Healthcare Workers Are Our Heroes!
First…a note that this is not about drawing attention to us, it is about drawing attention to the wonderful care we received for our son last week. It’s a bit of a long read, but there are some points I want to make.
You may have noticed that I was away all week last week. This was not a planned vacation. It was the exact opposite….the hardest week of our lives.
My family had been battling with colds since March Break. When it hit my son, it hit hard. Last Saturday, he was having difficulty breathing. My wife took him to the ER in Chatham and he was seen immediately. After a few hours of care and treatment, he was diagnosed with pneumonia, given some puffers, along with some medication and sent home with the instruction that if the breathing difficulty returned, he was to be brought back in immediately. On Sunday morning, the issue was worse, so back he went. By mid afternoon that day, it was determined that he needed more specialized care, and was sent by ambulance to the London Children’s Hospital. When he arrived he was immediately put on IV, monitors, and oxygen masks. His heart rate was almost double what it should be, and he was really struggling to breathe. As hard as it was on us to see him like that, it was much worse for our little guy, who is only 6 years old.
While in London, he received around the clock care with dedicated nurses and fantastic medical teams. As for us, the nurse suggested we stay at the Ronald McDonald House, which is on site. At first we felt we didn’t need that as we didn’t understand the seriousness of what we are going through, but we took a room there anyway, and I’m glad we did. It was a lifesaver for us. We’ve all heard about the Ronald McDonald House and how it helps families, but until you experience it first hand, you can’t fully appreciate all that it does for families going through what would arguably be the most difficult time of their lives.
As I sat in the full dining room one morning having coffee, it hit me that all these people from all over Southwestern Ontario had the same fate as us. Had to quickly put life on hold, head to a different city, and stay there for who knows how long to be with their child. It’s a stressful situation, and having a place like this really helps. They had plenty of activities for other kids in your family to do, the rooms were great, and the meals which are prepared each day by volunteers were outstanding. The care and compassion from everyone was top notch, and very comforting.
By Thursday, my son was doing much better, and was able to be transferred back to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance for monitoring. All of the nurses and doctors he saw there were fantastic, and we’re happy to say that by Saturday, he was back home, where he is now continuing to rest and get better. His diagnosis included pneumonia, influenza, and asthma. He took it all way better than any of us would have.
My message out of all of this is this. We have fantastic healthcare workers in Chatham. Too many times we see or hear people complaining, but it needs to be said that the work they do, not just on my son, but with all patients that require critical care is top notch. From the ER in Chatham to the Children’s Ward, the care and compassion he and us received was fantastic.
For parents…if you ever have to go through this, you’re in great hands at the London Children’s Hospital. And if you should need it, the Ronald McDonald House is a fantastic facility to have. It really opened my eyes to what they offer and how it helps so many people. I know when I am at McDonald’s I will be dropping donations into their bin at the counter and buying Big Macs on McHappy Day for the rest of my life to help support them. I encourage you to do the same. You never know if you or someone you know may need it.
Again, this long story is meant to shine a light on all the good that we experienced during this time. The Doctors and Nurses in both Chatham and London, and the Ronald McDonald House. You are all our heroes!
