I need advice about my dad who is so weak and doesn’t want to

Hi Jango, waiting time is the worst and in your situation they really need a biopsy to confirm what you are dealing with. From experience with the system, the squeaky wheel is the best approach. Keep calling and pushing for appointments and results. Dr. Ong and Dr. Song are the two principal Oncologist who deal with Melanoma at the Ottawa General, with Dr. Ong being incharge of clinicial trials for Melanoma. Best Wishes!!!Ed

Hi Jango, waiting time is the worst and in your situation they really need a biopsy to confirm what you are dealing with. From experience with the system, the squeaky wheel is the best approach. Keep calling and pushing for appointments and results. Dr. Ong and Dr. Song are the two principal Oncologist who deal with Melanoma at the Ottawa General, with Dr. Ong being incharge of clinicial trials for Melanoma. Best Wishes!!!Ed

Hi Jango, waiting time is the worst and in your situation they really need a biopsy to confirm what you are dealing with. From experience with the system, the squeaky wheel is the best approach. Keep calling and pushing for appointments and results. Dr. Ong and Dr. Song are the two principal Oncologist who deal with Melanoma at the Ottawa General, with Dr. Ong being incharge of clinicial trials for Melanoma. Best Wishes!!!Ed

So sorry to hear about your dad's rapid decline. Ed is right on with the squeaky wheel thing. We found that most often, getting into someone's face. Literally standing in front of them, rather than on the phone… we were able to get more personal and immediate attention from medical offices. At times, employees have too much going on. Once you are off of the phone, you are put on the backburner until they remember to get to you, or can find time to do so around the patients who are currently standing before them. Call call call to follow up, and if that doesn't seem to get their attention, take a drive and stand in their face… with a smile and a polite attitude… but be present, if need be. 

So sorry to hear about your dad's rapid decline. Ed is right on with the squeaky wheel thing. We found that most often, getting into someone's face. Literally standing in front of them, rather than on the phone… we were able to get more personal and immediate attention from medical offices. At times, employees have too much going on. Once you are off of the phone, you are put on the backburner until they remember to get to you, or can find time to do so around the patients who are currently standing before them. Call call call to follow up, and if that doesn't seem to get their attention, take a drive and stand in their face… with a smile and a polite attitude… but be present, if need be. 

So sorry to hear about your dad's rapid decline. Ed is right on with the squeaky wheel thing. We found that most often, getting into someone's face. Literally standing in front of them, rather than on the phone… we were able to get more personal and immediate attention from medical offices. At times, employees have too much going on. Once you are off of the phone, you are put on the backburner until they remember to get to you, or can find time to do so around the patients who are currently standing before them. Call call call to follow up, and if that doesn't seem to get their attention, take a drive and stand in their face… with a smile and a polite attitude… but be present, if need be. 

I just wanted to say that we are in a very similar situation with my mom. We are also in Ottawa and her weight was rapidly decreasing due to the fact there was a mass pushing on her gi tract. She had her peg (stomach tube) put in about a week ago and it has helped to stabilize her wieght. Our time frame from biopsy results to the first oncologist apt to all the test they had to do after to the second meeting with him has been about a month. As of today we still haven't started treatment and I can feel your frustration with the wating. That is the hardest part and seams to be part of the system here. The only advice that has helped us is when my mom was in for test at the general I would stop by the cancer centre and ask to speak to the nurse to let her know we would take any cancelation our oncogist Dr Shedev may have. I wiouod call almost every second day to check on test progress and check for cancelations.  This helped after our first meeting with the oncologist. In the span of a week we had MRI, bone scan, Ct scan, A pick ( IV line ) endoscopic probe ( This confirmed that there was a mass pushing on her gi tract causing all the digestion problems ) and finally the stomach peg or feeding tube put in.  So point in hand some things are slow and some can really happen fast. Just be as proactive as you can . It can be very frustrating at times but I feel most everyone is trying there best.

My thought ps will also be with your dad and hope he can get results in soon that can start him on a plan soon.  

Chris 

I just wanted to say that we are in a very similar situation with my mom. We are also in Ottawa and her weight was rapidly decreasing due to the fact there was a mass pushing on her gi tract. She had her peg (stomach tube) put in about a week ago and it has helped to stabilize her wieght. Our time frame from biopsy results to the first oncologist apt to all the test they had to do after to the second meeting with him has been about a month. As of today we still haven't started treatment and I can feel your frustration with the wating. That is the hardest part and seams to be part of the system here. The only advice that has helped us is when my mom was in for test at the general I would stop by the cancer centre and ask to speak to the nurse to let her know we would take any cancelation our oncogist Dr Shedev may have. I wiouod call almost every second day to check on test progress and check for cancelations.  This helped after our first meeting with the oncologist. In the span of a week we had MRI, bone scan, Ct scan, A pick ( IV line ) endoscopic probe ( This confirmed that there was a mass pushing on her gi tract causing all the digestion problems ) and finally the stomach peg or feeding tube put in.  So point in hand some things are slow and some can really happen fast. Just be as proactive as you can . It can be very frustrating at times but I feel most everyone is trying there best.

My thought ps will also be with your dad and hope he can get results in soon that can start him on a plan soon.  

Chris 

I just wanted to say that we are in a very similar situation with my mom. We are also in Ottawa and her weight was rapidly decreasing due to the fact there was a mass pushing on her gi tract. She had her peg (stomach tube) put in about a week ago and it has helped to stabilize her wieght. Our time frame from biopsy results to the first oncologist apt to all the test they had to do after to the second meeting with him has been about a month. As of today we still haven't started treatment and I can feel your frustration with the wating. That is the hardest part and seams to be part of the system here. The only advice that has helped us is when my mom was in for test at the general I would stop by the cancer centre and ask to speak to the nurse to let her know we would take any cancelation our oncogist Dr Shedev may have. I wiouod call almost every second day to check on test progress and check for cancelations.  This helped after our first meeting with the oncologist. In the span of a week we had MRI, bone scan, Ct scan, A pick ( IV line ) endoscopic probe ( This confirmed that there was a mass pushing on her gi tract causing all the digestion problems ) and finally the stomach peg or feeding tube put in.  So point in hand some things are slow and some can really happen fast. Just be as proactive as you can . It can be very frustrating at times but I feel most everyone is trying there best.

My thought ps will also be with your dad and hope he can get results in soon that can start him on a plan soon.  

Chris