A five-week-old named Blayke Hay-McAllister has passed away after a hospital in Canada refused to treat the baby. The hospital, Miramichi Regional Hospital, refused treatment claiming they were 20% over capacity. The child eventually passed away holding her mother in their Miramichi, N.B., home.
“I was rubbing her hand and it felt colder than normal,” said 34-year-old Tessa McAllister, according to CBC News. “I panicked. I scooped her up and I bawled.
“And I ran … and I dropped … ‘Please God, no please.’ I was saying the ‘Hail Marys,’ I was saying the ‘Our Fathers.’ I was saying every prayer I’ve ever been taught. And I called 911, even though I wanted to call my mom.”
Tessa McAllister firmly believes that her child would still be alive had the hospital simply admitted her. The saga is long and involves several declines by the hospital. On January 31, Blayke was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus, which is extremely dangerous in an infant. Blayke was seen five times by doctors and turned away and told to go home in each visit.
On Feb 1, McAllister forced the issue.
“My baby’s sick and I don’t think I can do it,” she remembers thinking. “So I went and I said that. ‘I don’t think I can take care of her at home.'”
“He called the hospital with me in the room, and the hospital said there was no room — for my dying baby. Dr. Hans said, ‘I’m going to discuss options with mommy and I’ll call you back.'”
Hans told her the ER was at capacity due to too many flu patients. He also told McAllister that treatment wasn’t necessary.
“He was my doctor for 34 years and I trusted him,” she said.
“They told him there was no room for her. So I trusted she would make it through the night.”
According to CBC News:
Around 4:30 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Feb. 2, McAllister dozed off.
Lately, she had been lying next to Blayke, with the baby on her side or upright on McAllister?’s shoulder, so she could tap Blayke’s back and wipe away mucus.
That morning, Blayke slept in her arms, holding on to McAllister’s hand as she usually did.
Blayke, on Feb. 1, after her mom tried to get her admitted to hospital earlier in the day. Her parents say the infant’s suffering was apparent and she was struggling to breathe. (Tessa McAllister)
McAllister woke up when she felt the cold in her daughter’s hand. She called for help, stayed on the phone and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
But she knew it was already too late.
“Holding my dead daughter … I’ll never get that picture out of my head,” said McAllister.
“I’ll never forgive myself for falling asleep. Because what if she did make a little tiny noise? That’s something I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life.”
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