Hi there I know the deal with referrals. I'm from Toronto. However, what people don't seem to realize here is that you can circumvent the system. Waiting is not an absolute. No dr. Or health care professional will tell you this. But here's the situation. I know someone who works for a hospital big wig. She was the one pushing me to push. If you do the leg work yourself you can get in much earlier. I found out the name of the best person to go to here in Toronto. Called my family dr. Went to see him. Told him who I wanted to see -he wrote out the referral. I took a copy of my records - bloodwork - chest and abdominal cts -and faxed it to the specialists office. Then I called the next day to confirm they received it. the secretary said yes but the specialist wanted an MRI - from princess Margaret (in house) this was over Christmas. They run half shifts half staff during that time. I called them at diagnistic imaging repeatedly once they'd received the requisition (they originally had me slated for feb 4 th). Said to them I would take any cancellation. I could be there in 30 min if need be. The first Tuesday after new years. I called again. They said they had emergency spots open for the next day - if they didn't have them filled by noon I could have it. I called back at 12 and was given the spot. The specialist received my MRI a few days later and I was in to see him the following week. If I didn't need the MRI I would have been in there 2 weeks earlier. They always have emergency space available. All you need to do is push. just to give you an idea - my first ENT wen out of town over Christmas - told me to book an appointment to see him when he got back - he would give me he results then! He was back January 4th!!! I told him I wasn't waiting that long as my biopsy was dec 10,,,, he said I could get it from my family doc which I did - he's a great patient advocate. The minute he found out I had scc - I was given an immediate ct and bloodwork. He wrote out the req. His secretary faxed it to the hospital. I got in the next day! The Results - because I had my Drs office call and put an ASAP on it - the were available the same day! I was in surgery the day that PMH had originally set me up for the MRI. You need to advocate for yourself. Making a pest of yourself is nothing if it means saving your life. Too many people are willing to accept that you have to wait. hope your surgery goes well Tracy.