Ken and Bruce's Excellent Adventure

St. Augustine pussy cat, March 19, 2014.

It started at the end of November. Ken, Bruce's dad, had a rapid heartbeat, up around 130 bpm. That's more than a person's heart can withstand for long periods. His doctor felt some medical attention was in order.

She sent him to Women's College Hospital's walk-in acute care department, which, she assumed, would be less hairy than the emergency department at Toronto Western, say, or Toronto General.

But once at WCH (and after waiting hours and hours), Ken got sent to emergency at Mount Sinai hospital (where he waited hours and hours) because he needed a catheter.

The following week, he was back at WCH for a follow-up visit, waiting hours and hours. His heart was still going a mile a minute, so they sent him to Toronto General Hospital to be admitted (where he waited hours and hours).

Once admitted to hospital, they could do tests on Ken and figure out what was wrong with him without him having to wait hours and hours in an emergency ward.

Things were going well at TGH until Ken's heart stopped beating. They revived him, sent him to the cardiac ICU and ultimately installed a pacemaker. His doctors put him back in the general cardiac ward to recover. Then his heart stopped beating.

Back in the ICU, the electro-cardiologists adjusted the pacemaker. Ken's heart settled down into a nice, steady, beat. The doctors put him back in the general cardiac ward and the conversation turned to when he would be released.

But, Ken's home, New Horizons Tower, is under COVID lockdown, so, while the hospital might release him, provincial rules make it impossible for him to go home.

The work-around was to keep him at TGH for a few extra days. Then they sent him to Toronto Rehab hospital in Parkdale. He's there now, in a bright and comfortable room, waiting for the lockdown to lift so he can go back to New Horizons. 

Along every step of this journey, Bruce was there with his dad, waiting for hours and hours in three different downtown hospitals, helping keep his dad oriented in strange and upsetting surroundings, making sure the docs and nurses were aware of Ken's hearing problems and mild dementia. He advocated for his dad and provided essential care. Also, every day, he brought Ken a butter tart as a break from hospital food.

We're grateful for the excellent care and kindness from all the medical staff who have helped Ken. 

Ken is grateful for all that, too, plus the fact that he has such a wonderful son.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

St Augustine Pelicans, March 21, 2014