Hospital visit a negative experience

On Oct. 17, at approximately 6 p.m., I entered the Cape Breton Regional Hospital with severe pain in my head. At that time, I observed about 14 individuals ahead of me waiting to see a doctor.

As the night rolled on other individuals arrived, but by 10 p.m., the 14 individuals ahead of me had been called in to see a doctor. I expected to be called in next. I have yet to be called in.

For the next three to four hours those who arrived after me were called in ahead of me.

Finally, at 1 a.m., I asked the nurse why I hadn’t been called in and she told me I had to wait my turn. I responded that I was 80 years old and that I had been waiting from seven hours. Again, she told me to wait my turn.

At this time a woman leaving the hospital heard our conversation and told the nurse that she had seen me sitting there before she was called in. She stated that she was not an emergency and asked the nurse why I hadn’t been called in ahead of her.

Still the nurse advised me to wait my turn.

I thanked the woman who was leaving for her consideration and compassion and at that time decided I could not wait any longer and choose to go home.

To sum up, I felt disrespected during this trip to the hospital and hope fellow pensioners will not have to go through what I went through. Ted Mills Sydney