I had the misfortune on Friday evening (Jan. 26) to have to go to the ER in our hospital. I was horrified at what I witnessed. The waiting room was over-run by homeless people. I saw many of these people who were dirty, they smelled, they were rude, they were lying in needed seats, stretched out with their legs so far out we had to walk a wide berth around them. They made a variety of different rude sounds, one was crying “they’re trying to kill me.” Their dirty boots made a mess in the waiting room.
I had to get a urine sample while I was still in the waiting room. I could not find a clean washroom, so I used the least dirty. There was not a clean space for me to put down what I needed to use to get this sample. I felt very uneasy having to use this filthy space. This is just wrong.
I felt very uneasy the entire time I was in the ER waiting room. I could not stay the six hours needed to receive treatment, I was scared and felt very uncomfortable the entire time I was there, it was a terrible place to be. The general public should be able to go to their hospital without having to deal with the filth and feeling scared to be there.
As I was leaving the hospital at the ER entrance, I was accosted by two patients who were outside smoking and asking me for money. That was terrifying.
I ask the “powers to be” how can you allow our community hospital to be taken over by these people who have no respect for anything? At the very least, can you not make our visit to the ER more humane? At least have ‘them’ wait in a different space. I worry that I may have to go to our ER again, and that I dread. I have paid taxes all my adult life, yet I can’t expect to go to a clean ER, or to a safe environment. This is deplorable use of our hospital.
It is time to get priorities right and take care of the taxpayers of this community first.
C.D. McDonald
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