A Safety Issue

On Monday Randy seemed so happy as I had given him a pointer so that he could extend his pointing (one means of him communicating as he cannot speak).  It was like a watershed.  Now he can point to specific things he wants while in his chair.He was so happy. When we go shopping to get out of the heat we go to Oakridge Mall he is always pointing at things and I do not know what specific thing he is pointing at.  The pointer enabled him to communicate.  I tied the pointer to a piece of yarn and attached it to his wheelchair.  When I returned him to George Pearson Centre on Monday the nurse who came to get Randy without even a pleasant good evening noticed the pointer and took the pointer and said it was a safety hazard.  She said she would put it in his bag hanging on the back of his wheelchair.  Yesterday the pointer wasn't in the bag.  Of course me being paranoid as I suspect that the pointer is now going to be used as part of the evidence VCH is collecting to attest that I am giving weapons to Randy with my explicit instruction to Randy to attack staff so that the Public Guardian and Trustee can become his sole guardian and his guardian will rely upon George Pearson Centre as to who can see Randy and I will assuredly be on the list of those not allowed to see Randy. I was once accused by Tanu of feeding Randy a Big Mac as staff found its wrapping on his wheelchair. Of course, no one showed me the evidence.  But then maybe I forgot to ask for it.

The point is not my paranoia but rather the safety issue.  On Sunday while waiting to get Randy so we could go to the church service at GPC, there was nothing to read while waiting, so I started to listen to the noises of the hospital.  I could hear a resident's call/help bell and I started counting. It rang 110 times from the time I noticed it before it stopped. It could have rang 200 times.   

The point is staff is quick to decree that a pointer is a safety hazard rather than a communicative device for someone who cannot talk or write and yet no one is quick enough to answer a call/help bell. 

GPC's elaborate plan to ban me isn't really working well for them, I assume the next step will be that I won't even be allowed to wait for Randy in the piano/family/visitors room across from security so I won't be able to hear the noises of the hospital and they will be wheeling Randy out to the roadside (57th Avenue and Cambie) so I won't be able to access a blade of GPC's grass. But then the problem will be who will wheel him to the roadside as the nurses are not allowed to do this and neither is security.  What a logistic problem Randy has created for GPC. And to think that all these problems can be time lined back to an interview that I had with a social worker at Vancouver General Hospital who decided that I should never see Randy again.  The problem with the system is that social workers are telling doctors what to do.  And the doctors to save time concur with erroraneous judgment calls of social workers justifying their approval as social workers are officers of the court and they know what is best for everyone.

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Nothing Unexpected

Yesterday was like most days nothing unexpected happened.  Nothing changes at GPC.

When I spoke to the City bus driver on my way home, as the bus before sped past me not stopping. I asked him is the reason that buses do not stop is it because the drivers are daydreaming.  And he said could be..  I then explained that is the same experience I encountered with the staff at George Pearson Centre.  The bus driver said that he used to work twenty years ago as a nurse on Ward 6 which is now Ward 2: high risk residents/patients.  The reason the employees daydream and work as if each patient is on a timed assembly line, is because they are: there is no job satisfaction and you just work to get your pay, he explained..  That was twenty years ago and now it is even worse with narrower and narrower job descriptions for each level of nursing.  A nurse can't even take a resident onto an adjacent patio to the Ward even through there are french doors and the patient can be seen from the nursing station.  It has to be done by a family member or a volunteer. Volunteers are hard to come by spontaneously. Volunteers are mostly wanting to be med students and volunteering is part of their admission requirement.  GPC is the last place young people want to be. So far I haven't come across one volunteer whose career plan isn't in the medical field.

When I mentioned earlier in one of the posts that LPNs who also referred to themselves as "lowest paid nurses" earn $100,000 a year I forget to mentioned the benefit of future pension money.  So, they are earning $50.00 an hour if not more and the myth still exists that they are so very underpaid. But compared to an assembly line worker for Ford Canada ($100 an hour) maybe they are low paid. 

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Another You Tube Moment

I experienced a very interesting July 1st 2012.  I went and got Randy at 2:00 pm and we went to Oakridge to buy him a new cap.   While there I asked him if he just pooed and he nodded  yes.  I rushed him home to attend to him.  The You Tube moment occurred when he put his legs on my shoulders while in his wheelchair so that he could lift up his bum a fraction of an inch so I could pull out his hospital diaper; and again when I cleaned up his liquid poo remaining on his bum; and again when I put on one of my Depends on him.  That was at 3:00 and then at 5:00 p.m. he again had a bowel movement, and the process had to be repeated. I do not understand why he is pooing when he is off site is happening as the hospital is suppose to be regulating his pooing with their bowel movement days wherein residents are forced to have bowel movements.  I saved the evidence so that Tanu cannot suggest that I am making it up.  Both poos were substantial. One thing for sure is that his physiotherapy must be working as he can lift his bum up an inch but then I do not think physio knows he can do this.  Surprise. surprise.

I am very confused over the reasoning VCH use.  The patient has a right to refuse treatment and when I voiced my concern when Randy was refusing to take his tube feed or water I was told that that Randy had a right to take his own life as he was capable.  However GPC has a forced policy that the residents have to be have a BM (bowel movement) day.  I wish VCH would make up its mind: are they encouraging death or life. 

If that wasn't bad enough I was also faced again with Randy's peepee tube wasn't on his peepee. This upset Randy as he doesn't like to have peepee into his hospital diaper.  I won't either as my experience before I was banned was if Randy had a bowel movement the nursing staff would leave it for the next shift to look after.

And to top it off the suction machine I had wasn't fully suctioning.  It isn't a life and death situation as Randy can breathe on his own for a few hours not being a medical person it is scary..

And then I asked Randy if the nurse from yesterday gave the book I purchased for him on Saturday so he could read it.  He said the nurse did not give it to him.  I want Randy to read as I am scared that if he doesn't he will lose his ability to spell and won't be able to use his letterboard to primitive communicate.   How stupid of me as such a request is not part of her job description.  Like no one told me last June 2011 that Randy's television fell to the floor and for a month he had nothing to watch except the ceiling.  A friend who seldom visits Randy phoned and said did I know that Randy did not have a televison.  Randy is a non-speaking quad and the only thing he can do is watch television.  I was there everyday for my two hour visit in the a room off his ward protected by security and no staff or security cared enough to tell me but then stupid me that is not in their job description.

The only thing I resent about spending six to eight hours a day with Randy off site is that his care is now taking so much energy from me that I do not have the time to devote to go after the bullies at GPC.

I was told the reason for my banning was and is because residents/patients are afraid of me and they are vulnerable.  Since I can't ask any of these residents/patients if this was true as I am banned from talking to them, I can only surmise.  But I assure readers that there is no resident/patient in George Pearson Centre who is vulnerable.   They may not be safe from other residents and staff but vulnerable NO.  If you get close to any of the residents/patients every single one of them have the resolve of steel otherwise they would not be in George Pearson Centre, the dumping ground for the Province's disabled, they would be dead. I admire every one of them.

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Vancouver General Hospital vs. XXXXXX

I was sent the Oral Reasons for Judgment on appeal of an Injunction dated September 3 1998 between Vancouver General Hospital and XXXXXX by Risk Management.  I can't believe Bob blanked out in black the name of the Defendant.  It is a public court document so why would VGH black out the name of the Defendant. Besides it wasn't even the document I wanted I wanted the Reasons why the Injunction failed not the reasons for why the Injunction lost on appeal.


