Did the New Zealand medical system let me down?
I think so!!!
It's not easy for me to write this and relive over and over again the horrible things the NZ medical system did to me.
17/04/2024: Admitted to Emergency at Whangarei Hospital
30/04/2024: After two weeks already in hospital I was finally under the knife. The original surgery removed the bilateral teratomas. I was under the impression that everything went well. Until 24 hours later when the nurse tried to remove my drain. It was a tangled web around my insides and numerous doctors attempted pulling it out, I could feel the string tightening around my guts.
02/05/2024: Second surgery to remove the tangled drain. Slicing back into a wound that was only 2 days old. I was deeply traumatised and confused, by now, I was in so much pain I could hardly walk to the bathroom for days on end...


My first staging after the 1st surgery was Stage 1C. My new staging after the 3rd surgery was Stage 2B.
Now to the crux!
I write this with such disdain and bad taste in my mouth.
The NZ medical system never offered me a PET scan, never offered me 'curative' treatment and decided very early on that I had no chance of survival and therefore would only give me CT scans which they always said all along would not show my cancer UNTIL IT STARTED TO SPREAD!
They were setting me up for a fail from the get go.
My fate was decided for me.

Here is direct proof of malpractice. I was NEVER offered a PET scan or curative treatment even though I fell within the requirements.
In May I went to Bali for surgery recovery and to give myself a break. I was living full time in my campervan in NZ which was not so comfy for surgery recovery.
The medical team at Whangarei Hospital had advised me we needed 4 weeks between CT scans, so off I went. I had a CT scan as soon as I returned to NZ and it showed cancer spread, mostly lymph node concerns.
08/07/2024: Primary Cytoreduction surgery at Auckland Hospital, 8-day admission.
I suppose while we're at it I'll also note that during my stay at Auckland Hospital from the 8th July, the food was so atrocious, zapped to oblivion in microwave ovens and I couldn't keep anything down and started vomiting green bile for two days, just to look at that nuked food made me violently ill. During this time, the nurses inserted a nasal gastric tube, it felt so wrong and I can handle a lot. I had an x-ray for positioning. Many hours later that night, (I will go through my records for the exact details) I was nodding off to sleep thinking, I can't let myself sleep with this thing in, something is wrong. I called the nurses and told them it didn't feel right, everyone kept telling me it was fine and they refused to remove the tube. But I KNEW IT WASN'T right. I demanded it be removed immediately and if they didn't remove it I would "rip it out myself." This was the first and only time I ever showed angst towards medical staff. They agreed to remove the tube and re-insert it. I was never letting them put it back in. Turns out the x-ray was apparently 'bad quality,' is this another lie to hide a major mistake??? The tube was in my lung but nobody bothered to check. I was heavily medicated via epidural and luckily I don't sleep well on meds.
Imagine if I had have fallen asleep with it in???
Medical records: As I said it was always a challenge to have any medical staff give me my medical documents, I always had to ask repeatedly and still, mostly I never received anything.
In late July after my major surgery, I formerly requested all of my medical history from both Whangarei Hospital and Auckland Hospital. Once I received those and printed them, I diligently went through it all. I was frantically researching my cancer, I was frantically searching for a trustworthy integrative practitioner, I had many phone consults and face-to-face consults; the costs were adding up. Throughout my entire medical journey in NZ, I had an amazing GP in Whangarei whom I got far more support and advice from than anyone else.
Even though I had no out-of-pocket expenses for my surgeries and hospital stays, oncologist appointments and chemo (had I taken it up), the pit of my stomach was telling me something was DRASTICALLY wrong with the Standard of Care treatment being offered to me. I could see in their eyes they were withholding vital information but I was still so confused and in pain after all the surgeries and botched procedures along the way. I started to develop severe PTSD and anxiety and retreated to a caravan.
Late July: My friend attended a follow-up consultation with me at Auckland Hospital with Dr Grieve, my surgeon. Here we were told 'the worst is behind you' and if the oncologist in Whangarei offers chemo it's for a 'mop up.' We couldn't believe it, the news was great, I bought a small bottle of Moet to celebrate in the Domain next to the hospital.
