Family friend of Edmonton woman who died of blood clot linked to AstraZeneca vaccine says she was turned away from hospital - Edmonton Journal | Canada News Media
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Family friend of Edmonton woman who died of blood clot linked to AstraZeneca vaccine says she was turned away from hospital – Edmonton Journal

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A family friend of an Edmonton woman who died of a rare blood clot condition linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine says she was turned away from a city hospital.

Lisa Stonehouse, 52, died at the University of Alberta Hospital just after 5 a.m. on Monday following complications due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Stonehouse is Alberta’s second case of VITT and her death is the first related to the condition in the province.

Wilf Lowenberg, a friend, said Stonehouse received the AstraZeneca vaccine on April 21.

“She had the normal symptoms, headaches, that they associate with the vaccine, but it never went away and it steadily progressed to be worse,” he said.

A week later, on April 28, Stonehouse called Health Link and spoke to a nurse who told her it sounded like she had normal symptoms, but to contact a doctor if it doesn’t get better, Lowenberg said. But her symptoms worsened and on April 29 she went to Grey Nuns Hospital.

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He said Stonehouse came out five to 10 minutes later and said she was told she had normal symptoms and was turned away.

In a statement Covenant Health said they offer their condolences to Stonehouse’s family and loved ones.

“Covenant Health, in collaboration with Alberta Health Services, is actively investigating all circumstances surrounding her visit to the emergency department, and have assured the family we are looking into their concerns.”

By April 30, Lowenberg said Stonehouse was “basically bedridden” and she was taken to the Strathcona Hospital in Sherwood Park.

“They immediately admitted her, ran a CT scan on her and found a blood clot, with a brain bleed,” he said.

Stonehouse was then transported to the University of Alberta Hospital but, on the way there, she suffered a seizure.

“By the time she got to the U of A hospital, they did another CT scan, and there was nothing more they could do,” Lowenberg said. “They ran further tests and everything else but it was obvious that Lisa had lost brain function, and there was no coming back from it.”

On Monday, Stonehouse was taken off life support.

Rare condition

Late Tuesday night, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, announced a woman in her 50s had died, and her death was linked to VITT.

“While any death is tragic, it is important to remember that the risks of dying or suffering other severe outcomes from COVID-19 remain far greater than the risk following AstraZeneca vaccine,” Hinshaw said in a statement.

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She said the global frequency of VITT is estimated to be at approximately one case in 100,000 to 250,000 doses. Approximately 255,800 doses of AstraZeneca have been administered to date in Alberta.

“In comparison, Albertans 50 to 59 who are diagnosed with COVID-19 are 350 times more likely to die from that infection than to experience VITT after an AstraZeneca vaccine,” Hinshaw said.

Individuals are also 1,500 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than experiencing VITT after receiving AstraZeneca.

Dr. Curtis Johnston, the deputy zone medical director for the Edmonton Zone, said symptoms of blood clots may be persistent with severe headaches, blurred vision, shortness of breath, chest or abdominal pain, swelling, redness or a limb going cold or pale.

If an individual is concerned, Johnston said they should seek medical attention, either through an emergency department or family physician.

“Health-care providers are very aware of these types of side effects, particularly these rare blood clots,” Johnston said.

“It would be front of mind, if anyone presented to the hospital with one of these symptoms and said ‘I recently had a vaccination or I was recently immunized for COVID.’ They would be very aware of what these symptoms are and the potential concern associated with that.”

The symptoms of a blood clot can also be caused by many other things, which is why Johnston said it’s important to seek medical attention. If an individual is concerned about any symptoms, he said to make sure the medical professional is aware exactly of what they’re worried about.

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“They would have the ability to assess and do the proper tests to determine whether or not this is a real risk for you or not,” he said.

‘Dedicated her life’

Stonehouse’s daughter Jordan Stonehouse, 19, is now without both parents. Her father died two years ago.

Without that parental support, Lowenberg wanted to ensure Stonehouse had something to fall back on. He launched a GoFundMe with a goal of $25,000. It has now surpassed $46,000.

“I just wanted to make sure that she had money to pay the bills, keep a roof over her head and food on the table until such time as we could get the estate sorted out,” Lowenberg said. “In dealing with the estate, there’s also a lot of other expenses. So I just wanted to make sure that her future wouldn’t be ruined by this very tragic event.”

Lowenberg said Stonehouse dedicated her life to her daughter and he loved watching her be a mother.

“Her whole plan was to take Jordan around the world, and that’s all honestly why she got the vaccine,” he said. “She said as soon as the restriction ease they were getting on a plane and going somewhere.”

ajunker@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/JunkerAnna

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Stop Asking Your Interviewer Cliché Questions

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Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.

In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.

English philosopher Francis Bacon once said, “A prudent question is one half of wisdom.”

The questions you ask convey the following:

  • Your level of interest in the company and the role.
  • Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
  • You desire a cultural fit.

Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:

  • “What are the key responsibilities of this position?”

Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”

  • “What does a typical day look like?”

Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.

  • “How would you describe the company culture?”

Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”

Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.

  • “What opportunities are there for professional development?”

When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.

Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.

Here are my four go-to questions—I have many moreto accomplish this:

  • “Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”

This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.

  • “What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”

This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”

  • “When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”

Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.

  • “If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”

Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.

Other questions I’ve asked:

 

  • “What keeps you up at night?”
  • “If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
  • “How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
  • “If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
  • “What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
  • “What are the informal expectations of the role?”
  • “What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”

 

Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

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Canadian Natural Resources reports $2.27-billion third-quarter profit

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CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.

The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.

Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.

Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.

On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNQ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Cenovus Energy reports $820M Q3 profit, down from $1.86B a year ago

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CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.

The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.

Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.

Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CVE)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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