An open letter to Peace Arch Hospital.
I am a regular patient at Peace Arch Hospital outpatient medical daycare.
I suffer from PIDD (hypogammaglobulinemia) and severe AFS (allergic fungal sinus disease), amongst other health problems. I get my IVIG every two weeks since April 2010 at PAH; before that, it was at Delta Hospital.
Before the complaint, the reason for my letter, I want to let you know that all nurses at the daycare are amazing and have my utmost respect. I am very aware that this issue is not due to the nurses working there; it is a management and/or administration problem, e.g. Fraser Health.
During the years of my treatments at the PAH daycare, the emergency overflow has ended up on our side of treatment/care many times, too often for comfort. I am sure you know exactly what this means to us patients suffering from immune-deficiency disorders and/or any patient that is immune-compromised from different diseases; it puts us at great risk.
Last year, a patient was in the bed beside our chairs that had acute pneumonia. I do not know what her strain of bacteria was, but I do know my friend beside me got sick shortly after with pneumonia and she was hospitalized twice since and has now died last month in Peace Arch Hospital. She suffered from alpha-1 and told me on May 14 that she has been suffering from pseudomonas ever since she got sick last year with pneumonia.
I was diagnosed with pseudomonas aeruginosa on May 10, which I grow in my sinuses.
Of course, I can’t be certain where my friend got her pseudomonas/pneumonia, but I think it ought to be looked at. We the patients with immune-compromised diseases should be separated from any emergency patients that bring in lots of people visiting, which could carry any disease we could react to. Way too many visitors do not read the sign: “Please wash your hands and/or wear a mask if you don’t feel well, have a cough or a cold.”
I urge you please look into this matter.
Maggie Bernet, White Rock
