[Leccy-Lee]

Well my extra tests the Medical Assessor wanted are back, and things may not be good. But i havent yet seen the Doc yet as he was busy today, but i got the results here and copies sent to NZIS anyhow!

Ok i know googling a diagnosis isn't good but i cant sit here wondering, and as ECG has printed symptoms i couldn't not look....

-Creatinine ratio i "think" is ok at 0.2 (most websites say <30 is ok)
-My Ultrasound report basically says that we cant find anything major wrong, but some signs of a fatty liver are present and they recommend a CT scan as details on ultrasound not clear due to my size! :o

-Now the ECG is the worrying one, i have the computer print out here and it reads at the top:
Sinus arrhythmia confirmed
Anterior Infarct
Possible Inferior Infarct

Which if a google search is correct, means i have a poor irregular heart rhythm, and that i might have had a heart attack once? (is that possible without knowing?!)

Ah well, Lee's falling apart but hey ho the worlds still spinning! No doubt NZIS Medical Assessor will either say "NO" or order more tests, doubt i get in on that lot above (when mixed with my BMI and weight anyhow)

So anyone for a leaving party, before i head back to the NHS.....?

[Bruckner]

Chin up Lee! Stay positive until you hear back. Fingers crossed for you!

Emily

[Beeblebrox]

Lee

with the usual provisos that I haven't seen the ECG and I do not know your history etc.

Sinus arrhythmia is normal, it means that there is an increase in heart rate when you breathe in.

Regarding the other information, that's difficult to comment upon, all I can say is that the printed report on top of an ECG is often inaccuate and more often than not ignored by medics who look at the ECG in its entirety. It is interpreted in conjunction with the history and examination.


Hope all goes well with your follow-up consultation.

Beeb.

[Leccy-Lee]

Thanks for that, i cant help being born a pessimist!
I was once asked "is your glass half-empty or half-full Lee", my reply?

"#$^@$% I broke my glass at birth sir!" ;)

[Beeblebrox]

No worries.

I think I am probably as pessimistic as you and am convinced that my ITA is going to all go horribly wrong.

On the bright side at least I'm rarely disappointed and will be very pleasently suprised if we ever make it over to Wellington :)

Beeb

[Red Devil]

Hang in there Lee... best of luck :nice1

[Leccy-Lee]

Want to here the irony?

These results today came the same day as NZIS sent me my ITA and the lovely "Welcome to living in NZ" big folder and dvd. LOL oh its so ironic, welcome to your new life in NZ, but we havent said you can stay yet!

[JandM]

Chin up, Lee. Keep on fighting.

[Kim39]

Stay positive big guy!!


Kim

[mgbridges]

Oh Lee what a tale of woe it all is at the moment. :wah HUGE hugs from me! Keep trying, chin up, stick at it, etc, etc. I know it doesn't change the situation you're in but we are all rooting (in the UK sense of the word) for you and I really don't think I could wish you more luck if I tried.

Thinking of you...
Anneliese

[Hejwitch_uk]

Keep going Lee, don't let the b$£%&*+s grind you down just yet!!

[Leccy-Lee]

Appreciate your thoughts as always guys, But i can be honest about one decision i have made and you make not like it...

If NZIS come back asking for any more medical tests, then i am quitting. I already have a mountain of debt costing me 1/2 my weekly wages thats paying off fees and costs so far. If they come back asking for CT scans, specialists, biopsy's etc then its over, i shall at that point write a letter both to them and to the local MP asking if they want skilled tradesman or not? I refuse to get in any more financial ruin just to persuade this country i can stay here, they got bigger fish to fry than a reasonably fit working tradesman thats overweight, and already put 13mths worth of tax into the country!

So either way balls in NZ's court, i cant take any more, yes or no NZ?
Heathrow awaits if you make the wrong call........

[Moorf]

Hey Lee, don't you have a year to eke this out? Could you make the specialist appointments in 2 or 3 months time or do you have a deadline to meet usually? Then you could save up? Just a thought - chin up hon

[Leccy-Lee]

To be honest, its not the debt..
Its the principle, i am not interested in spending anymore money trying to persuade this country that they want me. Its all there fault that i cant pay the rent this week. They just simply overreact to being overweight, they have yet to find anything substantial wrong with me, how much more?

Sorry to sound so fed-up but i have had enough! They decide now simple as, if yes i can stay and sort out long term loan and all will be good. If its No or "get these tests done" then they can forget its there loss...........

Either way i still be making payments to banks in NZ for next couple of years! :(

[jubjub]

Appreciate your thoughts as always guys, But i can be honest about one decision i have made and you make not like it...

If NZIS come back asking for any more medical tests, then i am quitting. I already have a mountain of debt costing me 1/2 my weekly wages thats paying off fees and costs so far. If they come back asking for CT scans, specialists, biopsy's etc then its over, i shall at that point write a letter both to them and to the local MP asking if they want skilled tradesman or not? I refuse to get in any more financial ruin just to persuade this country i can stay here, they got bigger fish to fry than a reasonably fit working tradesman thats overweight, and already put 13mths worth of tax into the country!

So either way balls in NZ's court, i cant take any more, yes or no NZ?
Heathrow awaits if you make the wrong call........

