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think you'll ever manage," she says. "I prayed when I had
terribly sick babies up in the clinic and there was only
myself and another nurse. I'd say, 'oh Lord, please help
me through this. Help me keep this baby alive.' Babies
are not easy to get an intravenous in. I'd just pray about it
and I'd be able to get the IV in."
About 18 months ago, she had a book written detailing
her experiences called Anna Outpost Nurse. In it, she
outlines the memories she holds close.
After she trained to become a nurse practitioner, and
finished her time up north, Anne came back to Simcoe
County and worked at Royal Victoria Regional Health
Centre (RVH) for 10 years, five years at the community
hospital in Penetanguishene, as well as eight years at
the Barrie Community Health Centre. She also worked
at a SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) hospital
in Brampton in 2003. It was her first experience working
in an environment with a highly contagious form of
coronavirus.
When COVID-19 hit Ontario, she was back where it all
began, at Georgian, working part time in the Nurse
Practitioner-led clinic, a position she took on after retiring
from RVH at the age of 60.
She then faced her own health crisis that forced her to
retire after 42 years. Kidney cancer meant surgery to
remove her left kidney. Not only was it a blow to her
health, it prevented her from helping people at a critical
time.
But she has found a new way to help. Through her health
crisis, she realized some of her friends were struggling to
navigate their own health during the pandemic. Virtual
doctors' appointments about complicated health issues
can be difficult for patients who often struggle to make
sense of what their doctors are saying.
Wearing a mask and gloves, Anne sits quietly in the room
during her friends' virtual doctors' appointments (the
doctors are aware she's there) and takes notes so she can
later answer their questions.
At a time when health care is challenging to access,
Anne has become a sounding board, offering advice
and telling friends when they should seek medical
attention, although she never diagnoses. Wearing
personal protective equipment, she'll even drive them to
appointments when they don't have transportation.
It's her way of helping behind the frontlines.
