North Bay-area family on edge as pandemic delays transplant surgery for two years

A North Bay-area man and his family are hoping and praying a hospital spot will open up in Toronto for a much-needed kidney transplant.

But there’s frustration as hospital officials have told them patients with serious complications from COVID-19 are filling surgery times. Most of them are unvaccinated, adding to the frustration.

Waiting for the green light for a kidney transplant has been stressful for Paul Lalonde and his family.

“I should have had my surgery two years ago,” said Lalonde.

Lalonde got an infection while on vacation in Florida in 2018. It resulted in what’s called 'sepsis.' His organs suffered major damage that caused kidney failure. He also had a massive heart attack and was in ICU for 22 days in the U.S.

When he got back to North Bay, Lalonde started dialysis right away and it kept him alive.

“The longer you’re on dialysis, the weaker you get,” said his wife, Annette. “My husband is amazing and he’s very strong.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Lalonde was at the top of the list for surgery. He is getting a kidney from his stepdaughter.

He was scheduled for pre-operation at Toronto General Hospital, but the family received a call saying there’s no room for non-emergency surgeries. Staff were assigned to the intensive care unit to treat COVID-19 patients. Because Lalonde is on dialysis, his surgery is not considered life-threatening.

The family was told by hospital staff that a large portion of ICU patients are unvaccinated people battling COVID-19.

“They said 92 per cent or just over 90 per cent of their ICU beds are jammed with unvaccinated,” said Annette. “It’s very frustrating.”

The family is urging unvaccinated people get the vaccine so surgery times can open for Lalonde and others like him who are waiting.

“Hundreds and thousands of people are waiting and lives are being lost,” said Annette. “We need people to get on board and think a little less of themselves and think of people like Paul that are vulnerable.”

The family was told patients are being triaged based on urgency. They are now at the bottom of the list because people in life-threatening situations are the first priority. Next is children on dialysis, then people who are about to start it.

Then there are those who are getting a kidney from someone who had died. If that surgery isn’t completed within 48 hours, the kidney will spoil. Next on the list are people like Lalonde, who is getting a kidney from a live donor.

“This is the fourth time it’s been put off and I’ve been kicked down the road so to speak so now there is no date,” he said. “The last date was the 25th of January.”

Across Ontario, an estimated 20 million surgical and diagnostic procedures have been delayed since the pandemic started.

Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows 146 patients died while waiting for transplant surgery in 2020. That’s a 25.8 per cent increase from the 116 who died waiting for transplant in 2019.

In 2018, 107 patients died. Ontario saw 1,135 transplants performed in 2020. There were 1,386 transplants performed in 2019, and 1,235 done in 2018.

The Ontario government has given hospitals the OK to resume surgeries gradually.

For now, the Lalondes have to wait and hope a surgery date can be scheduled soon.