Dartmoor_3

Hi All, Its been a while, the last time I posted was around this time last year, when I wanted to warn people of the bogus removal company, we lost over £3,500 to that guy and have still heard nothing from the UK police in chasing this man or bringing him to justice.

Well we managed to receive our positive LMO in February 2007, so we caught our flight from Heathrow and paid for our work permits on the SW programme at Vancouver Airport, my husbands WP is until March 08 & he is only allowed to work for that one company until we get Permanent Residency here, I managed to get a WP off my husbands details which is open for a year but I'm unable to work in the health industry, shame really when I've previous experience and there seems to be a shortage of support workers in mental health care and trained support for the elderly


Luckily I thought I have plenty of administration qualifications and experience to fall back on and since March, I must have applied for every office job paying from $8-$18 per hour, without any luck, I'm learning that its very much word and mouth over here and networking is the key to getting ahead. In May I managed to get an interview with the Ministry, a government office and was runner-up at the panel interview level, they informed me that they would place me on their list and should another clerk position become available I would be first in line to be contacted.

Nothing happened for weeks and weeks, our funds were getting tighter so we decided to place our home up for sale with a realtor and hopefully down-shift again to a modular home nearby to make life easier. Then a stroke of luck, the Ministry phoned and asked if I could go in the next day and do some holiday cover for there two receptionists summer time off, nine days of work I thought, a foot in the door and they said they were so pleased with me, even stating that as soon as something came available I would be first in line.

That two weeks of covering and multi-tasking in their office reception, our house sale open day was on the Saturday, in fact it was one hour to go before we handed our keys to the realtor, my husband accidently knocked the drainage pipe off our water tank in dragging out the vvacuumcleaner which was located in the understairs cupboard. As you can imagine 260 litres of water surged through our ground floor. The new floor was replaced and paid for by the insurance company but it took another couple of months before our home could be up for sale again, what little funds we had left back in the UK were now all used up. I would like to mention at this point that it costs a lot more than you think in moving over here, our total after travelling back and forth three times with job prospects and paying for our furniture to be shipped twice was $30,000.

Well, we thought that would be that and at least we were here and we do love living in Canada and especially Vancouver Island, there is just the three of us here, me, my husband and our lovely dog who will be aged two in January, we love the simple pleasures of life, just walking our dog, and staying warm by the woodstove of an evening.

Now, I've bought you all up to date, here's where we need your help and advice.

We were called for our medicals on the 28th October and it feels like a living nightmare. After a quick visit with the immigration doctor, we were sent over to the hospital for our X-Rays, I was called back twice, I thought the first session was a flop and happily returned, two weeks later I was having a CT Scan on my chest, then by the 20th November I was sitting in a Consultants office in Victoria being told I may have lung cancer. A tumour had been found in my left lung, I remember the consultant saying it could be benign but he wouldn't know until he had completed a keyhole biopsy and if malignant he would just go straight ahead and open me up to remove the tumour and half of the left lung and lymph nodes. I came out of his office in an awful mess and I have just felt in a daze ever since.

The surgery was scheduled for the 6th December, it was my 46th birthday on the 3rd and I just let it go by without opening any cards, I just threw them in the draw. Then, you wouldn't believe it but the ministry sent me an email asking me to attend an interview on the 5th Dec, we had now sold our home and it all came together really, it was crazy, we moved into our cozy new place on the 24th Nov, I thought it was a good omen hearing from them though, we desperately needed two wages to survive here and I believed that I could make it to the interview on the 5th and then we could drive to Jubilee hospital in Victoria for the surgery later that day, we live in the north of Vancouver Island so its a 3 hour drive to Victoria, I was so pleased that I managed to hold it all together, and I truly believed that after giving an awsome interview and doing such a good job in covering for them through the summer holidays at short notice, I would return back home from hospital, the surgeon having found a benign tumour and me with a new much needed job to start a new life in Canada.

