'It's inadequate': Cancelled surgeries in St. John's added stress for patients

Hundreds of patients in Newfoundland and Labrador are absorbing the blow of having their surgeries delayed after Eastern Health's discovery of stained surgical kits.

• Cause found, but emergencies only in St. John's operating rooms for rest of week
• Eastern Health cancels more surgeries, still finding stains in surgical kits

All elective surgeries in St. John's have been called down since Feb.12,after the health authority found stains on kits about to be used by surgical teams.

The cause has since been determined to be mineral deposits traced back to water systems.

Eastern Health, which hascalled a news conference Thursday afternoon to provide an update on the situation, said all elective surgeries will resume in St. John's on Monday.

However, stained surgical kits were still being found on Thursday.

Idon'tthinkmy mother should have had to be going throughthis.- ElsieWolfrey

ElsieWolfrey's63 year-oldmother, Ethel,is one of the patients affected.

She left the isolated community ofRigolet in Labradoron Feb.12for knee-replacement surgery in St. John's, but only gotas far as Happy Valley-Goose Bay before her surgery was cancelled.

She returned to Rigolet, but her daughterElsiesaid she has already been rescheduled for Feb. 23 and willbe leaving Rigolet againon Friday.

"This is going to be the second weekend in a rowshe is havingto leave our home and our community, which she finds quite stressful," said Wolfrey.

"Idon'tthinkmy mother should have had to be going throughthisfor somebody'slack ofnot doing their job. It's inadequate and inappropriate, I think."

Wolfreysaid this incident made hermother considernot having thesurgeryat all.

"She said, 'I should just cancel my surgery anywaythat's scary, this happening in a hospital,"and I spoke to her and mentioned thatshe really needs to get this procedure done so she can walk better."

Isabella Walsh, who lives on Bell Island,has been waiting for back surgery to relieve the constant pain from a pinched nerve and problems with discs in her lowerback.

I'd rather suffer a little bitlonger than to go in and come out with something that I didn't intend to come out with.- Isabella Walsh

Her surgery, which had beenscheduled for Monday, has been delayed until March 9.

While Walsh saidshe'sa little frustrated, she's not angry with Eastern Health.

"I feel that they did the right thingbecause it's better to be safe than sorry Imean you're going in and you're having your body opened up," said Walsh.

"I'd rather suffer a little bitlonger than to go in and come out with something that I didn't intend to come out with."

Eastern Health said it's planningtosendsome patients for surgeries to other centres such asCarbonearand Gander.