Just one week left until our Signature Denim and Diamonds gala, special thanks to Mr. Wayne Keith, owner of Litespan Electric Ltd. Hell be sharing his story of survival and how he and his family are giving back to LMH. His story, is an amazing read. #nomorestickynotes. Over the past 30 years, my family and I have visited Langley Memorial Hospital on many occasions. My most recent visit was on December 11, 2013, when I found myself in the Emergency Department. That day started as any other day. I was at work un-crating a light fixture at my shop. All of a sudden, blood started to gush from my nose. I could not get the bleeding to stop so I drove over to Glover Medical Centre. Dr. Matthews and the team there worked on me for quite some time; my blood pressure was climbing. When it reached 250/145, and the bleeding persisted, they called for an ambulance. On the road, I heard the paramedic radio the hospital: We are en route with a critical case. We’re 10 minutes out. I had been bleeding profusely for more than an hour. When I arrived at the hospital and the doors of the ambulance swung open, my wife and daughter were standing on the other side. My daughter took one look at me and turned white like a sheet of paper. I thought: This is it. I am dying. What next happened felt like a scene in a movie: I was on the stretcher being wheeled down the hallway as, all around me, doctors and nurses were gathering information about my condition. My stretcher came to a stop behind a curtain. I turned my head to one side and looked at a monitor. There was a sticky note on it that read: Please do not use. Only works 50% of the time. I looked at “my” machine. There was no note on it. Thank goodness! I was well cared for by the skilled medical staff at the medical centre and at the hospital. My heart is filled with gratitude, but I am worried about the message on that sticky note. You see, I work in the electrical business. My training as an electrician is important, but I can only perform to the level of my tools. Can you guess where I am going with this? The medical teams at the hospital in our community are highly trained, competent and caring, and they rely on their tools to do their job for us. Those tools must be in good working condition, only then can the medical experts accurately and effectively detect, diagnose and treat patients like you and me. After that December visit to the ER, I visited Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation and made a donation to say “thank you” for the wonderful care I received. While there, I learned that there is quite a long Priority Equipment List for our hospital. I was not surprised to learn that there are monitors on that list, along with other vital tools. I, personally, would like to see that list wiped clean. And no more sticky notes on monitors. No more “works 50% of the time” problems for our medical experts. And I don’t think I am alone. I believe that many of us in the community, if made aware and if given the opportunity, would direct our charitable giving to help ensure that the doctors and nurses — the people who treat our cancers and our kidney stones, who stop the bleeding, and who re-set our bones and re-start our hearts — have access to leading-edge equipment that is in good working condition: 100% of the time. I may not have met you and I may not know you, but I do know the working condition of the equipment at Langley Memorial Hospital concerns each of us. Every day. All the time. If you are in a position to help, I urge you to do so. Together we can equip our hospital with equipment that works 100% of the time. Sincerely, Wayne Keith Husband, father, grandfather P.S. My family and I know firsthand that the unexpected can — and does — happen to people like you and me. Please give what you can to bring new, reliable equipment to our hospital.
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 16:59:10 +0000
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