Reflections from an evening spent in a pediatric ER. Springtime, in Canada.

Thread. 🧵 Having a tracheostomy doesn't come with many perks. But, one that I am content to lean into again and again is skipping to the front of the line in the ER. When the suction machine inevitably gets turned on in the triage line, a nurse notices and pulls us to the front.

The most infuriating question to be asked by an ER triage nurse is “has your child been around anyone that may have a respiratory virus or COVID 19?”

“Um. Yes. She attends school.” Second most infuriating question to follow, “yes, but, have you traveled anywhere or been around someone who could be sick?”

“Yes. School!”

“This is eugenic.” I wrote in this @TheTyee article in January 2022.

thetyee.ca/Opinion/2022/0…

“Not all leaders are saying it so clearly, but public health directions are subtly promoting the same thought:” “it is fine to allow a virus to spread through the population, largely unchecked and unchallenged, because the assumption is that it will only kill certain demographics of people.”

I would encourage everyone to do this.

Those in BC, you can submit a complaint to PHSA here: phsa.ca/about/patient-…

The following tweets are what I just sent in:

https://twitter.com/mch_childrens/status/1648128420218302465

"I am writing to express my disappointment and displeasure with the removal of mask mandates in healthcare facilities in BC, particularly at BC Children's Hospital where my medically complex daughter is a frequent patient.

An evening deep dive of research into various respiratory viruses, and how long they are contagious for, led me to articles citing airborne transmission of Influenza, RSV and Rhinovirus…dating as far back as 1962.

nature.com/articles/19511… The scale at which researchers have been able to study COVID in the past 3 years is perhaps none we’ve seen before. But the research, and evidence, has been there for decades.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3039011/

Have you watched your child struggling to breathe, they are working so hard their whole body rocks?

Have you had to hold them down while they fiercely cry, yet have no strength to properly protest the IV that now needs to be placed? /1 Have you heard the jingle from the machine that sits beside their bed, the one with big tubes connecting to their airway - giving their every breath?

Have you held them limp + lethargic, eyes staring at you to take it all away, you are helpless but to just continue holding? /2

Enough is enough.

Our children deserve better. Letting COVID rip through our schools and households and society has been the stupidest directive ever.

Everyone accepting the consequences of this as “normal” is delusional and complicit in unnecessary suffering. BC Public Health, Ministry of Health, provincial health authorities, and hospitals leaders have FAILED while conceding to anti-mask, anti-vax, anti-science, anti-collective good rhetoric.

No healthcare solution for tomorrow, next week, next year, is going to help fast enough.

This needs to be slowed NOW.

Where is public health? Where are the leaders of @PHSAofBC & @BCChildrensHos? Why is no one in charge doing anything useful?

#bcpoli @bcndp

https://twitter.com/tamarataggart/status/1599121357681590272

I cannot tell you the stress I hold, to have a child that would be passed over if we suddenly are needing to ration ventilators. Parents, you do realize that’s next, right? If we are out of staff, out of beds, out of meds, we will certainly be out of resources soon.

The number of cardiac surgeries being cancelled at BCCH is problematic right now. And it’s compounded issues: too many babies being born needing immediate surgery, not enough OR nurses, no more ICU beds for post-op care. /1 There’s absolutely other departments cancelling surgeries too. Likely surgeries and procedures children have been on long wait lists for. Many will not get rescheduled now until the new year. /2

I am on Instagram sharing news and Twitter threads on the state of our pediatric hospitals in Canada this weekend, and am capturing story after story of families of medically complex children essentially being *politely* denied care. /1 These families have many supplies and equipment at home. They are trained in nebulizers, suctioning, trach care, ventilator use, and administering O2. Our kids rely on medical technologies, yes. But they each are stable and have an established safe baseline for home care. /2

I went to a pharmacy today where they still have a sign on the door saying “please wear masks inside.” It’s no problem for me, I had mine on before I even reached the door. When I went to pull it open, there’s another sign near the handle “ring the bell for entry.” 1/5 So I ring the bell.

The pharmacists looks up from the counter, takes me in, then buzzes it open.

I proceed inside, and it hits me why this buzzer is likely here. She was checking to see that my mask was on. Cause having to ask people once they are inside is risky. 2/5

🧵 A thread, on discrimination and accessibility in child care for children and youth with disabilities.

Sharing on behalf of my friend, Katie Jameson, who shared her experience with her daughter at a @YMCA_Canada after school program on her IG stories today.