Speaker: Sandra
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Sandra: Hi, my name is Sandra Murray. I'm 78 years old and I have two wonderful daughters, four wonderful grandchildren and I see as much of them as I can. I'm a former hairdresser and I used to be a computer operator for family services with children's aid and I swim all summer long with the family. It's wonderful. And in the winter I play a lot of cards and there's a lot of activities in the building where I live.
Tell us about your diagnosis
Sandra: In March of 2001, I woke up, I couldn't breathe and I was taken to the hospital and it was quite a while before the, they kept treating me for my asthma because the symptoms were showing as an asthmatic attack. And then it was continuing. So I finally was sent to a cardiologist who put me into hospital immediately and kept me there for a week and did every test known to man and then he came back with it. You have cardiomyopathy.
How has your life changed since your diagnosis?
Sandra: Yeah. So, after I was, after my diagnosis I was unable to work and, I was, certainly, wasn't as active as I was.
Sandra: So, of course I had lots of doctor's appointments and that was a constant and then I was getting used to taking so many medications and I insisted on doing my own meds so that I could stay on top of what I was taking when I was taking it and the dosage. And, yeah, that, that basically used to take up my days.
How has Best Care impacted your life?
Sandra: I just want to say, I don't mean to get upset, but I just want to say that this program has been a God send for me and the girls have been wonderful and the way that they have taken not only care of me when I come in, I even get calls at home to make sure I'm doing ok. And this is the main reason why this is very important to keep this program going because there's a lot of us out there that really need these girls and they've been wonderful. They really have, please don't do away with this program.
Do you have a message for others about the Best Care program?
Sandra: So the message I have for others that may be viewing this... If you need help with your health care, you have to talk to your doctor and ask them to speak with these girls in this program because they are the best ones for you other than the doctors that are busy seeing other people with other things. And this is why this is so important. I am so blessed to have this and these girls in my life and doctors I hope you're watching this because you have to sit up and take note here because there's a lot of people out there that are having troubles with the heart and this is the best place to send them. Unfortunately, you won't get a double scotch and one ice cube when it's finished. But you can always go to the pub for that afterwards.