The document nevertheless says at common law VCH has the right to control access to its property in the context of that it concludes is in the best interests of its institution and the patients and staff in that institution.  The only problem with that is that the common law referred to was when the common folk did not pay for hospitals or have universal  health care or know the benefit of family for recovery.  Hospitals are now paid by taxpayers and overseen by the legislature and the expectations of the public are different. The common law is archaic.


Randy was in GPC for over a year until I was told by other residents that residents cannot be forced to stay inside and they could go off site.


Randy was imprisoned for close to two years  without him or me knowing that if Randy wanted to see me he could.  His wheelchair could be transported to the sidewalk even if I was banned.  And VCH although they knew they could not constructively imprison Randy chose to do so. 


Randy did not feel the sun for two years. (at 1.5 years at GPC and six months at VGH). Staff is not allowed to take Randy outside to the patio. Me being subject to harsh bullying by visitors, residents and staff which has never been addressed by VCH and then being banned for trying to be friendly with residents is absurd.  VCH works on the premises that it is never at fault.  Banning at most should only be for a few days not forever. 


And what about Randy was it ever discussed with him that he can't see me when he wants to. No the most important person and he was left out of the loop. The policy at GPC is that visiting is from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm each day and visitors have access to the common areas of the hospital without asking permission beforehand or as I have seen it visitors saying hi or good evening to residents.. But I am not allowed in the common areas or speaking to residents but the residents have to talk to me first.


VCH must have a policy not to advise what your rights are or even what services are provided. If you do not know then that is your problem. On Friday I learned that there is a massage therapist available for residents.  It took me two years to learn this and then not staff but a resident told me. I also recently found out that the two short sessions Randy goes for physiotherapy per week was for respiratory only and not the whole body.  How can he try to learn to walk when the therapy is only so he can  breathe. He has to have hope.


It is a wonder that Randy is still alive.


I am going to make a monetary plea for the GPC Recreation Department.  The equipment, supplies and outings are mostly funded by the Marpole Ladies Auxiliary and it is hard for the Ladies to raise sufficient cash.  Residents should have more than one outing every three months.  So send money to the Recreation Department George Pearson Centre, 700 West 57th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6P 1S1  604.321.3231. My plea is especially directed to those that are employed at George Pearson Centre.  I am sure they all can afford to donate one-hour of their salary to a cause that they see everyday.


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Moira Stillwell, MLA

I just came from the Oakridge Seniors Centre where Dr.Moira Stillwell MLA for Langara was doing her quarterly get together with the seniors.  Being a doctor she assured me that I wasn't crazy just frustrated. And the members who were there agreed that I should not have had to go through this frustration. Moira also agreed with me that Vancouver Coastal Health is being overly cautious re my behavior and it wasn't anything personal.And when I mentioned to the group that I could only see Randy from 2:00 to 4:00 for the most part during the day when the day is active on his ward rather than weekends, evenings and holidays, they were angry as weekends, holidays and evenings are when visiting hours should happen. And when I said even during my restrictive hours I could not visit Randy at his bedside, the anger got more intense. I am now allowed to visit him in the hot piano room on site from noon to 4:00 seven days a week but I can take him off site for as long as Randy/I want. Go figure. Randy is in a high risk ward and I am not allowed to be at his bedside. I believe that the reason for my banning from Randy's bedside is because the if I did go to Ward 2 the bullies would feel uncomfortable no other reason.

Ken D, a school board trustee was there to assure the audience that their grandchildren will be educated.  He also said he would bring up my suggestion that the board provide continuing education for those in extended care facilities (volunteer lectures by student teachers on academic topics): education being a quality of life issue.

Randy is again refusing his stomach feed so according to the Smith Judgment re Assisted Suicide I am glad because now the health authority cannot use the argument that Randy is refusing treatment as he has been diagnosed as clinically depressed and under equality he has to be afforded the same protection i.e. the health authorities cannot help him to commit suicide.VCH will have to force feed him if necessary.

A good day over all.

Thank you Lynn Smith.
                                                                        
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Again and again and again...

Staff cannot be consistently incompetent.  They must hate working in GPC

One day (Monday) that is all it took for my love affair to end after everything went without stress for me in that the staff made sure that everything was as it should, on Tuesday feeling that finally staff will make sure that Randy is ready for his daily 6-8 hour trip with me, I want freedom from stress every time I take Randy off site but it was not to happen.  When Randy and I were on the bus (Broadway and Cambie) he coughed up a lot of mucous.  I asked him if a nurse suctioned him before he left the ward.  He indicated no.  I asked him if he needed a suction as we could get off the bus or could he wait until we got to Tinsel Town park.  He nodded yes.  I watched him very carefully to make sure he was breathing okay.  At Tinsel Town I discovered that the plastic tubing from the portable suction machine to the red suction tube was missing.  I momentarily panicked.  I then decided to take Randy to an Atira building and call 911. When the ambulance arrived I assured them that Randy only needed the tubing.  Although 911 wasn't allowed to do suctioning they gave me one so I could do it myself.   Hours later I again tried to suction Randy and this time the suction machine would not pick up.  It was not sufficiently charged. I then noticed that the suction machine was not a clean one as the water bottle was 1/4 full meaning that no one had checked or cleaned the equipment from Monday. I then took Randy back to George Pearson Centre and had to wait 30 minutes before someone came to get Randy.  The nurse that came to get Randy commented that Randy was soaking wet as it had started to rain when I took Randy off the bus and had to walk with him two blocks to the entrance..He wasn't soaking wet but he was rained on.


And to top it off that woman who picks up poo in the lane put poo in my flower box again. At least this time it wasn't on the door step. I am so careful with the doggies' poo that I even pick it up with paper toweling before I put it in a plastic bag so not even a whisper of poo remains on a blade of grass. If that wasn't bad enough she started screaming that I was being cruel to Missey.  Missey is a golden retriever who is a senior now who decided to sit in the lane and not move.. And as I tried to pull her collar towards the door, she wiggled out of it, with a look of complete joy on her face that she could foil my efforts.  I turned my back on the doggie with that woman screaming animal cruelty so she could attract the neighbours,  I then said bye  Missey and a few minutes later Missey followed me inside. So now I have a dog off leash in the lane and expecting another $250 fine. I am going on 70 and I do not need this.
        

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Randy's Anniversary

It has been two years since Randy's accident and the days are melting into one ...

Today for the first time I can remember nothing went wrong.  Randy was delivered to me on time, appropriately dressed, etc.  I can't remember a time before when everything was as it should be including the suction machine, his feed and his toilet..  Randy became relaxed as he visited his friend Alfred...Randy has always had a calming affect on me.

There is a recent report by CBC W5: Long Care Faciliites May Put Seniors at Risk March 31, 2012, where there has been a shift from nursing home for the elderly to residential care facilities that are dumping grounds for those who have no where else to go including the young, the mentally ill, and the violent.  And of course none of this is known to other residents or I suspect staff working with them. The report also mentioned that care workers work as though they are on an assembly line. Thank you BCGEU and the RN Union.. The trend is now for families to hire personal care workers if they can afford to. In the CBC Report a mother was paying $63,000 a year in addition to the cost of the care facility to make sure her father is safe.  I saw two incidents of this when I was allowed on Ward 2 at GPC.  And I am being forced to take Randy off site to ensure he is getting the attention he needs as I am banned from his bedside  

A You Tube moment

I returned Randy to George Orwell at about 8:00 p.m. on Thursday.  It was pouring rain out and Randy was cocooned in his chair under a heavy fleece blanket.  On his lap/chest area Owen his little doggie "his son"  was laying quietly soaking wet not wanting to leave Randy.  It was a You Tube moment.

