LETTER: 70-yr-old patient to sleep in car to get medical care
By Contributor
Dear Editor,
I’m writing this because I am just livid.
My neighbour is 70 years old. She has suffered a stroke, has had two heart attacks, and multiple surgeries on her pancreas. She is not in good health, to say the least. Doesn’t stop her though, she was out shoveling snow yesterday!
She is leaving tomorrow for surgery on Thursday in Kelowna. She will have the surgery in the morning, and be released, but then she must stay within several km of the hospital for the next two days in case of emergency. She doesn’t have the money for a hotel. so this wonderful 70 year old woman will be staying in her car in the dead of winter for two days. I am beyond mortified. I am sitting here shaking at how criminally neglectful this health system has become.
Why are there no checks in place to ensure a patient will be cared for for the duration of their treatment? Especially an elderly patient. There are many factors that need to be in place for the successful treatment and recovery of a patient. The surgery itself is pointless if transportation and accommodations aren’t included.
It’s deplorable that in this day and age we have a health system that is so fragmented that this kind of thing happens.
When are we going to stand up and demand that the tax money sent to Ottawa actually goes back into communities, instead of on fighter jets and shady contracts?
Sincerely,
Terran Ambrosone
Castlegar
