I was suppose to go to Belarus with Hockey Canada's Under 18 National Mens team but I couldn't make the trip. Hockey Canada decided in February that it was to risky to send me to an east bloc country because of my surgery. Given all the challenges with travel the last couple weeks in Europe, I am glad I didn't go but at the same time, I always had questions as to why I was not allowed to. I think I have found the reason and now understand the rationale behind the decision.
The biggest reason for not letting me go was that if there was trouble with the implants, it would cost to much to get to a country or back to Canada that had a health system modern enough to help me and the insurance companies would not provide insurance to cover travel costs for that same reason. I was never bitter about the decision but it troubled me because I had never had any of the problems that they were trying to avoid. Airport security personnel had never forced me through a metal detector, which could be deadly and I had never had problems like seizures or black outs. Because I haven't been feeling the greatest and because I am trying to get my voice fixed, I have spent a lot of time on the internet researching Deep Brain Stimulation. What I have found doesn't scare me but it has certainly opened my eyes.
The bottom line is that regardless how good and reliable the technology is, what I have in my head is mechanical and therefore can and will break down. I found countless articles and blogs of and about people who had experienced break downs in either the implants or the pulse generators, some as many as three years after their surgery. One particular article talked about being problem free for three years and all of a sudden one day the wheels fell off. Electrical surges and seizures were all that person felt until the problem could be fixed. One comforting fact is that the technology and reliability is improving but it will be important to stay on top of these changes.
What does all of this have to do with travel and going to Belarus? When I was told I couldn't go to Belarus because of the implants and the potential problems I could encounter, I was very disappointed but in hind sight, it was a very wise decision made by wise people. I am not out of the woods yet by any means and only travelling in Canada for the next while is the right thing to do.
Talk to you again soon.
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