Come Monday...American Healthcare

“Come Monday…” is a weekly series that will involve a review of, or commentary about, websites, movies, documentaries, television shows, sports, music, and whatever else may tickle my fancy at the time. Be assured that these reviews will be generally positive, as in accordance to the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.” This is subject to change, however. In fact, I would be most derelict in my duties to neglect going on a rant every once in a while. For rants promote change, and change can be good—right? Therefore, since good is generally considered as being a positive force in 99.3% of the parallel universes that I am aware of, even a rant could be considered as being something positive, and a genuine hissy-fit would be even better (so I’m told).
Much is being said again about instituting a national healthcare program in the United States of America. For this is one of the things that President Obama [campaigned upon], and the [battle lines are being drawn] between those who support and oppose such a proposal.

Again, I am not quite sure what is being proposed. If it is something that would guarantee high quality healthcare to all in need without imposing a lot of restrictions upon personal behavior, I would be all for it, but I understand that this is probably more than can be reasonably hoped for. For even if it would be possible to avoid any restrictions upon personal behavior, the generally poor healthcare in this country would still remain.

No, this is not to deny that it is possible to obtain high quality healthcare in this country. For with the right kind of connections and enough money, you can find yourself in very good hands, but for the rest of us, woe be it.

Please allow me to use a hospital in the community where my wife and I reside for an example. For her sister just had a major operation, which went very well, but the care that she received afterward was nothing short of abominable. For no one on staff ever made any effort to clean her up after her procedure, and this was not the worst part. For the dressing applied at the closing of the incision in the operating room was not changed until the blood that had soaked through it had dried. Subsequently, when it was finally changed, a large patch of skin went with it, and the nurses involved did not even blink—let alone apologize profusely.

Oh no, I am not talking about a tiny community hospital way back in the boondocks. For the hospital that I am referring to has been consistently ranked amongst the top 100 hospitals in the entire country for years.

Yes, it would be different if this was just an isolated incident. For every institution suffers from bad employees from time to time, but this is not the first time that I know of such poor performance.

The first time I became aware of there being problems happened after the birth of my oldest daughter. For the nurses were just plain mean—bordering upon blatant cruelty.

The next time happened when I had an x-ray done on my right knee a few years ago. For I was told that there was nothing wrong with it at the hospital I am railing about, and when I had another x-ray done at the other major hospital here, they asked me if I had been in a car accident. For my right knee is blown-out in every sense of the word, and according to the orthopedist who examined me afterward, the only viable option is to have it replaced because it is too damaged to be repaired.

Three times being a charm not good enough for you? Well, I have heard some tales that would curl your hair, but since I do not have any personal experience with them, they will just have to remain untold by me.

Tragically, tales similar to mine about other hospitals can be heard everywhere. So, before instituting a national healthcare plan, should we not first take steps to make sure that the care is actually healthy for all concerned?