Since January 14, I've spent 33 hours sitting in ER with my mother. I've learned a few things along the way.
- Our health care system is broken. Spend even a few minutes in ER and you know Ontario has a big problem. People with possible broken bones, wounds requiring stitches and coughs and colds share space with people who might be having a heart attack, pneumonia or a stroke. When doctors' offices close for the day, patients are instructed to "go to the nearest ER." instead of using a walk-in clinic. Doctors are penalized if their patients use an after-hours or walk in clinic instead of the ER. This is just wrong.
- People don't seem to understand the "emergency" part It's been my observation that the people who complain the loudest are often the ones who probably shouldn't be there in the first place. And once you've already invested 4-5 hours, you might as well just suck it up and wait it out. If you don't want to wait, then maybe you shouldn't have been there in the first place. I sat next to a guy on the 27 hour day with my mother who gave up and went home after 6 hours. 10 minutes later, they called his name. Dude, you should have waited or not come in the first place.
When my mother was having daily radiation, I paid $35 a month for a parking pass that allowed unlimited entry and exit. That was much cheaper than the $10/day average. When my mother was hospitalized at a different hospital this time (often thought to be the more "caring" one for patients in town) I nearly joined my mother in a hospital bed when I found out that the "preferred rate" was $60 a week. A WEEK. It allowed for unlimited in and out. Since I was going twice a day for the first few days, I sucked it up, but $120 for 2 weeks of parking? That's obscene, especially when there is no other option.
- Medical emergencies go in waves The night my mother and I sat in ER after she hit her head, she was one of 4 with head injuries-2 old women, a very busy 18 month old baby and a hockey player. The night we waited 27 hours, it was "try to cut off your hand" night. I counted four people with bloody digits, including a chef at the Bauer Kitchen who discovered that the slicing blade was quite sharp enough, thank you.
- Medical staff are amazing. Admin staff, not so much. The care that my mother has received has been exemplary. Once we managed to run the gauntlet to see a doctor, we received undivided attention, care and concern. The medical staff are overworked, understaffed and run off their feet, yet they do little things like bring heated blankets. My experiences with the administrative side, however is not positive, with a couple of exceptions. It took me 3 tries to have my parking permit renewed when my mother was having radiation, because it wasn't entered properly in the system. Both the cashier and the security guard treated me like a miscreant trying to rip off the hospital when I was just a caregiver trying to get out of the garage. My bad for being efficient and renewing early. I stepped in and helped an elderly gentleman a couple of days ago who was confounded by the parking ticket machine. He was just trying to pay his ticket and leave, but the machine wasn't taking coins or credit card, he didn't have any paper money...and he didn't speak English. The security guard's attitude was "tough luck, buddy, can't help you." although we were standing within inches of an ER full of humanity. I poked my head in, asked if anyone spoke the language in question, got help for the old man, and then went on my way. Security guard could have done the same thing, but chose not to. May he never be in a similar position in a foreign country.
- Ratios The amount of time you wait is directly proportional to how long since your last meal. Both times I sat for extended periods with my mom, I did so without dinner and lunch had been a long time before that. Tim Horton's would make a fortune with a rolling coffee cart in ER. Both times, I couldn't leave my mother to go get provisions.
- Television While television may be a distraction, watching the same damn show for 8 hours repeated over and over is just annoying.
- Full moon Anyone who has worked with the public will tell you this-the lunar cycle has an influence on people. I've sat in the ER on a full moon, and let me tell you, the loonies get sick on a full moon. They may also provide quality entertainment. I know when I worked in Customs we didn't even have to look outside to know when it was a full moon. If the loonies aren't in the ER, they've taken to the airways. And if said loony is brought in by ambulance, is pacing back and forth and muttering, leaving him in a waiting room full of people with a door that opens to the outside might not be the best plan of action. And if said loony then vacates the premises, it shouldn't be a surprise.
- Dating Note to the young man who brought his buddy with the half-amputated finger into the ER who kept "chatting" with the two young women waiting for medical treatment. The ER is not a good place to try to pick up women. They weren't interestedl; they were trapped. They were not that into you, they just didn't want to move and lose their chairs.
The ER is no place for sick people. Note to self: always charge the e-reader.
Brilliantly written! Been where you are now; done that. You are right, laughter IS the best medicine so let that, occasionally dark, humor shine on through!
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