Anxious patients await surgery amidst COVID-19 backlog

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Christian Dupont and his wife Diane Lariviere used to enjoy an active lifestyle. But after doctors discovered his coronary arteries were 70% blocked this fall that all came to a crashing halt. Dupont, 57, is waiting for triple bypass surgery. (Christian Dupont)

 

(Leah Hendry/ CBC Health News) — Christian Dupont isn’t used to staying still.

Normally, he’d be playing hockey twice a week and taking advantage of all the snow by skiing or snowshoeing with his family.

But last fall, what he thought was persistent, painful acid reflux turned out to be blocked arteries.

The 57-year-old is now waiting for triple bypass surgery at the McGill University Health Centre, but has no idea when it will be scheduled.

Everything hinges on the availability of intensive care beds, which in turn is dependent on COVID-19 hospitalizations continuing to drop.

In the meantime, his doctor has told him to avoid exercise and stress.

He’s being careful, but knows every day he waits is one where he could have a heart attack. (…)

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