Dear Editor: On Sunday, Jan. 29, I developed a severe pain in my chest. My wife phoned 911.
Within minutes paramedics had arrived, proceeded to give me a cardiogram, check my blood pressure, hook me up to an IV and tell me I was having a heart attack. They contacted Royal Columbian Hospital to arrange my preadmission and to have staff in the operating room. By the time we got to the hospital, the paramedics had done all the paperwork and took me directly to the operating room, where the medical team took over.
From the 911 call to the post-.op bed couldn’t have been more than an hour.
I know health-care workers are well trained, but the efficiency, professionalism and courtesy I experienced was truly impressive.
I was lucky there were paramedics close by, and lucky I was close to the Royal Columbian Hospital. I was lucky that a team was ready in the operating room.
But the real luck is that I live in a country where we have access to excellent medical care.
Left on my own, without the 911 call, I don’t think I would be writing this note.
Robert Dragvik, New Westminster