However it was quickly destroyed by the night manager, Evelyn, who reminded me that Randy's doggie was not allowed on site.  The problems of George Pearson Centre with being short staffed, with people dying, with no one to answer phones in a timely manner and yet, although no harm was done, the bullies in Ward 2 can get management to run around enforcing nonsense. The bullies of Ward 2 watch me every minute when I am on site as I have to pass its windows on my way to the entrance.

Little Owen is a cute little 17-pound terri-poo with big brown eyes. He was securely leashed on a short leash so he could not attack anyone. Also we were outside the building in the rain. No one else was there.

It was Evelyn who gave me my banning letter at 6:00 pm in February 2011 and I said to her then that since I had come all the way from North Burnaby I will visit Randy until 7:00 pm and then leave and I would deal with the letter next day.  That wasn't good enough for her.  She called security and security called the police. This she did in front of Randy a quad who can't talk or walk with a trach in his throat and a brain injury but I saw terror in his eyes as he did not understand what was happening.  GPC was cruel and insensitive. And I will never forgive it.

When the police arrived the police said to let me stay until 7:00 pm.  The GPC staff have no commonsense. They chose what directives they want to follow no matter without questioning why.  Just like policies VGH has binders full yet chose not to follow them arbitrarily. Policies are only a regulatory insist by the government with no enforcement penalty.

And another thing Evelyn did was call Car 87, the mental health police car, so they could take me off to a psych ward.  Later I thought to myself how lucky I was that the car wasn't able to get there until after I left. I was witness to a man in 2010 who was taken away to the mental health unit in St. Pauls for six weeks and he never ever after that ever complained that his rights were being violated. The law of unforeseen consequences and enforcement by the state.

GPC does not care about patients (it is just a rote job for them) except to isolate them and allow a culture of bullying (abuse of power) to exist. Look at any third world country and that is how they are governed.  A hierarchy of bullies.  And now it has come here.

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It never fails

On Tuesday we went to the physio open house at George Orwell..  Murray was doing his exercise routine.  Murray is in the bed next to Randy and his wife attends to him every minute and Murray is improving with haste as his wife is there with him all the time.  And she is a poster child of a caregiver.  Only devoted to her man and nothing else.  Last time I saw her on the street she deliberately avoided me. What a cold cold place George Orwell is.

Randy wants to go to work...

Yesterday was very positive for me.  Randy said he wanted to go to work and be like Rick Hansen.  I was surprised and delighted.
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Joy Fellowship

We had a very good afternoon yesterday, Randy and I, we attended a Joy Fellowship service at GPC.  The 30+ Christians that were there were not afraid of me.  I can only speculate that it must be the non-Christians who are afraid of me.

This is Priceless

A quote from VCH Risk Management Friday May 25 2012

I also wanted to clarify you are not banned from GPC. Marion gave you a letter supporting you can visit every day if you choose. You have been asked not to go to many areas of GPC except Randy's Ward, the grounds at GPC and the family room.  

This is double speak. I am not allowed to go to Randy's bedside except for two minutes just to make sure that Randy hasn't been hidden in the caverns of VCH so I don't call the police.VCH hide him on me and put a No Information Order on him in 2010 so that no one else could find him either without his knowledge or my knowledge. VCH has refused to tell me who did this. This two-minute concession is allowed me while under escorted supervision.  When Randy isn't feeling well and can't get out of bed I cannot visit him at his bedside. From day one of my banning I was told that the residents from Ward 2 were afraid of me so I do not understand why you have extended this to the whole hospital. No one is afraid of me and you have created a shameful situation targeting caregivers who really care by driving them away.  Your Risk Management Department created the problem.  Why are you with your two social worker degrees doing this.  You remind me of low paid security guards who create situations to demonstrate to their superiors that they are valuable.  This nightmare has been going on for two years for me and Randy and there seems to be no end.

Also I can only be on site to visit Randy from 12:00 to 4:00 which is a recent improvement from 2:00 to 4:00 only on weekdays but not weekends, evenings or holidays.  These hours are to accommodate Willy the bully who has spent the past nine years sleeping at GPC in Ward 2 who was and still is instrumental in my banning.  He sleeps in a semi-recliner chair.  No one else is allowed personal chairs in the ward but he has one.  From surfing the Internet it says that a good night's sleep can be attained by sleeping at a 40 degree angle sitting up. His wife has one of those old monster tvs that you cannot give away sitting on a table taking up valuable space that impede the nurses ability to work.   Everyone else has to have a ceiling tv.  And Willy has a reputation for being rich so he tells everyone as staff, visitors and residents fall over him.  You would think he would be loving enough to buy his wife a new flat screen tv.. Willy should do the right thing and donate the rent he has saved to the recreational department at GPC.  But then that will never happen as bullies only make sure they are looked after. Refer to Wikipedia and link to bullies and the stress they cause their victims and onlookers.  

Also after all this time Randy and I are now allowed to attend recreational activities at GPC provided we are approved (to be supervised) ahead of time.  And now after all the pleas to allow me to attend with Randy which went unanswered to events, Randy doesn't want to go.. Two months ago he was diagnosed as clinically depressed and he doesn't want to do much. Why would he be so depressed after two years of the best care VCH offers. Knowing of his depression I take him off site to places that might interest him.

I was also told that I can't access the grounds except for the concrete pathway to visit Randy in the family room which is likened to a very hot visitors room in a jail.  And it isn't instant visiting Randy when I arrived as it can take up to two hours for staff to wheel him into the family room. Today I had to wait thirty minutes.

And please do not rationalize that staff is overworked and underpaid.  It is their personal lives that are overworked and they force themselves to come to work for timeout and secondary for their wage. The pay for a LPN is $22 an hour to $40 an hour plus 30% fringe benefits plus overtime plus the ability to work at another facility on their days off.  And they will never quit and give up their pensions.  There should be no in-house pensions to eliminate the reason for corruption.  A LPN isn't a RN so it would be interesting to know what RNs make. An old lady once told me to find answers just follow the money. Also a LPN only requires nine-months of schooling which is scary.  Take an acting course, take a 9-month course, memorize only the things that you have to never mind understanding why, and manipulate hours for your $100,000 a year job and above all make sure you project to the general population that you are a Florence Nightingale.

Victoria Day Weekend 2012

On Saturday my luck with staff was not any better.  The nurse dropped off a suction machine.  I said could I ask her a question.  She said that she had to run as she had to attend to someone...

However, I must be feeling better as I went to Safeway today and purchased an oven cleaner so I will be merrily cleaning my oven tonight while listening to CBC radio.  A good mental health breakthrough.

I spoke briefly to Jackie Bellamy from Ward 4 this afternoon.   The elder lady I posted about last week.  I can still see her racing in her wheel chair down 57th towards Cambie not knowing or caring where she was going.  She was angry as her fleece top was wet and the nurse on her ward won't change it as the nurse was to have a break.  If you have limited mobility in your torso and can't dress yourself being treated in such a disrespectful way can cause you to want to end it all.  I always thought Jackie liked it in George Pearson as she participates in all it offers: recreation, concerts, church, swimming, residents council, etc.  But she told me today she can't afford to live on her own so she has no choice.  I asked her if management apologized to her for her being left in a wet fleece top.  She said no.  So much for George Pearson as I did tell the manager to talk to Jackie and also to the nurse who decided her break was more important than the comfort of Jackie. I remember the day: it was chilly outside.  Jackie is in her 80s; how cruel can these employees be.  Using the word cruel might seem harsh, but that is what it is. I suspect someone should report the uncaring nurse to the union as management hasn't done anything.. 

When I was looking for a lawyer last year, the lady lawyer I spoke to said that VCH had no morals or ethics. But it is worse than that.  GPC must be the dumping ground for employees that no other hospital wants.

