Health care delays hurt --- they hurt real people

Yesterday I posted about the thousands of news stories that have been written about BC medical system … and the systemic delays in care in emergency wards.   

I also mentioned that in the middle of writing that piece, I received a telephone call from a friend that has personal experience with the system.

Their story is one that caused me to go through a wide range of emotions, emotions which ended in anger … anger in wonderment at how one of the worlds best medical systems could get to this point.

I have asked to share their story, and they agreed … here it is in part:

3 years I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. The third neurosurgeon gave me hope, and said my operation was to be in the fall, meaning October, or November 2011.

That date has come and gone

This operation is needed to relieve the nerves that affect my legs.  The nerves are severely pinched to such an extent that my legs feel like they are on fire and I just writhe in pain. My quality of life has got to the point where must days I can only go from my bedroom to the living room couch, where I stay until I return to go to bed in the evening.  Like I mentioned this is no quality of life. 

When my husband brings me a coffee in the morning, I have to drink it through a straw lying face down on the couch. And I eat my meals the same way, lying face down on the couch.

I can only sit about 5 minutes or less, and I am unable to sit long enough to get a bath or stand long enough and have a shower.  I cannot even push a shopping cart to go shopping.

My husband is my total care giver, and I have no social life anymore.  Something I love very much is going to church. But now for the longest time I've had to lay on the floor on a mat at the back of the church.

My surgeon gets two beds a week for operating, and according to his office secretary, his two beds a week have been cancelled and rescheduled. This same thing is happening to my friend of mine needing surgery for a hernia

I continue to wait.

Yesterday I went to my family doctor, and she increased my morphine to triple the regular dosage . After examining me she said she was referring me to another neurologist. This is now the fourth neurologist to try and speed up getting my surgery.

I have written to our Honourable Premier Christy Clark, and received no reply. I have written to the Honourable Minister of Health Michael de Jong, my MLA Terry Lake, and to Adrian Dix leader of the NDP.

I have enclosed a letter from Terry Lake’s office, so you are aware of how these leaders treat someone in my situation.

Here are some of the comments that were included in the letter from Terry Lake’s Constituency Assistant, which was received yesterday (February 9, 2011)

… I whole heatedly sympathize with her and her situation, as does MLA Lake … surgeries often get bumped because of emergencies and other higher-priority patients.  This is not to say your pain is less valued …

… all health authorities are working hard to reduce surgery wait times …

… there is a lot of work happening across all health care sectors to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and to ensure supports are available in the community for those who no longer require acute care …

… IH (Interior Health) al.so continues to work closely with the Thompson Division of Family Practise, so we can look at the issues facing both physicians and the health authority and work collaboratively to seek common solutions …

There is no close to the letter that offers to do what is needed for this person to receive their surgery … there is no empathy expressed … only a lot of ‘we are doing this, and we are doing that’.

Week after week we hear of the unacceptable conditions for people needing emergency services … delays and cancellations in surgeries.  How many more studies need to be conducted??   How many more people … including children and seniors … will have to wait (and wait) for the medical attention they need.

This is unacceptable – and it needs to end!  Health care delays hurt --- they hurt real people.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.