Montreal mother says ER wait times, children's painkiller shortage had her fearing for son's life
CBC
Emer O'Toole says it was a nightmare to get care for her one-year-old asthmatic son when he got pneumonia last week.
With pharmacy drug shortages and endless waits in two different emergency rooms, she feared for his life.
O'Toole first noticed signs of respiratory distress in her toddler last Sunday, but it wasn't until Wednesday that she was able to get her hands on medication.
"That's the point at which it gets dangerous," she said.
"You hear wheezing and if there's an infection you often hear something that sounds like Rice Krispies when you pour in the milk."
When O'Toole took her son to a children's hospital she was told the wait time would be 20 hours. Ultimately, she decided to return home, wanting to avoid exposing her already ill son to a room filled with other sick children.
She then turned to the CLSC, where her family doctor works. On their recommendation, she got an appointment at a semi-private clinic. An X-ray was scheduled for her son the next day and O'Toole was instructed to return to the ER his symptoms got worse overnight.
And they did.
She tried going to the Jean-Talon Hospital ER that night, but still couldn't be seen by a doctor after several hours of waiting for care.
When her son's X-ray came back, it revealed he had pneumonia. Finally, a clinic doctor sent a prescription for antibiotics to her pharmacy but she soon learned it was on back order.
"I thought, 'This is so dangerous,'" said O'Toole. "These poor kids, these poor parents, how is this possible? How is there no plan here?"
O'Toole was then directed to another pharmacy about a 20 minute drive away from her home, which carried the raw ingredients to concoct the necessary antibiotics. However, it took about an hour to get.
On Thursday evening, once her son started to recover, she posted about her experience on Twitter. The post garnered thousands of likes, underscoring how relatable her family's experience was.
For about two months, children's cold and flu medications have been scant and antibiotics have been stuck on back order.
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