Randy has been very calm these past few days so I have been very calm.  He is looking forward to attending Rick Hansen and Celebration 25 on Tuesday.

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It didn't work

At 8:00 am Thursday I phoned Ward 2 at GPC and told Tanu, the head nurse, that I would be visiting Randy at 2:00 and we would be going to the open house as per my note on Wednesday.  She said to me that there would be someone to escort me and Randy to the Open House in the activity room (the 60th anniversary of George Pearson Centre) with the explanation that I would have to be supervised so that I didn't talk to anyone and no one could talk to me.  Tanu doesn't do very well under pressure and she says things that astound.  It didn't even occur to me to plan to say anything to anyone.  I thought the open house was for the community/neighbourhood as GPC already had a RSVP function a few days earlier. 

When I arrived Randy said that he didn't  want to go to the open house and in our exit we collided with Sam Sullivan (the former mayor of Vancouver who lives life in a wheelchair).  I introduced him to Randy and asked him if he would look into my ridiculous banning.  The most influential person in the City of Vancouver ... someone VCH won't want me to talk to....

And then to make my day Randy indicated that he needed a suction.  After I suctioned him I asked one of the nurses from Ward 2 to check on Randy as I wasn't sure of his breathing.  The nurse said his shift ended at 3:00 pm.  It was 3:04 pm and he walked away knowing full well of my banning and the difficulty I would have in getting assistance.  I just can't walk down the hall and fetch a nurse and even if I could they always seem to be hiding in a private room or behind curtains in the open ward and at shift change are having a closed door briefing in their lounge and there is no one on the floor.



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Cruel and Unreasonable

What is happening to me is cruel and unreasonable.  Randy is in a high risk ward which means he is at high risk of infection and certain death and yet he and I are treated as if we are part of the general population which is stable and does not need specialized care.

Today being May 9 2012 while I had Randy at home I noticed around 4:00 p.m. that he was hot.  He seemed to have a fever but I wasn't sure.  I was worried because he was having heavy secretions but when the RT phoned she assured me that was okay but I neglected to tell her of the suspected fever.  And later his trach secretions were getting thicker and slightly yellow.  At 7:00 p.m. I felt his body and he was freezing cold.  I had already wrapped him in a heavy fleece blanket and I phoned GPC and told him of the above and was told to wrap him in a blanket.  I told GPC I was returning Randy by bus and should be there in one-half hour. As I left him in the hallway at GPC he looked listless and the nurse assured me that she would phone me if there was anything serious. By whose definition of seriousness. They didn't even phone to assure me he was okay. 

I told Randy to make sure he made the staff aware he was sick and to my astonishment he indicated he won't.  I suggested was it because they would only make it worse and he said yes.  When patients/residents are sick and they are afraid to tell staff, there is something seriously seriously wrong.


Randy  cannot talk, eat or walk and I had to leave him with staff who would only do his vitals and then ignore him.  It is not their job to comfort him; and be at his bedside.  I am seventy years old and VCH should be doing everything possible to accommodate Randy and I and not to continue this outrageous banning for what I do not know. Nothing should be for life.  There are no grounds for criminal charges so what is their unreasonable reasoning for this.  I was told Napolean Ostrow does not like my blog.  There would be no blog if from the beginning if VCH treated me and Randy with respect and compassion. I remember before Randy went to GPC I spoke to the head nurse at VGH the day before he moved about where he was going to be moved and Jill said she did not know.  Subsequently I found out Jill knew for three weeks ahead of time as it was her job to arrange the move and she didn't tell me. Why not.  I found out by accident.  It was either a poor joke or VCH was going to hide Randy under the protection of the Public Guardian and Trustee Act as they told me they planned on doing and I could go on with my life.  .

I harmed no one.  I was trying to be friendly and helpful..    I had no idea that my intentions would cause me post traumatic stress and I dare not think what it has done to Randy.  I still haven't got my independent investigation of the cause of my humiliation.

My opinion of GPC is that it is a minimum security prison with day passes for its residents and a criminal subculture to match.

There is a recent book out there called:  Escape from Camp 14 and everyone should read it.
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cbc.ca/inthefield (work bullies)

A short CBC radio piece May1,2012 called Work Bullies might serve to help educate.  You may be the next bully target.  By the time you stand up for yourself you are a "basket case" and no one will help you as now your behavior is weird and you are on your own. Targets of bullying are often well-adjusted, educated and hard workers and at one time very popular ...

Link: cbc.ca/inthefield then look for May 1 2012 then the title Work Bullies.

Also go to my email and assent/comment about Randy's wanting to change the Residentiall Tenacy Act so that comfort pets will be legal on a physician's okay.. Or write to Randy Walker c/o George Pearson Centre 700 West 57th Avenue Vancouver BC  V6P 1S1 audreyjlaferriere@gmail.com.  We will need 200,000 letters/emails to make this a reality.


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The Beginning of May

Today I showed Randy a printout of the Randy Michael Walker Foundation blog.  The first project is to change the BC Residential Tenancy Act to allow for comfort dogs no matter where.  It will give him life and I hope it will give allow others to engage in the process of changing a law to comfort those of us who need the love of a animal in our daily lives. I could see he was proud and he knows it will happen.  Far better for him to do this than play "bingo" at the home.

I was very upset for a few days last week.  The one day when Randy had a fever and two days when he couldn't get out of bed.  I was assured by the nursing staff that he was okay and things like this happen and are expected but I wasn't having anything of it.  I didn't believe them.  VCH has destroyed my trust of its function.  I have been told or not told too many things that are not true so that I have no trust.  I sit at home looking at nothing.  Wondering how I would react if Randy died.  I remember my brother-in-law said that I wasn't to go and see my sister that one day as she was tired and she died and I never saw her again.


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In the beginning, social service agencies are often filled with first generation people who, as one advocate in the community puts it, “have fire in their bellies”.

After the first wave come well-meaning people who have a job. 
And then eventually the staff is dominated by risk-averse people who have careers to build and protect.

above quote from blog on web page : Civil Rights Now by Paul Caune, a former resident/patient of George Pearson Centre
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The End of April

I went to see Randy this afternoon.  When I was there he told me that he didn't want to get out of his room (a space partitioned by curtains in an open ward).  He didn't look well at all but I was assured by staff that he was okay.  So I went home and fell asleep as I was exhausted. 

Yesterday was something else though.  At about 11:00 I was walking on the sidewalk in front of Kims Fruit and Vegetables and a fortyish white guy called out that I shouldn't be walking the doggies near food.   Where did this guy think food comes from.  It comes from acres filled with dirt and rodents running around and insecticides. The regulation not to have doggies near food I suspect it is but a myth. 

I then went to pick up Randy which was uneventful except for the suction machine again.  The one given to me was inoperable so I had to wait until another one was found.  I wonder if doctors have to check every single thing before they operate.

Dillon a macho male tenant moved from his apartment Saturday and I was shocked that he even took the tulips his mother planted for him the week before.  And he left a 300 pound monster big screen television in the alley and carpetting.  The property agent will have to pay a removal company to take the stuff away.  And to think macho Dillon had a SUV and he could have taken the stuff to recycling. 

Then when I was taking Randy back on Sunday I opened the door and my neighbours, one of which was depositing dog poo on the property said she was picking up my poo for the past year and she didn't think she had to. Finally, I now know who was responsible for all the doggie poo on my steps this past year. I thanked her for fertilizing my flowers and I said that I would have the doggie poo DNAed by Animal Control as I knew that the doggie poo did not belong to Owen or Missey. 

Can you imagine a fifty year old white woman walking up and down the back laneways in Oakridge finding time to scout the laneways for doggie poo and transporting it to who she thinks is its owner. 

