I don't know if anyone will relate to my frustrations. We have a free dental service for oncology patients like me but its so slow getting my bottom plate made that teeth are breaking, fillings falling out, decay setting in while I wait, wait ,wait. Meanwhile I'm biting my limp lower left lip which has no support because all those left bottom teeth were removed for the flap. The prosthodontist is great but he's doing several things at once and so busy that it's hard to pin him down as to what is happening. Today I schlepped myself in car/train/bus to the hospital where he worked only for the filling he built up on a back tooth to sheer off during the night. Got up, had another half sleeping tablet and got out my iPad to vent. Appointments keep getting cancelled. It needs 6 to make a plate.

He told me today that the existing bottom front teeth are loose and need support but he seems congenitally unable to tell me when that is going to be and all my plans to be assertive fall out the window when a fed up assistant says he's running late
because he's been in surgery etc.There's no one else to go to so I'm going to have to wait two weeks to talk to him again.
This is far far tinier a problem than having active cancer but my hope have been built up that I'll have a straighter mouth, less food spill better chewing but I'm scared the teeth will be gone by the time the plate making gets on its way. I know there are lots of logical inconsistencies in this rant. Starting to fall asleep so will sign off feeling suitably vented:)

I can relate. With Medicare here you do not get any dental treatment, related surgery, dentures, so the cost of such is on the patient. Luckily, my latest treatment center, who weren't involved with my initial dental care, provided compassionate care, but I had to wait about 2 years for any extractions due to persistent cancer, which contradicted any HBOT. During that time, all my teeth continued to deteriorate, some of which fell out or were down to the pulp and gum line causing chronic infections, abscesses and pain, besides cosmically looking like crystal meth teeth.

I hope you get the treatment you need.

Thanks PaulB. I don't want others to suffer but it's nice when someone understands.

Hi Maureen,

That sucks, doesn't it? Is there a department like Patient Services that you can complain to? It's ridiculous to make you wait so that eventually the dentist ends up with much more complicated work to do.

Yes, I get it too Maureen. I also hate the inconsistencies we have in our NZ system. It took 2 years before Kris was even seen by the hospital dentist. By then all his remaining teeth were affected. All needed to be root Canalled and he needed a plate made to support remaining teeth and jaw. He has just had his "annual" dental checkup and now requires 5 more fillings.
Kris also needs HME's for his Laryngectomy Stoma. If we were in the Waitakere, Waikato, Wellington or Christchurch DHB areas, he would have them provided. Northland and Auckland do not provide them . I am sick of banging my head against that brick wall. It really is time I took this further. Time to personally write to the CEO of the DHB. Time to see our local MP. Time to write to the Ministry.
Oh yes, I feel your frustrations.
Tammy

Yes, Tammy. Inconsistencies really hurt. I was lucky when I had ovarian cancer back in 96 that Waikato Hospital provided Taxol while Auckland didn't.

Trouble with the prostho is that he gave up hours of his time after my surgery to make me a temporary plate so I could go to my son's wedding and smile. He is universally loved by his patients but he's a bit of a gadfly and so hard to pin down. I can see some of his staff showing exasperation in spite of his charm and humour. He will be dancing on the head of a pin balancing his private practice with his hospital work in an overstretched system so how does one dare to complain? My latest plan is to write him a letter saying how I feel and giving it to him when I see him next. I've emailed before but he reads it just as he checks my notes and sort of skims over it. Either that or I take someone with me.

Thanks for sharing frustrations:)