Well before I had this blog, I had a regular column for several years at the turn of the century at the Richmond News. The posts are no longer easily accessible on the internet, but I have all the columns cut-out in a scrapbook (truly old school). I have been rereading some old posts over the break, and mixed in with posts about the Vancouver Grizzlies, dial-up internet, street racing and various local political issues was a more personal post about New Year’s 2002 – 20 years ago!
And at a time we all owe great thanks to the doctors, nurses and others in our hospitals doing amazing work, here is “Caring folk make for best new year’s party in town” from Kennedy’s Corner in the Richmond News – originally published on January 9, 2002.
On New Year’s Eve and the days that followed I got to meet some of the most caring, skilled and committed people I have ever known.
It wasn’t what I had planned for New Year’s Eve, but the evening and the following morning turned out to be my best ew year’s celebration ever.
At about 11 on the morning of December 31, I was running around getting the last supplies for our small new year’s party.
I called home to check on any last-minute grocery purchases and caught my wife just as she was going to the hospital.
Apparently our first child who was due around January 10, decided that she was going to come early.
Richmond General was a hub of activity.
The doctors and nurses were so supportive and caring, each one friendlier and more willing to help than the last.
It was very apparent from everyone I met, that while there are many problems with the health care system in BC, the people on the front lines are the very best at what they do.
Dr. Robson was the most popular person in the hospital that night. We saw her when we came in at noon on the 31st, and some 24 hours later she was still up and going. Being paged from emergency to the operating room, to checking on all her patients in the maternity ward, she was always calm. When someone asked how things were going, I heard her say, “Busy, but no problems.”
I doubt the new year’s eve to new year’s day shift is the most popular, but never a word of complaint.
The same shift is also probably not coveted by nurses.
It is really unfair to single any individuals out, as the 20 or so that I had some contact with were all first rate. From Kerri who took time to explain everything to my wife and I, to Sherri who was with us through the night, to Narinder who cam on in the morning, they were all unwavering in their support for us. After some 18 hours in the hospital, our daughter was born on the morning of January 1st, the second baby born of the new year in Richmond.
The following hours and days in the hospital saw the same caring that we had enjoyed through the labour and birth.
Nurses like Lillian and Rite and doctors Wagner and Duncan shared in our joy of the birth of our daughter and did everything they could to make things as easy as possible for us.
The list of thank-yous is really endless.
These nurses and doctors working 12-hour or sometimes longer shifts treated us always as if we were their main priority and nothing was going to stop them from helping us.
This type of support, commitment and enthusiasm is so special.
As we rest quietly at home, I know I speak for my wife and young Elizabeth when I say thanks to all the doctors and nurses at Richmond General for making our new year’s the best ever.
Thanks to Dixon Tam, then editor of the Richmond News, who gave me a chance to write for his paper. I got $35 a column – but I would have done it for free 🙂
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