So my Dad was hospitalized today. He has emphyzema and pneumonia, and his throat hurts so bad that he can't cough. Also, his entire body is in so much pain, that he collapsed at home, which lead him to the E.R.
His double diagnosis finally came from a walk-in clinic's Attending Physician, after his regular doctor, whom he has visited SEVERAL times in recent past, blew him off one last time (which makes me wonder what her job actually is). He first mentioned his shortness of breath to her about 8 months ago. Without any exam, she told him that he was "just old", and to live with it. In regard to his pain, she gave no advice, which lead my father to believe it must not be that bad. As his symptoms worsened over many weeks, he repeatedly tried to get her to help, but he was virtually ignored. After my Mom called her office every day for a week, she had her secretary advise us to "stop bothering our office because we are very busy."
So with his doctor too busy to help her patient, my Dad was forced to go wait at a walk-in clinic, where after 2 minutes, they told him about the emphysema and pneumonia. They advised him to go back to his regular doctor to have further testing done, but she wouldn't return any calls. The next day, he collapsed.
The E.R. doctors were shocked at his condition. They immediately asked why he doesn't have a nebulizer, a walker, or a handicapped parking sticker. They wondered why he hadn't been seeing anyone for his debilitating condition.
This is the healthcare system we are fighting so hard to protect? We don't want to reform healthcare because we will lose our "quality of care?" Where is the quality? Where is the care? It certainly isn't here.
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