So I have a little confession to make… I’m sure you had no idea, and I know it’s hard to believe, but I am very stubborn. No really, I know you’re shocked, but it’s the truth. When I hear the word no, I’m all …

Which brings me back to when I first found out the hospital I was being treated out of in Montreal, QC was being shut down to move to a glamorous, shiny and new location that they were calling ‘Super Hospital’

I couldn’t accept having my surgery in this old hospital… I just simply cannot fathom not being able to get my surgery in this sophisticated and impressive looking facility. Okay, time to pull out my negotiating skills.

When I suggested to my surgeon back in January that he perform my surgery in the beautiful new super hospital, he laughed and there it was… “No”

Okay okay, I’m being a bit hard on him. He didn’t coldly shut me down for no good reason. The new hospital was doing its first hospital transfer April 26th, so the earliest would be May they could perform my surgery. Oh, I should probably mention my surgery was originally going to be around January.

When I first started seeing my dream team of doctors back in November, they wanted to be sure that they knew every single detail of my newly metastasized disease. Knowledge is power, and in this case… could be the ticket to some medical breakthrough later down the road. With this thorough no-nonsense approach, I would have to go through a series of tests… and by tests, I mean….

1. CT scan
2. MRI
3. PET scan
4. MIBG scan
5. OCTREOTIDE scan
6. PET scan repeated
7. Renal scan
8. MRI scan repeated
9. Heart ultrasound (Echo-doppler)
10. Blood tests X 20
11. 24hr urine analysis X 3

Basically in that order, I wasn’t kidding when I said they are thorough. These kind of tests ordinarily take months, sometimes years to get. I assume my doctors also do not know what ‘no’ means because that’s a whole lot tests to get done in 3-4 months. I was thrilled to participate in testing that will allow them to better understand my disease, pheochromocytoma tumors are extremely difficult to predict. These tests would also letter help in deciding what treatments I will inevitably have to receive once surgery is no longer possible.

Understandably so, the January timeline became a plan of the past. I was still receiving more tests and preparing for surgery, which has been more challenging than they thought.

(My tumors inherited my unapologetic stubborness)

Still a bit miffed that I was turned down to go to the shiny new resort-like hospital… I realized April 26th isn’t as far as it once seemed. Ha! Maybe I will get my way after all.

So I asked again, I kind of asked as if we had never talked about it. I explained that it almost doesn’t make sense to do my surgery in the old hospital, what if a complication happens and I end up staying longer? Then I’m one more body added to the transfer list, and I just cannot take being transferred across the city after MAJOR surgery (this was all true)

Not only that, but I researched the new superhospital extensively … and I read there are only private rooms. How fabulous is that??

How can I get surgery and be put in a room for with other people, I will have to share a closet AND bathroom? (The horror!!!) I’ve done this before and was NOT impressed.

No but really, being in a room with even just one other person is not conducive to healing after a major operation, and increases my chances of infection. I am NOT taking any chances this time around, no sir, I need this new hospital and the beautifully designed private room and large closet and my own bathroom and city views..and.. and… oh sorry I went into the part of my mind that Serge likes to call my expensive place.

He said YES! My points made sense, and they were happy to support my wishes.

Woo-hoo, I haven’t lost my touch! 😉

This new hospital has been in the works for years, and 1.2 billion dollars later… it has opened it’s doors to the new Royal Victoria Montreal just a couple of days ago. Their new research facility is considered to be the most advanced in north america. 

If I MUST partake in another dreaded surgery, I will do it in the Miranda-style in a robot-like operating room thank you very much.

New MUHC Glen site hospital shown above

Being stubborn isn’t always such a bad thing now is it?