Christian:

Further to our numerous emails, I had the surgery and all seems to be going well.  Recovery is slow, but that is to be expected. The surgeon was quite surprised at the extent of the Shoulder damage when he went it – from a tear the size of a dime to one the size of a silver dollar was his description.  He noted that had I waited a year to get the surgery, he would not have done it because the damage would have been too far gone! It was a great experience from a customer service point of view.

All appointments were scheduled at my convenience.  During my stay in Phoenix for 2 ½ weeks, I met with the surgeon 3 times aside from the surgery itself.  My wife met with him once while I was in post surgery.  They kept me overnight because my stomach didn’t take well to the pain medication.  Really nice private hospital – great service – smiling faces on the staff!!  It was amazing when compared to the public system here.  – I would highly recommend!!!

Sincerely,

Vern E.

Hello Rick,
I would like to send to you this letter of appreciation for the great service you and your associates have provided for me. You were able to schedule the Robotic surgery required to remove my cancerous prostate months earlier than I could get it done in Canada. While writing this letter I would still be waiting for a consult with a Canadian doctor. Because of your service my prostate was removed on the 23rd of May. My cancer was aggressive, by having it removed early has saved my life. Waiting would have given the cancer time to spread, now it is gone. I am a cancer survivor because of you. The more people know of your service, the more lives can be saved. Early detection and removal is paramount.
Thank you, Rick Baker and your associates for giving me the opportunity to live longer with peace of mind.

James V.

Hello Rick,

How are you?  Thank you so much for arranging my surgery last June.  The surgery was a complete success; as soon as I awoke after the procedure the agonizing pain I had been suffering with for three years was gone.  The level of care and compassion at the surgery centre was fantastic.  I am happy to say that nine months later, I am walking without a limp, my gate is completely normal, I have lost thirty pounds, and I am returning to Paramedicine in the next few weeks.  Thank you again.

-Ann G.

Hi Christian,

Just wanted to drop a note and let you know that I survived the hip surgery, am home, and on the way to recovery.

I also wanted to tell you how pleased I am with Dr. Creasman.  As I think I had told you, I managed a cardiovascular lab for 25 years and dealt with many different physicians, their behaviors, their attitudes, and proclivities.  Dr. Creasman is, without a doubt, one of the nicest I have ever run in to.  He is professional, caring, and never makes you feel that he is rushed.  I was also pleased with the surgical facility…not at all like a “regular” hospital. It was quiet, the employees were responsive, the food was not bad, and they do whatever they can to make the patient and their family member comfortable.  I would recommend Dr. Creasman and his facility to anyone who might be as terrified as I was…it’s the little things that make the situation bearable.

Again, thank you so much for all your help and I hope I will not need your services again.

Sincerely,

O.C.

Dear Mr. Baker,

This letter is to give testimonial to your organization and to the hospital in Kansas, with respect to my recent double heart bypass surgery as arranged through your good services at this hospital.

First – from entering the hospital on Thursday until I was wheeled into the surgery operating room on Friday at noon (28 hours later), I was given a feeling that people genuinely care, and that they all did their utmost to make me feel at ease and in safe hands.

Second – from the second of waking up after surgery and finding myself helpless and in pain in the ICU, I quickly found out that I was in the caring hands of the hospital’s real front-liners: the Registered Nurses, who almost instantly become your personal full-time assistant to help you in every possible way through these first two days as and when everything aches: body, mind, soul, & spirit.  My front-liner RN was named Harold. I am, and always will be, thankful to this gentle giant and his every effort to meet my discomforts and pains with all he could do.  There were others as an Amy, a Jim, a Dwayne who prepped me, a Ceton – all RN’s so important in helping me find comfort and answers to the initial mind-set of will I make it?

Third – and most importantly – the operation has worked wonders for me, and I feel indeed a new man, restored to my levels of breathing and energy I had not known for many years.  I am doing well, and if I feel some remaining sensation in my sternum, it is a pain of joy and thanks, a reminder of the precious gift I received through the good and caring minds and hands of the doctors & nurses.

May all be blessed by life.

Respectfully,

J.G.

Quality of life should not be compromised no matter what your age. I am 47 years old, and have been suffering for years from a deteriorating hip joint.

Up until recently I was unaware of what the real problem was. Once I was properly diagnosed, I was first told that I was too young for a hip replacement. Then I was made aware of the two to three year wait period for a hip replacement in Alberta. This was not acceptable to me, so I began to search, mostly via the net, for alternatives. Searching the net lead me to the Timely Medical Alternatives contact number. I spoke to Richard Baker, at Timely, and found that I could literally have a replacement within weeks, which was amazing considering Christmas (2009) was fast approaching.

Once I made up my mind to go ahead with the replacement, the whole process was seamless. We (my husband Ken accompanied me on the trip) decided to have the procedure done at one of five possible locations in the United States that Timely offers. We made our flight arrangements once a surgical date was confirmed with the Hospital’s surgical staff. We got on the plane and were picked up from the airport by limo service. We were shuttled everywhere we needed to go prior to surgery. I had the operation (January 13, 2010) and recovered very well.

