I'll make it short because time is valuable: my grandfather got diagnosed with cancer, and there is only one real treatment. All others would extend his life/manage his pain, but would not be curative.
Unfortunately, the only treatment is a new form of medication which would cost... $540,000. And that's for a six month supply at $90,000 a month.
But hey, it's not an issue in Canada, right? Healthcare is free?
Well, not exactly. We have to pay medication insurance (no one mentions that by the way) and pay a deductible, but OK, it would be a few thousands maximum, government will cover the rest, right?
... Nope!
Here is the issue:
Grandfather met with a doctor, then another, then another. Along the way, one of them had a discussion with him. I wasn't there of course, but he told me this is how it went.
Doctor: "Treatment blah blah blah side effect blah blah blah."
Grandfather: "I see."
Doctor: "Now, this is not pleasant, but we need to discuss it. What is your vied on MAID - medically-assisted induced death?"
Grandfather: "Never, ever. I am a christian and it's totally opposed to my values. I will never do it."
Doctor: "Alright. So back to treatment, blah blah blah..."
So, what is the issue with that? I will insist upon this: my grandfather is VERY religious. To this day, attends mess, pray, etc. He is 100% opposed to suicide/MAID.
OK so what is the issue? Well, we used freedom of information to get a copy of his medical file and this is what the doctor actually wrote on his file
"xx/xx/2026 - Discussed the possibilty of MAID with patient"
That's it. That was what he wrote for the follow-up for that appointment.
So, here is what happened next.
Doctor signed so he could start treatment. Medication cots $540k.
Medication insurer (government) denies it.
That's right: the treatment is refused. Claim denied. Keep in mind this is his ONLY hope for a cure. Keep in mind it's an approved medication to treat his exact cancer.
Of course, my grandfather is kind of old. Almost 80. Maybe they think it's not worth it to spend $540k to treat him.
Keep in mind my grandfather worked his entire life and paid MILLIONS in taxes.
So anyway, we file an appeal. The case is reviewed, and it's denied again. What for?
Here is what the letter says (rough translation from French):
"Likewise, we see you have already discussed end of life care with a health provider. We fully understand and respect your decision at this point, and the right to die with dignity.
Given your condition andd your intent to ask for a dignified death, we don't believe the treatment as suggested would provided sufficient benefits for you and your cared ones."
... except my grandfather didn't discuss Maid with a doctor. He rejected it. But that one line from the doctor got interpreted as "he is talking about ending his life."
Yes, you read that right.
When I saw that, I was furious. That one line with a doctor - hurr durr he wants to die - got interpreted in such a way that now they're refusing to treat him.
Because it's too costly.
There is no way he can afford the $540k by himself. He'd have to sell his house, go into debt, etc. And given his advanced age...
Yeah, I guess in their system, when you are too old, they just dump you lol. You asked about MAID (I mean, he didn't, the doctor ddid, but it doesn'T matter)? Too bad. You cost too much to treat, so F U.
So now my grandfather is not only facing a life-threatening illness, but having to hire a lawyer to fight that decision. There is no guarantee they change their mind neither. Again, my grandfather paid MILLIONS in taxes, but hey, he's old now (and costing money from his pension plan) so I guess it doesn't matter.
So yes, sorry for taking so long, I'm emotive, but MAID is 100% being used to justify killing old people, whether they want it or not. That doctor basically sentenced him to death.
FYI, I look at the treatment in details, and there are good chances he could be cured, or at least it would massively extend his life (without it, he'd live 3-5 years tops, with it, he could live another 10-25).
I fucking hate this place.
I'm so sorry. Here in the states nurses abuse the digital records to acuse everyone of being a drug seeker when they have temper tantrums.
It can't be fixed, and it's there for the rest of the patients life. It happened to me, but the nurse was so stupid they lost their job over it. They put in the chart that I asked for morphine. But, I'm allergic to morphine. So IF I had actually asked for morphine they should have requested a physiological evaluation. But, that nurse got aeay with that shit for years because ko one else could prove it was a lie. ( they told me this during the paperwork process)
That's my advice to you. Appeal it with some form of proof that it was a lie. You can also apply to the drug company yourself. Or drug trials.
