Just heard on Newstalk 570 that Grand River Hospital in Kitchener will be closing its emergency department this weekend for good. More to follow.
Thanks Dalton McGuinty! You've got money for everything but health care!
Update: 570's on-line report available now. Is this a sign of things to come across Ontario?
Siscoe reminds us all of McGuinty's inspiring words, as we search for a hospital with an emergency department that is open: Hang in there!
7 comments:
Health care in Manitoba has something called "DNR" (do not resuscitate). I think that in regard to infants, it is abuse, and should be illegal.
My granddaughter was born on Jan 23/06 and died on May 24/06, apparently because her lungs could not make it through the 4 month growth spurt.
Because the original Pediatrician/Geneticist decided that Anasophia was not "viable", he and the Obstetrician specializing in fetal abnormalities, convinced my daughter and son-in-law to agree to a DNR. This was after an abortion was offered at 5 months of pregnancy, and refused by the parents. My daughter was told that if she went through with the pregnancy, she would have a dwarf baby with inderdeveloped lungs.
They were told that wee Anasophia would not live past the first 2 or 3 minutes after her Caesarian birth. Well, she did, and was not put on a rescusitator, nor in an incubator, even though she was 5 pounds. When she made it past day 1, my daughter kept her baby in her private room, given by the hospital, because, they insisted that Ana would not live past 5 days, and they wanted to save my daughter the trauma of losing a baby and sharing a room with another mom and baby.
Anyway, Anasophia lived and thrived for a whole month, when my daughter informed Palliative Care that she no longer required their health nurse, and the Public Health Nurse was in contact, anyway. Unfortunately, as Ana grew very slowly, the fact that her lungs could have been better developed in an incubator for at least the week she was in hospital, and the fact that the DNR also meant that she was not fitted with a drainage tube for the cerebral-spinal fluid building up in her brain, she started to weaken a bit after 3 months.
When she stopped breathing at 4 months to the day, the 911 paramedics were able to revive her, put her on manual oxygen, and take her to the Children's Hospital. The ER doctor, however, shouted at the paramedics, that the "patient has a DNR on its file, and will not be given oxygen". Police were called in, my daughter was not allowed to see me, and after 3 and a half hours, I found out that the doctors had given Ana a large dosage of morphine, to kill any supposed pain, although we never heard her cry. She suffocated slowly, her chin trembling unbelievably fast, and it took her 5 and a half hours of fighting to die, most likely after another dosage of morphine was given.
IMPORTANT FYI: My daughter and son-in-law were not allowed to rescind the DNR order at the hospital that night, because, as the Children's Hospital ER doctor so "gently" put it:"You should have thought of that before, and filled out the appropriate forms, and signed them.!!! You are in distress right now, and if we listen to you, and the baby should suffer a trauma, you may sue the hospital"
Can you imagine? And where do I go to rightly complain, and inform the public?
kernymom@yahoo.com
Anon - That is one of the most heart-breaking stories I have ever heard. What suffering for all of you!
I would suggest writing to your provincial and federal representatives, and more importantly, write letters to the editor to get the message out there!
I am not familiar with Manitoba's situation regarding health care. If anyone reading this has something to suggest or offer, please do so! Thanks.
In the Charter of Rights and Freedoms Canadians are guarnteed the right to life(section 7) and guaranteed they won't be discriminated against based on age or mental or physical disability(section 15.) Nothing will give your granddaughter her life back, but you should see a kawyer about your legaal remedies(guaranteed under section 24.) A big lawsuit or a charter challenge will generate lots of publicity, and hopefully prevent the same thing happening to some other child.
9 to life and
At the very least, the Ministry of Health has to be held accountable here.
Excuse my lack of political knowledge, but what party is in control in Manitoba?
Thegreat champions of the disadvanaged and the rabid supporters of universal medicare, the NDP, have 35 of 59 seats in Manitoba. Judge them by their actions, not their words!
Swift, thanks. That would explain a lot of things! Good luck Manitoba.
Remember Bob Rae?
anon Grandma,
I am greatly sorry for your loss!
How did Anasophia's parents feel? Do they feel the same as you?
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