DSD, I'm sorry about your diagnosis. It's for the best that you have a referral to PMH. When my husband was diagnosed, we were told by the ENT at Mount Sinai Hospital that the provincial government had set a timeline of six weeks for the patient to get in to see the oncologist. So, it's likely that you will have to wait a bit but it's standard. My husband never had surgery, so I can't speak to that. However, there are a few things you can set up if you are waiting.

The only department at PMH which gave me a lot of frustration was the pharmacy. There's a wait of at least an hour from the time you bring them the prescription to when you can pick up the meds. It may seem like nothing on paper, but when you are not feeling your best, having to wait for an hour can be quite difficult. I have found that most of the meds my husband eventually ended up having to take were available from Shoppers. However, since they don't keep a lot of meds in stock, you will have to expect to pick up your meds the next day. I have a very good relationship with the pharmacists at my local Shoppers and they gave me a tremendous amount of support. So, that's maybe one thing you can consider. You may want to go in and talk to your pharmacist and let them know what is happening and make sure they will keep track for you. They will talk to the doctors at PMH and the doctors at PMH will talk to the pharmacists at Shoppers. That's important to know. If you are a senior, a lot of the meds will be covered by OHIP (the only exception is narcotics/pain meds). I was surprised to find that even the anti-coagulation injection which cost over a thousand dollars a month was covered. Another thing is to find out if you have a Shoppers Home Health near you. They carry a lot of stuff such as non-stick dressing, etc. which you can't find in a regular Shoppers.

There is parking at PMH across the street. It used to cost $20.- the daily maximum. However, if you get in before 9 a.m., then the daily maximum would be $13. I used to get the first appointment as much as I could and we would be out by 10 a.m. (We also beat the traffic that way.)

If you live outside the GTA, you can find out from the oncologist if you can stay at the Lodge. You only need to pay for the food but there is no nursing care and you will have to be able to give yourself the meds. The hotels around the hospital also have "medical rates." The last time I inquired, it was $130 or thereabouts a night. Some people I know would travel down the day before, stay at a hotel for a night, go in the morning for their appointment and then go home. 'Medical rates" have to be signed off by the hospital but they have a department of social workers that do that. Look up the PMH website, there's a lot of useful and practical information on it.

If you need CCAC (Community Care Access) support after surgery, at PMH there is a CCAC office and they will take of the application and liaise with your local CCAC.

You will ilikely find that your family doctor can give you a lot of support. The oncologists take care of cancer treatment, but you may experience other discomforts after surgery and you may not have an appointment to go in a see your oncologist for a month. That's when your family doctor can help. So, please may sure you keep him/her in the loop and make sure he has copies of pathology reports, etc.

I know it's going to be hard waiting to see the surgeon and it's scary. My husband was diagnosed as Stage 4, so I've been there. What you may want to do now is to do whatever you enjoy the most so you can pass the time with some pleasure. Go and eat all the food you enjoy as treatment may mean taste changes or your ability to swallow may be temporarily compromised. Doing what you like to do sure beats sitting at home and agonizing about what may or may not happen, if you know what I mean.

If you have questions, please do ask. A lot of members here have had surgery, they will probably be able to answer your questions about that. You are welcome to PM me or you can post on the board and I will be looking out for your posts.