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Family claims man dies in U.S. after no hospital beds available

By: Staff Writer

30/07/2009 12:05 PM | Comments: 44

Myrna Driedger looks on while Cheryl Huska speaks over a photo of her 21-year-old son, Rodmond.

TREVOR.HAGAN@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Enlarge Image

Myrna Driedger looks on while Cheryl Huska speaks over a photo of her 21-year-old son, Rodmond.

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg man who took ill and died while on holidays in the United States spent his final days in a Colorado hospital because there were no beds available for him back home, his family says.

Cheryl Huska told reporters today that she was the only family member by her 21-year-old son Rodmond's bedside when he died June 24.

She said her insurance company attempted to have Rodmond moved during a two-day period in June, while his condition was stable, but was unable to find room for him in a Winnipeg hospital.

"I just wanted him home. Even if the outcome would have been the same, he deserved to come home (to be around family and friends)," she said at a press conference organized by Tory health critic Myrna Driedger.

Rodmond was born with spina bifida and had lifelong health problems but was healthy when he travelled to the States to celebrate his 21st birthday in Las Vegas with his mom and dad, Cheryl Huska said.

On the way home, their connecting flight in Denver was delayed. And then Rodmond took ill with what proved to be a fatal infection.

Driedger said the incident raises questions about Manitoba's hospital bed capacity and how prepared the province is for a potential fall flu pandamic.

"Ultimately, the question is, 'Are we so full in our hospitals that we can't accept one more patient?'" Driedger said.

"And if that's the case what in the world are we going to be doing come the fall when there's an increase in flu's. It creates a frightening scenario," the Charleswood MLA said.

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44 Commentscomment icon

I cannot understand why the boy would not have been flown home? To his house and then a trip to the emergency room would have put him in Winnipegs system.
Seems to me that someone wasn't thinking very clearly, or someone was thinking with a bureacrats mentality, ie no common sense! There is always the emergency hospital entrance open 24/7, and with nice comfortable beds.

How does this turn into a debate about the USA vs Canada health systems? I've lived half my 30 adult years in each country. There is no debate. American healthcare is greatly superior. It's not close. All the arguments about lack of access is ignorance. Healthcare is free to poor children, ebven dental in many states. Hospitals are MANDATED to care for everyone. Medicare for seniors is better and seniors in America pay LESS out of pocket.

My mother would not be told that at 70, she's too old to recieve treatment by an American MD as she has been in Canada. My relatives have travelled to USA to recieve care for accute conditions rather than wait over a year. None here have had to go to Canada...

Stop swallowing the CBC and CNN pablum. You are getting shafted. For what you pay, and yes you pay more in the form of taxes, you get much less.

This is the essence of the problems associated with rationed, socialist health care -- exactly the reason why President Obama is having such a difficult time selling healthcare reform.

Besides the numerous people who are sent to the USA by our own health care system for treatment due lack of capacity here, I personally know someone who would have died had they not gone to the Mayo Clinic themself for surgery.

Probably the best answer lies in Europe and their model of health care where government ensures it is available for every citizen, but has privately run hospitals and clinics bidding and competing to be awarded the government contracts.

To Myrna Driedger: Please stop playing cheap politics with this grieving family. The situation would have been no different if you were in power. How pathetic!

To Calvin114: You've got to be kidding right?? The U.S. Healthcare system is a total mess! How could they possibly have "the best healthcare in the world" when millions (Millions!) of Americans have no health care coverage at all? OR it can be taken away from you as soon as you have a serious illness? Or families lose everything (including their homes), because their child needs some kind of surgery? Give your head a shake! Our system is far superior and much more fair ... even with it's flaws.

To the Huska family: My deepest sympathy. I'm sure that Rodmond knew that he was loved and cared for.

calvin whatever your name is, canada has free health care. you can go to a hospital emerg. you can be admitted treated,live or die but you have help.Beds no beds oh, right my mother was pre-arranged to be admitted for a second biospy,in less than 2 months.When i left her in the emerg room she was to be taken to her room.This was mid afternoon,@0900 hrs she called me to let me know she was still in emerg. and would i come down.She did not tell me she had spent the night in the emerg hallway.Angry I was furious.i got over it Mom got her bed,the nurses went on strike and life can suck,for everyone.My sincere condolences to the family and this extra burden they had to carry at such a vunerable time. I was given the gift be with my mother when she died.It was also my Mothers first night death watch I stayed

Dear Calvin14 that must be your age because you talk like some one without much knowledge of Canada and the world, The USA may have the best health care, If you can afford it, it would appear this unfortunate family had insurance, thank heavens for that or they would have had to mortgae there future to pay the bills in the US.

It doesn't matter what party is running. The health care system is so backwards it would take years for politicains to see the light and actually ask the front line health care workers what would make things better.

I was one of the family members who drove down to spend time with Rodmond and when we left Manitoba facing a 20 hour drive we did not know if we would make it in time to see him still alive. We were unable to stay in Denver the entire time he was ill as it was just not feasable. Being at home knowing that you can not hold his hand, give a comforting word, or watch over him when he is unable to speak for himself is the most frustrating experience I have had you just feel helpless waiting for each phone call to find out what turn his health took every day. All he wanted to do was come home that was his only and unfortunatley his last request and we were unable to provide this for him.

He was better off in the U.S where they have the best healthcare in the world. Manitoba has the worst healthcare in canada(ndp), and canada isn't high up the list to start(government run).

double nickel - I agree. If an infection is unstoppable due to a preexisting condition, I'm not sure care would be different in another major city. But this story is about wanting Rodman home to be surrounded by family when he died.

It's a real life tragedy and not every tragedy is avoidable. If Myrna Dreidger was Health Minister, what would've been done differently? Because insurance companies don't phone the Minister when they're transferring patients.

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