Published: June 29, 2011 1:00 AM Morning Star:
It’s hard not to think of Vernon Jubilee Hospital without considering my family. The relationship started 17 years ago when my wife and I were expecting our first child. Visits were required for gestational diabetes, stress tests and ultrasounds. When the time came, it’s where we headed to welcome our daughter into the world. And that pattern was repeated four years later with our second daughter. As the girls grew, we often turned to VJH, whether it was for whooping cough or an ear infection that flared up in the middle of the night. VJH is where my wife had knee surgery and where I struggled with a kidney stone. It’s where we go when a friend is celebrating the exhilaration that goes along with a new child or the pain and uncertainty associated with serious illness. Never once have I regretted walking through the door. Even when the workload and emotional pressure is intense, I am impressed by the professionalism and compassion of the physicians, nurses, support staff and volunteers. So when these same individuals insist conditions are failing, I believe them. Acute care beds are overflowing, forcing patients into halls and every available nook-and-cranny. All that separates them from the world is a thin curtain, leaving no privacy for confidential information or even sitting on the commode. Ultimately, space runs out and that means surgeries have to be cancelled, and that’s devastating for someone who’s been waiting for a call for months. Obviously part of the solution is increasing the number of residential care beds in the North Okanagan so elderly patients have somewhere to go once they no longer need to be in the hospital. But while progress is being made, residential care is a long-term initiative in terms of planning and funding, and immediate relief is unlikely. That means the only viable option is to complete the two shelled-in floors at the top of the new tower and provide the resources for acute care beds. At a cost of $10 million to develop each floor and $10 million each annually for operations, it’s not going to be cheap. But what price do we put on health care?
My family’s relationship with VJH is not unusual. People across the North Okanagan can share similar stories, in some cases going back generations. No matter our economic status, social views, religion or culture, VJH is one thing we all share in common. It’s been there during our time of need and now it is time for us to rally around this old friend. Resident Peter Hill is organizing a rally in front of the new tower Friday at noon, and residents are urged to show up and demand that the provincial government take action. Now Friday happens to be Canada Day and many people will be tied up with the festivities, but I can’t think of a better thing to do on the national holiday than exercising your democratic rights to public assembly and freedom of speech. People willingly die in other countries for such freedoms, and here we have a chance to let the government know what we think without fear of physical retaliation or being tossed in jail. If you have a history with VJH and appreciate the efforts of our health care workers, I would urge you to show up Friday and lend your voice. It would also be good to see MLA Eric Foster show up to demonstrate that he stands with the people.
---Richard Rolke is the senior reporter for The Morning Star
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