I remember I went to some podiatrist a handful of years ago. I should have known when I went in there was so much little notices all over about those seeking pain meds. The problem with my foot is that they'd want two weeks to get an appointment, and it would heal in that time. So I'd be in excruciating can't walk pain and by the time I'm at the appointment it's totally fine, but it could recur the next day.
The entire appointment was them arguing I was faking to seek drugs despite me repeating I do not want any sort of prescription at all. I ended up just walking out. I was trying to analyze why I might be walking wrong, wrong footwear, damage to foot, anything else. That's what I thought these doctors were for. I got more help from some sort of computer fitting machine at a boot store.
Because of digital records, don't just walk out anymore. You have to report them. I was told that it can prevent you from getting pepper treatment in the future, and if something does wrong they blame you the patient.
It's fucking insane! I had a wiadome tooth removed about a decade ago. The dentist told me I was already on Xanax, and to tale that for the pain. If I took anxiety medication as regularly as pain medication, I would be abusing the medication! I had to go with just over the counter pain meds. I thought it was the most inhumane ever.
Yeah that was nearly a decade ago, they weren't quite that up to date yet. Honestly I don't recall really seeing digital records heavily until 2020. I'm sure they existed prior, but damn they made sure to have them all talking to each other when they needed to check your vaccination status.
I have little to do with doctors anymore if I can help it. At least for now. I get a bit torn on a situation like this here because in the past few years I've watched a handful of 80+ family waste away miserably, grasping at anything and everything the medical system would allow them so they could breathe just one additional breath. I'd never support this MAID nonsense partly for similar religious stance as OP and the rest being the government using it against everyone. Still, I think there comes a point for myself at that age that instead of fighting thru anything and everything for a bit more time, I just find a nice place I can enjoy life, and just wait.
A nurse friend told me that if you ever go to the hospital and they ask if you drink yoy always say never. Because otherwise it will get put in your chart that you're an alcoholic(they consider anything past 2 drinks a week alcoholism) and you won't get proper care because everyone in the Healthcare system will treat it as alcohol related.
Even though weed is legal in my state, there are medical professionals that are so anti weed they act like you do drugs in front of them. People hide that they have weed cards.
Its not any different in canada. If someone is writhing in pain and dying in the waiting room, they are often pegged as attention seekers trying to get drugs.
Thats what happened to that woman in nova scotia who died after waiting 6 hours for help from her spleen or something I think it was.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/system-broken-woman-dies-emergency-room-1.6707596
In all fairness, a chunk of drug addicts do this, but you would think legally you have to check. Nope not in canada.
Same medical system that refuses to help me too, I mean maid seems like a fucking logical choice at this point. When they flood the media with these stories about whether its right or wrong or whatever, its not the government seeking input.
They are planting the idea in millions of peoples heads.
Makes you wonder if they killed this woman intentionally to harvest her organs or it was just a happy accident.
That's horrific. I was sent to the ER once because my migraine was so bad, it had fucked up all my vitals. My vision was blurry, and I kept throwing up. I had never been sent to ER for a migraine before, so I was already scared I wasn't at ER levels.
When I got there I sat down next to a man who had his bone sticking out of his leg. When he told me he had been there for hours I got up, and left. But, I made a mistake. I called my doctor's office and told them exactly why I left. They told me to go back, and that they would call the ER. After all that the man with the bone sticking out of his leg was still there! And, I swear to God the ER put me in a room next to a crying baby as punishment, which made me keep throw up from migraine pain almost nonstop.
Back then the only thing that worked for me for migraines as Relpax. I didn't realize that knowing my treatment plan was lucky back then. There really are bullies that use their medical profession to hurt people. I've seen it so much in person, and with people sharing their personal experience I am scared to go get treatment. It shows up in my vitals too.