Hello Olwen, my name is Tammy and I live in Whangarei.
I am so sorry to hear of this awful experience you have had in our health system.
There will be a Cancer Nurse Specialist attached to the Hospital where your Multi Disciplinary Meeting ( MDM ) was held. If I was you I would be phoning her tomorrow. If you ring the hospital and ask to be put through the to the Head&Neck CNS ( clinical nurse specialist ) you should get the correct person.
I understand your anguish. You have not been treated with courtesy and respect.
Even the Travel Assistance Coordinator should have arranged accomodation for you prior to your appointment.
You do need to discuss this further . You need to understand fully your Partners diagnosis, staging and what treatment options are available.
My Husband had his recurrence treated in the private sector in Auckland. If you decide to seek another opinion I highly recommend Dr Rajan Patel from Auckland Head and Neck Specialists. 09-6302920
Email: [email protected]
Perhaps your Dr could email/fax all your Partners details and scans for them to look at.?
There is an online support group recently started up in NZ which you can join on FaceBook. Head and Neck Cancer Support.
They have an online page ; www:/headandnecknetwork.blogspot.co.nz

Please join us at either of these support locations and we will try to help/support you. You could also PM me on this site.

I so remember that utter devastation after the MDM, I too had the thought that if I drove at high speed into a large tree it would all be over and we wouldn't have to go through this. I'm glad you too did not do this.

Here for you, Tammy