Besides being a comfort advocate for Randy, I have decided that I am not a trouble maker but rather a "mystery shopper." A private shopper that spies on whether or not an establishment is doing its due diligence i.e. providing "excellent" service. With VCH it is not necessary to spy on it as it is an open lens as everything is there for anyone to see. Like reading Single Use sterile medical products when in fact VCH does not follow that protocol consistently.
Burnaby General Hospital had 85 deaths to infections within 2.5 years which could be attributable to it not following manufacturer's instructions.
On Friday I contacted Covidien asking them not to sell their products to the health authorities because the B.C. health authorities are not following their instructions and are putting patients at risk of repeated infections.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
My Beautiful Doggie
For the longest time I have been without identification as it went missing. No big loss except my bus pass was in it and the cost of transit going to VGH each day was thus prohibitive. I am on the guaranteed income pension which isn't much after paying my rent and utilities and paying for things to make Randy's life a bit more enjoyable and fun.I am also paying $10.00 a day for a television as VCH does not provide televisions free. Since Randy is a quad there is nothing else for him except for me and that isn't all that great as he can't talk. At least now we can watch tv together and he can indicate to me what channel he might want to watch.
Yesterday however "David D Hayward" of Joyfellowship came to see us. It is a christian fellowship devoted to those that have mostly been abandoned due to their medical/physical handicaps. No one from GPC dropped by as GPC is not allowed to tell anyone where Randy is as that information is private and confidential. And GPC is suppose to be Randy's family. What a joke.
Missey, Randy's resued doggie somehow got into my bag and extracted my small plastic bag containing my ID and bus pass as I just found it scattered of its contents with her teeth marks visible. How can anyone be angry at such a beautiful dog. So I hugged her.
Since Randy has been at VGH because of reoccurring infections this past month, I am totally exhausted. It is hard being a comfort advocate/spouse/companion at my close to 70 year old age.
In any event, since this month has been $costly I was hoping that some of you will drop off doggie food for Missie and little Owen, who was also a rescue. Owen is a cute terri-poo as I can't even find the energy to go to the SPCA DTES food bank for food for the doggies which previously I would go biweekly to. The doggies are not fussy; they eat dry food, wet food, eggs, apples, cat food, cantaloupe, cucumber and green cabbage.
My address is 5976B Cambie Street (see yellow door) across from Safeway at Oakridge.
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Yesterday however "David D Hayward"
Missey, Randy's resued doggie somehow got into my bag and extracted my small plastic bag containing my ID and bus pass as I just found it scattered of its contents with her teeth marks visible. How can anyone be angry at such a beautiful dog. So I hugged her.
Since Randy has been at VGH because of reoccurring infections this past month, I am totally exhausted. It is hard being a comfort advocate/spouse/companion at my close to 70 year old age.
In any event, since this month has been $costly I was hoping that some of you will drop off doggie food for Missie and little Owen, who was also a rescue. Owen is a cute terri-poo as I can't even find the energy to go to the SPCA DTES food bank for food for the doggies which previously I would go biweekly to. The doggies are not fussy; they eat dry food, wet food, eggs, apples, cat food, cantaloupe, cucumber and green cabbage.
My address is 5976B Cambie Street (see yellow door) across from Safeway at Oakridge.
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Thursday, November 1, 2012
Etiquette
I had occasion to speak to a lawyer yesterday and I was told that the reason for my banning from George Pearson Centre was because VCH has the right to control etiquette i.e. put me in my place. You would think that since GPC is governed like a catholic boarding school which is reasonable as most of the nurses are from catholic backgrounds (countries).. I see no other reason for the inhumane way Randy and I have been treated. When Randy was in a code blue I was told that I could only see Vancouver for one-half hour intervals guarded by security guards who previously beat me up because I dared trespass on hospital property. How cruel and insulting. How can they force me to face the people that beat me up. What are they thinking.
Vancouver has over 200 languages spoken in Vancouver i.e. there are 200 different cultures, so which etiquette am I suppose to follow.
I still do not understand how I can be forced not to be with Randy at George Pearson Centre as GPC is his home (a residential care facility) and he pays rent. It is like me paying rent for my apartment and the landlord restricts my visitors.
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Vancouver has over 200 languages spoken in Vancouver i.e. there are 200 different cultures, so which etiquette am I suppose to follow.
I still do not understand how I can be forced not to be with Randy at George Pearson Centre as GPC is his home (a residential care facility) and he pays rent. It is like me paying rent for my apartment and the landlord restricts my visitors.
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Saturday, October 27, 2012
Destroying One's Will to Live
From the very very beginning I spoke of GPC's attempts to destroy residents' will to live and it hasn't changed. Yesterday I was taking a picture of Randy and as I extended my arm out to hold the camera he pushed the flash to take a picture of me. He achieved great satisfaction in that he could take a picture even though he is disabled because he is a quad.
Within seconds security and staff are surrounding us saying that picture taking was not allowed. The security guard said he would have to write up a report on the incident and the staff has to as well.. What a waste of resources.
I showed the security guard pictures of me which Randy had taken previously and I of him at GPC which are in full view on the bulletin board next to his bed.
