'My heart just sunk': Mother recounts experience at packed Alberta Children's Hospital
An Alberta mother is recounting her experience arriving at a packed children's hospital when her young daughter was in dire need of help.
Amanda Weger said it's been a terrifying two weeks since she brought her daughter Avery into the Alberta Children's Hospital, where the 23-month-old remains with RSV and the flu.
"We originally went to urgent care here in Airdrie and the parking lot was completely packed," she said. "So, I decided to drive in to Children's."
A surge in respiratory illnesses in children has slammed the hospital – with wait times exceeding 12 hours.
With the hospital working at-capacity some days, Alberta Health Services set up a heated trailer outside as an overflow waiting room and paused respite care so staff from the children’s hospice can help at the hospital instead.
"It was scary, it was very scary," Weger said. "I saw that trailer being unloaded and my heart just sunk, like, is that where we are?"
But, it makes sense, she added. When Weger brought Avery in, the waiting room had chairs lined up to the doors.
"When we got there it was, it was insane," she said. "I think when I got there it was three and a half hours just to be triaged."
Her heart dropped when she saw the line, she said. However, when a nurse came to help move them to another chair and noticed Avery's condition, they were taken to the ICU right away.
Weger said she was shocked to find it full.
"The doctor had told me as well that, he's like, 'Today we've got 15 kids in here that are all the same as Avery or worse,'" she said. "And that's scary right? You have an entire ICU unit completely full of kids on ventilators.
"All of these kids are in there because they have some kind of respiratory virus, and most of them – like Avery – had two or more."
Despite being overworked, Weger said the staff has been wonderful. But she worries about the continuing pressure on a health-care system already strained from the pandemic.
Avery was born during COVID-19, spending time in the NICU during lockdowns. And that wasn't as bad as what she's watching her daughter live through now, Weger said.
"This is scarier to me because we've completely exhausted our health-care system now for almost three years, and now we're getting hit with this huge wave of sick kids," she said.
"It's rough. I feel for all of us that are in there right now, because it is scary. The nurses are so overworked."
Weger said Avery is improving, and the family is hoping to get her home in time for her birthday on Christmas Day. But, Avery still hasn't been able to pass the tests she needs to be released.
"She can't come home. And it's just frustrating," she said. "Like, I know she's in the best place but we had three Christmases in a row that have been in hospital or trauma or chaos, so I was really hoping that this was going to be our first normal Christmas."
The province says it's working to build capacity, but is hopeful the surge of RSV and flu may soon subside.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6971573.1721489566!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Alberta town takes action fighting crime, addressing homelessness, addictions issues
In Cold Lake, Alta., drivers leaning through windows at the McDonald’s drive-thru have been ambushed by people running by and snatching food right out of their hands.
Workplace habit of 'coffee badging' prompts reported new policy at Amazon
The term 'coffee badging' has gained some new significance this week with multiple outlets reporting Amazon is allegedly taking measures to counter the workplace trend it refers to.
Trudeau and family head to British Columbia for vacation in unnamed location
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will head to British Columbia on Sunday, where he will be on vacation with his family until Aug. 1.
Stranger sexually assaulted Surrey woman while she was asleep in her home, RCMP say
A woman in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood woke up to a stranger groping her early Saturday morning, according to local police.
Baby dies after pregnant woman fatally struck by vehicle in downtown Toronto
A woman fatally struck by a sedan in downtown Toronto earlier this week was pregnant, and her baby has also died, police say.
'I took a bullet for democracy': Trump holds first rally after assassination attempt
Donald Trump is holding his first campaign rally since he survived an attempted assassination, returning to the battleground state of Michigan alongside his new running mate.
Democratic consensus solidifies around Harris, should Biden step aside
No one quite knows what the process of picking a new nominee would be if Joe Biden did step aside – but many Democrats say that any process is likelier than ever to quickly end with Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee.
A 12-year-old girl is accused of smothering her younger cousin over an iPhone
A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her eight-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept. A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.
Here are the signs you're ready to downsize your home
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, many Canadians are looking to find ways to save money, such as downsizing their home. But one Ottawa broker says there are several signs to consider before making the big decision.