Seattle surgery was not completely successful

SEP. 5

Mark had surgery on Sep. 3 and the Seattle ENT did lift Mark's hyoid bone 3 cm and confirmed that it had fallen down and back, again. She anchored it up high where she felt it was before the 2022 accident. However it now appears that something in Mark's throat is attached to the hyoid bone, scar tissue, veins, arteries or nerves and his throat spasms and pain and worse after the surgery. We are DESPERATELY trying to find one surgeon in Canada or in the USA who can detach Mark's hyoid bone from whatever is impeding it and pulling it down. WE ARE IN CRISIS as we have sold most of our assets to pay for this surgery. This was the one risk the Seattle surgeon described to us and we had hoped that in the prior two USA surgeries the hyoid had been freed from all the surrounding issues. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY CANADIAN DOCTOR WHO MIGHT HELP US PM NORAH, thanks again for your extreme generosity, we will keep you apprised of Mark's situation. Norah and Gary for Mark.

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This third trip to the USA to get Mark surgery is expensive but we are VERY hopeful that this Seattle ENT can permanently raise up Mark's fallen hyoid bone. Surgery is on Sep. 3. Gary and Mark are leaving Aug. 29 to drive as slowly and carefully as they can. Every movement hurts Mark so much.

We thank all the kind and generous people who have helped us with our GoFundMe campaign. Please share our story with as many people as you can.

Norah and Gary for Mark Staudinger

An Alberta Family in Crisis due to Healthcare

Imagine that your adult son has an accident and immediately suffers severe symptoms including body wide spasms. (June 2022)

Imagine that your family physician says they will order a CT scan but we have to pay $700 for the scan.

Imagine that despite unrelenting and agonizing symptoms Calgary ENT specialists say they cannot see what is injured.

Imagine that a Calgary ER physician says because they cannot see the injury causing such agony, then you must be mentally ill, with no injuries and indicates this on the medical records. (April 2023)

Imagine that the ER physician’s actions mean you can no longer receive medical care for this accident in Alberta.

Imagine that you have to rent a car and take your son to the USA seeking help. Every mile is agonizing pain for your son. He is too sick to fly.

Imagine that the first diagnostic imaging we pay for in the USA shows the hyoid bone is displaced and stabbing into his throat. (August 2023)

Imagine that a USA ENT specialist who sees these images says immediate surgery is needed, and books surgery in a week.

Imagine that surgery will cost about $59,000 and you do not have the money.

Imagine that you have to remortgage your home to get the money for surgery.

Imagine that the bank is unsympathetic and takes their time, and this delays surgery for one month, more agony.

Imagine that you have to sell your son’s beloved car to help pay for the USA trip and surgery.

Imagine that this surgery is not successful, and that entire trip, diagnostics and surgery cost you $91,000. (October 2023)

Imagine that your family physician won’t complete the medical forms for your son to receive Alberta Support Income because his medical situation is “too complex”!!

Imagine that you take your son to Edmonton to seek help from the Alberta Throat Reconstruction Team and the images they do in Edmonton show a compressed jugular vein. (November 2023)

Imagine that the Throat Reconstruction Team Leader says that no ENT surgeon in Alberta is able to fix our son’s throat.

Imagine that you have no option but to return to the USA for a second surgery. This time the diagnostics, travel and surgery total costs were about $23,000.

Imagine that the second surgery also fails. The hyoid bone falls into his throat, again. (May 2024)

Imagine that you visit your Calgary ENT specialist, present them with all the images, photos and post op reports showing the injuries, and they say now that we have received surgery in the USA, no Alberta ENT will ever help our son now. (July 2024)

Imagine that for two years you write to the PM, Federal Minister of Health, AB Premiers (x 2), AB Minister of Health, MP, MLA, every Alberta government board, agency, advocacy group, appeal board, patient relations departments, and no one will help us.

Imagine that the AB government refuses to pay us back a single dollar of the monies we have spent although we could NOT get this medical help in AB. The government says they MIGHT consider refunding part of the surgery costs but that an AB physician must sign and submit the paperwork.

Imagine that you could not find one AB ENT who will do that for us. That could at least get us back about $73,000.

Imagine that you have to sell your own 2018 Toyota with 85,000 kms on it to buy a 2008 car with 260,000 kms on it, to pay for your son’s third USA surgery. (August 2024)

Imagine that the third USA surgery will cost $12,000 plus travel costs. Surgery is planned for September 3, 2024.

Imagine that you have now spent about $160,000 urgently seeking medical care for your son. You now owe over $45,000 on credit cards. (August 2024)

Imagine that your son has now suffered agonizing symptoms for 26 months now. Our family is emotionally and financially devastated as a result of his accidental injury and we cannot find one AB physician who will help us.

WARNING, this TRUE STORY represents the state of healthcare in Alberta today.

PUBLIC HEALTHCARE IS RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING IN CANADA.

(Mark's photo with Bandit was taken before the accident.)