After roughly seven days post op recovery (initially in a hospital and finally close by the hospital in a hotel which is actually attached to the hospital) we were shuttled back to the airport to fly home, and today I am five weeks past surgery and in good post operative condition recovering nicely.

The manner in which all arrangements were handled by Timely Medical Alternatives was very informative, compassionate and professional. The care I received by the surgeon and his staff and while in hospital was compassionate and professional, nothing short of excellent. If you are in need of surgery to restore your quality of life, I recommend you wait no longer. It worked for me – in fact I wouldn’t have done it any differently. It can work for you too.

Sincerely,
DLK

Hi Christian,

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of dealing with your father Rick regarding a potential spinal surgery. It is a very difficult high tech procedure that is only being performed experimentally at this time in Toronto Ont. but is widely available in the US. Due to the high cost of the equipment and training required as well as BMP2, an exciting new drug that increases bone graft potential by an astonishing 15% ( and approx. $12,000 per patient ); this procedure will probably never be used on a wide scale in Canada (for obvious reasons). With the help of your father I was sent to see a surgeon in Buffalo NY who saw me within a few days of contact. For $175 US, this surgeon, who by the way was an ex Canadian, spent an amazing hour and a half of his busy schedule with me going over my various MRI’s, x-rays etc. and then went on to explain what he felt was causing my pain and the surgical options that I had along with their potential risks. I have never came away from a doctors visit feeling more informed. It seemed as if this man would have spent the rest of the day with me if I had kept asking him questions. What a loss for Canada! At this time I have decided against the surgery but am very grateful for the persistence and assistance of Rick Baker and Timely Medical.

Many thanks,
Randy G

Dear Christian,

Thank you so much for facilitating this repair job for me. I must say that I was apprehensive about having to travel and all, but it turned out just great. The people at the surgical centre were just great, and the surgeon was very professional, and advised me well. I will certainly recommend your service to anyone who needs it.

The cost was very surprising! I think that we get a lot of propaganda on the cost of private health care. I expected it to cost quite a bit more, and on top of it had a very nice Saturday evening and Sunday in Vancouver. The hotel was great and they even upgraded us to the 12th floor into a suite with a beautiful view.

I am recovering well, and will see a gynaecologist on the 11th of Feb., and she will write a report to the surgeon, which he requested. I also needed a little consult along the way, and he returned my call promptly and was very reassuring.

Again, thanks so very much!

Sincerely,
Joyce R

I would like to thank you for referring me to the Hospital in Oklahoma for my hip replacement surgery. When i first got in touch with you i was kind of sceptical, not knowing what to expect when I arrived in Oklahoma. Immediately upon my arrival at the hospital all my fears came to an end. I was greeted by the most freindly and warm people i have probably met. The facility you recommended me to was a first class facility from the office staff right on up to the Doctor. I was in the best hands that a person would want to be in. It has been 4 weeks since my operation and i feel 20 years younger already. I’m walking daily and almost without a limp. I have been in pain for the last ten years and the minute i woke up after surgery the pain no longer existed, other than the surgery pain. I recommend this clinic/hospital to anyone requiring the surgery they offer. I can’t stress enough what a great experience I had in Oklahoma. Thank you for all your help and i hope you can help other people needing surgery. Also I would like to add that the price I paid for surgery was very reasonable for what I received.

Sincerely yours,

Charles W.
Maple Ridge, BC

Dear Christian,

Thank you for your quick response.  We are up against this stupid system.  In mid September, our daughter-in-law Mary Smith was riding an ATV in the mountains, when her back started to bother her.  After several long distance driving trips, on Oct. 10th, her 4th lumbar disc “exploded”. On Oct 29th, in terrible pain, she was able to get an MRI which shows the damage & pressure on the spinal cord.  She was told to wait, on painkillers, to see if it would heal.  It’s Dec 2nd, and it has become much worse, morphine injections don’t touch it.  Our son took her into the hospital on Monday, Dec 3rd.  They put her on diluted morphine-hypo? – 3.5 ml every 3 hours.  The doctor sent in a rehab nurse, who couldn’t do anything with her, who advised the doctor of the urgency of surgery.

Mary has a Black Belt Plus in Tae Kwon Doe, so she is familiar with pain & pain control – believe me, she is faking nothing…now she can’t even move in bed.  She has to crawl on her hands & knees.

We are nervous about moving her as we know of the worsening condition as her ureter and bowels are shutting down.  She is going into day 5 without any B.M.  No doctor is responding, what do we do as we stand in tears? Knowing that a neuro-surgeon can fix this in an hour!

We will tell our friends about Timely Medical Alternatives.  Had we known about this, we would have been to visit you a month ago! & this girl wouldn’t be full of pain killers and chemicals! & she would be out of pain!
Thank you for an alternative!!!

-Names Withheld