Later when I was taking the doggies out she came running after us wanting to know if Missey had just peepeed or poopooed.  She told me that the DNA would not prove anything as all I had to do is go to the park and retrieve doggie poo there and substitute it as the sample.  She was following us so closely that I bolted around the complex into my apartment and locked the door not knowing what next to expect from her. A few weeks earlier she was lecturing to me that I was a liar and she was telling me things that I could not believe she knew.  I do not know how it got to the point where she said that she had phoned the police and accused me of I hitting her.  I went horrorified and ran as fast as I could from her to my place and phoned 911 to tell it that I did not hit that woman.  Where do these people come from.  It is beyond me.

After I returned Randy to Pearson I found on my door a large sign saying No Smoking and that I was being reported to the property agent and also the fire marshall. My lease doesn;t say anything about not smoking. I do not think a landlord can legally prevent someone from smoking in their rented units. How would anyone even know if I was smoking in my unit or not.  Do they have a key and enter my place when I am not here.  You can only ignore this type of behavior for so long.  You run and hide and hope things get better but they don't.

I know that twenty percent of the population at any one time in their lives need a shrink but between GPC and this place I have been living with the twenty percent.  I feel that I am in a snake pit most of the time..

When I approached GPC today one of the residents was on the sidewalk and she was visibly upset.  She told me that a care aid refused to change her fleece top as it was wet in two larges places because the care aid had to go on her break.  When I worked when a customer needed something I made sure he got it then I went on a break.  I phoned the manager of GPC and I hope the care aid is told to be a little more caring of her charges. Better yet I hope the manager will apologize to the longterm resident.

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Another Day; Another Stress

The day started out really well.  I spoke to one of Randys' relatives who was interested in what was happening to Randy and she said Randy was lucky to have someone like me. There is always a Aunt Betty to a black sheep in a family. I then went to get my new glasses.  Then I went to GPC and when I said to the nurse that the suction machine was not suctioning she said that it was working a few minutes ago like I must have broke it.  Ya, the machine made noise when you turned it on but there was no suction.  There has been a constant interchange for months between staff and me as the suction machine is seldom equipped to be fully operationable when I go and see Randy. GPC is so cheap that on most occasions I only get one face cloth to attend to any discharge Randy coughs up. There must be a rumour that I steal worn out faceclothes.  I get so fed up with how staff conducts itself.  They rush and rush and rush and I have come to the conclusion they just rush and rush and rush just to create an atmosphere that they are doing something and the more they rush the less anyone will expect from them. They are so rushed that even I am intimidated not to disturb them. No time for chit chat. Their behavior is now coming across asprofessional acting badly performed. Something they must have learned in nursing acting school. Staff can take a few minutes to make sure I am satisfied with the condition Randy is in before they drop him off and run.  I do not know if he is eating, did he have a poopoo, did he go to Physio, or did he pull out his trach.  One thing I did learn today that after one year no one has shown Randy how to operate the tv remote control.  No one has taken the time. I did ask Randy today if he has any friends at GPC.  He said no.  Therefore the reason for GPC being a residential care facility where residents make friends does not exist.  For the most part Randy lives in a world of doing nothing.  If he does nothing when will he be ready to be able to do anything.  If you don't use it you loose it but then maybe that is GPC's agenda. Maybe it is time for the readers to view You Tube. The video being BC's Health Authorities on How to Effectively Communicate with the Public. Note:  After one year this You Tube video has only 580 views.  This video should have went viral.
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To be insulted, to be humilitated, to be disgraced

My patience is at an end. I was just told that I am not allowed to use the toilet in Ward 1 (a Ward that is not fully utilized --). GPC is doing everything possible so that I have no contact with the residents or staff.  What is GPC trying to do.  Totally bizarre.  So far I have never been told what harm I ever committed. Trying to be friendly should be encouraged not banned. I worked twenty-five years in retail I know how to say hi to people. There are serious things wrong with VCH but who will address them. None of this would have progressed this far if I was, as promised, afforded an independent investigation of the alledged behavior I was guilty of which resulted in my banning forever from the bedside of my friend, Randy Michael Walker.  Linda Rose promised me this at the open Board Meeting June 2011.  She then just abruptly changed her mind and the Chairman of the Board won't interfere even though her decision was contrary to VCH's own policies.  I question the competency of the Board. 

GPC phoned me saying that Randy wasn't feeling well on Tuesday and he didn't want to get up as he had a fever.  So I ran down there being escorted by the head nurse who said that I could only have a few minutes.  Randy did not have a fever.  I reminded him of the appointment we had offsite to get him a new pair of glass frames and he decided to get up.  But of course that wasn't possible. I am not sure why it wasn't possible but that is the answer I got. 

I have been using that washroom for a year. What further humiliation do I have to face.

cc to Kip Woodward, Chair of VCH
cc to Bob Chapman, Risk Management of VCH

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न्न्न्नन्न्न्न

Thank You for Sharing The Randy Michael Walker Foundation

Another week has passed and it seems like an hour. So many things have happened but I do not have the energy to explain. A gentleman was very kind to me on Tuesday and he said thank you for sharing my experiences with VCH with him. It was the nicest compliment I received so far. I hope I can meet him again. Thank you for sharing. I will never forget.

I have started another blog called the Randy Michael Walker Foundation. The prime purpose of the Foundation is to create an interest group to change the BC Residential Tenancy Act and Strata Act to allow companion pets if a doctor thinks it is necessary for the well-being of a patient. I have spoken to many retired people and they all would like a pet. I know for me if I didn't have Randy's two rescued doggies, I would be a worse basket case than I am. The doggies demand attention and they control me totally. Missey is a golden retriever about 11 years old and the little dog, Owen, is about ten years old. Both of them are devils and they have taken over my apartment as their own: it is their house. They are happy. And they love each other. And they love strawberries and cantaloupe. And they keep me young and fit and sometimes focused. Both are very joyful and are always playing catch me if you can. Both of them are smart. They are trained so that at 7:00 am both of them go to the lane and on a small grass patch have a quick peepee and then they run back into the house. I have to rely on charity to pay for their maintenance; both are very healthy. I want Randy and others from George Pearson Centre to create the companion pet action initiative. I spoke to Karen a resident at GPC and she is excited to help. If any of you readers like the idea please write a letter, email or phone to say you are on board. And send $1.00 or stamps to pay for overhead, if you can. I do not want to do a petition rather I want letters/emails/phone calls with comments on topic. I want it to be a very interative experience with boxes and boxes of letters, emails, and telephone messages overflowing and we will acknowledge each of your comments. And off to the parliament buildings we will go...

Randy Michael Walker
Ward 2
George Pearson Centre,
700 West 57th Avenue,
Vancouver, BC. V6P 1S2
604-321-5911/604-321-3231

audreyjlaferriere@gmail.com
604-321-2276
75-543 Powell Street
Vancouver BC
V6A 1G8

or 5976B Cambie Street
Vancouver BC
V5Z 392

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Abuse and Neglect

When is abuse and neglect so commonplace that it isn't abuse or neglect anymore.   I suspect it is when you become so battered that you don't care any more.

Letter to Worksafe and Union December 15 2011

In my quest to have an independent investigation by an outside party into the allegations that infringed on Randy's rights to associate with me as well as my access to him, I sent the below worded letter to Work Safe and to the Employees Union to investigate the bullying which I was subjected to as it involved safe practices.  Nothing came of the two letters.  Since then the young man who incessantly rang his call bell has died and I wasn't even afforded the opportunity to attend his memorial service although I was but a few hundred feet away. I will never forgive GPC for this.



