I called Woodland Terrace at (386) 738-3433 to try to talk to my mom.
A receptionist answered and I explained that my mom was Kathleen Gagne, that she had been discharged from Halifax Hospital on Friday, and that I had been unable to talk to her yet even though I’d called there twice already. The receptionist said that she was probably in the East Wing, so she transferred me there.
I waited on hold for three minutes, and then someone answered the phone. I explained that my mom was Kathleen Gagne, that she had been discharged from Halifax Hospital on Friday, and that I had been unable to talk to her yet even though I’d called there twice already. The woman said that there was nobody in the East Wing named Kathleen Gagne, so she must be in the West Wing, so she transferred me there.
I waited on hold for five minutes, and then someone answered the phone. I explained that my mom was Kathleen Gagne, that she had been discharged from Halifax Hospital on Friday, and that I had been unable to talk to her yet even though I’d called there twice already. The woman said that there was nobody in the West Wing named Kathleen Gagne, so she must be in the East Wing. I was put on hold before I could argue.
After about three minutes someone answered the phone, but it was only for less than a second and I was back to hold music for two more minutes. A new woman answered the phone and I said that I had been bounced between the two wings, and was looking for my mom. I told her that I didn’t know what room she was in, but that she had been transferred there from Halifax Hospital on Friday.
She asked me if I knew what room she was in. I said, “No, I don’t. That’s actually what I just told you a second ago.” I heard someone in the background yell, “She’s in 207!” and then the woman on the line told me to hang on a moment.
A few minutes later another woman answered the phone. “This is Paula,” she said. This was the same nurse to whom I’d talked a few hours ago. She said that my mom was “really out of it” and had “been giving [us] a hard time all day.” I told her that she was probably really, really scared and I’d like to try to talk to her if I could.
Paula said she’d try to transfer me to a portable phone that should could take to my mom. After about thirty seconds she said that it wasn’t working. I asked if they were having problems with their phone system and she said that she just thought the battery was dead in the portable phone. She told me she’d let it charge and I should try calling again in a half-hour or so.
I told her I’d try to call back in an hour and a half or so, but then by the time I got my son to sleep it was already after nine o’clock on the West coast, so it was too late to try to call the East coast.