2023-06-14 14:16:33
A 46-year-old Sherbrooke resident who was afflicted with painful back pain bitterly regrets having paid $18,000 for surgery that turned into a nightmare, in Cuba, where he received poor care and came back even worse than ‘Before.
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“It’s the worst decision of my life to have been there, admits Dominic Fleury. I crossed Cuba off my list of lifetime destinations.
The 46-year-old man had been suffering from back pain for almost 10 years. Despite strong medication, he might not relieve his pain. An automation technician, he even struggled to work and take care of his home.
But despite his condition, Mr. Fleury was unable to have surgery in the public network.
Not serious enough
“I was told that my case was not heavy enough in Quebec to be operated on. […] I was sick of suffering and taking pills, underlines the resident of Cookshire-Eaton, near Sherbrooke. I had heard good comments regarding Cuba.”
Determined to seek treatment, Mr. Fleury contacted a medical tourism agency in Quebec and paid $18,000 for his lumbar fusion surgery in Cuba. He was operated on in February 2020.
“I did a all in on it, and I lost my all in, he admits. They really broke me there. It was so bad.”
“Hellish” night in intensive care, difficulty seeing medical personnel, awful food, rationed medication, shortage of medical equipment: Mr. Fleury experienced all kinds of problems during his three-week stay.
Photo courtesy of Dominic Fleury
In Cuba, Dominic Fleury repeatedly ate dry bread with cheese, accompanied by warm or hot juice.
Since he might not be accompanied, he found himself alone having to communicate with a translator.
“I suffered so much. The doctor did not come. […] I had to do what they said, I wasn’t even able to get out of bed,” laments the father.
After nine days, he was even transferred to a guesthouse with no medical service. For his postoperative follow-up, he had to take a taxi to the hospital.
When he returned to Quebec, his condition had worsened, and he was struggling to stand up. In addition, the man, who had lost 20 pounds, found himself without medical follow-up.
- Listen to the interview with Dominic Fleury, Estrie resident on work stoppage, on Benoit Dutrizac’s show via QUB radio :
Unscrewed screws
“I was quite left to myself,” he admits.
Fortunately, a surgeon from the University of Montreal Hospital Center agreed to take care of him. Cuba’s postoperative x-rays showed all sorts of complications: rejection of medical equipment and screws holding rods unscrewed or too close to nerves, the patient points out.
The man was finally operated on twice last April, following a six-month wait. The 40-year-old believes, however, that he had a quick service because he was now a priority case.
“It is often said that the network [public] is not good, but I was lucky. We removed all the hardware that I had been given in Cuba”, he underlines.
Three months later, the man continues his convalescence, and now only takes three medications a day. He is hopeful of returning to work soon, following a three-year hiatus.
“I am really indebted to the Quebec system,” maintains the one who advises once morest anyone doing medical tourism in Cuba.
“It’s important to dissuade people even if it’s for minor surgery. You don’t go there, there’s no follow-up.”
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