I came around from the 3hr surgery in the recovery room, I was told the tumour was malignant about an inch in size and bigger than he had expected, although the surgeon was hopeful for me, he had removed half of my left lung but I wouldn't know the results of any spreading until a further ten days after they have tested the lymph nodes. It turned out that 5 of the 9 nodes were infected, so I now have to go for radiotheraphy and chemotherapy in January. I spent five days in hospital after the surgery, when I returned home, there was an email stating I had been unsuccessful in getting the job, in fact I came second again and should it not work out with the chosen ccandidate they will give me a call. I felt so let down, so hurt you would not believe and I cannot express into words just how I feel.

We are now waiting to do a web-link with our consultant in Victoria, this is planned for the 11th January, he will then inform us of my treatment plan.

In a way I feel extremely lucky, because if we had not of decided to move to Canada I would never have had the medical, I didn't feel ill, I didn't even have a cough or chest pains, so I must have an angel looking out for me, I only wish I had a crystal ball to know what the future will be for us. I'm on the half way scale of a 2/3 in being able to fight off this disease

Our worry is, since being told by the consultant that I have cancer my husband has been off work with stress, at first he told his employers that he would take two weeks unpaid leave, then a friend told him to claim through the union at work, all the forms have been filled in by the doctor and ourselves but still no word from them or any money. My husband's employer has not been too sympathetic to this news, I suppose its shock really and it affects everyone differently, but they have not paid him a single penny since being off work, not even a xmas bonus for all his efforts, I at least expected a bunch of flowers or a card or get well wishes.

My problem is that I cannot fly back to the UK until eight weeks after the surgery. Also, with me being in the system for cancer treatment here, If I went back to the UK in January I could find myself on a waiting list of months for treatment, by which time the cancer might have spread further. Plus we have no where to stay there now, at least its quiet here and not so over-populated, I really couldn't face moving again after all this.

Do any of the employment experts know if my husband can get another years work visa from the HRSDC with the option of being able to work for another employer? We are both willing to do any kind of work to stay here. Our work visa's run out in March.

Our medicare card issued with our work permits has been used for all the treatment, are we covered by this or will they ask us to repay our medical bill in the future?

Also, with sending off our medicals to the CIC in November, how long does it take for them to give you PR? Our doctor believes that it shouldn't be a problem in being granted PR with my condition as they are only interested in
whether I am being treated or not and that the X-Ray did not show TB or HIV in any blood works.

Also, in being able to get some sort of funds to live on, is there anywhere we can go to, to ask for help?


Thank you all for listening, I hope you can give us some advice and if there is anyone who can help us financially, no matter how small, please request our private email address to arrange.

If anything, at least I've shared our story, and I may have helped others, I would urge everyone who is hoping to emmigration the future to have a chest X-Ray, do not wait until you are asked and it does not matter if you are a non smoker, everyone should have a chest X-Ray every two years, this is a silent killer, like so many others I had no symptoms.

boxerdog03

I can't help you regarding the immigration, but I just wanted to send my best wishes and virtual hugs.

I hope everything works out for you and your treatment goes ok. Keep up your positive attitude.

Sharon

Alberta_Rose

Oh my dear!! What a gut-wrenching time you are having!

I have no advice for you, nor practical help to offer but my deepest sympathy for your troubles. How lucky indeed that you had the Xray when you did!

I sincerely hope that they have caught it well in time and that the treatment will be successful. Bloody disease!

May you and your hubby continue to have the strength and character that has carried you thus far, through whatever lies ahead.

There will always be a sympathetic set of ears on this forum if you feel like venting off .... and some that have been through experiences that will relate to yours, I dare say.

Here's hoping 2008 will bring you health and happiness!

YYZlover

Can't help either. Big massive hug to you.

High numbers

I am sorry to hear of the hard time you are having at the moment and wish you well with your treatment.

I can't offer any help for you at the moment but found this web link, contact them and see if they can help you:-

http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/immigration/contact.htm

Good luck

Piff Poff

Wow - what a tough time you are having Can't give you any immigration advice but just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery.

