Families waiting for life-changing procedures at Stollery left in limbo after surgery cancellations
Families waiting for life-changing procedures at the Stollery Children’s Hospital whose surgeries have been postponed to make more room for increased COVID-19 hospitalizations are worried about the long-term impacts of not receiving treatments when needed.
Thousands of surgeries are now on hold across the province as Alberta Health Services (AHS) shifts health care workers to makeshift COVID-19 wards where the vast majority of patients are unvaccinated.
On Monday, Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced it would postpone 50 per cent of scheduled surgeries and outpatient procedures immediately and only tend to urgent non-elective surgeries, including some cancer and emergent surgeries.
That number continued to increase as the week continued, with 70 per cent of elective surgeries postponed.
Kerry Williamson, AHS spokesperson, told CTV News Edmonton in a statement that the decision to postpone surgeries was not taken lightly.
“By postponing surgeries, we are able to redeploy staff to ICU,” Williamson said. “And, by performing fewer surgeries, we reduce the number of surgical patients who may need ICU care post-operation.”
While there was not an exact number of procedures being postponed, Williamson said AHS is now postponing all non-urgent surgeries that do not have to be done within a three-day window.
“We acknowledge that this has serious and significant impacts on any Albertan who requires surgery and is impacted by this decision,” he added. “Our hearts go out to all of those impacted by the current situation.”
- More scheduled surgeries in Edmonton Zone postponed to accommodate growing COVID-19 patients
- Alberta increasing home care funding to open hospital beds for COVID-19 patients
- Paramedics' union warns of 'Code Red' in Edmonton
- Grande Prairie council writes health minister with concerns over local hospital shortages
'JUST SITTING THERE IN LIMBO'
Ten-month-old Gavin Petryk was supposed to be at the Stollery Children’s Hospital right now recovering from a necessary surgery to improve his quality of life.
James Petryk, his father, took two months of paternity leave to stay with Gavin. Now James is in limbo as the family determines its next steps.
“There’s anger and frustration, and a bit of sadness and worry for him,” James said.
Gavin was born with a congenital condition that requires a surgery. That surgery was scheduled for Wednesday morning and as the Petryk family was going through the pre-surgery package explaining where they were to go and what to do before it was postponed – 12 hours before it was to happen.
“They knew there was going to be some cancellations coming up, but they thought there would be two to three days notices for people, not day of, or day before notices,” James said.
While Gavin will likely be okay, James said there still is a possibility of long-term consequences for him missing his procedure.
James Petryk holds his son Gavin who was supposed to undergo a surgical procedure this week at the Stollery (CTV News Edmonton/Touria Izri)
“The negative outcomes, we will learn about them later on in life,” he said. “(The longer we wait) he will be more likely to require subsequent surgeries as he ages.
“We will get through it, but I am just one example. He would’ve had a quick recovery over two weeks. But there’s more drastic surgeries that were cancelled that other people would’ve planned for months and months where people took time off and now they're just sitting in limbo.”
Liam Bruun had a bone marrow transplant in May. Now his mother Diana Bruun and his family are waiting for him to return to the Stollery for post-operative care.
Liam Bruun had a bone marrow transplant in May. Now his mother Diana Bruun and his family are waiting for him to return to the Stollery for post-operative care (CTV News Edmonton/Touria Izri)
“We’re on the waitlist,” Diana said. “We really do need it to make sure the progression of his disease is slowing down or stopped.”
Liam has MPS1, a lysomal deficiency, where his body doesn’t create an enzyme that breaks down necessary sugars or proteins.
Bruun is expected her second child, who has been diagnosed with the same condition as Liam.
“We’re just asking people to get vaccinated,” she said. “It’s so sad to see people being so mean to each other right now, just over the simplest thing.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Touria Izri
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.