My Mom

To whom this may be of interest;

I am sending this e-mail for fear of my mothers health. My mom and dad live in Cranbrook B.C home of the Regional Hospital. My mom has been my dads caretaker for many years as his health is deteriorating due to emphysema. He is now at the point where he is on oxygen 24/7 and uses a walker to move from bed to the bathroom. My mom has had to endure the removal of a breast due to cancer 2 years ago all the while maintaining my dad, she has had no time for her own recovery. My Mom is a proud women who rarely, if ever asks for help from anyone. But my Mom does need help and some relief before I don't have a mom anymore.  Our story goes like this;  Feb 16 my son was helping my dad to get to the washroom (as he barely has enough strength to lift his own body weight) when he collapsed in his arms. This was terrifying  for my son as he thought his grandfather had just died! When my dad came to my son asked him if he knew what had just happened , no was his reply. That same evening my mom went to bed with what she thought was indigestion. Feb 17 my mom goes to her Dr's appointment and explains to her Dr what she had experienced the night before. His reply to her was that she had suffered a minor heart attack!  Feb 19, 3 days after the heart attack my dad collapses again, this time he is out for a lot longer, this really scares my mom. She phoned for an ambulance which came and took him to the hospital. That evening the hospital calls my mom and tells her that my dad is ready to come home. She asks if they could just keep him overnight they say no. My sister and mom go up to the hospital, wheel my dad out to the car , bring him home, They help him to the door at which point he falls down. My mom and sister lift him up as best as they can (keep in mind my moms arm is still swollen from the cancer surgery and she can not lift ) they get him inside where he now has to go up the stairs (split entry home) . My dad falls again. At this point my sister calls her husband to come and help. He arrives and has to drag my dad up the stairs as my dad does not have the strength to do the stairs. They finally get my dad into bed and my brother in law calls up the hospital and asks why the hell are they releasing him? The reply is there are no beds available. My mom has tried to reach out for help to various places such as respite care where she is told she has to book 2 months in advance to get a weekend off. She has also inquired into putting my dad into a home where they tell her his name will be added to "the list". My Mom needs some real help from the medical system not just someone coming into their home and advising her to move a rug here and there and to add bars in the bathroom (which she has complied with) and to put a lift into their home is not the answer. I fear for my mom as her health is definitely suffering and her cry’s for help are most definitely falling on deaf ears.

Thank you for your time in reading this, and now you can file this  away with all the other stories of  life and death in our compassionate medical system. 

Lynda Lindley (Elk Valley)