Brief visits from friendly faces from home helped

Last week I ended up in emergency at the QEH. I will not get into the gory and scary details. PEIEMS arrived with two experienced paramedics. They quickly eased my mind for the long trip in. Every Minister/Deputy of Transportation & Public Works and highway builder must take a tour of Island roads from a stretcher in the back of an ambulance. They will quickly get the feel of which highways need repair. It is an uncomfortable drive when you are requiring a helping hand. I arrived to an ER that was going flat out. I received prompt service by caring, professional and athletic nurses who were in overdrive. Every bed was filled. The waiting room was overflowing one night. The situation in Montague makes the QEH busier at night than they were in the spring. They see a lot of people from our area due to Souris' closure. I ended up on an uncomfortable stretcher in a hallway for two nights. People in worse shape than I, deserved and got a bed. There was no room in the inn. Sleep was by fits and starts due to noises of constant traffic, things falling on the floor, babies crying, and people in pain.

One thing that I could not escape was watching the staff. I don't know where they find the energy. All, from the housekeepers to the doctors are literally run off their feet. They try their best, but sometimes there are little issues. I did not get a meal one day until over an hour after I was supposed to. I did not get angry for I saw nurses and housekeeping missing their breaks. Doctors miss their meals.

Housekeeping has a huge job as part of this team. With the rise of infectious diseases they are constantly on the move. Drop a towel on the floor and it doesn't get hung back on the rack like at home. It is sent immediately to the laundry. From observation, it is obvious the ER staff earns every penny they make.

Staff takes time to say hello. So do the volunteers. They do everything they can to make it easier. Brief visits from friendly faces from home helped. Dr. Rachel Kassner is the daughter of the physician who delivered me. Dr. Randy MacKinnon and paramedic Katie McCormack played with the Souris Lamplighters. Sonya McIntosh RN grew up in the neighbourhood. Meghann Sullivan RN helped us with web site photography earlier in the summer. A familiar face, especially a smile means a lot, especially when you are anxious and in a place you do not wish to be.

As I write this, it is coming up to Thanksgiving. I needed help and I got it. I am grateful to everyone.

From the Eastern Graphic October 14, 2009