I saw your face, I hope you know we did not forget you

[The Straight Story]

as I mentioned in my earlier post my wife and I were at the ER today at a heart hospital. I tried to focus mainly on her but we both saw a few things worth posting about.

The wife's gurney was in the hallway (blue HW3) as most the rooms were taken, and there were several other people out in the hallway we got to know in the 5+ hours we were there.

One I noted was an old couple behind us at HW1. In their late 70's it seemed, and he sat there holding her hand all day (which my wife noted was sweet).

I saw that and something else. I saw two people who had probably spent most their lives together in a scary situation. They knew time was limited, and it reminded me of my mom at 70 going through the same during her 2 months in the hospital.

WTF is wrong with this country of ours when it comes to health care??? Not talking about the nurses/etc here, but about the attitude of some here about health care and screw you if you don't have the means to pay for it and so on.

I could see it in that old lady's eyes, the sadness at being there and the fear.

I saw a great ER staff try to make them feel better and joking with them. I saw professionals doing their best for their patients.

At that level we work together to make it easier on folks in their most difficult and scary times.

But when we leave those levels and go up the chain to administration to law making we stall and fixate on issues like money, politics, etc.

At our level - the people level - I continue to see love and kindness and a willingness to work for one another in the most difficult of times. Why does this break down the further up we go on the chain?

I saw that old lady's face and I know I won't forget her and neither will you. Why do so many others when it comes to doing the right thing?

Kudos to those that push aside the politics of it all and do what is right and good no matter what. And shame on those politicians who ignore the face of pain for a few votes and to appease their lobbyists.

I won't forget the faces I saw tonight, nor the good people busting their asses for them. And I am not really sure why those in power do, except that they are selfish.

[pnwmom]

1. Thank you for the thoughtful post. I didn't see your earlier post --

I hope your wife is okay.

:hug:

[roguevalley]

12. this could be our story too. nothing worse sickness to drain your

happiness. bless you and your sweet wife.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Beautifully stated.

:kick: and REC'D.

[Indiana_Dem]

3. Thank you! I'm an RN in a hospital and I've seen it every day I've worked for 14 years now.

Sometimes it can really be depressing work where the faces & the ghosts never leave you...they become a part of you. That's why you see so many health care workers joke around so much. It's all you can do in the face of travesty and still be able to function decently in life.

[The Straight Story]

6. and I think so many do not get that

I see our dispatchers and paramedics joking around a lot - we work in a high stress environment where everything you do is an emergency.

I watched the nurses and doctor today quite a bit (not much else to do...) they were all business when needing to be, but a lot of fun play and horsing around with each other and patients as well.

And I for one was thankful for it. Made a stressful day a little easier.

I'll probably break down and cry about it all later now that I am at home and she is sleeping, but because they were there today and being silly at times I was able to hold it all together and not let the seriousness of it get me (or the wife) down.

A big thanks to you folks who work in hospitals and emt's and such - my wife's day was so much easier because people put her at ease through the whole process. The last thing she needed was more stress.

[Indiana_Dem]

11. I hope your wife is feeling better.nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. We have not elected the best amongst us in a long, long time.

We have settled for the cheap, the shoddy, the ostentatious and the immoderate amongst us. In the same manner we bought our cars.

Neither have served us well.

[Clovis Sangrail]

5. tendency towards mediocracy and all that... /nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. Tendancy?

We lionize mediocrity. Keeps us from feeling inadequate.

[MedleyMisty]

8. Well - if you want to climb up to higher levels of power

it really helps to be a psychopath and incapable of empathy.

[stlsaxman]

9. Having been raised without proper health care i found myself resenting ALL health care givers...

viewing them as greedy opportunists preying upon the less fortunate. This was during the "Reagan Years".

That was before i made use of services of a local public health clinic where i saw wonderful, caring individuals doing all they could for those in need, regardless of their economics situation. and i had to ask myself where the "greed" was...

that's when my misplaced resentments switched to the heartless insurance companies.

it was epiphanous for me.

thanks for the beautiful personal post, Straight Story.

Of course, prayers and best wishes for your wife and the wonderful companion she's so lucky to have (you).

[lame54]

10. I hope your wife is doing well

[malaise]

13. Hope your wife is feeling better

Nice post.