Southlake Regional Hospital Emergency Room, A Comment Hard To Absorb

I couldn’t wait until Friday to see our family doctor. There was definitely something wrong and Matthew wasn’t getting any better. Swollen glands, soar throat and mild temperature were few of the symptoms. To back track, while sleeping Matthew started to make snoring sounds.

It all started on Tuesday night, coincidentally a day after we brought him to the local splash pad at the Town Park. His breathing got worsen by Wednesday night. He was breathing through the mouth with swollen glands and soar throat.


We arrived at the emergency around four o’clock afternoon on Thursday.

As usual warmly welcomed and immediately walked into a triage for interview as there was nobody in line before us. It is amazing how quickly the emergency areas are cleared these days just enough to fool you that your wait time will be short.

A wishful thinking. Perhaps, this type of action up front is beneficial as you are not sitting in the waiting room full of unknown bugs hovering around you.

At the triage we were questioned. I listed all the symptoms and I told them that what concerned me most was the snoring sound he makes when he sleeps. I can hear him when I am in another room. It concerns me because he is definitely not getting a good night sleep to heal.

Now this comment got me thinking and someone tell me if the hospital professional should actually throw comment such that ‘Or may be YOU are not getting enough sleep?‘. I elaborated further, ‘No not me, it just hurts me seeing him sleeping like that‘.

So throughout most of the night on Tuesday and Wednesday I spent by Matthew’s bed listening to his breathing. Second night wasn’t any better because he was also running mild fever.

May be it was a joke from the lady who checked Matthew’s weight, measured his temperature and heartbeat. May be it is a way triage nurses make their time more optimistic because it is kind of sad place to visit with all the worries around.

But when you see your child sick and are exhaused from all the worry and lack of sleep, having someone joking that I am selfish and that I brought my child to the emerge to ensure I can go back faster to my beauty sleep.

This didn’t sit well with me. I wonder what respond I would get if I joked like that about them? I probably be admitted to the Exit Zone.

We left emergency around eight o’clock that evening. Matthew was diagnosed with strep throat (bacterial infection of the throat).

This time we waited in the Yellow Zone and not in the Fast Track zone. It would be nice if someone explained to us what’s the difference, but it seems like everyone sitting at the hall waiting patiently for their turn eventually had their own definition figured out.

You will be send to the Yellow Zone when nurses at the triage don’t know what is wrong with you. Nurses will fast track you if you have obvious symptoms, like broken bone.

Next day, that is Friday, we visited our family doctor. He confirmed strep throat but said that Matthew’s case is severe one and we were advised to keep close eye on him for the next forty eight hours. If the antibiotic does not work the infection can enter his bloodstream.

And there goes my beauty sleep again for the next forty eight hours (a sarcastic remark).