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A Caregiver’s Experience: LifeLabs Mobile Unit to the Rescue

January 19, 2021

My husband, Ron, had a stroke eight years ago. Initially, he was completely paralyzed on his right side and came home from hospital in a wheelchair. He now walks using a cane or a walker. During his lengthy rehabilitation, he wrote a book about his experience,”The Defiant Mind – Living Inside a Stroke,” published in 2016. Recently, he was hospitalized again, this time with congestive heart failure. After returning home he required weekly blood work so that his medications could be adjusted.

Ron and I live in rural Nanoose Bay. The prospect of me driving him to Parksville to LifeLabs for all the bloodwork was daunting given Ron’s disability, his weakened condition, and the long line-ups outdoors because of COVID-19. Unable to make weekly appointments online (LifeLabs in Parksville is currently booking appointments three weeks in advance) I thought to explain our situation to see if there was some way, I might be able to make an appointment. I called the LifeLabs 1-800 line and three hours later I got a call back from the LifeLabs’ Parksville supervisor. In the meantime, I told her, Ron and I had decided the better option would be to go to our doctor’s clinic in Lantzville and get the blood samples taken there. “Well,” said the supervisor, “I think we can do a lot better than that. We have a mobile unit that your husband qualifies for.”

Now, once a week, on a Monday, Karli and sometimes Susan, come to our home to take Ron’s blood samples. I had no idea what a relief receiving this service would be. Instead of enduring a full morning’s ordeal getting Ron to LifeLabs for his bloodwork, we now have the five-minute procedure done in our home by a cheerful technician.

I had no idea that such a service existed nor how grateful Ron and I would be to receive it.

To find out if you or your care recipient may qualify for home services with LifeLabs call 1-800-431-7206.

Filed Under: Navigating Healthcare System Tagged With: Bloodwork, family caregivers, LifeLabs, mobile unit, Stroke

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