FOG BLOG HEALTH LOG: RED CROSS SENDS HELP TO OVERCROWDED CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN OTTAWA!

Family waits 2 days in Ontario ER before being admitted to children’s hospital The Pirie family says they are well-seasoned when it comes to emergency room visits for their two-year-old son Cohen.

He was born premature, delivered at 27 weeks gestation and has been diagnosed with chronic lung disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and asthma, which make him prone to respiratory illness.

“Every time Cohen coughs I have a shot of anxiety,” said his father Matthew Pirie.

In November, Cohen fell ill and was transported to McMaster Children’s Hospital by ambulance for treatment. “I woke Matt up and we decided an ambulance was our best course of action,” said Alysha Pirie, but when they arrived at the hospital, they were surprised by what they saw. “We were placed in a resuscitation room — they have two or three — they are used for very high urgency care. We were placed there primarily because it was the only place left,” Matthew said.

“We made a comment to one of the nurses, we asked ‘so what happens if another urgent case comes in,’ because all the resuscitation rooms are full and everywhere else was full. She kind of laughed and said ‘I have no idea.'” Cohen spent two days at McMaster Children’s hospital before being transferred to Joseph Brant Hospital where he was treated and eventually released, but just one week later the family found themselves back at the hospital.

Cohen fell ill again — this time with RSV — and the family spent another two days in the ER before being admitted to hospital.

“This far there has always been at least a bed available, but I don’t know when our luck is going to break and there isn’t going to be a bed available,” said Alysha.