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We’d anticipated a very long wait

Editor: My husband has chronic asthma – more specifically Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Peace Arch Hospital Emergency Ward entrance.
A Saturday evening visit to Peace Arch Hospital didn’t deliver what was expected by a South Surrey couple.

Editor:

My husband has chronic asthma – more specifically Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

He had been labouring with shortness of breath for too long. On a recent Saturday night, I drove him to Peace Arch Hospital at 8:45 p.m. He was reluctant to go, as he thought that he would be sitting in the waiting room for a long period of time. I told him if that is the situation that I would take him to another hospital.

We went to the registration area. No one else was there. They asked the questions, I gave the answers. I completed the information that was requested and when I turned around my husband wasn’t there.

A nurse advised me to go to Room 3, and I did. There was my husband changing into the hospital nightie.

Within seconds, a nurse was taking blood, another was injecting something to slow his heart rate down, and a third was placing an oxygen mask over his nose.

I could not believe how wonderful the medical attention was and so quickly expedited. I could see the tension on my husband’s face diminish.

A doctor came in and asked him some questions. A portable X-ray machine was brought in and an X-ray of his chest was taken. A prescription was given and we were on our way home two hours later.

I was so thankful that my husband received the care he did, as well as the professionalism of the medical staff. They were so pleasant and caring.

We cannot thank them enough.

Trudy Dollman, Surrey