A pregnant 29-year-old Tofino woman says she may be forced to spend two more months in a U.S. hospital because a bed is not available closer to home. Julie Yews recently joined the long list of British Columbians who’ve been transferred to Washington state hospitals for neonatal intensive care – a list which the Ministry of Health confirmed Monday as standing at about 50 since January. Speaking from her bed inside Spokane, Wash.’s Deaconess Medical Centre, Yews praised the professionalism of U.S. doctors and nurses but said she’d rather be home. “I don’t feel so great about it,” she said. “It would be nice to be closer to my friends and family.” Neonatal intensive-care beds serve babies who are extremely fragile, face complications and require the care of a highly professional team 24-7. Already, Yews said she has spent three and one-half weeks in Spokane, where she’s on extreme bed rest for a pre-term labour condition. A grocery store and bank employee, Yews was first hospitalized Thursday, Oct. 18 at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital after doctors performed tests.
She said she needed a high-risk bed and neo-natal intensive care, but no beds were available in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba or even Seattle, so she was flown to Spokane four days later.
Yews must not walk, leave her room or even elevate her bed. She passes her time reading and using her computer. “If I’m stable, they may fly me back to Canada.” Otherwise, she added, she could end up staying until her baby arrives. His due date is Jan. 10. Compounding the situation, she added, is a growing pile of bills back home. Yews said she and her parenting partner, Jonathan Haberty, were forced to leave work, must still pay rent in Tofino and face mounting travel bills. On Friday, friends organized a benefit for her at the Royal Canadian Legion, selling more than 220 steaks, auctioning off items and raising at least $8,500. Angie Gibson, one of six people to organize the benefit, said the situation makes the B.C. medical system look ridiculous. “It’s sad she is away from here, but she is receiving good care.” Sarah Plank, manager of media relations for the Ministry of Health, said in an email that the province is working hard to increase neonatal intensive-care capacity......
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15.11.2007 00:11
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