The irony of it all

Don Richardson and his wife Jean did a classic double- take. One of those times when you you’re not quite sure you believe what you have been told. 

“It was one thing when they told me I would be admitted to the hospital,” Don commented seated in a chair beside his hospital bed. “But when they said I was going to the paediatric unit Jean and I grinned. We thought how ironic.”

It all began on the Friday going into the family day holiday weekend.

“I couldn’t get out of bed,” Don recalled. “I ached so much all I wanted to do was stay under the covers. Saturday morning I knew I needed help so Jean brought me to the hospital. My left foot was swollen so bad that I couldn’t walk.” 

Don was in pain like he had never experienced before. He recalled a couple of years ago when he tore the ligaments in his ankle. After an MRI he was told that he’d ‘have to live with it’ and the body would look after itself. But that didn’t come close to how Don felt when he arrived in the emergency department at 8 o’clock on Saturday morning.

“It was so busy that eventually Dr. Irvine came out and assessed me right there in the waiting room,” Don said. “He ordered blood tests and x-rays. Dr. Dill, an orthopaedic surgeon prescribed medication and said I could go home but that I would have to return the following day for more follow up. That night at about 9 o’clock the phone rang. It was Dr. Dill calling- he wanted to know how I was doing? Wow- that impressed Jean and I!”

Just as the doctor ordered, Jean brought Don back to the hospital bright and early Sunday morning. “It was incredibly busy that day,” they both recalled. “Dr. Safer an emergency physician ordered more tests. The infection in my foot was getting better and they said I could go home but I would have to come back once again the following morning.”

Monday arrived and so did Don back to the ER. “This time Dr. Grabner ordered more X-rays and a CT scan and we waited for the results. Eventually, we got the news: an inflamed pancreas and I would be admitted. When they told us I was going to the paediatric unit I smiled.” 

The fact that Don was being admitted to the paediatric unit didn’t surprise him. As a retired member of the hospital Board he knows all about the backlog of patients in Ontario’s emergency wards waiting for a hospital bed. Often hospital patients are ready to be discharged but until alternate level of care becomes available in the community they remain in the hospital. So patients in the ER wait for a bed to come available. 

Somehow it seemed appropriate that the bed that became available for Don was on the paediatric unit. For 38-years Don and Jean have organized the annual Christmas party for the paediatric patients. They bring in entertainment, arrange for lots of goodies and a visit by Santa. Don and Jean go out and buy gifts and wrap them for all the kids and children who have frequented the unit throughout the year are called and invited. So, the irony is that this coming Christmas Don will be able to invite himself to his own party.

Gary Chalk is senior executive director- public affairs and development for the Brant Community Healthcare System. Brantford General is a regional health centre providing primary, emergency and specialized services. The Willett, Paris, is a multi- service health centre providing urgent care, primary and community outreach programs.