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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:
> Since the list is slow this morning, it's time for a rant. My mother,
> 92 years old, fell on Sunday morning and broke her arm. I saw the
> xray in the ER, and it's a bad break, jagged, and open, with a large
> chunk of bone detached and off to the side.
>
> She was admitted to the hospital from the ER Sunday afternoon, and
> they have done NOTHING for her yet.


Many moons ago, I worked in a hospital as a cardiopulmonary tech.  That
job entails working a lot with the elderly and people over 50 in
general.  During those years, I saw a correlation between age and the
amount of effort and care one receives.  It was somewhat of a
subconscious triage, and someone as old as your mother, sadly, would not
get the same attention for a broken arm than a 25 year old would get, no
matter what her mental/physical state is at other times.
Just my observation there,,,no real science involved.  I don't think it
really even has to do with hospitals or Western medicine vs. socialized
medicine either.  I think it has to do with human nature.  The general
guide was to perform life support/CPR for one hour before 'calling'
someone.  I've done compressions on a 5 year old for 2.5
hours(alternating with others), and I have seen 95 year olds called in
less than 5 minutes.  With healthcare so expensive and apparently short
staffed, this triage of care may be more conscious now than subconscious.

B

--
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will
not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius
will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the
world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone
are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve
the problems of the human race"

~ Calvin Coolidge