30/07/2024: Baseline CT scan. This scan is important. It basically showed; NOTHING. Like, I was NED, but I wasn't, it was so confusing...
13/08/2024: First appointment at the Jim Carney Cancer Clinic in Whangarei. "No matter what you do, this cancer will take you out within 5yrs," Dr. Vincent.
We couldn't believe it. What happened in the past 3 weeks? I was so freaked out that I decided not to do chemo if I was going to die anyway, what was the point???
27/08/2024: Second oncology appointment with Dr. Vincent at the Jim Carney Cancer Clinic. He was still trying to explain the chemo to me and address my concerns, specifically with the long term toxicity of the chemo damage to my body. Thing is, the medical team were not looking that far ahead, they never had it in their mind that I would survive long, they were only interested in the short term, starting Ovarian Cancer chemotherapy at 9 cycles every 3 weeks. I had requested Metronomic (low dose weekly) chemo, it was not possible. I was asking about the CT scan and I worded it like this "If I went anywhere in the world right now and got a CT scan and blood tests for cancer, would I basically be NED right now?" The answer was, "YES."
So, I backed off somewhat in my urgency... This is pivotal! (I needed a PET).
Back to the medical records: Finally, in mid-August, I received my medical records from both hospitals.
A few things shocked me!
I was NEVER offered a PET although I fell within the requirements. It was also here that I found out for the first time that my left tumour (the cancerous one) ruptured during surgery. Maybe in their haste, this is why they left the tangled drain around my guts and closed me up. It is here where we can say, the cancer started to make a run for it. It was no longer in an encapsulated safe environment. I never once saw that surgeon again, Dr. Caitlin Prendergast. In fact, I never once ever saw any of my actual surgeons in Whangarei Hospital again, different doctors were visiting each morning.
26/09/2024: I was transferred to Auckland Oncology. This appointment did not go well. I was still stalling on my chemo decision, I felt I was still not armed with enough info about my condition and proposed treatment. My last CT scan was clear!? Now, this time, I was ousted, 3 months had passed since my last surgery and they were getting tired of me stalling on chemo decision. Dr. Vincent had previously told me it doesn't matter if I do it now or in 7 months... Now, these oncologists (get names look up records) didn't want anything further to do with me. They said if I don't say 'yes' today, then time has run out and they will no longer keep me as a patient, 3 months was their chemo cut off point. NEWS TO ME! I said what about next CT scan and they told me I'm on my own, they would not order my next CT scan, I had to do it myself, pay for it or get my GP to order it. Keep in mind, my last CT scan was clear, but Dr. Vincent specifically told me "do not let more than 3 months pass before your next CT."
30/10/2024: My GP in Whangarei was able to order a CT scan, exactly 3 months had passed since the previous.
04/11/2024: My GP phoned me with bad CT scan results. I immediately started having severe panic attacks and requested him to prescribe me anxiety medication. This is NOT normal for me at all.
By that afternoon I had made contact with The Art Of Healing Cancer in India and I had decided I was fleeing NZ Standard Of Care. I was not ready to die!!!
06/11/2024: Medical visa for India is granted and I booked my flights departing the following day.
I fled NZ, I honestly felt like I was fleeing to save my life, I could not get out of there quick enough. I had three days to pack up my entire life, I had no time to say goodbye to anyone, I only told a couple of people I was leaving...
10/11/2024: I arrived to India early morning on a Sunday. On Monday I was picked up and taken to The Art Of Healing Cancer Medical Centre at Medharbour Hospital, Sector 51, Gurugram, Haryana, India.
11/11/2024: No time to waste. The first port of call is to take a liquid biopsy of my blood to send to Greece for DNA analysis, results take roughly two weeks to arrive. We visited a cancer specialist dentist, and x-rays and an examination revealed I do not have infection or cavitation in my root canals, good news because I was looking for a holistic approach to healing my cancer and having my root canals checked was a high priority. Nobody in NZ cared for this avenue.
