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LETTERS: Health care suffers on your watch

An open letter to White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin and Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner.
web1_Overcrowded-hallway-SMH-ES
Civic officials should tour the hallways of overcrowded hospitals to witness the turmoil and suffering, writes H. Cameron. (File photo)

An open letter to White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin and Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner.

Re: Disparity hits home, June 30 letters.

I read with interest this past week the letter about the lady who spent four days waiting for surgery to repair her fractured ankle at Peace Arch Hospital.

I was consequently encouraged to share my experience with our health care system.

On June 27, I spent seven hours at Peace Arch Hospital with my 96-year-old friend who had a fall. She was transported by ambulance and never did actually make it into the emergency ward.

She lay in the entrance hallway with me standing by her side for seven hours to eventually be released home with the diagnosis that everything was fine.

The next day she had another fall and once again was transported to hospital. She arrived at 2:30 p.m. and was eventually put in a bed in a hallway where she lingered for the next eight hours before finally seeing a physician.

During the eight hours she screamed in pain and was violently ill. After eight hours she was diagnosed with a severe bladder infection that had gone to her kidneys, thus the agonizing back pain.

After two days in the hallway, she was transferred to a room.

I suggest that before you and your councils continue to approve development permits for more highrises, townhomes and large subdivisions, perhaps you should be required to do tours of our hospitals and witness the turmoil and suffering.

It will make you realize our infrastructure is totally inadequate and the madness must stop.

H. Cameron, Surrey