A Morinville woman is pleading for Albertans to follow COVID-19 measures and remember that there are many who will suffer indirectly if they do not.
Cynthia Wandler’s father Jerry is 68 years old, has hydrocephalus and is in need of a life-altering surgery that could treat his condition.
“There is a build-up of fluid in his brain that is compressing some of his nerves so that has severely impacted his ability to walk over the last couple of years,” she said.
Wandler said a neurosurgeon told her last week the surgery would involve putting a shunt in her father’s brain and, while it would only take one hour, it would require a couple days of hospitalization.
READ MORE: Hundreds of non-emergency surgeries in Edmonton postponed due to COVID-19
However, the surgery is indefinitely delayed due to the high number of COVID-19 patients in hospital.
“[The neurosurgeon] said right now, because of the increase in the number of COVID patients, because of what’s going on with COVID, he has no idea when my dad will get in for surgery,” Wandler said.
READ MORE: Alberta’s new COVID-19 measures ban in-person dining, outdoor gatherings; retail to remain open
According to AHS, up to 60 per cent of non-urgent scheduled surgeries that require a hospital stay have been postponed.
“With the number of COVID hospitalizations and ICU admissions continuing to rise, further measures are required to ensure we have the space to care for the critically ill patients who require care now and in the coming weeks,” said AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson.
AHS said the type of surgeries that are going ahead will be limited to those that require emergent or urgent treatment in less than seven days. Life and limb surgery, as well as surgery for major and minor trauma, urgent cancer, urgent cardiac and urgent vascular surgeries will continue to be performed.
“We know that these decisions will be difficult for those patients who are impacted, and we acknowledge the anxiety, frustration and concern that such decisions may cause,” Williamson said in a statement.
READ MORE: AHS projections show more than 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations by Dec. 24
If the situation is left untreated, Wandler said her father’s condition could deteriorate and lead to dementia.
“It’s hard to digest that it’s brain surgery but then, on top of that, to find out that even though if he has it, it could positively impact him within days – he actually does not have access to it right now. The surgery is delayed indefinitely. We have no time frame,” she said.
“It’s not as though death is the only thing we have to worry about with COVID. Here’s my father who is being seriously impacted by the pandemic in an indirect way and I can’t help but feel angry that the desire for people to have friends over for drinks in a pandemic has trumped my dad’s need to walk.
“There’s a pretty common perception that elective surgeries have to do with things like cosmetic surgery or things that are procedures people are wanting versus surgeries they need.”
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Thursday that situations like this are why restrictions are important.
“The restrictions are not just about preventing COVID-19, although that is a critical element of them. They’re also about ensuring that we have health system capacity to care for all Albertans’ health needs,” she said.