President Obama's European trip

I just watched some video of President and Mrs. Obama leaving for the European summit. I certainly can't claim to know all there is to know about his agenda for the next few days although I know it's weighty and important and I wish him well.
That wasn't what struck me as I watched them board Air Force One. No, what caught my attention was the obvious love these two people showed toward each other just in their body language. It's so nice to see them interact and know they are representing us to the world.
Everything about them is classy.
I feel confident and proud as they go forth. I haven't felt this way in - oh, about eight years.

More thoughts on our health care mis-treatment

The more I discuss the [lack of] treatment my family member received recently, the more I am being told to follow through with my complaints. It seems we were not the only people to experience the same non-caring callous treatment from this particular group. Even our family doctor informed us he had heard similar complaints. It is time we as consumers no longer accept the status quo as being all there is and adopt a "what can we do about it?" attitude. I myself might have fallen into that group before but no more. This could have had tragic consequences. Years ago, I might have thought twice about complaining and demanding attention. But being older has it's advantages. I remember in the midst of my tirade thinking I no longer cared what others thought of me. Gone was the polite little girl who wouldn't have said "Boo".
If we all voice our complaints to the proper people and in a non-emotional way, our voices will be heard. Doctors and hospital personnel are not gods. They do not know it all. In fact, sometimes they don't know at all. I've been there. I've seen it with my own eyes. First as a nurse and now as a family member. Take it from me, there is no reason not to question when you don't understand or when you think you are being given the wrong information.
In our case, we were flat out lied to. More than once. Don't be afraid to question and be persistent when you feel you are not getting the care you deserve. You could be avoiding something far worse.

Still traumatized

I am still reeling from my recent health care [or lack thereof] experience. The more we looked into it, the more obvious it became that disaster was probably just hours away. I am angry and frustrated. Things like that should not be happening in this country. Despite our current problems, this is still an advanced country with some of the best minds and facilities. There is no excuse for poor care under these circumstances.

Patient Advocate

This past week has been a bit traumatic. Without going into all the details, suffice it to say that I had to raise hell to get care for a family member at a local hospital when it should have been something that automatically happened.
I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't persisted in taking my cause up the chain of command until I got someone to pay attention and see that the proper care was delivered in a timely manner. Yes, I know I'm being vague but I am protecting the patient. Believe me, anyway, when I tell you the situation was dire and it was only by making a royal pain out of myself that a potential disaster was avoided.
It was something I should not have had to do. Is health care that bad? This particular hospital is a good one but the problems I saw was a doctor who overbooked procedures either from a lack of staff/facilities or greed, and staff [nursing, administration] who did not advocate for the patient, who thought that by merely acknowledging a problem, writing up a report, documenting in notes, that their job was done.
NO!
They have an obligation to take the problem up the ladder until a satisfactory solution is reached. In our particular case, a medical device needed to be inserted in a timely manner. But the patient was put off for days. The patient was admitted on Sunday afternoon and we were told on Tuesday morning that it was scheduled for Wednesday despite the patient's deteriorating condition. Instead of the procedure [which took all of an hour], medication was being given [which caused other side effects] and the emergency cart was placed outside the patient's door in case it was needed.
Unacceptable to me! And believe me when I tell you they heard about it.
We were lucky. The procedure was done on Tuesday morning and the patient is doing well.
But I have to wonder how many other patients are compromised on a daily basis by hospitals and doctors and staff across this country who do less than what is best for their patients. And families accept their behavior because they don't know any better and they mistakenly believe their family member is getting the best care available.
I think the time has come to take the system to task.
What Jon Stewart is doing to financial advisors, we need to do to healthcare.

Overhauling our healthcare system

Today in Washington, President Obama will hear the voices of doctors, patients, business owners, and insurers [why aren't nurses mentioned? Don't they have a say in this too?] in order to formulate a plan to revamp our health care delivery system. Reportedly, our country spends $2.4 trillion a year on health care. Yet, I understand that an estimated 48 million [that's million] Americans still don't have basic coverage. The goal is for coverage for everyone in some form.
A lofty goal, indeed, but one whose time has come.

Today is my birthday

I am a year older and I would like to think a year wiser but that might be pushing it. Suffice it to say, I am aware of my limitations - maybe.
Today is more of a New Year to me than New Year's Day. As I look back and look forward, I can't help but notice the things I still want to accomplish, the milestones I still want to reach, the opportunities missed but still reachable. I am blessed to have many friends I love and who love me as well as precious family. I haven't yet put my first million in the bank but I don't measure success with dollar signs [not that I would refuse them]. There truly are some things more important than money and unable to be valued in that context. Life is good and that is all that really matters.