Camera phones are so small now that they can fit into the palm of one's hand so if staff is uncomfortable with cameras they better get used to it.Even having policies won't prevent picture taking.
This incident reminded me of the incident --- the very first time I saw Randy at GPC --- where I put my head at the edge of his bed as I was suffering from exhaustion and relief, holding Randy's hand, as I finally located him. VGH didn't tell me he was being transferred to GPC although they knew for six weeks ahead of time. I had my head on my arm and security was called because sleeping is not allowed.
The next day I get attitude from the head nurse citing that if I didn't sign a visitor's contract that she would make sure that I would never see Randy again. Three months later she was successful in getting me banned. Because GPC is private property it can do whatever they want without any form of due process..so they think.
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Within seconds security and staff are surrounding us saying that picture taking was not allowed. The security guard said he would have to write up a report on the incident and the staff has to as well.. What a waste of resources.
I showed the security guard pictures of me which Randy had taken previously and I of him at GPC which are in full view on the bulletin board next to his bed.
Camera phones are so small now that they can fit into the palm of one's hand so if staff is uncomfortable with cameras they better get used to it.Even having policies won't prevent picture taking.
This incident reminded me of the incident --- the very first time I saw Randy at GPC --- where I put my head at the edge of his bed as I was suffering from exhaustion and relief, holding Randy's hand, as I finally located him. VGH didn't tell me he was being transferred to GPC although they knew for six weeks ahead of time. I had my head on my arm and security was called because sleeping is not allowed.
The next day I get attitude from the head nurse citing that if I didn't sign a visitor's contract that she would make sure that I would never see Randy again. Three months later she was successful in getting me banned. Because GPC is private property it can do whatever they want without any form of due process..so they think.
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Thursday, October 25, 2012
Why We Must Care
A sense of responsibility towards all others also means
that both as individuals and as a society of individuals,
we have a duty to care for each member of our society.
This is true irrespective of their physical capacity or of their
capacity for mental reflection. Just like ourselves, such people have
a right to happiness and to avoid suffering. We must therefore avoid,
at all cost, the urge to shut away those who are grievously afflicted
as if they were a burden. The same goes for those who are diseased or
marginalized. To push them away would be to heap suffering on suffering.
If we ourselves were in the same condition, we would look to others for help.
We need, therefore, to ensure that the sick and afflicted person never
feels helpless, rejected or unprotected. Indeed, the affection
we show to such people is, in my opinion, the measure of
our spiritual health, both at the level of the
individual and at that of society.
that both as individuals and as a society of individuals,
we have a duty to care for each member of our society.
This is true irrespective of their physical capacity or of their
capacity for mental reflection. Just like ourselves, such people have
a right to happiness and to avoid suffering. We must therefore avoid,
at all cost, the urge to shut away those who are grievously afflicted
as if they were a burden. The same goes for those who are diseased or
marginalized. To push them away would be to heap suffering on suffering.
If we ourselves were in the same condition, we would look to others for help.
We need, therefore, to ensure that the sick and afflicted person never
feels helpless, rejected or unprotected. Indeed, the affection
we show to such people is, in my opinion, the measure of
our spiritual health, both at the level of the
individual and at that of society.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics for the New Millennium, at p. 176
Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics for the New Millennium, at p. 176
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Dr. Stilwell October 20 2012
Greetings!
Dr. Stilwell wanted me to extend an invitation to
you (and anyone else you would like to join) to attend the Senior's
Advisory Council that she and the Minister of State for Seniors, the
Honourable Ralph Sultan, will be holding on Saturday October 20th from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Oakridge Senior's Centre. They will be discussing pressing issues that affect seniors on a day to day basis as well as possible resolutions.
I attended this meeting wanting to voice two of my many concerns during question period and even before I had the occasion to say anything a loud mouth in the audience said he didn't want to hear them. My concerns are pressing and urgent that affects all of us on a day to day basis.
1. no one should be banned from being with a patient except by court order
2. DNR Orders should not be sought from patients by doctors in Emergency
I am convinced that the heckler was a plant to unsettle and deflect me from saying anything. How could I not have seen it at the time.
I have given up the coat of privacy a long time ago and so anything I would say is public.
1. no one should be banned from being with a patient except by court order
2. DNR Orders should not be sought from patients by doctors in Emergency
I am convinced that the heckler was a plant to unsettle and deflect me from saying anything. How could I not have seen it at the time.
I have given up the coat of privacy a long time ago and so anything I would say is public.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Phone System and Television
Like yesterday I phoned ahead of time twice to tell staff I would be arriving to see Randy at 7:45 p.m. No answer; just a busy signal. Security walked me down to see Randy and he was in his bed starring at his television with no audio. Someone had undone his headphone and there was no sound. I put it on CNN which seems to please Randy. I then became emotional and walked away from Randy with tears in my eyes. How many hundreds of days has his television not been put on so he could hear it. Being banned gives licence to staff to just ignore a quad who cannot talk. And a licence to bully a crazy 70 years old woman who is investing what is left of her time to be a comfort advocate for a quad who has no quality of life. Why would anyone even what to care for Randy or even to talk to me...
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