The wife of a Prince Rupert man who suffered a six-inch laceration on his head and a concussion after being released from the hospital says he should not have been released. She fears the incident is indicative of a worsening healthcare situation in the city.
Tish Losier woke up March 19 to her husband, Joe Budnisky, who has epilepsy, having a seizure. She immediately called for an ambulance. An ambulance showed up soon after, but when it arrived at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital at 6:30 a.m., the emergency room was still closed, only opening at 8 a.m. before closing again at 3 p.m. the same day.
The emergency room in Prince Rupert has seen six closures since March 8 due to a physician shortage, causing increasing concern and frustration for residents as rumours swirl of up to eight doctors leaving the area or retiring soon. (Editor91裸聊视频檚 note: The Northern View has not been able to confirm the number of physicians leaving or retiring, but Northern Health says it is aware of several and that three new ones are arriving before year-end.)
While waiting for the emergency room to open, Losier said Budnisky had more seizures in the ambulance before he was seen. When the emergency room opened, she said the hospital was already overwhelmed.
91裸聊视频淭hey just said, 91裸聊视频榳e don91裸聊视频檛 have the beds or the staff and you have to take him home.91裸聊视频� I knew it wasn91裸聊视频檛 right,91裸聊视频� she told The Northern View.
91裸聊视频淗e never should have been released this morning.91裸聊视频�
Losier said when her husband has seizures he is usually held for an extended period at the emergency room before being released, but was only tended to briefly this time before being sent back home. There, another seizure caused him to fall head-first onto a concrete block.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e walking between the car and the house and he had another seizure mid-walk and fell directly into a cement block, knocked his front tooth out and split his head wide open,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淚 could see his skull, like it was right down to the bone and he was bleeding everywhere, it was awful.91裸聊视频�
When she called for an ambulance again, there were none available.
With no ambulance available Losier called on her neighbours for help.
91裸聊视频淚 got a friend and two of my neighbours and we got him into the back of the neighbour91裸聊视频檚 car and we got him back to the ER,91裸聊视频� she said.
He was treated and released again, but the couple had to return a third time after Budnisky began vomiting blood, which Losier said was related to the concussion.
91裸聊视频淔rom literally the moment I opened my eyes and him having a seizure in bed, the entire day was a nightmare,91裸聊视频� Losier said.
91裸聊视频滻t was traumatizing, I don91裸聊视频檛 know if there91裸聊视频檚 another word for it.91裸聊视频�
Losier said she regrets not taking her husband to Terrace in the morning, where she believes he would have received more comprehensive treatment.
91裸聊视频滻 don91裸聊视频檛 think they would have released him that quickly from Terrace. I think they would have maybe taken a better look,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淚nstead of being rushed at 8 a.m. with a crowd of people, they91裸聊视频檇 have it more under control and been able to triage us properly and given the care that he needed91裸聊视频� every time I look at him I have to wonder, 91裸聊视频榳hat would have happened if I took him to Terrace91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�
Losier 91裸聊视频� who herself has had serious health complications 91裸聊视频� now worries this means the couple will have to rely on the emergency room for basic treatment, which is what she believes is a key reason for the perceived poor quality of care her husband received on March 19.
91裸聊视频漌e call for an ambulance and there91裸聊视频檚 no ambulance available. I mean, sometimes that91裸聊视频檚 just life in the North, but you hope that they prioritize this stuff,91裸聊视频� she said.
Losier and Budnisky were notified last week they will also be losing their family physician.
Budnisky, who was born and raised in Prince Rupert and Losier, who has lived in the city for eight years, are now considering leaving due to the healthcare issues the area faces.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been an absolute nut-show for us medically, everything91裸聊视频檚 in Vancouver,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淲hat are we going to do? There91裸聊视频檚 going to be a point where I have to make a call. Where do I take him? Maybe I91裸聊视频檒l take a leave of absence or some vacation from my workplace and just go somewhere so they can get him to a stable point. He91裸聊视频檚 not stable, these seizures aren91裸聊视频檛 stable right now, and nobody91裸聊视频檚 addressing that.91裸聊视频�
Northern Health said they have been working around the clock to prevent emergency room closures and recruit new physicians for the region.
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