I've had a lot of opportunity lately to be up close and personal with the medical establishment.
In the later part of June, my husband had bypass surgery at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. For the most part, it was a pleasant experience - certainly not so much for Wayne, who needed repair to five vessels, an operation that required not only his chest being opened like a can of sardines (his words not mine) but also other surgery to his arm and chest to harvest the veins necessary for the major surgery.
Happily the operation is already showing positive results, and the prognosis is for a much higher quality of life than was present before the surgery.
Much of that credit goes to the incredible surgeon whose abilities are legend in the hospital. The scuttlebutt was, if you have to go under the knife, that was the doctor you wanted at the other end of the instrument. Over the three days leading up to Wayne's surgery, this doctor had not only performed several bypasses (including one that required seven new paths), but he had also performed a heart and kidney transplant on a Kootenay man. For that man's family, it was nothing short of a miracle. And while it would be a stretch to say it was business as usual for the doctor, it was certainly not unheard of for him.
Leading up to the date at St. Paul's, we also experienced a high level of care with three other doctors, two on the Coast and one in North Vancouver. It's impossible to put into words the esteem I hold for Dr. Jim McFarland and Dr. Sara Wadge. Both are shining examples of medical professionals who are not only great at their job, but also terrific with people. Without their diligence, this story could have had a much different ending.
There are negative sides to the health picture both here and in Vancouver.
A chronic shortage of doctors on the Coast means that some people may not have the level of care we've experienced. For many in our area, it's imperative that small problems get fixed before they become life and death challenges. I feel for the front line workers in the local clinics who are left with the miserable task of telling people that either there is no doctor who can look after them or that the wait to see their family doctor will be weeks. It's not an easy job, and for the most part, it's one they handle with poise and good grace.
A shortage of another type of workers at the hospital in Vancouver was evident in the general level of cleanliness at the facility. Spilled coffee was still present a day later, dropped tissues stayed where they fell for much longer than they should have. And in perhaps what was the most telling of all, there was the constant admonition by the nurses to their patients to wash thoroughly and consistently whenever possible and certainly after any contact with shared areas such as the bathroom.
The nurses at St. Paul's are an inspiration. They do an amazing job under trying circumstances, and for the most part, you'd be hard pressed to think they would do anything differently even if it was their own family member.
My last words on the subject are this. This is what I thought about on July 1 - we are so very lucky to live in a country where medical care is not limited to the rich and famous, where everyday lives are saved regardless of your station in life. And not that I needed another one, but that fact alone makes me proud and thankful to be a Canadian.