15 December 2011


Contents of email to jacqueline.dulac@worksafebc.com

Subject: George Pearson Centre

___________________________________________________________________


My name is Audrey Jane Laferriere.

For the past ten months I have been constructively banned from George Pearson Centre because I was a safety issue for the residents, staff and visitors of GPC. The hours I am allowed to see Randy are during the day from 2:00 to 4:00 sometimes to 4:30 pm from MtoF. These hours are very difficult for me and I have had to change my life to accommodate and forgo other commitments. I am not allowed to visit Randy on weekends, holidays or weekends that are the usual hours for friends and visitors. I am not allowed to see Randy in his ward (his home for the next fifteen years) so I cannot attend to his personal comfort like using his remote to find tv channels he would enjoy. I can only see him if he is feeling up to it and then it is in the piano room across from security. Randy has very little mobility and cannot speak.

Although I tried to adhere to the written policies of VCH to appeal this banning, I was not afforded the opportunity to talk to those that accused me nor was I allowed an independent investigation into the incident(s).

The tipping point for my constructive banning was when I went into a resident's room and gave him a plush toy in February 2011 and a LPN followed me into the resident's room, grabbed the plush toy from my hand, said the resident didn't need the toy, and told me that I wasn't allowed in his room. The plush toy wasn't returned to me; it landed up in the nurses’ station in full view. Up until that time I was friendly with the resident and the week prior I had given him another plush toy. Plush toys are necessary for residents so they have something soft and cuddly to touch; a substitute for human contact. And this young man had a habit of incessantly using his call bell to call nursing staff because he was lonely.

This whole incident is about bullying by a few staff, a few residents, and one visitor which bullying is still continuing. My reputation has been damaged beyond repair. Since bullying can be dangerous, it must fall under your purview.

If you could investigate the incidents I would appreciate it.


Audrey Laferriere

audreyjlaferriere@gmail.com

604-321-2276

http://voiceofgoneballistic.blogspot.com

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Too Good to be true

For the past few days, everything was going okay, and this morning I awoke with a sense of foreboding around me and sure enough Marion reminded me of my unrealistic restrictions to visit Randy.  I am only allowed to visit Randy and not allowed to attend any GPC activities -- those activities that are used to normalize the residents and their significant others are invited like church, like residents council meetings, like the garden club, like the canteen, like bingo.

My presence is apparently upsetting Rod and Willy in Ward 2.  After a year I tried to be pleasant to Rod a few days ago and he like a spoilt child runs off behind my back saying I invaded his space because I stood in his doorway and asked how was he feeling as his brother recently died and Rod was in VGH for a few weeks. During the Christmas we were talking about his life so I assumed that things were okay between us.  He complained about me a year ago so he might have decided again to paint me.  If not he can get in touch with me and I will apologize because maybe someone else saw us.

And then there is Willy, the resident bully. The resident bully who buys bulk food at Costco and stores it in his resident-wife's cupboard and cooks his meals in the common kitchen although it is said in the GPC Residents Manual that visitors are allowed only tea and a cookie sometimes. I have asked that his cooking cease but no.  There is avery large cafeteria where food can be purchased reasonably from the kitchen.   Both of these caring persons are featured in the You Tube video Envisioning Home.  How can these giants be afraid of a 70 year old woman weighing 100 pounds.

This has been going on for close to two years and it is going to continue like Linda Rose said until Randy dies and even on his death bed I would not be allowed into Ward 2.  GPC does not have to have a reason to expel anyone. And what can I do: nothing. I have no money for lawyers and GPC is private property owned by the taxpayers so maybe it can. So much for the myth that GPC is a home for the incurables.

For the past few days I have been asking residents what they thought of someone cooking fresh fried food in a ward.  Would it cause a resident to become upset especially if he is on tube feed or even on hospital food.  I could not find one resident who thought it was appropriate.  One of the comments I heard was that it was torture.  And Willy is still cooking there.  Randy is a quad in a bed close to the common kitchen, he can't talk, he can't walk, he can't eat.  Even if he was in a position to object  staff would still allow Willey to cook and eat there because Willey has positioned himself to be well liked by the staff. In January when Randy was refusing his feed I asked management to stop the process as Randy only wanted real food to eat and the smell of food cooking could cause that craving.

As for Willy he lets it be known that if you say anything about him no one will believe you.  And it is true. Through the years residents have complained about Willy and he is still entrenched there. Doesn't he have a life besides becoming friendly with the nurses in Ward 2 and other female residents in plain view of his wife and everyone else. I would look at this scenario and I would become nauseous.  His wife is in the latter stages of Lou Gehrig's disease.  I remember on New Year's day I was at GPC and saw his wife being sent to VGH and rather than accompany her he went to the GPC New Years Day party. 



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Another Week also see new paragraph

It has been an interesting week.  I am totally exhausted.  I have been taking Randy home for the past few weeks and it is proving too much for me.  He can't be or he doesn't want to be alone for a minute.  For the most part he is manic as he is tries to talk to me and he can't.  He makes gestures and I do not understand him and then he gets more and more frustrated.  I am at a lose.  At the moment he wants me to buy him a walker.  He wants to walk but GPC says he is not ready but then if you depend on GPC he will never be ready.  For the past year all I have heard is he isn't ready to talk, to eat, to walk.  I still do not understand why he wasn't sent to GF Strong as he was originally destined to go. Maybe it had something to do with his later reassessment in that he was never going to be a high wage earner (taxpayer).  GPC is only a maintenance hospital (residential care facility).  No one gets better.  When you are sent to GPC you are told that the resident is as good as he will ever get and GPC makes sure that that status quo remains as stated. This is where VCH $cuts and $cuts and $cuts. We all know that money is joyful and that the lack of such must be the reason GPC is unjoyful.

more musings to follow ... re death of a resident (fond memories of and regrets), re reports of a Ward 2 visitor who is still cooking food in the common area of Ward 2; a nurse telling me that she couldn't talk to me as she was on her break as if she was afraid to be seen talking to me (this could also explain the fact when I leave a message for someone to telephone me no one returns by call: I tested this on the evening shift on Friday, Saturday and Sunday: I phoned and left a message for someone from Ward 2 to call me: no one called); no rental eviction notice but the neighbours are still vindictive as I just received a ticket for a dog not leashed on a date so long ago I do not remember, etc... a week in the life of a woman close to 70. I am near the end of my life and my time is precious and I do not have time to be confronted with these things every single day since Randy arrived at GPC.  What bullying; what craziness.  And the obvious as stated in an article about bullying I recently read: bullies always win.

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From being honeyed to being hated

Being honeyed has transcended to being hated.  My neighbours have decided that I am a danger to them and an email received from the landlord has agreed so it looks like an eviction will be forthcoming. I told one of my neighbours about Randy and he even went to GPC to visit Randy but only to be told that I am honeyed and the feedback I got from him was totally false like I had spent eight years locked up in a mental health facility.  Not true but he believed it and soon all the neighbours believed it.  One of the tenants here put a notice on my door that I was a safety hazard because of Randy's oxygen tank (it might explode). And when the police arrived he concurred with her. Oxygen is not combustible and more importantly an Oxygen tank must be turned ON before it can help an existing flame to burn faster and the flame has to be within five feet of the oxygen.  And I was told by one of the tenants that she was going to phone 911 as Randy was not allowed here as he did not live here and should be in a hospital (hidden from view). And please do not tell me to go to the Residential Tenancy Act.  I know of NO ONE who has gone that route that has been successful.  The RTA is a joke.  It was legislated (downloaded) so landlords  police tenants,  When you own a home no one tells you want to do but when you rent one you are faced with eviction if a tenant/neighbour doesn't want to see a handicapped person. 

