Hello dear readers,
I am back home now after two operations, the last one of which removed my cancerous kidney that had been causing me rapid weight loss. If it had not been removed it would have killed me in less than two months as I would have literally starved to death.
It all happened so fast that it had barely sunk in that I had cancer before it was removed. I am very grateful for having medical insurance as it enabled a rapid response to my diagnoses. I would have died waiting on the public waiting list and that is a very sobering thought.
I was diagnosed on a Thursday, I notified my insurance company Partners Life on Friday that I would need pre-approval for two operations and on Monday the pre-approval somehow squeaked through in the nick of time, as my first operation was Monday morning at Mercy Hospital.
I cannot speak highly enough of Mercy Hospital. The level of care and the kindness and compassion shown to me by all staff, not just the nursing staff was incredible.
The three surgeons who operated on me did a fantastic job and I have a scar that will impress my grandson when he grows up and I tell him about the sword battle I was in.
When I was in ICU, I was kept completely out of pain and was delivered cups of Earl Grey tea (my favourite) and a bikkie whenever I fancied it. I had special massage boots on my feet that filled up tight with air and then released and this massage continued through the day and night. I really enjoyed the sensation.
Before my final operation, I was reassured by a wonderful anaesthetist when I told her that I was scared and that I had recently changed my will. She made sure that I had very effective epidural pain relief for days after my operation and even gave me an extra day when I said I was not ready to go to pills only. Once I was on pills only, she listened to me and doubled my long-lasting pain relief to allow me to return home, as I knew that I couldn’t work when experiencing pain at levels four to five (out of 10) all day. She was reassuring and supportive and made me feel that I was in good hands.
Apart from hotel-level service when it came to food and my own room and ensuite being cleaned every day, there were little things that made my experience of a private hospital so different to my experiences inside a public hospital.
Each morning I was visited by a number of people taking blood, taking my blood pressure, taking my temperature and doing the ice test to see how well the epidural block was working. However, there was also one other visitor who made my morning every single day. She would say good morning and present me with a beautifully scented hot flannel to wash my face with. It was so refreshing and relaxing and made me feel like I was in a spa, rather than a hospital. The little things really count and that scented flannel made me feel human again.
I wish that everyone had medical insurance and that we only had private hospitals. My experience has cemented my belief that private enterprise is always superior to government-run enterprises. I am very grateful to be alive to fight another day and will not take for granted the extra life I have been gifted. For a while there I wasn’t sure that I would get to see my beautiful grandson grow up. Now I can look forward to years of reading him stories and watching him play in playgrounds.
