I currently have physician’s orders for IV Therapy. I am a severe anemic and am needing iron via IV. My ferritin is dangerously low. Yet despite this I am told that I must wait until Nov 7 because that is the soonest appointment. What will happen will be my ferritin will continue to decrease putting me at risk for more serious complications. I have had 2 blood transfusions in the last 6 months as a result of being anemic.

I fail to understand why the Prince George hospital is not adequately staffed. As this is the reason for the back log. If the patient backlog is that long something should be done. I will without this iron therapy end up with my hemoglobin bottoming out and will have to use emergency services if I do not suffer cardiac complications first. My options then will be an emergency blood transfusion.

I fail to understand how this is okay. I have contacted the IV Therapy Department and the manager. This should not be going on. I am sure I am not the only patient being made to suffer unnecessarily. This has a great impact on my health. When low iron is left untreated it can lead to heart problems, rapid or irregular heartbeat. Shortness of breath as my heart must pump more blood to compensate for the lack of red blood cells/hemoglobin. This extra work causes harm to my heart. My risk of tachycardia or hear failure greatly increases. It also causes weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath along with chest pain. It is quite serious that I must wait 30 days to start the first stage of treatment.

I truly do not think Northern Health wishes to be responsible for anything happening to me as a result of not being able to provide this basic care that has been prescribed for me. I have asked the hospital at what stage I should go to the emergency department for treatment. I have filed a complaint locally and spoke to numerous managers. They are unwilling to give me the prescribed treatment for 30 days stating they are over capacity etc. They have admitted that there are 5 more patients with my condition going without treatment and having to wait.