The world turns on a dime, and health-care workers are there
I had a heart attack and my world turned on a dime. It happened around 9:20 a.m.
When it struck I knew I was in trouble. Fortunately, I got myself to Saanich Peninsula Hospital within 20 minutes.
It took another five minutes to be put into a bed and receive care. Over the next few hours I was treated by a hard working staff of professionals. They are my heroes, and they saved my life.
That evening, I was transported to the Critical Cardiac Unit at the Royal Jubilee, and underwent a procedure the next morning, to insert a stent into one of my blocked arteries.
I will need another procedure for two more stents.
I am so grateful to the staff in the CCU. They are an amazing team of tightly integrated professionals, who kept me informed and treated me with incredible expertise. At no time did I doubt my quality of care.
Two days later, I was home. It’s easy to ask: “Why me?” The answer according to my cardiologist: “Age (66) and genetics.”
I did everything throughout my life to avoid having a heart attack … yet in a moment everything changed.
It is easy to complain about our health-care system, but when your life depends upon it, you realize how incredible the people are that have devoted themselves to giving us care.
We are so fortunate to have great hospitals and staff. Please give thanks to our healthcare professionals, because your world can also turn on a dime.
Tim Storm
Brentwood Bay
Great experience in Nanaimo hospital
I was recently in Nanaimo Regional Hospital overnight for knee-replacement surgery. I would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses, student nurses, care aides and cleaning staff, as well as all the support staff, that make our wonderful Nanaimo community hospital tick.
I observed first-hand these dedicated professionals work tirelessly during my stay with care and compassion under very difficult circumstances. I know our health-care first responders have been working short-staffed under very stressful circumstances over the past few years with very little positive public feedback.
I also remember the outpouring of public support during COVID with the 7 p.m. banging of pots and pans as a reminder of their vital work. I think we need to remember how stressful their jobs are, so that young people still consider healthcare as a valued profession.
Otherwise, we may not have the smart, professional, dedicated people that provided me with such care and compassion.
Thank you for all that you do.
Malcolm Cox
Parksville
Saanich’s leashing plan is excessive
Saanich’s People, Pets, and Parks consultants found there are between 10,000 and 20,000 families in the district with at least one dog, and that 73 per cent of daily park users are dog owners.
How then, can these consultants imagine that the severely reduced off-leash opportunities they are recommending, will work?
Although the proposal lists 57 leash-optional parks, only 11 of those parks and one beach (Cordova Bay) would be fully off-leash, and seven of those take 10 minutes or less to walk through.
All the other proposed leash-optional parks have at least some leash restrictions, and 20 have sports fields, mostly baseball, which will be closed to dogs for the duration of the sports season.
Yes, they propose to build 12 fenced dog areas, but these are no substitute for natural trails. Enclosed dog areas work for some dogs and their families, but they do not make up for allowing only a tiny 1.5 kilometre loop out of 21 kilometres of trails in PKOLS-Mount Douglas.
The PKOLS fenced dog park will be built in a gravel pit. The Cuthbert Holmes one runs along the highway with little or no shade. It’s doubtful the rest will be any better. How can this be considered fair and balanced?
Eleven parks for 10,000 dogs is a recipe for division, disruption and disaster.
Let’s hope Saanich council members will base their decisions on the consultants’ statistically valid data, which supports the status quo, and not their excessive leashing recommendations.
Mark Hawkes
Sidney
Give the public specifics about what will be done
Re: “Island Health working to improve health care,” letter, June 9.
Another letter by a senior executive in the health care system that says absolutely nothing new. In this instance, it was Dr. Ben Williams, vice-president medicine, quality, research and chief medical officer Island Health.
One would expect to read of specific actions being taken to improve the system such as the numbers of additional personnel to be hired, schedules, budgets, short-term workarounds and other relevant information.
Instead, we are treated to nothing other than the usual platitudes such as: “while we work with hospitalists.” “significant additional work is underway,” “we are taking action,” “we are also working with,” etc.
How very disappointing.
Brian Summers
Victoria
We all need to learn to be good neighbours
Re: “Take a moment to notice and say hi to ‘Street People’,” commentary, and “Don’t close doors and minds to the police,” editorial, both June 9.
Plaudits for the authors of these two items, which advocate openness, communication and de-stigmatization.
Drew Snider’s commentary recommends conversation for bridging the chasm between the ”two solitudes” of street people and the rest of the population.
The editorial challenges the “wrong-headed and destructive” unanimous decision by the Greater Victoria School Board to end its decades-long police officer liaison program.
I agree with the editorial, for the decision creates another version of the two solitudes Snider decries. If some children and some school staff fear the police, isn’t it better, as the editorial asks, to address that fear rather than reinforce it through apparent segregation?
As it stands, “we have a closing of doors, and a closing, too, of minds. This is not how a responsible group of elected officials would behave.”
How can we be good neighbours? According to Fred Rogers, “in times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.”
Processes like this generally foster education, empathy and understanding, qualities at the core of healthy community.
Patrick Wolfe
Victoria
Health-care help, not housing requirements
Driving through Oak Bay with friends, we agreed that it was refreshing to see well-built older homes and no structure higher than three storeys.
Also, according to the Times 91原创, “B.C.’s housing minister has released the names of municipalities including Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich which will be required to hit targets on new home construction or risk having the province force through higher density.”
Tens of thousands of people in Greater Victoria can’t find a family doctor. Why does the provincial government want to force our area to have more new homes, while the people in the existing homes can’t find a doctor?
The former B.C. Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay broke conflict-of-interest rules by giving millions to his wife’s Atira Resources Society without proper documentation or oversight.
The housing minister should mind his own business, and leave the supply of new homes in the Victoria area to the private sector. Assistance from the B.C. government concerning health care would be welcome.
Robert Shepherd
Saanich
All-weather pitches are not the answer
Re: “Council backs $4.6m artificial turf field at Esquimalt High,” June 7.
I worked in the sports turf industry for 40 years. All-weather pitches are as rare as hen’s teeth and as real as unicorn farms unless you include both an irrigation system and underground heating for the pitch.
Anyone who has watched 91原创 FC at the Starlight Stadium will have seen the pitch being sprayed with water at half-time to keep the dust down and cool the surface, particularly when daytime temperatures reach 25 C, not uncommon in the CRD.
Also, the surface cannot be used in sub-zero conditions or when covered in snow, hence sub-surface heating is needed. Also not uncommon in the CRD.
Strangely, artificial surfaces still require maintenance, just like turf surfaces. Maintenance that recently saw Langford take the decision to replace its landscape artificial turf and replace it with a natural ground cover.
Artificial surfaces, at the very least, need to be brushed regularly. The greater the use, the more brushing is needed.
Last of all, the council is backing a $4.6-million package for this surface, but is also committing the public purse to a further $4 million to replace the worn-out surface in 25 years, the stated life expectancy of artificial turf.
Justin Aldhouse
Victoria
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