Dear Editor:
On the night of Saturday, Jan. 4, I had to call 911. I was home alone with my 10-month-old twins, Mya and Marco, and suddenly got violently ill. I tried calling everyone I knew who lived close to us to come help, but for once no one answered, including my husband who was on shift as a Burnaby firefighter. I left him a text message that I needed help.
I endured one hour (from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.) of sudden and violent throwing up while my daughter did, as well. My son had not gotten sick but had been thrown up on by his sister. I called 911 at 7:25 p.m. and informed them of what was going on. I told them I was home alone with my 10-month-old twins and needed help, that we were violently ill and needed an ambulance. I don't think I specified "fire," as well, because I assumed they came automatically when an ambulance is sent out. My husband is always talking about "medical calls" from his shift.
I was wrong.
As the operator instructed, I unlocked the front door making sure it would be easy for them to come inside while I ran back upstairs to my two screaming infants, and I made a quick pit stop in the washroom. I was sitting on the floor holding my daughter and a towel while she threw up in it as my son screamed from the crib.
My husband then called me back and explained he was on a call. Apparently, I didn't make any sense but got out that I had called 911. He told his chief and was on his way home.
I never heard any sirens, just a knock at the door. I don't even know if they tried to open the door or not, but I had to run back downstairs to let them in even though it was unlocked. I carried my crying daughter and left my son screaming upstairs.
When the two paramedics came in and stood inside the doorway, they asked for my name and my Care Card. I asked them if we could go upstairs because my son was there. They hesitated. I explained I wasn't going to leave him up there all alone. They looked surprised and asked, "You're home alone?" I said, "Yes, I have 10-month-old twins, and I couldn't find help anywhere around and we got really sick all of a sudden and I can't do this by myself."
The younger paramedic asked, "Well if you're by yourself how are we going to get you all to the hospital, or who's going watch the other kid?"
I ran upstairs and sat on the floor (I was light headed from all the throwing up), and held the towel for my daughter as she threw up. The younger guy took my pulse, temperature, etc., and did the same for my daughter while the older paramedic asked again for my Care Card. I told him, and he went downstairs to find and bring me my purse. While he was doing that I asked the younger guy to hold my daughter while I tended to my crying son in the crib. He looked beyond uncomfortable and held his arms out like forklift prongs. Honestly, it was ridiculous.
By this time my husband had arrived home to find me sitting on the floor in our daughter’s room holding her and our son crying in the crib. He asked what was going on and why they were standing there. One of the guys said, "We're not equipped to handle twins and a mom."
The two paramedics then strongly suggested they take us to Children’s Hospital, insisting that they would look at me "because they don't separate children and mothers." Due to the severity and sudden onslaught of the throwing up, we agreed. But then came the mass confusion of how to get a mom and two babies to the hospital. Even though both my husband and I explained our son had not been throwing up, just me and Mya they wanted to take me and Marco in the ambulance and have my husband following in our mini van driving with Mya – the one who's been throwing up. It made NO sense. My husband insisted they take me and Mya and he would then follow with Marco so we all could get checked out.
From the house to the hospital’s ER waiting room, my daughter had thrown up three times. My husband could not have dealt with that had been driving her in a rear-facing car seat.
Once we arrived at Children’s Hospital, I was rolled into the ER on a stretcher holding my daughter who was puking on me. We were immediately addressed by the triage nurse: "Why is she here? We can't see her,” obviously referring to me. My husband shortly arrived with Marco, and we listened to the triage nurse repeatedly explain to the paramedics that it was "Children’s Hospital," and that they couldn't do anything with me. They came over and apologized to me and gave me a barf bag, uninstalled our car seat from the ambulance and left. We were then registered and left in cue to see a doctor. This took more than three-and-a-half hours.
I was throwing up in the waiting room and trying to help my husband give our two babies dosages of Pedialyte every five minutes. Finally, I had to run to the washroom. While this happened my poor husband was left alone. While my daughter had suddenly choked on her vomit my husband had to balance pulling food/vomit out of her mouth and tend to our son. Thank God there was a nice mother in the waiting room who passed her sick daughter to her husband and ran over to help my husband.
When we asked about Women’s Hospital or getting myself transferred anywhere so I could get looked at, the nurse just said, “It sucks. I had it. It's 24 hours of hell, puking and running to the washroom. You gotta wait it out," and shrugged. So with that I spent three-and-a-half hours in the waiting room throwing up and running to the one and only washroom.
Long story short, I can't believe that after I called 911 and explained I was home alone with my 10-month-old twins and we were violently ill only one ambulance was sent and no firemen!
They honestly were useless and frustrated me more than they were of any assistance. They convinced us that I would get help at a hospital that shrugged me off. I needed help, the care and comfort of knowing that my kids would be OK while I am getting attention or running to the washroom, and I didn't get that. What I needed that night was the fire department, and for whatever reason, they were not sent.
Since this incident we have received three ambulance bills – all for $80 each. They actually sent us a bill for our son Marco who was never even in the ambulance. My husband had to drive him to the hospital as there was no room for him, and they did not call infant transfer.
The complaints department at B.C. Ambulance has filed a report, frozen our bills and is looking into this matter. While I'm glad this is being addressed, I wanted the public to know what could happen when you call 911.
Not only will I refuse to pay the ambulance bills, I am prepared to take legal action to make sure situations like this never happens to my family, nor anyone else’s family, ever again.
Sincerely,
Carrie Elmes, email
