SARS in Toronto!

nurseman · Mar 28, 2003

This issue just hit home for me. I found out before coming to work tonight that a close friend of mine in quarantine. She was working in the ICU and they had a SARS patient on her unit. Thankfully she was not providing care. I'm planning to drop a case of beer and a bottle of jagermeister off on her porch and run. Just to keep her spirits up and help sterilize her blood.

Wendy please keep your self safe. They wouldn't even let you stay on nights. Don't put your self in a situation that would endanger your weak immune system.

If you do decide to do it. Give me instructions to your porch and I'll drop off a pail of what ever fruity drink you want.

sixes · Mar 28, 2003

Wendy my thoughts are with you. I am a Nurse in Kirkland Lake but I am not presently working for personal reasons.

Here are some links sorry I don't know how to transfer the story's onto this board.

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0061.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0002.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0003.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0005.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0006.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0056.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0058.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0060.html

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-03-28-0062.html

http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2003/03/27/52477-cp.html

Everyone that could be affected please take care, my heart is heavy with worry for my fellow nurses:o

Little One2 · Mar 28, 2003

Originally posted by sixes
Here are some links sorry I don't know how to transfer the story's onto this board.
Thanks for posting those links. Its unfortunate when the health department tries to inform the public that it produces panic and anxiety.
Take the proper precautions and take of yourself and families.

Little One2 · Mar 28, 2003

Originally posted by nurseman
[They wouldn't even let you stay on nights. Don't put your self in a situation that would endanger your weak immune system.]
I don't think the manager on our floor really thinks about anything but getting the job done. The nurses need to look out for themselves because no one else will.

emily_mom · Mar 28, 2003

Wendy, you stay safe girl. I'm not sure if I would have volunteered given the circumstances. Please keep us posted.

Thinking of you.

FullMoonMadness · Mar 28, 2003

Wendy,please take care. I don't see how having children should automaticly recuse a nurse from working that unit. Is your health/education nurse aware of you immune situation?I realize that these patients need care, but it seems to me you might be in harms way. I don't know if I could do it. Sorry if that seems selfish.

You are in my thoughts.

oramar · Mar 28, 2003

Are you under care of immunologist? I just wonder what he would say? We all know how people with these auto immune conditions get flairups after viral infections. What would happen if he gave you a note saying, "hell no she can't go".

fergus51 · Mar 28, 2003

Didn't I pick a great time to move here?! Seriously, I am not really freaked out at all. I am lucky that I work in a low risk area, though we are still taking parents as visitors. From what I understand about the spread it is preventable with precautions. From what I understand those who don't want to work can just say they went to Scarborough Grace in the last month.

subec · Mar 29, 2003

Wendy-----please take care.

Jay-Jay, RN · Mar 29, 2003

Believe me, Fergus, I've been tempted!!

I work in the community, and CCAC has said they will provide masks, gowns and goggles for us to use when visiting patients who have been exposed and are on quarantine.

Now, check me if I'm wrong on this. These supplies will be delivered to the patient's home. This thing is airborne, which is why it has spread so fast. Any supplies in the home will probably be contaminated, even if they ARE just inside the front door.

If they ask me to visit one of these patients, I think I'm going to say NO, unless they can deliver said supplies to my home or the office for me to pick up there.

What d'yall think?

Jay-Jay, RN · Mar 29, 2003

Dang! It's spreading! Now it's hit York Central, in Richmond Hill! Most of our patients come from either York Central or Markham Stouffville. Lucky thing I didn't go to YCH this week to drop off my x-rays!

:o

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&inifile=futuretense.ini&c=Page&cid=968332188492&pubid=968163964505

adrienurse, LPN · Mar 29, 2003

Good to hear that my Wendles hunny is okay. This is scary shyte! People are getting a little hysterical (myself included) I was worried about my parents a week ago because they had recently come back from Asia and both had resp infections that were not going away. Thanks god they're okay.

The Free Press yesterday was saying that there was an unconfirmed case in a Winnipeg hospital (a man who had recently come from China). Our virology lab (equivalent to the CDC in Atlanta) is now examining the virus. I'm really thankful that I don't work in acute care, but the sub-acute program on the other side of my facility gets a lot of admissions from hospitals.