I am now a patient of the dialysis unit, three days a week for approximately four-and-a-half hours each day.
The staff at this unit are wonderful. they are so caring and attentive and professional and they work so well together as a team.
While you are somewhat stressed with having to have dialysis, they certainly try to make your runs as pleasant as possible. However, not pleasant is the extreme cold in the unit.
The patients all have to wear jackets and have blankets over them, and some are electric ones!.
Apparently there is something wrong with some sensors on the building and the air conditioner kicks in with very cold air. Even when the temperature outside is 30 degrees, we still need blankets and jackets on.
People suffering kidney function problems are more susceptible to cold and as we are sitting and not moving for over four hours, we feel it even more. When I get home, I have to wear a jacket for awhile to warm up as I am chilled to the bone.
The staff also feel the cold and are always putting sweaters on. No doubt their employment contracts call for pleasant-working conditions.
I travel to and from dialysis by cab and most of the drivers speak of the cold in there so it is obvious other patients have complained to them as well.
Apparently, Interior Health rents the facility and has addressed the problem with the landlord but the problem has not been rectified.
Perhaps if they moved the unit, surely there are options but there are no options for us dialysis patients.
Beryl Nerling
Vernon
