Dear Sir:
I had tests done in the Terrace hospital and it was recommended that I go to the hospital in Kelowna to have an operation.
Previous to going to Kelowna, I phoned the hospital in Kelowna and was told that all of my results of tests done in Terrace had not been received due to the mail strike.
A staff member in Kelowna suggested that I request a disc from the Terrace hospital showing the results of my tests, then bring it to the Kelowna hospital. I was given an appointment at that time to have a consultation with the surgeon in Kelowna on July 18, 2011.
After my consultation I was given a date to have surgery on July 26. I appreciated the fact that I was able to have my surgery done shortly after my consultation because of the travel time going back and forth to Terrace.
After the operation, I was placed in a ward with another patient who I could not see as she was on the other side of the curtain. This patient was screaming at me in a very threatening manner and it was upsetting me.
I asked if I could please be moved to another room and was told that I couldn’t be moved because I was hooked up to a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). It was necessary for me to be hooked up to this machine as I have sleep apnea.
I have one of these machines at home and know that it can be plugged in to any electrical plug-in. I then suggested that if they couldn’t move me, could they please move the other patient. I was then told that there were no more room available.
I asked to speak to the head nurse and I told her that if I wasn’t moved to another room, I would unhook my IV and prepare to leave the hospital. Finally, after that discussion, I was moved to another room.
I was able to go to sleep, but shortly after, woke up to find myself short of breath. I rang for the nurse to let her know my condition and then I was hooked up to a heart monitor machine. I was checked continually for the next three days and it was found that I did not have a heart problem. I was told that I had suffered an anxiety attack brought on by what had happened to me after my surgery.
The reason I am writing this is to bring attention to the fact that our healthcare system definitely has some flaws, it may not be staff shortages, government cutbacks or whatever the reason, I feel it should be made public.
Lil Kenny, Terrace, B.C.