I am still a danger to the vulnerable residents at GPC and now I am a danger to the tenants here.  Funny, I just realized this afternoon (Sunday) as I attended religious services (Joy Fellowship) with Randy at GPC with those residents that are totally the most vulnerable and no one is afraid of me.  They welcome me. Those that run around in $30,000 motor wheelchairs are not all vulnerable.  Most of them are quite capable of looking after themselves and creating havoc. See Paul Caine's website "Civil Rights Now." They should direct their energies to some worthwhile project like campaigning the government to give them more than $95 a month for spending money instead of panhandling or get them to campaign that all renters in BC can have pets if their doctors feel it would help them against depression and loneliness especially for seniors.  There is so much human capital at GPC wasted...Like Paul Caine said GPC is a warehouse for the incurables in BC so why give them a will to live.
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Do No Harm

Blogger has gone crazy on me.  I can't read the dashboard as it is in Spanish or some other similar language and I can't change it to English. So I do not even know if this will be published. 

The question I am pondering now is: DO NO HARM.  What harm did I do vs. what harm VCH has done.  VCH is in a position of absolute power and as a result VCH has negatively abused its powers to the point that the general population is or should be in fear of it.  VCH is so into proactive measures that they cause excessive harm to the ridiculous (eg. schools banning swings and baseball).

And now they are talking of euthanasia.  If euthanasia is illegal why is VCH even discussing the topic in their ethics (management) committees and how easy it would be to create a culture of death as who would oppose CEO Napolean. Look up Holland and its new deathmobiles....six of them. see http://www.epcc.ca/

In Oregon in 2011 only 1 of the 71 people who died by assisted suicide was referred for a psy assessment.  The slippery slope sold to the public as a safeguard to protect the depressed and others. 
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Where is my earlier blog that I wrote this morning...                                                     
The point I made was being honeyed goes hand-in-hand with being bullied. And being honeyed-bullied is not specific to me: most visitors and residents (patients) at GPC have experienced this humiliating behavior.  I am close to seventy years ago and I am not used to this behavior so when did this behavior became the norm VCH manages its properties.

Like on Sunday when I witnessed a RN tell a resident for it to leave a ward or it is going to be banned.  This resident didn't do or say anything and this resident wasn't in the way of anyone, so why such a threat. And where did this RN get such power over a person's freedom of travel or association in its own home.  I am sure the nurse then went off to write up an "objective confidential incident report."  This little exercise is going to take days to go through the system at great $cost to administration in the way of "transaction costs" (or are incident reports paid for by the federal government, I think not).  So who pays for these nonsense incident reports; they have to be costed to some ledger.

No wonder there are so few visitors in GPC, they get banned without due process and the residents doesn't even know and he thinks he has been abandoned.  All residents should be on an internet data base so everyone (an old school friend, an old lover, a lost child) can know where they are.

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उल्लिएद और होनेयेद

Honeyed by VCH

I created a new blog which I am sure will attract much attention। It is called:
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http://honeyedvoiceofgoneballistic.blogspot.com//

checking to see if this blog goes Hindi

VPD and Sharing of Info with the USA

Being labelled as suicidial has serious implications if you want to visit the USA: they won't let you in as you are emotionally unstable.  Our "privacy concerns" are so screwed up that anyone can report an untruth and he is protected.  The least the VPD can do if you are a subject of a complaint that a copy of the police report be mailed to you.  This should also be a policy of Vancouver Coastal Health: staff can write incident reports and visitors and patients are not even aware of them.

I still cannot believe what has happened to me over my concern over Randy.   VCH has written policies for everything and they sound reasonable but yet if it does not want to follow them there is nothing you can do.   It is like being a director of a non-profit who discovers that the Board is corrupt.  Is anyone going to pay $450 a hour from your personal funds to a lawyer to be stonewalled.  Of course not.  A director quits if he is unhappy and never ever gets involved with the democratic process again so this is why there is no good people in politics and in my case I will have no alternative but to walk when my health fails.

Today I attended at GPC at 12:15 pm; I interested Randy in striking a piano keyboard as his fingers are not functioning very well due to lack of use/physio.  He seems to be getting worse since December 2011.  He was able to write his initials; he was able to speak a few words; and his limbs were more flexible. He was able to focus and attempt brain empowering exercises.  Now I do not know what is happening.  When I take him off site he becomes alert from stimili but then I do not have him for long.  VCH from the beginning of his care never really provided motivation or enough physio for him to recover.  I try what I can but it isn't enough.  He took his feed after I arrived so I couldn't leave GPC until 2:30 and then we went to Oakridge and I purchased him a new watch so he could see the time in the dark.  Tomorrow he wants to see me at noon so we can spend Sunday together hanging out with the doggies.
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Privacy or Code of Silence

From the beginning of my difficulties with Vancouver Coastal Health it has always been privacy issue so that my concerns were never resolved.  It has nothing to do with privacy issues but rather it is a code of silence that hides any suspected criminality on site or breaches of their own governing policies. 

I just received a copy of a VPD's police report.  On December 25 2011 I was awaken at 3:30 am by four police officers looking for Randy as apparently he was missing from GPC.  And what was written on page 4: LAFERRIERE appeared to be suffering from mental health issues and was not there when speaking with police.  Also I was a Disturbed Person/Attempted Suicide. None of this is true. So where did the police get this information.

Tuesday February 28 2012

On Tuesday yesterday Randy and I went off site to see his dentist.  Just a nice pleasant afternoon. 

Monday February 27 2012

Audrey Laferriere Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 7:41 AM
To: louise kokotailo , kip woodward ,
Louise, could you get a message to Kip that I am very concerned about the safety of Randy and me. This cancer has been going on for over a year now and you have not done anything to resolve it. I fear for Randy's safety as well as my own. At least twenty percent or more of the residents/staff/visitors at GPC are in need of psychological help and your answser is just to target me and Randy. I will never forgive Linda Rose telling me that even if Randy was on his death bed I would not be allowed on his GPC ward and this she did when Randy was also sent to VGH in August 2011when he was on his death bed and she put on a no contact order on Randy. Why. Staff targets someone and it continues and continues without reason or due process or end.

Sunday February 26 2012 PM

I was so excited this morning when I phoned Ward 2 and NurseC said that Randy was up and ready wanting to see me. Because of my unrealistic visiting restrictions I couldn't go until noon. I was there at noon and when I saw Randy he looked very fragile. When he looks like that I am afraid that it might be the last time I will see him.

I am questioning the care Randy is getting. Again when I tried to suction Randy at 1:20 the tubing was not included with the suctioning machine. Because I am restricted I had to wait until 2:00 p.m. before a nurse gave me a replacement. What would have happened if I was off site. I had a hard time inserting the tube into Randy's trach as the mucus was so thick. The tube won't go down easily. It could get thick like cement and Randy would be no more. For a moment I panicked but Randy assured me he was okay.

We then went to Joy Fellowship. The only organization that is allowed into George Pearson that has genuine concern for its residents. Real love and compassion. I couldn't stop -- I cried and cried and cried.

At 3:00 o'clock Randy wanted to go home so here we are. Doing nothing, giving the doggies treats and listening to the radio. CKWX 11:30 And we got to listen to Napolean Ostrow talk about the changes that is going to be made at George Pearson and staff changes have been made. Well, maybe we who are intimately involved with GPC should know what he has done. Then on the other hand, there probably are no changes just something for him to say to the media. Who would follow up on it anyways.

