I am here to tell everyone who will continue reading that the health care system in B.C. is great.
For the first time in my 65 years, I became a patient in both Royal Columbian and Surrey Memorial hospitals. I was about a week in both hospitals and couldn’t have been looked after any better in either of them.
I must have seen at least 10 doctors at Royal Columbian (because people my age aren’t supposed to have suddenly collapsed lungs. Young people who are tall and slim and about 20 fit the sudden-lung-collapsing profile, and being short, stout and old I’m zero-for-three). So I was a curiosity to the doctors.
But I digress. I just want to say that while we mostly hear bad news regarding the health care in hospitals, my experience couldn’t have been better. The nurses that looked after me and the others in my respective rooms at Royal Columbian and Surrey Memorial were the best. Unfailingly cheerful and attentive, they were all willing to do everything they could to make us all feel better about our stay. And some of us were more difficult than others, but we were all treated with the utmost respect.
I’m happy to say I am well on the road to recovery and I attribute that to the good care I received in both hospitals. I’m in no rush to become a patient again, but if I ever have to be, I will have very good memories to make things easier.
Kent Gilchrist