Sandra Leboeuf-Gosselin: Here is my translation, I maybe made some errors but the main part of the message is there !

Paul Arcand : We talk a lot about the Zamboni's method for MSsers. It's available in some countries, not here yet, some provinces are open minded, the province of Quebec isn't, as you know because they are waiting results from some studies. But, lots of Quebecers are going outside to receive the intervention, as Francine Deshaies. She received it a first time but has to get back. Hi Mrs. Deshaies.

Francine : Hi, good morning

Paul Arcand : First, tell me about your first intervention, when was it?

Francine : About 10 months ago, on May 18th. Everything worked well. I've got a stent because of restenosis after 7 min. I came back a week later.

Paul Arcand : And when did you have problems ? When you felt after effects?

Francine : Maybe 3 weeks to one month later. I went to emergency because I had pain in my neck. They didn't want to treat me. «Go back to Poland» I was told. You'll not be treated by a vascular doctor. Finally, they treated me in hematology. It was difficult, I was not well treated. Since, I have a hematologist, she gave me the good medication. But the clot lasted. That's the reason why I'm back in Poland.

Paul Arcand : You've got the surgery the day before yesterday ...

Francine : On Monday, in evening

Paul Arcand : What did the doctors ?

Francine : It's not a surgery, it's an intervention. What he has to do, because my clot was at 80% instead 60% (the Doppler I've past in November, the IR didn't gave a number but I always do a follow up by asking a rapport by posting... I began to panic when I saw I was at 60. In February i thought I was more. Effectively, I was 80%. What he has done : 3 balloons in the left jugular. The clot was cleared except for 5% because it could be too dangerous. Because it wasn't 100%, he has worked on it to broke it. It was successful for me.

Paul Arcand : The clot was in your jugular, isn't it ?

Francine : In the stent, yes.

Paul Arcand : After this new intervention, did the doctor tell you everything's fine or that there could have others problems ?

Francine : I don't know. Now I have the good medicine, so I hope it's going well. The fact is, if we do not have follow up with Doppler, how could we know that a clot forms. A little clot is treated easily, but has we are not treated, it's getting worst, as my friend Linda who is here with me. She has 100% and it's a big problem to treat it. There will be a big meeting with all the surgeons tomorrow to know what to do. She will have a high dose of anticoagulant, then they will look if the clot reduced and to clear it. But, if it's too dangerous, they will stop it. So, she's still here for two more weeks. I'll leave on Monday, but she'll stay. All that because we don't have follow up.

Paul Arcand : Then, I understand, you wanted this intervention «Zamboni» because it's not available here. You went to Poland. You came back, there was a complication and the doctors told you, you went to Poland, go back 'cause we don't do the follow up care.

Francine : Exactly. But after the rally in Quebec city, they told us that there will be follow up, but it's worth of it. They just take a look at it but don't treat it because they can't, because the College des médecins refuses it. So we don't really have a follow up! How can we know without a Doppler ? I did ask the cardiologist who did the intervention to write a protocol to help us and our doctors because they don't know, they are managed nowhere. They are afraid to treat the patients. Some neuros quit their office when we are asking for a Doppler ! It's serious. My family saw the improvement. That's why I'm lucky to come back here in Poland. I'm not a rich person and I don't want to come back every 6 months for testing.

Paul Arcand : I was to ask you about your health... You were treated past spring, in May, what about the improvements, what did it changes in your life ?

Francine : Everything has changed! First, no more fatigue, no more brain fog, no more spasms in my legs, I can bend my knees, I can move my toes, except rarely when I've a big stress. I began again to write, I do not have problems anymore of bladder. It's difficult for a neurologist to measure it, but for us, we just want a quality of life. We all know it's not a miracle intervention, we just want a better quality of life. The fact of no more having fatigue, it's a great thing. I had an headache a week, was in bed for three days. I have no more. Just this it's a good thing. I still walk with my cane, so what ? I'll go in physiotherapy, then we will see. For the moment, it changed my life. I no more think about suicide every morning I wake up. It's simply about quality of life. But it didn't work for everybody. It's not a miracle. We have to work. A healthy lifestyle also is needed. But for the moment, we have no help. The doctors became our enemies, it's incredible !

Paul Arcand : Thank Mrs. Deshaies, good luck. Mrs. Deshaies is a MSsers, who's got an intervention in Poland because it's not available here. The College des médecins is waiting for results. She has to get back there because no one could do the follow up or intervention here. She got it on Monday and will be back next week. The question is : You go outside to receive an unavailable treatment in the country, is the doctor have the obligation to treat you or you have to get back to the other country? That's the debate.

Thank you to Sandra Leboeuf-Gosselin for giving me permission to post the translation of Francine's March 3rd radio interview.

WaYnE