@Lauren Of Emerald City posted:Dang you are soooo lucky!! My stoma supplies was over $200 every 1-3 months, we could afford it but it was a pain lol. One of the things I love about having a J-pouch is that its free except for buying wipes and pouchoscopy check-ups lol. Still cheaper that having an ostomy in the States lol. And dang!! Free travel and free food??!!? That is my kind of country lol. The UK and Canada healthcare system gets a bad rep because a lot of people complain about the waiting lists times to get surgeries. I heard in the past they have extremely long waiting lists for surgeries and just long wait periods for getting healthcare in general. I guess it was all propaganda.
And yeah we have two states that has amusement parks and lots of fun- California and FLorida, both would be enjoyable, I have been to both. I see they have amusements parks in Paris, that looks amazing!!!
I didn’t qualify to reclaim my travel expenses, so I had to pay all my train journeys and Taxi fares myself but the Ambulance to Euston Station was provided by St Marks at no direct cost to myself.
The upgrade to First Class was courtesty of Virgin Rail.
I don’t know whether I’m oblivious to NHS waiting times but from my own experience and that of family and friends, I don’t know of anyone who has had to wait an exceptionally long time for appointments to come through or felt it necessary to complain.
My very first enquiry into J pouch Surgery; the appointment came through within a couple of months; my request to be referred to St Marks, also came through within a couple of months.
Once under the care of St.Marks and during November 2013; I was offered a date for J pouch surgery in February 2014 but as I was still uncertain, my Surgeon suggested a date in June, to give me time to focus my mind, which I accepted.
If I’d accepted the February appointment, my pouch would have been created within 3 months from my first appointment at St.Marks and Takedown probably 6 months later.
How does this compare to the US ?