'I'm scared she's going to die': Family concerned over non-COVID-19 emergency treatment at St. Boniface Hospital
A medical emergency that sent one Winnipeg woman to the St. Boniface Hospital has left her family with concerns after they said she has now spent three days alone waiting for surgery, with no end in sight.
Kimberley Hanson was rushed to the emergency room Monday morning around 8 a.m. by her husband after experiencing chest pains.
“I'm worried that my mom is alone, scared. Nobody's allowed to see her,” said Stephanie Reinheimer, Hanson’s daughter.
The situation was worrisome for the family as Hanson had a history of heart issues and was soon going for consultation on possible bypass surgery.
Reinheimer said she had an EKG when she first arrived at the hospital and blood work was drawn, but that was really all that was done before seeing a doctor about 12 hours later.
The news was not good. One of her arteries was fully closed, three others were 90 per cent closed and surgery was required.
Reinheimer said surgery was supposed to happen the following day, but on Tuesday she said the family was informed the doctor was not available, so the procedure would have to wait until Wednesday.
They are still waiting.
“And after speaking with my mother today, she still has not seen the doctor or anything,” said Reinheimer. “I'm scared she's going to die before the surgery would happen.”
An added concern is the lack of visitation rights despite family members being fully vaccinated.
“To have somebody have to go through a quadruple bypass by themselves, and nobody's giving updates when we try to call and figure this out, it’s stressing me, it's stressing my dad out and stressing my mom out even more,” Reinheimer said.
To alleviate some of those stresses for families, Reinheimer said improved communications between hospital staff and patient families could go a long way.
“I think that is something that people need to understand that, you know, loved ones are sitting at home stressing just as much as the person who's in the hospital and stressing,” Reinheimer said.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) tells CTV News it cannot comment publicly on individual cases, but strongly encourages anyone with a concern or questions about their care to contact patient relations.
While Reinheimer understands COVID-19 has strained the health-care system, she said something should be done to avoid priority patients, like those with heart issues, having to spend 12 hours in a waiting room before seeing a doctor.
“This should not be happening to people, especially the elderly, that’s majorly what I want to put out there that, you know, things need to change in the health system badly, especially here in Manitoba.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.