Just before Christmas I was fortunate to spend two weeks in the acute care wing of the Didsbury hospital, and during that time was able to experience firsthand the sheer professionalism, care and compassion of the whole team of people entrusted with my care.
From the doctors to the cleaners, from the nurses to the laboratory technicians, from the kitchen staff to the physiotherapists I encountered nothing but kindness and cheerful competence, often in less than ideal circumstances.
While all this was going on it was impossible not to notice just how busy the emergency unit was at almost any time of the day or night. A few discrete inquiries indicated a couple of disturbing trends. Firstly, the funds allotted for staffing seem to be somewhat inadequate for the demands placed on them.
The other is that many patients come to Didsbury from Airdrie or north Calgary knowing they will be seen much sooner than they would be in those centres.
Our health-care system is not perfect, but my own experience would indicate that, when you need it, it will be there for you, and that is in no small part because of the fantastic individuals who are the heart and soul of our health-care system, and I, for one, am extremely grateful.
Chris Whittaker,
Didsbury