Lee, I dont blame you for coming to this decision, you have had to jump through more hoops than a circus lion, and its not funny...:no

Fingers crossed they come back with the right answer for you... :yes

[Hagabel]

Sinus arrythmia is normal. Diagnostic print outs of EKGs are unreliable which is why medics, nurses and Drs who look at these look at the EKG itself not what the machine tells them.
Stop worrying. Stress can contribute to more damage than what was on your EKG interpretation.
:cheers

[BkyMonster]

Poor Lee.
Well, all you can do is make the best of it. I wish you luck in whatever happens.

[Leccy-Lee]

Well right about one thing, finally got 20min with my Doc today and he looked through the ECG printout and scribbled across the computers interpretation and i quote:
"Computer Nonsense, I can find no significant abnormalities at all" and signed it as my Doctor, telling me to forward it to NZIS.

On a lesser bright note he said he personally knows the MA whos assessing my medical and says basically hes tough and likes to do every test known to man before making a decision! :(

[Alan]

A bright spot and someone on your side by the sounds of things

[Caroline and Dave]

It amazes me how desperate they are for skilled tradesmen like electricians yet have to mess about with bureucracy and red tape.
I am a fully qualified electrician and electrical inspector but they will not allow me to work here because I have not worked for an employer for 2 years or more as an electrician. I qualified in 1995 and reguarly took further courses etc in UK. I used these skills on our properties we rented out in UK and other landlord properties.I have fully rewired many properties on my own to the highest standards. I carried out regular inspections ON HMO's (Houses in Multiple Occupation ) for our local council yet I never worked for a firm only for our own business. Because of this they wanted me to do another 3 years of courses to NZ standards(Which in my opinion are not as thorough as UK) At 48 years of age I cannot be bothered with all this and as our income comes from our rentals I decided that I would rather do voluntary work for hospices, homes etc playing keyboard. I am fortunate enough to be in a position to do this but I fully understand Lee's frustration at the way they seem to mess about fully qualified people here IMHO.

[Norwegian Blue]

IMHO a majority of "civil servants" (which of those words don't they understand?) should probably be paid to stay at home and watch TV and not interfere :laugh :laugh

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

If you're doc's happy, then there should be no reason for NZIS to question it any further.

I think you're underestimating the good news, but I can't blame you for wanting to see it all in writing and blue stickered once and for all.

imho your glass should now be looking half full.

[Leccy-Lee]

Got some glass glue Sam? :-/
I know always the pessimist......

[Belmont Babes]

Lee, been following the thread and wishing for good news with/for you. Don't know what else to say for now but know what I will feel like saying to "them" if the glass ends up empty. Got it crossed for you mate :yes

[skibumwa]

I feel your pain from here!!! I guess NZIS has very strick medical standards that are more important than their need to have skilled labour like yourself here helping NZ to be a better country. Accumulating a mountain of debt from medical tests, etc, for immigration purposes is not a good thing at all. :no

If NZIS gave PR blue stickers out for sheet effort and will power, you'd be first in line to get one for sure! You are the poster child for perserverance for sure!!! :nice1

If the response is negative and you go back to the UK, then perhaps you can get on diet/exercise regimend and try for NZ PR again in a year or so? :confused: However, I would certainly understand if you felt "burned" by NZIS and preferred not to come back at all.

Whatever the result of the NZIS Medical Accessors response is, I hope you can find peace with yourself and gracefully move on (whether it be back to the UK) or here in NZ (hopefully). :). In the end, the NZIS medical accessors are just following rules and procedures so it's never personal.

Anyway, it was good to have met you in person back last year.
We all here on the forum wish you the best of luck with whatever you do..

Cheers,
John

[andy141]

I know always the pessimist......

Lee,

I've been following this thread and REALLY feel for you. I'm also waiting for the 'Sword of Damacles' to fall --- it's been three weeks since my (expensive)cardiologist report was submitted to the Medical Assessor. I've bitten past my nails and almost down to the first joint of my fingers and things are getting messy on the keyboard. :(

Keep you're chin up and don't forget, pessimists are ALWAYS pleasantly surprised :)

Andy

[Mickstim]

We've also been following your saga Lee and if anyone deserves a medal (and PR) it has to be you. Keep your chin up and we look forward to hearing some positive news!

Bx

[Silverwing86]

I know it's easy to say when you're on the other side of the Medicals, so to speak, but even if the MA wants more information, it doesn't necessarily mean there'll be a 'NO' at the end of it all. It's just that the MA's seem to have an obsessive need to cover their backs since the changes to the medical process, implemented in November 2005.

In my case it took four rounds of providing extra information. Ending with me writing a scintillating (sp ?) letter to them accompanying the final specialist reports, asking them (most politely of course) what the heck they thought they were doing, as it was pretty obvious from their last conclusion that they hadn't even read all the information properly !!

What they suggested in their final conclusion made me quite angry because I felt it was insulting, and I made very sure, again most politely, that they were aware of my feelings on the subject (luckily I'm pretty good at writing letters like that :D).

In the end the Visa Officer ignored all the, obviously faulty and highly ambiguous ("we think she doesn't conform to an acceptable standard of health, but we can't sure", that kind of thing :rolleyes: !), conclusions the MA's had made since they only made it more difficult for her to make her decision rather than easier (which is what they're supposed to do !), and just went ahead and gave us PR anyway :clap.

So do hang in there, if you can at all bring yourself to do so, have Zen-like patience, and most likely it'll work itself out. Especially since you have your GP on your side (and him knowing the MA personally may also work in your favour !).

Our thoughts are with you and our previous offers of help still stand. Just let us know what we can do to assist you and we'll work something out...

All the best,
Silver