Praise for ICU at KGH

Dear Editor: My son Trevor passed away on Sept. 19 in Kelowna General Hospital. Trevor’s four-day journey from life to death was a harrowing time, an experience that no family should have to go through. An experience that eventually led to Trevor being taken off life support and passing away less than an hour later.

Trevor was not a young man and he was in a lot of physical pain from a severe accident and the wear and tear his body suffered. Pain killers were not enough and he occasionally resorted to cocaine to cope. His “cause of death” was a massive heart attack brought about by fentanyl contaminated cocaine. Yes, Trevor has joined the statistics as a “fentanyl overdose.”

We found Trevor unconscious, started CPR and called 911. Paramedics eventually managed to start Trevor’s heart and he was taken to KGH and put on life support.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, it was the team of dedicated and very caring staff in the ICU that helped us so much. They obviously have a lot of experience with death and must have known that Trevor’s survival was unlikely.

Trevor’s comfort was paramount. They repositioned him regularly and attended to his every need. They treated us all with the utmost respect, even a family member who was overwrought and did not cope at all well with the situation.

No visitor was turned away and hot blankets were supplied. Tea and coffee were constantly available. We were also able to set up a table so that we could provide those keeping vigil with food.

The doctors were so professional, giving us regular updates and keeping us in the loop. They spoke plain language, with honesty and compassion. Then, it was confirmed that Trevor’s brain had been so badly damaged that recovery was not an option. The doctor discussed the procedure of removing life support, explaining each step simply and what to expect.

The worst time of our life was made bearable by the staff on the ICU at KGH, a fantastic team who deserve medals for going above and beyond with their level of care. Mary Victor West Kelowna

Letters to the editor of 400 words or less may be sent to: letters@ok.bc.ca or mailed to: 550 Doyle Ave. Kelowna, B.C., V1Y 7V1.