It鈥檚 been nearly a year since Christa Akins was struck by an SUV while cycling down Cawston Avenue鈥檚 multi-use pathway.
鈥淚 was on my way home and a green SUV turned out of the alley and hit me,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 paralyzed and in a wheelchair鈥� in five weeks it will be a year since I鈥檝e walked.鈥�
Akins was always active. She was featured in a cycling magazine and had completed the Ride to Conquer Cancer in Seattle before the July 5, 2017 incident that left her without use of her legs and she鈥檚 determined to walk again, spinal injury or not.
To build the strength needed to reach that goal, she said, 琉璃神社 General Hospital鈥檚 therapeutic pool has been indispensable.
鈥淭he pool deck comes up and I鈥檓 able to transfer from my wheelchair to a chair鈥� then the pool floor goes down to a level and I can challenge myself to walk,鈥� she said, adding that the temperature is 35 C, warm enough to stop her muscles from seizing.
If the water level is chest height, she can walk. If it drops an inch below her chest, 鈥済ravity sets in鈥� and she buckles, as she would on land.
鈥淚t really gives me hope. It keeps my brain engaged and my muscles working,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can do things in the water that I can not do out of the water.鈥�
That hope, however, may be taken away.
琉璃神社 General Hospital is limiting use of the therapeutic pool鈥攚hich has already been closed for months鈥攖o those who are in line for or recently recovering from joint replacement surgeries of varying kinds.
鈥淭heir excuse is that the community took up so much pool space that there鈥檚 no longer space for inpatients to use the pool,鈥� she said.
鈥淚n the 11 months I鈥檝e used it I鈥檝e not once waited. It was not once overfilled. Another woman who has used it for 30 years was not once turned away for too much use.鈥�
That said, an acquaintance of Akin鈥檚 pays for a membership at the Y to use the pool for therapeutic purposes and she鈥檚 been turned away due to capacity issues a number of times.
鈥淚 need medical support, I don鈥檛 need to play in the water,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a pool therapist at the pool that help with floats and exercises 鈥� you don鈥檛 have that in a public pool.鈥�
It鈥檚 not just patients who are paralyzed who are feeling the loss.
鈥淭here are people who have ALS 鈥� There is one lady who was walking with a cane and since the pool closed, she鈥檚 back in a wheelchair,鈥� said Akins.
鈥淎nother guy has said he was down to 10 pain pills a day with pool use, and since it鈥檚 been closed he鈥檚 back up to 19鈥� the medication is a bandaid and the pool is a solution.鈥�
Lova Hope Witiak wrote the Capital News this week and said since she鈥檚 lost access to the pool she鈥檚 suffered greatly.
鈥淚 have had two hip replacements, sustained two fractures, as well as two arthritic knees and spine. This exercise facility has given me better enjoyment of old age at 77 years old,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 cannot walk without my walker. Can anyone convince the 琉璃神社 General Hospital rehab pool to reconsider cutting services to seniors with limited mobility so we can enjoy our golden years with less pain?鈥�
Akins said it should be a no brainer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a community funded pool paid by our health dollars that all working people pay into,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t should be used by people who feel better using it.鈥�
On Saturday Akins started a petition and it鈥檚 already garnered 100 signatures. In a week, she鈥檚 going to bring them to meetings she鈥檚 set up with the mayor, MLAs and onward.
鈥淭his is not right,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are a lot of people who are suffering that have no way of getting into another pool without handrails or parallel bars. It needs to change.鈥�
To learn more about her petition, contact Akins at positivedifference@shaw.ca.
Interior Health has yet to respond to questions.
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