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I had to make a several hour visit to the ER in Edmonton last week (I’m fine! Honest!), so I wanted to share my thoughts on the entire “The hospitals are empty” thing.
A thread about the latest Facebook conspiracy.
#abpoli and #ableg.
1/ ?
A thread about the latest Facebook conspiracy.
#abpoli and #ableg.
1/ ?
The first thing that struck me was how empty the visitor parking lot was when we arrived. And, you can look in through the windows and clearly see an almost-empty waiting room. I can see why folks think it’s completely empty at the hospital if that’s all they see.
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I went in, where I was stopped in the entrance.. Because it was heart-related new Rx reaction, I was diverted from the normal waiting room to an ambulance/delivery garage (??). It had a space heater and a piece of ducting blowing hot air into the room.
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There were 5 people in that room with me. None had anyone with them. There were no visitors and support folks. All of them had been dropped off, with their rides not staying (thus, empty parking lot).
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Once I’m escorted in, I can see all of the rooms are full, with several more off-branches where there’s clearly people (I can hear them). I’m hooked up to the EKG where I stay for a few hours.
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6/ Every person who stepped in my room did the following:
Stood outside room. Sanitized. Put on gown, face shield, gloves. Came in, did what they needed, stepped out. Removed everything into the garbage can right there at the entrance of my room. Sanitized. Left.
Stood outside room. Sanitized. Put on gown, face shield, gloves. Came in, did what they needed, stepped out. Removed everything into the garbage can right there at the entrance of my room. Sanitized. Left.
7/ Whenever possible, all questions/conversations were done with the doctor/nurse in the hallway outside of my room and me inside, with us shouting back and forth. Everyone else was doing the same thing. I heard everyone’s problems. They heard mine. But, it saved PPE.
8/ When I was taken for xrays, I was wheeled through where I could see even more patients clearly waiting, medical staff all still doing the same don on-don off situation.
9/ It was 10 minutes between the previous xray patient and me because I could clearly see 3 people cleaning the room. Then, I was wheeled in. Got my xrays. They started cleaning before I was even out of view.
10/ No one had visitors. *No one.*
No one was waiting for you out front. The parking lot and waiting rooms are empty because no one is allowed to wait for you.
No one was waiting for you out front. The parking lot and waiting rooms are empty because no one is allowed to wait for you.
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You were going for tests alone at all times. Everyone was.
You were completely alone, even if it was just to be hooked up to a machine to make sure you didn’t have a heart attack from your new medication that you now know you can't take.
You were going for tests alone at all times. Everyone was.
You were completely alone, even if it was just to be hooked up to a machine to make sure you didn’t have a heart attack from your new medication that you now know you can't take.
12/ While I was there, 2 people were admitted to the covid ward, with nurses calling to tell family members and explaining in kind, compassionate voices why no one was allowed to visit anyone. Then, they hung up the phone and called the next family and did the same thing again.
13/ I was finally cleared to go home, with some instructions on how to ride out the reaction. The doctor didn’t come into my room. We had that conversation 2 meters apart, with him in the hallway.
14/ The hospital was hopping busy. It’s just that there was no one in that ER who wasn’t a patient, medical staff, or support staff. We’re just not used to that. We’re used to people bringing spouses, kids, moms, all of it to the ER. Not now.
15/ You’re alone there now.
Stay home whenever you can.
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Stay home whenever you can.
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