My ex husband and were separated but very close friends and cared about each other and got along great for our daughters sake. He visited the RVH probably a dozen times, perhaps more? Or less, I am not sure, for years, as he had COP lung disease and he was having issues with his breathing. He had a tumour in his lungs they knew that, and it was growing. We were separated because he had a dependency on pain medication fed to him from his family doctor here in Barrie. This doctor wrote hundreds of scripts for pain medication at the time, his reception said “weekly”. Anyways, that was the reason for the separation, but the tumour in his lung had nothing to do with his growing dependency on opioid like painkillers. Yet his family dr and RVH ignored his lung issues, and he was unable to obtain a family doctor in Barrie at that time there was a shortage.

Perhaps because Christie Cadotte, 38, a former doctor recruiter in Barrie wasn’t doing her job, just being a criminal, who knows why they had Dr shortages at that time. So my husband was ignored, for a few years and his tumour grew to the size of a grapefruit in the meantime.

Eventually he did get help and he did have the tumour removed, and piece of his lung. But while he was being treated with contempt from RVH staff, who’s nurses sometimes accused him of “drug seeking” when he went because of his failing health. The tumour was allowed to grow. The years he went through that, he has issues with breathing and he could only sleep sitting up. If he lay down the tumour affected his breathing. I believe because of that tumour he developed pretty serious heart disease and that, coupled with more medications and now methadone for his pill addiction, coupled with the benzodiazepine’s and every kind of anti anxiety medication that can dream up, he then had deadly heart disease and had to have a 14 hour life saving heart operation in Toronto. At the Peter Monk Centre. They saved his life.

A year later right after he spent Christmas with us, something terrible started with his heart. He was gasping for breath, and I was frightened for his health again. I brought him to emergency in Barrie  and my ex HATED RVH but we went, we met the cardiologist who was great, thank you Dr D, my ex was doing good everything seemed like it was going to be okay. My ex explained to the cardiologist he did not want to be treated at RVH but could he please go to Newmarket? The Dr said yes, and I agreed. Everybody I know has only been treated very poorly and they have made nearly fatal mistakes too many times with everybody I know.

The next day I was at work and I could not reach my ex by phone, when I went to see him at RVH he was so OVERMEDICATED he could not even speak to me. He was going in and out of consciousness and I told the nurses he was over medicated! I should have stayed with him but when the closed the hospital at closing hour, January 2016, I left. When I was leaving, I noticed the male nurse removed the alert of the item that they leave on his finger to monitor his pulse or whatever it is. I asked him to put it back on and to please check on him (my ex) often. I heard after I left he was seeking help and fell on to the floor. I do not know what happened, why they gave him so much medication, but they called me at 4 am to tell me he had passed away. And I had to go collect his belongings. Apparently they gave him narcan and he became highly agitated and then they gave him a little bit more of what they had given him earlier he went into a cardiac arrest and they called for a code blue and he passed away at 48.

I feel the years he went to the emergency at the RVH and he was either dismissed, ignored, or was treated in a patronizing manner caused real damage to his health, his lungs his hearts. I find them that way with my mother who has been battling breast cancer for 25 years. And it is metastasised, but the cancer is sleeping right now. I just find people from the ambulance to some people who do intake to be terribly rude, cold, its like they are all missing a gene called common sense and have such terrible burden with their jobs they are so patronizing I can not STAND THE PLACE. The volunteers are lovely but in the blinged out super mall of a hospital I recommend avoiding the place if at all possible. RVH is NOT equipped or prepared for ongoing chronic disease treatment. You are better off trying to find a alternative treatment and alternative medicine doctor. Although I am sure they are great for acute injuries, broken bones etc. Just try to avoid RVH for anything outside of that. You will wait for up to 10 hours in a waiting room for a dismissal and probably a condescending attitude from the staff there.

I avoid that place and I hope I never have to go there myself ever, except to visit a sick friend and I will always encourage that friend to get the hell out of there. I just do not like many of the nurses attitudes etc. They need some kind of support themselves to deal with patients emotionally perhaps.