My Parent's Slog Through NZ Emergency Care

Six or so years ago, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given less than a year to wrap things up. At the same time, Nicole's mother's mind was being stolen by dementia. Our world adventure was born then. Life is short and fickle. Why wait if we have our mind, body, spirit, and quite frankly, the means.

Roll the clock forward to today and it is so wonderful that my parents could join us for a stint on the very trip they helped to inspire. My father went to war on his cancer (and continues to do so), and, while a bit worn out, could still make this journey. But unfortunately, things didn't exactly turn out as planned.

During our seven hour road trip to Waitomo, my dad went through major chills, followed by burning up. By the time we made it to the middle of nowhere, it was clear he needed to get some emergency care. Fortunately there was a rural hospital in the next town over and he was admitted, thus kicking off his slog through the New Zealand healthcare system. Unfortunately, this rural hospital lacked all the necessary equipment to diagnose his symptoms. The only option was a 1 hr ambulance ride to the nearest major town of Hamilton. This normally wouldn't be such a problem except that the ambulance was two hours in a different direction...

As it turns out, the hospital in Hamilton is the largest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere. They ain't kidding, that place is huge. Unfortunately size doesn't matter when it comes to efficient care. To make a long story short, my father had blockage in a stent in his gall bladder and he needed it replaced. Five days after admission and he is now in recovery, but it took much longer than necessary, and the communication from the hospital was inept. My poor mother, the saint, has been by his side the entire time, and walking a mile back and forth from a nearby motel where she can steal some sleep every now and then.

I'm not sure how this sounds, but during this ordeal, we have carried on with our wanderings, all the while knowing we are no more than 2 hours away if we need to take a detour back to Hamilton. It's what my parents wanted. It's what they have always wanted, to enable us to explore and live life to the fullest. So the next blog will continue to highlight our adventures, but with an underlying concern and genuine sadness that my parents couldn't join in.

You know it's a rural hospital when there is cattle grazing about 10 feet from the back of the hospital.

Rural or not, all emergency rooms look eerily similar. 

The Hamilton Hospital lobby. So big, the kids said it reminded them of an airport.

My Mom's home for the past five days.