‘A desperate situation’: Injured N.B. man stranded in Florida due to full hospitals at home | 24CA News
Last month, Patricia Bates and Joseph Guthro took a bus tour from New Brunswick down the Eastern seaboard of the United States to Florida, which was speculated to be a dream trip for them. The 82- and 84-year-olds had been hoping to make use of the time to journey across the Southern U.S. as a late winter getaway.
On March 28, Guthro bought up to make use of the washroom on board the bus. It was then a automobile pulled out in entrance of the tour bus, forcing the driving force to slam on the brakes.
Guthro fell, compressing a disc in his physique. After assessments on the hospital, the Orlando care centre admitted him, the place he’s been for nearly two weeks.
The couple has been in a Florida Hospital for practically two weeks.
Patricia Bates / Submitted
His spouse Patricia has been sitting by his aspect, sleeping within the chair to the left of his mattress. She hoped that after he bought higher, they may switch him to a hospital in New Brunswick.
When the physician cleared Guthro, the couple was advised that they weren’t in a position to get a mattress in New Brunswick as a result of the hospitals had been full.
“I got pain going down my left leg,” mentioned Guthro, talking with Global News from his hospital mattress in Orlando, Florida. “I figured there’d be at least a bed there (at a New Brunswick hospital).”
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He estimates that he’ll want weeks of rehabilitation, which is generally executed via the province’s Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton.
The hospital-based facility has 20 beds and companies cardiac, neurosurgery and rehabilitation sufferers.
“The story is that there’s no beds in New Brunswick. In fact, I was told that it’s bad across the country,” mentioned Guthro’s spouse Patricia.
“It’s a desperate situation. My husband is bed-ridden enough that he hasn’t been able to have a shave or anything.”
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She mentioned that have has been “emotional” for the 2. She watched her husband take his first few steps once more earlier this week.
“I just want to get home and get into a bed so I can get some rehabilitation,” mentioned Guthro.
“The Canadian government doesn’t seem to give a damn about citizens that are outside of the country that needs help.”
Global News reached out to Horizon Health Network, however the regional well being authority didn’t reply earlier than publishing.
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