AFF Cancer Survivors Thread

[Buzzard]

So, anything else, or just watch and wait?

The robot awaits.

 

[rogerkambah]

The robot awaits.

Oooooooooh. Sooner or later?

 

[JohnM]

The robot awaits.

In the public system and at no cost? Waiting time?

 

[Buzzard]

Oooooooooh. Sooner or later?

In the public system and at no cost? Waiting time?

In the public system at no cost although at a private hospital as that is where the robot is.
Waiting time around 3 months.
I have also been booked in for a PET scan.
My phone rang before I even had time to leave the hospital with a date in a few weeks time. I was surprised by the efficiency.

 

[JohnM]

In the public system at no cost although at a private hospital as that is where the robot is.
Waiting time around 3 months.
I have also been booked in for a PET scan.
My phone rang before I even had time to leave the hospital with a date in a few weeks time. I was surprised by the efficiency.

Interesting that the robotic assisted surgery is offered through the public system. If you go private there is about a $10K out of pocket expense over what private health funds rebate.

Also, the waiting time seems surprisingly short. Maybe the devices are much more commonplace now.

Given that it’s public, presumably you don’t get to choose your surgeon? If that’s the case, how do you get allocated the surgeon who is to do the operation?

 

[Buzzard]

A friend who went private still had to fork out more than $20k. Time will tell how long the wait is.
You are correct, I don't get a choice of surgeon.
I was actually surprised that our new 2 billion dollars + state of the art hospital does not have a robotics machine. The surgeon I spoke to told me it's because they cost in excess of 1 million.

 

[Pushka]

A friend who went private still had to fork out more than $20k. Time will tell how long the wait is.
You are correct, I don't get a choice of surgeon.
I was actually surprised that our new 2 billion dollars + state of the art hospital does not have a robotics machine. The surgeon I spoke to told me it's because they cost in excess of 1 million.

I thought the old RAH had one courtesy of a philanthropist. Maybe the floor strength isn’t good enough.

 

[jeremyaus]

Interesting that the robotic assisted surgery is offered through the public system. If you go private there is about a $10K out of pocket expense over what private health funds rebate.

Also, the waiting time seems surprisingly short. Maybe the devices are much more commonplace now.

Given that it’s public, presumably you don’t get to choose your surgeon? If that’s the case, how do you get allocated the surgeon who is to do the operation?

Private system is where all the money is made! The hard earned tax payers dollars barely pays the doctors and nurses, let along big fancy equipment! It’s s shame tho The patients deserve better care

Btw, take a look at the new northern beaches hospital in Sydney, they have already made two big mistakes ie taking someone’s healthy gut out in surgery by accident then followed by another one to fix up the mistakes made

 

[JohnM]

A friend who went private still had to fork out more than $20k. Time will tell how long the wait is.
You are correct, I don't get a choice of surgeon.
I was actually surprised that our new 2 billion dollars + state of the art hospital does not have a robotics machine. The surgeon I spoke to told me it's because they cost in excess of 1 million.

I’ll look forward to discussing this with you later in the year, Buzz.

 

[Buzzard]

I thought the old RAH had one courtesy of a philanthropist. Maybe the floor strength isn’t good enough.

And I'll be doing exercises for that.

 

[Pushka]

And I'll be doing exercises for that.

Planking will be your newest friend.

 

[andye]

Private system is where all the money is made! The hard earned tax payers dollars barely pays the doctors and nurses, let along big fancy equipment! It’s s shame tho The patients deserve better care

Btw, take a look at the new northern beaches hospital in Sydney, they have already made two big mistakes ie taking someone’s healthy gut out in surgery by accident then followed by another one to fix up the mistakes made

That's one mistake (2 further operations needed, presumably one to remove the cancer and a later one to reverse the stoma) and the initial info is that the pathology lab mislabelled the biopsies rather than an issue with the hospital itself. Awful as it is for the patient, I cant see how that case has anything to do with public v private ownership

 

[jeremyaus]

That's one mistake (2 further operations needed, presumably one to remove the cancer and a later one to reverse the stoma) and the initial info is that the pathology lab mislabelled the biopsies rather than an issue with the hospital itself. Awful as it is for the patient, I cant see how that case has anything to do with public v private ownership

It’s more on the lines that the private system is all about gaining $$$ and have enough dosh to fork out new technologies rather than the public system funded by tax payers and only having a limited budget. I know personally my hospital I work for is already in the red after last year. No chance for them to fund for new technologies or new imaging equpiment etc.

 

[drross]

It’s more on the lines that the private system is all about gaining $$$ and have enough dosh to fork out new technologies rather than the public system funded by tax payers and only having a limited budget. I know personally my hospital I work for is already in the red after last year. No chance for them to fund for new technologies or new imaging equpiment etc.

interesting comments jeremyaus. I'm on a QLD hospital board and we try and make a surplus every year to reinvest in our hospitals. 7th year and we're still ticking all the boxes

 

[jeremyaus]

interesting comments jeremyaus. I'm on a QLD hospital board and we try and make a surplus every year to reinvest in our hospitals. 7th year and we're still ticking all the boxes

I wish it was the same with my hospital......if only we got more health funding. But having said that, money may not solve everything with the hospital. Maybe like you, the hospital board should prioritise what is important. But hopefully some of this extra money will be spent on cancer research and newer ways to get rid of this annoying pest called cancer

 

[straitman]

First time I have visited this thread for a long time. (I’d forgotten it existed)

It is good to hear men discussing their issues as it doesn’t happen enough. Over the last ten years I have talked to a few groups about my personal experience and it’s interesting to see some peoples’ reactions. Suffice to say that ultimately most people do listen and get some suitable treatment. I am only aware of two who had prostate issues who chose to use the head in the sand approach and unfortunately, they both died.

The most important thing in ensuring a good outcome is not the method, but the experience of the surgeon. They tend to specialise in one or other of the methods.

You're right about the cost and wondering how some people can manage it. Add a non-refundable $2.5K for the robot. I had seven years of active surveillance to prepare for the out-of-pocket expenses!

My urologist who is very well known in the medical profession (same surname as the federal treasurer) explained to me that he had done hundreds of robotic surgeries but had done many more (thousands) manually and was more in his comfort zone doing them manually. From my perspective it became a no brainer at that point.

After ten years I still do an annual visit to confirm that everything is OK and it is other than I need to go in for a ‘Cystoscopy, Urethral Dilation next Tuesday. With travel it’s an all day episode for me for a 15 minutes procedure.

Just a note for any ex-military out there. DVA will pay for any cancer treatment for any military or ex-military even if it has not been proven to be service related. I wish I had known at the time as it would have saved me toward $5000.

 

[Buzzard]

This Thursday I have my PET Scan so will soon find out if cancer is restricted to the prostate or has spread.

 

[love_the_life]

This Thursday I have my PET Scan so will soon find out if cancer is restricted to the prostate or has spread.

Good luck - will be thinking of you.

 

[cove]

Yes Buzz I am reading along with quite a few others. Have spent more time on trying to make sure my arteries remain clear rather than prostate cancer indications. Good luck with the operation and enjoy your visit to the most expensive hospital building in the Southern Hemisphere if you go there.

 

[Pushka]

Yes Buzz I am reading along with quite a few others. Have spent more time on trying to make sure my arteries remain clear rather than prostate cancer indications. Good luck with the operation and enjoy your visit to the most expensive hospital building in the Southern Hemisphere if you go there.

Just don’t remind me what a burden of debt we have left for ourselves and our future generations and they didn’t even increase bed numbers and they reduced casualty size making a perfect fit for an ageing population.