I returned Randy to GPC at 6:00 p.m. When I left he had his television on but when I viewed his room from the parking lot, his room was dark and no tv was on. I went back and asked security to find out why the television was turned off. She checked on Randy and came back and said she did not know but she put it on for him. Letting a patient who is immobile and can't talk sit in the dark in his wheel chair is mean. Who did it.

And then to make things worse Mr. Moon starts swearing at me using vulgar loud language in front of Randy for what reason I do not know. It upset Randy, he had tears in his eyes. And then there was Ryan an angry youngman. If these adults residents/patients cannot be civil then they shouldn't be living at George Pearson Center.

I wanted to check in with Randy's nurse and I left word on the answering machine for her to call me. I called her at 7:00 p.m. I will wait and see if she calls back. It is 10:10 pm and no one has returned my call. What is one to do. Trust the system. I think not.

The above is a typical day I have to face. GPC is not helpful, friendly or happy.
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Sunday February 26 2012 AM

Minutes from Residents Council November 8 2011.

Joy. I’m concerned about what’s going to be done about levels of staffing. I’m on Ward 2, and yesterday we were so short staffed that most people were not able to get up. They were short on both day shift and evening shift so there were just 5 people that got up in their chairs out of 22.

And to think that I am not allowed on Ward 2.
And Randy doesn't even know how to use his call bell and even if he did what good would it be...
and to think that it costs $15,000 a month (foi) to keep a resident at GPC not including overhead and other miscellaneous expenses.
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Saturday February 25 2012

I went to take Randy off site for a few hours. GPC is so boring on the weekends. I phoned at 11:50am and had to wait until noon before the nurseC quickly dropped him off in the piano room and ran. After checking the suction machine all the tubings were missing and I had to telephone from the hall and ask for a replacement. That took until 12:15 pm.(MA) who dropped off a replacement and also ran off without a comment. There was no one in the hallways not even security.

It is 1:07pm and Randy is feeding treats to the doggies. They love Randy. It is a feat to get Randy into my basement suite as it is small and I have renamed it the doggie house as the doggies seem to have control of it (except for the kitchen of course). Everytime I come home I am not sure what they had chewed up. They like rolls and rolls of toilet paper.

I am going to take Randy over to Oakridge and look at Ipads. He may be able to touch the screen as he can't type. He needs mental stimulation which he doesn't get at GPC unless the staff phones the police to have me removed. I am sure he will be able to handle the touch screen. I have to find out how to get the ipad insured as GPC has a serious thieving problem. Anything that can be sold for a $20.00 rock gets stolen.

After testing out the ipads we then went to the Oakridge Senior Centre and the president was there and he greeted Randy with a handshake. Civility. You do not see that at George Pearson. From day one residents as well as visitors at GPC are made to feel they are a burden. The first time I spoke to Tanu at GPC she told me that I wasn't allowed to speak to anyone unless someone spoke to me first. Like where did this come from. From some penal institution or a nunnery. Also read Paul Caine's webpage Civilrightsnow.ca and go to blog. He gives good examples of the dysfunctionality of GPC.

At 1:15 p.m. it was necesssary to give Randy seven suctions; the secretions were heavy. I wonder if staff give him suctions which they are suppose to before I pick him up. About 3:00 p.m. I had to suction him again twice.

I returned Randy to nurseC in good form and spirit to GPC at 6:15 p.m. And she grabbed Randy and ran off as well.
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107.076
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Another Day

I have not been able to see Randy since Tuesday. I developed a cold and it is still with me. I can't remember the last time I had a cold. No fever; just a dry cough. I was told yesterday that Randy is still eating. I never thought my life would end up in this direction. I guess it is better than going on retirement cruises and dancing the nights away.

Still the Same

Since Feburary 5 2012 nothing has changed. I am suffering from total exhaustion. All I can do is it seems is to go and see Randy for a few hours then come home to rest. At least he is eating but then for how long.

Yesterday we went on an outing which he has power over. He pointed his finger in a direction and I pushed his wheelchair. We ended up at Oakridge mall where we went shopping for doggie food. He picked out the food by grabbing it and the treats would fall to the floor which I picked up. He even paid the cashier with the $20 bill I gave him and then he hide the $5.00 change (paper bill) under his shirt. He will need an incredible amount of rehab before he is better.

This afternoon we went to Oakridge again. The improvement in him observing the world was inspiring. A 180 degree change from his behavior at George Pearson Center. I have to get him out of there more often.

There is very little stimulation at GPC. Its purpose is only to keep its residents alive It is boring, confining and depressing. You lay in bed seeing it as your coffin.

If you are in a good mood it will take only sixty seconds before someone stalks you or says something that will annoy you. The cancer that is in GPC will only grow. This will happen because of the 80% who know or refuse to know what is going on, which allows the 20% to cause chaos. Bullying. If staff worked in the real world and they showed disrespect to a customer, they would be fired. However in VCH it is the other way around.

I purchased two baseball hats for Randy from the Bay and he carefully chose them, wore one and the other one he carefully put it in his small mexican burlap bag which hangs on his wheelchair. He was just into everything that was happening. He even took a chocolate from Purdy's which I paid for. His face looked intelligent, mischieveous and he was self-assured. He was Randy again. After two years he is back. I hope he will be back tomorrow as well. (this paragraph posted at 9:00 pm Sunday).

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Things Were Still Getting Worse

From my last post Randy did not start eating again although there was a day or two that I thought he was taking his units of feed again. It wasn't until 2 February 2012(Thursday) that he told me he took five units by showing me five fingers and staff confirmed it and on Friday and Saturday he also took his cans of liquid food. Prior to that for what seemed like forever he was only agreeing to one or two units. These past weeks have been torturing. I still do not understand VCH's policy which was allowing Randy to slowing starve to death. Food and water is not refusing treatment like chemotherapy; it is a necessity for life.

I feel totally beaten and demoralized.

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Nothing will ever change at GPC

When Randy first was admitted to GPC (November 20 2010)I questioned why was a visitor allowed to cook gourmet meals in the community kitchen in Ward 2. The Residents policy guide prohibits it. Other residents and visitors including the Residents Council and CARMA also have aromatic food brought in. I was under the impression that this was not happening any more. This afternoon a pizza was delivered to Ward 2 The delivery guy said he delivers pizza nearly everyday to Ward 2.Since I am banned from entering Ward 2 I do not know what is happening there. GPC forbids fragrant flowers but yet it allows the fragrance of food to permeate the ward. The smell of freshly cooked food must be torture for Randy.

Randy has been going crazy these past few weeks as he wanted to eat real food and as a result he refused to eat. I was so scared that he would get weak and then a pneumonia. Since GPC has a policy of not forcing a patient to do anything, Randy was starving. Since Randy's accident he has been feed by tubes. I do not know what happened but yesterday he started to take his stomach feed again. And now he has to deal with the smell of a pizza tonight. GPC has a large carpeted dinning/activity room which is very comfortable with microwaves, vending machines and catered food can be eaten there or purchased from GPC's kitchen.

I also asked for a photocopy of the feed flow chart of when and how manytimes Randy refused his feed from December 15 2011 until now. Like always anything important to me, GPC just neglects to follow through. Even though Randy signed the directive, GPC just ignored it.

I thought things were going to change ... Poor Randy and the indiferrence of those who are suppose to be caring for him including the Residents Council.
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Marina Kogan

I went to see Marina this evening. I can't believe her. At 78 she is living on the edge. I couldn't do what she is doing. Putting her life on the line. She was able to get CTV to do a story about her eviction but Vancouver Native Housing still hasn't rescinded its Possession Order for her apartment. No one should get evicted from social housing. Portland Hotel Society never evicts anyone so there is no reason for Vancouver Native Housing to do so.

Randy isn't doing too well. How can I not worry.
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