because the biopsy failed (Reasons unknown) we now have to travel about 180ks past THREE Hospitals, ours, Katoomba, Penrith for a procedure that most likely wont take 30 minutes to do but will require a total travel time of over 5 hours to go and return
    Its just occured to me there are 2 Hospitals west of me (Bathurst,40 mins and Orange, 90 mins) !!!
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

  • #12
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    I understand the rant. Got the T shirt and all that. I am unaware of your experience with the medical system. We've been a "regular consumer" for the last 40 years. We actually pass a major public hospital and numerous private ones to travel to the one who gives us the best service. There are individuals who seem to think that you are there for the fun of it. Fortunately, we find that they are few and far between. We had a situation recently where wife was admitted to a medical ward (she is usually in Cardiac). Our comment was, "We have to train a whole new lot of staff". We know many of the staff in that Hospital quite well by now, having been through pregnancies, home building etc with various staff members. Even the cleaners have become our friends. I've not had any recent experience with the NSW medical system though we did spend some months in Camperdown Childrens Hospital in the 80s and wife had her first Brain surgery at Prince Alfred in the 90s.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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