Dartmoor_3

Thank you to all for your best wishes, its very much appreciated. It has certainly helped me to vent today, I'm on an emotional rollercoaster at the moment. We have to stay positive as we have invested so much to be here, returning to the UK is not an option for us at the moment. I would rather wait until I've had some treatment, to see if I have a chance of beating it, maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones. You never know what life is going to throw at you and that is all it is, Life. Sadly, there is always someone else in a worse position.

In the new year, I'm going to visit our local HRSDC office and ask them the questions directly, surely they cannot send us back in March if I'm going through treatment, also whilst raising my children in the UK I've always worked and paid national insurance benefits. There should be some trade off with being part of the commonwealth.

Linda P

That was certainly a heartfelt read.

Keep strong.....

love & best wishes for a speedy recovery

Linda

bazzz

I'm pretty sure the whole commonwealth thing is completely irrelevant for this kind of stuff. But you never know.

Whilst not wanting to sound like the voice of doom, you should probably seriously think about what you'd do if you have to leave Canada. At the very least your husband should make efforts to renew his LMO so that you will be able to extend your work permits. Probably not what you want to hear, but ignoring these things won't make them go away.

Err, Merry Christmas.

dingbat

I am so sorry to read all of this. I would have to agree with Bazzz, your husband needs to do two things. 1.) Try and get another LMO. Accept the fact that his current employer will not help him out, or show any interest in the situation, it is the nature of things here. 2.) Contact the NHS Trust where you previously lived and LIE. Tell them you were only out of the country temporarily and WILL be returning home. Set up your treatment plan so that it piggy backs the treatment you get here, in case you have to leave in March.

I wish you well, and hope to read next year that you are indeed one of the lucky ones.

Yoong

You need to seek help from your local community while you and your OH
are going through this challenging period of your lives.
The BC Cancer Agency has support programs for the patients and their families and here is the link below for the VI area.
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/RS/Vancouv...#lung%20cancer

I have a few friend who have had gone through cancer treatments
and I shall contact them after the holidays about the services available
for cancer patients .

Another thing you could do is write to your MLA for advice .
Keep your hopes up and a Merry Christmas to you .

Yoong

sans

Hi Dartmoor....you sure as hell didn't come here for all this , dont really know what i can say, that hasn't already been said. I am however just down the road from you, can and would come over if you need a hand, so please feel free to pm me if you feel the need (seriously).

Dartmoor_3

Thank you Sans and to everyone who's commented and sent us their best wishes.

As you can imagine we're still going through the shock of it all at the moment and just taking each day as it comes, good days and... the me not bothering to get dressed days. Once the holidays are over we can start chasing for some answers, although we're hoping that our PR will come through before February but in the meantime we'll try and get another years extension to our work permits.

Everyone has been very kind at the medical center, so I have all the books, leaflets and cards for finding a cancer support group in the new year. Some family members are also going to travel out for two weeks at a time from February onwards, so this will help once I'm in treatment.

So I'll not post anymore messages until I have some positive updates in the Spring, I would just like to say that you guys have been awesome so here's wishing you all a very happy new year.

sans

You take care

YYZlover

A friend's mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer this summer. They got the tumor and gave here a bag on her belly which they will eventually put back to normal. Now, as they got the tumor she has the mindset that she does not have cancer any more. Yes, she is on chemo (pills she can take on daily basis at home) and she is tired but she is happy, in good spirits and considers herself from being free of cancer.

Another friend of mine had lung cancer. Had the surgery, chemo, radiation therapy the works. He's 3 years past his 5 year now and he didn't even bother doing the final tests because he felt fine and still does.

Another friend was given 3-6 weeks about 3-4 years ago. Last year he was told he was in full remission.

My nan survived cancer twice.

Another friend has basal-cell cancer tumors removed twice. His wife had ovarian cancer as a child and then again as adult. She is a mother of two.

Cancer is beatable.

You will have bad days but if you try to have as much a positive mindset as you can muster and not let this take control over you but you take control over it, then you've won half the battle and you're helping your system and the drugs win the other half.

Imagine Sigourney Weaver running around inside you with a ray-gun zapping the little b@st@rds.

:-)