12/11/2024: No time to waste, I FINALLY get my PET scan. With SHOCKING RESULTS analysed same day! The cancer has spread much further than the useless CT scan in NZ had shown just a week prior. Primary location of cervix/ovaries, both lungs and stomach and possibly liver.
I am now, STAGE IV and REALLY fighting for my life!!!
So, within 48 hours of arriving to an unfamiliar city in India, meeting my new medical team for the first time, they rush me in for a PET and you cannot believe the looks of abject horror when I tell them "this is my first PET." Utter shock and disbelief from the oncologists to the head nurse to the project manager to the founder. Nobody can believe it, nor can I. Shame on you NZ medical system!
18/11/2024: Days later I had a chemoport installed. These guys don't muck about!
WHY DID THE NZ MEDICAL SYSTEM NEVER GIVE ME A PET SCAN??? BACK WHEN I WAS ONLY STAGE 1C???
Every single one of medical professionals knew I was an avid traveller, 50 countries and still counting. If they were too damn tight to offer me a PET, why DID NO-ONE EVER TELL ME TO GET ONE ABROAD????????? I spent 3 weeks in Bali from mid May after the first two surgeries and before my major one in July (which was not yet scheduled). WHY DIDN'T ANYONE SAY "HEY, GET A PET IN BALI AND BRING IT BACK TO US COS YOU NEED A PET."
Why did they never offer for me to pay for one in New Zealand??? I had savings, I could have done it, at least give me the damn choice.
My full body PET in India including bloods cost $400NZD. The NZ medical system is SHOT TO PIECES!!!
I will not go gentle into that good night. I will rage, and RAGE.
I will never forgive them and I will make sure others never forget!!! Mark my words on that, it is a promise!
24th November, signed, Kamala Thomas
Updated 1st December (and I've just now realised that some of my Whangarei Hospital medical records (released) are MISSING! I'll get em on that too!)
Updated 3rd Jan, 2025: I am now finally in email correspondence with Whangarei and Auckland Hospital regarding the lack of PET - they have been giving me the runaround but I am persisting.


Tangled drain requiring second surgery only 48 hours after the midline laparotomy

Cruel!
09/05/2024: After 23 days I was basically forcibly discharged when I could still barely walk or stand up. I have multiple witnesses! Dr. David Bailey made a comment one morning on their doctors rounds, "how is your hotel stay?" Disgusting, abhorrent comment, believe me I did NOT want to be there!
Dr. Jamie ? visited me at 6am on Sunday of the 5th of May trying to force me out, she is a disgrace also and needs to be taken to task! Only a few hours earlier I barely made it to the bathroom and projectile vomit ended up on the ceiling. Remember, I had had TWO surgeries in the past 96 hours and I was so inflamed and distended it was like I was carrying quadruplets. Jamie wanted me out that morning but I was incapable of going anywhere.
Jamie harrassed me two mornings in a row, shame on this brutal, heartless doctor. Maybe her ego was still bruised from bursting my cannula a week earlier and blood spurting everywhere.
Deceit to my face and witholding of vital information!
The left cancerous tumour was ruptured intraoperatively (this information was withheld). I have witnesses, I have PROOF this information was witheld from me!
I'm a very curious person and I'm no slouch. I wanted to know what was going on with my health, how the surgery went, multiple times over multiple doctors visits both during and after hospital stay, I asked about the two tumours, "which one was torted, was it ruptured already, is there anyway to know how long ago it had ruptured, has it potentially spread the cancer?" Sheepishly, they all lied to my face "ummmm, I'm not entirely sure, let me check and get back to you." Nobody ever got back to me, not one. Liars!
I was constantly asking for printed medical records or digital copies, most were witheld, the vital stuff regarding said rupture. They kept lying to my face, and I trusted them the entire time!!!
I was never ANYTHING but courteous and polite!
