In March, 2013, I put my life in the hands of my surgeon, Dr Weening and his medical staff believing I would receive the best medical support possible for my ‘knee replacement surgery’ until the last minute when my scheduled anesthetist, a woman, was replaced the morning of surgery by a male anesthetist and without choice, I had accept him unaware something was not right when given enough anesthetic to last 10 hours instead of the 2 hours required for my surgery. This is not normal practise of a hospital or surgeon and then down played by the hospital and staff it was a common mistake or no mistake at all and I should stop asking so many questions? After all, I was a 73 year old woman and should be seen, but not heard? My surgery ended at 10 am but I remained under anesthetic until 6 pm, 8 hours later. Under normal circumstances after surgery a surgeon will check on the patient he just operated on to ensure they were doing well and no complications. I waited for Dr Weening or any doctor to reassure everything went ok, after all, this was major surgery but no one came or the remaining 4 days in hospital . I was discharged from the hospital without examination by a doctor and extremely upset. The nurse tried to comfort me and convince me a doctor made 6 visits to examine me but I was always asleep . If true, the doctor would wake me and not make 6 trips. The following months during recovery I forget things such as names of my family being one example and lived in fear it was the beginning of Alzheimer’s. My first meeting with Dr Weening was 2 months and his explanation ‘it takes some people longer to come out of anesthetic than others’, which many be true, but not 8 hours. I filed a complaint with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and Dr Weening was asked to write his version. He wrote ‘he was satisfied I was awake and alert, even talking to him after my surgery’ which is simply not true. As I previously mentioned I saw no doctor after my surgery or the following days in hospital. This is the discrimination facing senior’s and most opt out of doing or saying anything in their defence but this is not my first encounter where I was forced to defend myself and I was not going to accept this negligence by the hospital or Dr Weening. I asked for an investigation in the fall of 2013 and Mrs Pond was assigned to my case. After several months without as word I contacted the hospital again and advised she was no longer employed at the hospital and my file was missing. Kelly Ingram replaced her and became the new hospital Ombudsman. Her investigation was a cover up to protect the hospital and staff, but nothing to justify why I was given far too much anesthetic and then downplay it as though it was common practise. John Oliver resigned the same year, a surprise to his staff, leaving a salary most only dream about plus the opening of a new hospital in the near future. He was replaced by Denise Hardenne who has declined any meeting with me. I question, as should everyone involved, why did I receive an over dose of anesthetic lasting 8 hours for my 2 hour surgery knowing there are risks with anesthetic doctors are aware of and I have a neurological illness called Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. My family are not close and the only person at the hospital was my former colleague, Maryvonne, who was standing by my bed when I woke up and told me it was 6 pm. The 2 year time frame to make a claim against the hospital came and went and I could not find a lawyer to represent me. Maryvonne, who is usually very tight with money, bought a new car, several trips south and to France, where she grew up and every conversation was how much money she spent on something while I am a low income senior. I was shocked with she gave me $1000 and very unusual for her. She refused to discuss what she witnessed at the hospital and I suspect the hospital paid her to change her story and forget what she witnessed. Our friendship has ended. It would take someone with a very vivid imagination to make up a story like mine which is why I am telling the truth. I am tired of being manipulated by our society and unlike the typical Canadian who turns a ‘blind eye’ rather than challenge a situation I know is wrong and this one is wrong; therefore, it is in the hospital’s best interest to end this now with a long overdue financial settlement or risk the exposure of my story. Thank you for reading my situation and I hope you can help me. Glena Stanley 905 xxx xxxx