The Minister of Health of Quebec,
I am waiting for an appointment at the Quebec HDQ for cochlear implant surgery. I live in Montreal and I have already been to Quebec 3 times for the 1st meeting with the doctor, a 2nd meeting with the doctor and a third meeting with the IRDPQ audiologist.
All these trips have caused me a lot of stress and frustration, as I have to plan trips, lose work days, spend a lot of money, make sure to find someone to accompany me every time because my deafness is very severe and becomes even more so over time I feel disabled in some way, so I need to be accompanied and I pledge to pay the costs also for the second person and this person also loses time with me.
My life is made miserable every day, I still work at 66 and I do not intend to retire soon but I am unable to work well and communicate with people because of my deafness.
The process is very long, and there is still a transportation and accommodation planning for the surgery, and the initial programming still in Quebec, and yet another evaluation there.
When I started this process, I asked the IRD in Montreal why we can not have access to this surgery here, I was told that the Ministry of Health does not allow it.
In Quebec, I am told that they want to keep the center of expertise at home.
I do not understand this logic, Montreal is a metropolis, we should also have this expertise.
A surgery that is becoming common in the world, people around me are very surprised when I tell them that I have to go to Quebec for surgery.
I make this reflection every trip and it makes me hesitate to go to the end of the process, but this surgery becomes very urgent because my deafness increases.
Your department needs to review this system and promote the establishment in Montreal.
In fact, we are no longer focused on surgery but more so on all the arrangements to be made to get there, and that results in being tired of our health care system.
I hope you will be supportive of making this change for the sake of all those seeking this surgery.
Please accept, Sir, my best regards.