My father passed on Sunday, September 2, 2018, after experiencing a heart attack during a physical…read moretherapy session. He stopped breathing and suffered brain damage from a lack of oxygen.
When the EMTs arrived, they physically stabilized my father, but they didn't arrive at Robbinsdale North Memorial until an hour later. He spent a few hours in the ER, before being transferred the hospital's Intensive Care Unit.
Upon hearing the news, I took the first flight back home and arrived around 1 am to see my father in the company of my shaken mother and a couple family friends. I wrapped my arms around my father when I first saw him, and then cried an ocean into his chest. It was the worst day of my life. I'll never forget it
Two of the three nights, I slept beside him on a six, maybe seven-foot long vinyl couch where I saw countless physicians and nurses enter and leave throughout the night. They see this so often, I'm sure: Families in pain as a loved one slowly withers away. I never saw any visiting hours posted anywhere. Even if they did exist, though, they knew that they wouldn't apply to me.
I love their staff. They never complained, eye-rolled, or seem annoyed when I asked for assistance. When I did ask for extra chairs, blankets, and general assistance with my father -- they did everything I asked, too.
I also saw them carefully take care of my father with respect. Every two hours they moved him, so he wouldn't develop sores from staying in one position too long. Even though he no brain activity (known following the first CT scan), they still asked him for permission. I appreciated that.
After learning that my father no brain activity following the second CT scan, I spoke to one of the doctors who suggested I remove my father's off of life support. And I did.
Once he passed, and the waves of crying subsumed, the head nurse at the time came over to me and handed over several viles with my dad's heartbeat printed on it. I was so touched.
I know this hospital has a good number of mixed reviews, but I genuinely thought they did an outstanding job taking care of my father. A time when I felt absolutely emotional wreck, they did their best.
I did think they could've done a better job with providing me more information once I arrived (like who were all the staff touching and moving my father), but I won't hold that against them.
I'd recommended Robbinsdale North Memorial Hospital's ICU to anyone, but I hope you never have to experience what I did.
Other tidbits:
* You can buy validated parking tickets in the gift shop ($15 for five). I don't recall the rates, but it'll save you much more money.
* Nothing to rave about their cafeteria.
* Hospital isn't in the best neighborhood.
