This is in response to the letter entitled, Clear Need For a Hospital Here, by Haida Bolton, (The News, Feb. 10).
I am an adult and I was in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) on January 20 occupying a bed on the paediatrics ward.
After numerous placements during the week into other private rooms I finally ended up in paediatrics as they had the most room to spare for my condition.
I am undergoing chemotherapy at NRGH and ended up with an adverse reaction to a new chemo drug I had been given as part of my protocol.
I needed isolation from the hospital population while the medical experts tried to bring down my fever and build up my white blood cells.
Many attempts were made to try to find me a private room on an adult floor. I spent my first night and day on an uncomfortable stretcher in a private room in emergency, other people were spending their nights and days in hallway beds.
I then spent a night in a maternity suite only to be whisked away the following day because babies needed to be born.
That’s when I ended up in paediatrics. Thnk goodness for them, the floor wasn’t very busy and I received excellent care.
At this time I would like to thank the paediatrics staff for their care and company.
I would also like to thank NRGH for the hoops and hurdles they had to go through for me.
My condition is something that could have easily been looked after by a hospital in Parksville (if we had one).
With our aging and increasing population it is very short sighted of our elected officials and VIHA to choose a health centre versus an active treatment hospital for a community such as ours.
Yes, VIHA is spending oodles of money to upgrade the emergency facilities at NRGH, but what happens when they need a room, such as I did, to place and care for the patient after they get admitted?
Come on BC Liberals and VIHA it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee and do something that we are asking for — don’t tell us what we want — listen to us.
Lorraine Wilson
French Creek
