On Dec. 14, my husband and I boarded the ferry to come home to Sechelt from St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, where I had had open-heart surgery six days before.One of the main recommendations given to cardiac patients returning to cities and towns all over B.C. is to attend a monitored cardiac rehabilitation program.In the cardiac surgery patient guide is a list of all the programs in B.C. Surprisingly, given our high standards of medicalcare and community involvement here on the Coast, we are not among the areas that have such a program for its returning population. I called St. Mary's and left a message, but did not hear back.
I am very interested in what our physicians would like to see, what other patients like myself do and in the possibility of starting an accredited program through either the hospital or another facility.The physiotherapists at St. Paul's have said that they would be happy to assist us.Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts and experiences ([email protected]).
Deanne Mineau, Sechelt
