by Charlene Snow Obituary, Death – On December 30th, early in the afternoon, Charlene made her way to the Emergency Department of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. She was experiencing symptoms similar to the flu, including pain in her jaw. It has been brought to our attention that she was triaged. She kept her family and friends up to date throughout the day by recounting how busy things were at the emergency room.
After seven hours, she reached the point where she could no longer function normally in such setting. She inquired about a timeframe for seeing a doctor, and she was informed that it would likely not be until the next morning that she would be able to do so. She came to the conclusion that the best course of action would be to visit the urgent care facility located on the Northside the next morning. Sadly, she did not survive to see the morning after the next day. Freddie, her husband, came to get her and drive her back to their house. Within an hour, her heart stopped beating completely.
The possibility that maybe her life may have been saved adds a painful depth to the pain that comes with the loss of someone who passed away unexpectedly. We have asked for a report detailing the decisions that were made that evening that resulted to her not receiving an evaluation, and we intend to keep pressing for answers as more time passes. But for the time being, we will try to console my three-year-old daughter, who cries herself to sleep every night because she misses her grandmother. In addition, we will be there for her grandson, who is 17 years old, as he navigates the remaining months of his senior year without his most ardent supporter.
We have been taken advantage of, and it is high time that we be provided with much improved options for urgent medical treatment. Why is it that we are not given the opportunity to pay for it? That is, it is possible for you to take your pet to the veterinarian, pay for all of their diagnostic tests in a single day, and formulate a treatment strategy before you go to bed. Because the system we are currently functioning under seems to be coming more and closer to third world norms, there must be a model where we can apply that for humans, and we should look for it.
