Rona hadn鈥檛 been feeling herself all day. She was usually quite active but on that day something was off.

鈥淎ll day long, I had 鈥榟eavy arms鈥�,鈥� she said.

A retired nurse, she knew that women experienced different symptoms but having a heart attack was the furthest thing from her mind. When she started to have chest pain and shortness of breath around midnight, her husband, Ray, called 9-1-1.

Paramedics asked about her medical history, and Ray pulled a green folder off the fridge and handed it to a firefighter.

The folder is a greensleeve, and is part of 91原创鈥檚 MedWatch911 Program.

Inside that folder was everything the first responders needed to act right away. 

The 91原创 Division of Family Practice (LDFP) developed the program, and launched in 2016 by a Township of 91原创 firefighter, Capt. Jason Hodge.

He saw the need to have access to a patient鈥檚 medical history. He also wanted something that could be used to honour the patient鈥檚 wishes regarding medical treatment during a crisis. He had seen a similar program in the Interior called the Vial of Life. 

Fraser Health staff provide greensleeve folders to patients, along with two green stickers to put up in the household. Township of 91原创 firefighters and the 91原创 City Fire & Rescue Services firefighters know to watch for the green stickers indicating a greensleeve in the home. 

Inside a greensleeve is a completed MedWatch document and other forms that can speak for patients who cannot speak for themselves.

The information includes the patient name and Care Card number, the family doctor鈥檚 name and phone number, and emergency contacts.

There is also space to record the patient鈥檚 current medications, dosage, and prescription date. There is also a section to indicate if they are a caregiver to someone in the home.

鈥淔or example, the person could be caring for a grandchild so it鈥檚 important information in case that person needs to go to the hospital,鈥� Hodge explained. 

At the minimum, a greensleeve must contain the completed MedWatch form, Hodge noted. However, it can include other documents pertaining to a patient鈥檚 wishes. These are Medical Orders Scope of Treatment (MOST), a temporary substitute decision-maker form, a Representation Agreement, and a No Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (NO CPR) form. 

Hodge saw the benefit of this program, but a motivating factor was his aging parents. While he was working with LDFP to develop the program, his father became very ill.

鈥淢y father hadn鈥檛 recorded his wishes for his end-of-life care, so our family had to make the difficult decisions about what to do next,鈥� he said. It was a situation he didn鈥檛 want other families to experience and explained.

鈥淎 situation like this can be emotionally charged and extremely difficult for both health-care professionals and the patient鈥檚 family," he shared.

Unfortunately, his father passed away prior to the program鈥檚 launch.

While Fraser Health staff will provide the patient with a greensleeve to take home, sometimes the patient isn鈥檛 instructed on the best way to utilize this very important tool. This is one of the reasons why the LDFP offer regular workshops on MedWatch911. 

Hodge volunteers his time to provide community presentations. During these presentations, participants are taught about the importance of having the forms filled in correctly. Especially important are the MOST or No DNR forms. They must be current and be signed by a physician.

Georgina Steeves related the story of her 90-year-old neighbour. He had a greensleeve which indicated that he did not want to be resuscitated. Unfortunately, the form was not signed, so the paramedics had to do everything they could to resuscitate him.

鈥淭hey worked on that old man for almost 45 minutes. It was heartbreaking,鈥� said Steeves.

Without the correctly filled out documentation, the emergency responders had to do exactly what the patient didn鈥檛 want, Hodge said.

To learn more about MedWatch911, people can go to www.medwatch911.ca. To book a community presentation, call 604-510-5081 or email langleymedwatch@gmail.com.

As for Rona, she was transported to Royal Columbian Hospital where she received a stent.

Today she is fully recovered and enjoying an active lifestyle. She attributes the positive outcome to having a greensleeve, and she encourages friends and neighbours to take the time to complete their own.

"I believe that the MedWatch document made my communications with the ambulance personnel very simple and accurate. This document, completed at your leisure and signed by your physician ensures that no missed or inaccurate information is passed on in a time of crisis. Both my husband and I were relieved that we had taken the time to do this simple and necessary task," Rona said.

"Do it today."