Lynn Pike
I support Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) because of the night I almost died. I’ve had asthma for years, but I’d never had an attack like this one before.I’d just put my baby down to sleep when I started coughing and wheezing. My medication didn’t help this time. In fact, I used an entire canister of my rescue medication while my husband made the 911 call. As they carried me away in a stretcher to the ambulance, I thought, as long as I’m awake I’m alive.
As I began to black out I knew I was losing my fight to stay alive. I took the mask off my face and urgently told the paramedic, “You can’t let me die – I have a baby.”
“Not on my watch,” he replied, just before I went into respiratory arrest.
I can remember almost every detail of that night including the intense fear, of knowing that I was literally suffocating to death but couldn’t do anything to stop it. I learned later that Dr. Danny Sapir had just finished his shift at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, and was about to go home when word came in about my ambulance call. He stayed and waited to attend to me… then saved my life.
He really did. In fact, my oxygen level was so low, I should have suffered organ damage… but miraculously, I didn’t! Thank goodness for everyone’s quick action. Unbelievably, Dr. Sapir sat with me in the ICU after I was resuscitated, to ensure that I was ok. It was clear he truly cared about his patients, and that was so reassuring. I knew that I was being thoroughly cared for!
I have to say that every last person responsible for saving my life at OTMH was incredibly amazing. They live and breathe a culture of caring and teamwork that makes a patient feel so lucky to have OTMH in their community. And they have a sophisticated level of technology that is a blessing for any patient in need of the most innovative, lifesaving care.
Without up-to-the-minute tools and equipment, those lifesaving professionals at OTMH couldn’t do their jobs. And, yet, before I decided to give back to OTMH by volunteering my time, I had no idea that government does not provide all of the money needed to purchase essential life saving equipment for OTMH.
Along with that night, my family has had other chances to experience the remarkable environment at OTMH – both my sons were born there, and I also receive extraordinary treatment for a thyroid tumour; we view ourselves as “frequent flyers” at OTMH.
Now, I want to help ensure that this remarkable community hospital has what they need to help my family, my friends, and my neighbours. And you probably feel the same way about those you love!
So please give a gift in support of OTMH and their equipment needs. The pieces of equipment you help fund will certainly save someone’s life some day, or otherwise improve their medical care. It’s an incredible gift to be able to be able to give your community something so precious as excellent health care. And our families deserve it!