I’m writing this letter with a heavy heart as a friend of mine had a heart attack and has been in a hallway at Health Science North Hospital for the past few days.
I don’t quite understand why we can’t get the health care that we need and be treated with respect.
I continually have health issues myself as a senior who is 80, and my friends and I all talk about how we are treated with such disrespect because doctors are too busy to take the time to see us or listen to us and treat us properly.
I can’t even reach my doctor. I need to leave a message and hope she calls me back. By the time I actually get an appointment with my doctor, I feel worse or I’ve had to go to a walk-in clinic in Val Caron.
The types of issues us seniors get are usually fairly serious and the clinics just don’t cut it. Plus, I have to drive all that way for a Band-aid solution to my problem until I can see my doctor.
If we can’t look after our own, what kind of city does that make us? More and more I hear people talk about “hallway healthcare,” and it’s true. We are part of an aging demographic. Why are we being treated this way?
I can remember a time when I was raising my family and when one of my children or myself was sick, we could count on our family doctor who truly cared about our well-being and even made house calls when necessary.
I understand that times have changed and cuts are continually made to the health-care system. What I don’t understand is why we can’t look after our own community and my friend has to be stuck in hallway.
I’ve lived in the Valley, Hanmer and Capreol most of my life. Why now do I feel so left behind, as well as my friends, as it seems us older folks really don’t matter.? We’ve given to our community time and time again, and now nobody seems to care about us.
With the ongoing plans of spending millions of dollars on projects the city doesn’t need, I think we need to ask ourselves what our priorities are rather than chase flashy new objects like a new arena and casino.
The millions of dollars proposed for these initiatives are trivial and unnecessary in my opinion. Why not just fix what we have and leave the casino in Chelmsford where it belongs?
Do we really need these objects to attract more people to our city to show them what a great city we are? Right now, I’m thinking this sounds quite hypocritical given that my experience with health care has been less than great.
I’m appalled that my friend is in a hallway right now. There’s no dignity in that, and there is no excuse for treating anyone as a second-class citizen. Instead of spending millions on shiny new objects, why not open another hospital and give folks in the Greater City of Sudbury the respect and health care they deserve.
Charlotte Guay*
Sudbury
*An earlier version of this letter named the writer incorrectly. Sudbury.com apologizes for the error.