It has been a very long time between posts and this posting explains why.
It also talks about a lot of sadness for me at so many levels of life.
Firstly the reason for no posting. Stella and I are back in New Zealand and have been here since the middle of October. This has been an unwanted trip and we would prefer to be back in Dhaka than here. We have returned here because Stella had what we thought was a routine operation in Bangkok at the beginning of October. The operation went well and the care was tremendous.
However it was found that the tumor that Stella had removed was not benign and was malignant. The prognosis we were given was not good. We returned to New Zealand for further prognosis and treatment in what we remember (probably through rose-tinted spectacles) as a public health system which would deliver the care we needed.
We have been shocked!
We enrolled in Wellington immediately we arrived and had an expectation that we would be seen in two weeks. After three weeks of waiting and no contact we rang and left several messages. Still no reply so a formal complaint was made. A phone call then occurred and we were told it would be several more weeks before we could get a notification of an appointment.
So we have had to go to the only private oncology centre in New Zealand and pay for consultation and treatment. Lucky our school insurance will pay the $16000 required. The treatment is excellent but unavailable through the Public Health System.
Hence the sadness. Obviously sad that Stella has a poor prognosis. Sadness also that NZ's once proud public health system where everyone was an equal no longer exists. While we have loved catching up with family and friends we could have got the treatment in most countries of the world by going private.
So NZ's current political leaders have run done our health system while promoting and endorsing private care. The prime minister 'Slimy John' opened the private oncology centre we are going to while his government endorses cuts to NZ's health system. I can't imagine a previous prime minister in NZ's history doing that.
So everyone get Health Insurance because the run down system will not help you even when it is serious and life threatening. This is not a criticism of the people but of the politicians who endorse a system that allows only the privileged to access the best care. It is nice to be able to access this care but only a very few New Zealander's can get the care we have had.
