January 28, 2010

Hello again,

While the news and the information are fast and furious, it seems the government is caught in its own hype scrambling like crazy to put together a package to bring Christopher back.

Even though the director of the acquired brain injury unit at Surrey admits there's not enough funding or a place in the program for Chris, they are suggesting that he go to an extended care home that has a nice name. Nowhere is there talk of help to get us to our goal of getting the house and altering it to get Chris home, in fact the people at Fraser health were not informed by the health ministry of his long term plan. Nor is there any help from ICBC or the Province while they collect medical info on Chris without our knowledge.

The suggestion was there's a place called Connect that I CBC and the brain injury unit uses to house people but it still was an extended care facility they have no rehabilitation department or staff members other than an OT part-time.

I've been asked to give them permission to talk to the people in Ponoka even though the information that they're asking has been sent three times, the care plan, the rehab plan, nursing plan all is in their hands and yet when I get a call to answer questions nobody has read this plan.

Most of the people in Ponoka are tired of dealing with the government that can't tie its own shoelaces, I hope it doesn't affect future people coming from BC, it really is disheartening that the government has waited to give Fraser health two weeks’ notice when they realized that Dr. Diggle and I were not going to be the ones to arrange Chris’ coming home, you would think the health service it signed an agreement to send one of their residence to another province would know the terms of that agreement.

So now it would seem everyone in Fraser health is in panic mode because Chris would have to come back to an acute care bed costing an incredible amount.

My biggest fears are that this knee-jerk reaction without looking at the facts without looking all things that everybody that works at Fraser health knows does not exist are going to try and put together a piece meal program. It’s been admitted that there's not enough funds for the people/therapists needed, they will do the best they can.

Of course I've been through this before while dad was in the hospital, that time Christopher was there to oversee the screw-ups. We are expected to lower or standards because of claims of no money? Tell me how much money has come from nowhere over the last 6-7 years, funds or no funds allotted we are still human beings.

I'm still wondering about the comment Health Minister Falcon sent out to everybody, ( referring to the Halvar Jonson Center) that we have facilities like this in BC, because not only can I not find them anywhere none of the employee’s of the health ministry can find them either.

When will we hold these politicians accountable for their off the cuff comments such as the statement made “this is a medical decision and we will follow the advice of Christopher's doctors in Alberta and BC. I guess the proof is in their action, they paid no attention to these letters and recommendations at all and now are scrambling to try to cover and make do hoping the situation will go away.

Dr. Diggle’s letter to the ministry of health and then followed with the letter from the ministry of health back to Dr. Diggle. The letter I never was given a copy of by the ministry, but it was sent to the defence attorney.


Dr. Diggle’s letter of January 21, 2010 is as follows:

Ms. Lolanda Emerson
Program Administrator
Out- of-province claims
Ministry of Health Services

RE: Bigelow, Chris

Dear Ms. Emerson,

I have reviewed the progress notes and letters supplied to me by doctors Rosenkrantz and Dr. Gray of the Ponoka facility currently housing Dr. Bigelow. Their assessments and those of their allied health colleagues have been detailed and comprehensive.

I would recommend the following:

1) That Dr. Bigelow be repatriated to British Columbia provided a comparable level of rehabilitation can be maintained in his accepting facility.

Rationale for this recommendation: Dr. Gray highlights the Dr. Bigelow has been receiving active physiotherapy, but has entered into maintenance phase of rehabilitation. The specific type of rehabilitation being offered is not specific to the facility he is currently housed in, and should be able to be offered it in British Columbia. The duration and frequency of his rehabilitation should not be fundamentally altered on his return to British Columbia to prevent re-emergence of contracture, and a stimulating environment should be maintained.

2) Ideally, this patient should be repatriated directly to his home with appropriate supports to maintain his maintenance rehabilitation program. The team would consist of a blend of family, support staff, and rehabilitation staff. The patient's family is eager to have this as the outcome, and I agree this would be an ideal situation for Chris provided adequate support systems in place to maintain the rehabilitation program. This patient's family has apparently been trying to put supports into place to achieve this goal.

3) Finally, if this patient could not be repatriated directly to home in a timely fashion, he should be repatriated to a facility with a rehabilitation physiotherapist and support staff skilled, structured, and able to provide a comparable regimen to the regimen that Chris is currently receiving. His current regimen is attached.

John Diggle, Bsc, MD, CSCN, FRCPC
Neurology, Surrey Memorial Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology
University of British Columbia

The following is a letter from the Emerson program administrator out of province claims dated January 15, 2010.

Dr. John Diggle,
Neurology and Neurophysiology
Surrey Memorial Hospital
13750 -- 96 Ave.
Surrey, BC V3V 1Z2

Dear Dr. Diggle:

RE: Dr. Christopher Bigelow

PHN #XXXX XXX XXX

Thank you for your January 12, letter with rehabilitation summary and recommendation for Dr. Bigelow’s return to British Columbia.

The Ministry of Health Services has reviewed the medical recommendation and information.

Given the work that will need to be done by you and Dr. Bigelow’s family, would you kindly begin making the needed arrangements for Dr. Bigelow’s discharge back to BC.

In the meantime, funding for Dr. Bigelow at the Halvar Jonson Center for Brain Injury in Ponoka, Alberta, will be extended to Monday, February 15, 2010.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 250-952-1334.

Sincerely,

Lolanda Emerson

Program Administrator
Out- of Province Claims

Pc:   Pat Stingel, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program, Halvar Jonson Center for Brain Injury
        Graham Underwood, Barrister and Solicitor, Ministry of Attorney General


This was amazing I got no notice but you will see the attorney for the government got Chris’ health information. Wonder if they have forwarded all Chris’ records to the other defence attorneys as well.