My Hospital – A Patient’s Story

Last year, March 31 was Easter Sunday. Dave Kotva started the day as any other. He was cleaning up the house, getting ready to sell it so he and his wife, Karen, could move from their house on Highway 9 into the Town of Kincardine.

Plans for Easter dinner were on for the afternoon. Dave was moving items and he tried lifting a clothesline stand that was extremely heavy. Suddenly he was in great pain. The pain was in his back and then moved down to his legs. He called an ambulance since the pain was so great.

Once at the Kincardine Hospital, Dave was seen by the emergency doctor, Dr. Chan. Since Dave needed a lot of staff time, and there were other patients in the emergency department, Dr. Jason Murray was called in as well.

From noon to 4 p.m., Dave was looked after by the emergency team which included two physicians, nurses and other staff. The CT scanner had just been installed in the Kincardine emergency department a year earlier, so Dave was able to have a scan right there in the emergency department which helped the physicians diagnose his condition, an aortic dissection.

With the diagnosis possible, due to the CT scanner, the doctors knew how to provide lifesaving procedures to stabilize Dave so he could be transported safely to Victoria Hospital in London. By 4:30 p.m., he was being airlifted to London.

His wife recalls that the surgical team in London was very impressed with the diagnosis and care Dave received from the Kincardine medical staff. Dave’s diagnosis was very serious since his blood was not circulating throughout his body. He had no pulse in his legs at one point.

Before the surgery, he had to sign a consent form which included serious consequences from the surgery, including possible paralysis in his legs or amputation.

Dave’s surgery was successful. He has full use of his legs and is back to a regular life. He spent six weeks in Victoria Hospital in the critical care unit and a standard hospital bed, and another week in the Kincardine Hospital before he could return home.

He continues to need a CT scan every six months and follow-up visits in London to monitor his health.

Karen and Dave recently got together with a few friends to celebrate his life since it is one year since his medical emergency. It is a reminder that we should all celebrate life and be thankful for our health.

Kincardine has a skilled and caring staff that brings top-notch emergency and patient care to our community hospital and emergency department. We never know when an emergency will happen but when it does, we all look to our hospital to provide the care we need. It can save your life or the life of a loved one.

The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation is raising funds for its “Building Health Care for Generations” campaign in support of the hospital expansion project and the installation of an MRI. A hospital redevelopment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elevate the standard of care and support the recruitment of physicians to our community. Please join us in this vital endeavour by donating today at www.kincardinefoundation.ca.