It乌鸦传媒檚 been nearly a year since Christa Akins was struck by an SUV while cycling down Cawston Avenue乌鸦传媒檚 multi-use pathway.

乌鸦传媒淚 was on my way home and a green SUV turned out of the alley and hit me,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淣ow I乌鸦传媒檓 paralyzed and in a wheelchair乌鸦传媒� in five weeks it will be a year since I乌鸦传媒檝e walked.乌鸦传媒�

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乌鸦传媒檚 determined to walk again, spinal injury or not.

To build the strength needed to reach that goal, she said, Kelowna General Hospital乌鸦传媒檚 therapeutic pool has been indispensable.

乌鸦传媒淭he pool deck comes up and I乌鸦传媒檓 able to transfer from my wheelchair to a chair乌鸦传媒� then the pool floor goes down to a level and I can challenge myself to walk,乌鸦传媒� 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, 乌鸦传媒済ravity sets in乌鸦传媒� and she buckles, as she would on land.

乌鸦传媒淚t really gives me hope. It keeps my brain engaged and my muscles working,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 can do things in the water that I can not do out of the water.乌鸦传媒�

That hope, however, may be taken away.

Kelowna General Hospital is limiting use of the therapeutic pool乌鸦传媒攚hich has already been closed for months乌鸦传媒攖o those who are in line for or recently recovering from joint replacement surgeries of varying kinds.

乌鸦传媒淭heir excuse is that the community took up so much pool space that there乌鸦传媒檚 no longer space for inpatients to use the pool,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淚n the 11 months I乌鸦传媒檝e used it I乌鸦传媒檝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.乌鸦传媒�

That said, an acquaintance of Akin乌鸦传媒檚 pays for a membership at the Y to use the pool for therapeutic purposes and she乌鸦传媒檚 been turned away due to capacity issues a number of times.

乌鸦传媒淚 need medical support, I don乌鸦传媒檛 need to play in the water,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 a pool therapist at the pool that help with floats and exercises 乌鸦传媒� you don乌鸦传媒檛 have that in a public pool.乌鸦传媒�

It乌鸦传媒檚 not just patients who are paralyzed who are feeling the loss.

乌鸦传媒淭here are people who have ALS 乌鸦传媒� There is one lady who was walking with a cane and since the pool closed, she乌鸦传媒檚 back in a wheelchair,乌鸦传媒� said Akins.

乌鸦传媒淎nother guy has said he was down to 10 pain pills a day with pool use, and since it乌鸦传媒檚 been closed he乌鸦传媒檚 back up to 19乌鸦传媒� the medication is a bandaid and the pool is a solution.乌鸦传媒�

Lova Hope Witiak wrote the Capital News this week and said since she乌鸦传媒檚 lost access to the pool she乌鸦传媒檚 suffered greatly.

乌鸦传媒淚 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,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 cannot walk without my walker. Can anyone convince the Kelowna General Hospital rehab pool to reconsider cutting services to seniors with limited mobility so we can enjoy our golden years with less pain?乌鸦传媒�

Akins said it should be a no brainer.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a community funded pool paid by our health dollars that all working people pay into,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t should be used by people who feel better using it.乌鸦传媒�

On Saturday Akins started a petition and it乌鸦传媒檚 already garnered 100 signatures. In a week, she乌鸦传媒檚 going to bring them to meetings she乌鸦传媒檚 set up with the mayor, MLAs and onward.

乌鸦传媒淭his is not right,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭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.乌鸦传媒�

To learn more about her petition, contact Akins at positivedifference@shaw.ca.

Interior Health has yet to respond to questions.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

kmichaels@kelownacapnews.com
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