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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Jul 31, 2009, at 3:20 PM, Lynn Wigglesworth wrote:

> My mother (93 years old) had chest pains Tuesday night. She  
> activated her
> Medical Alarm, which called me and the paramedics. She ended up in  
> the ER;
> they couldn't find anything wrong, but the ER doctor said that her  
> blood
> work was "a little off" in several categories (blood sugar was a  
> little
> high, kidney function was a little off, etc.). . . .Isn't someone  
> supposed to meet with the patient/family to tell them what's
> going on?

Lynn, I had an opposite experience when my mother had a brain bleed  
March 8th. I suspect that where she was sent by her GP was auspicious,  
St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, specifically, Barrow Neurological  
Institute. She was there ten days. She was not released until she was,  
well, near perfect. Atrial fibrillation was attended to until I  
marveled at the smooth lines on the ECG monitor. Her heart probably  
beats better than mine. At 95 and demented, all but her brain are in  
marvelous condition, partly due to carefully tested and prescribed  
drugs. Not my preference in how to fade out, but I have only the  
highest praise for the team of six doctors who handled her case and  
the five who advised me--at least one, daily--of her condition.

There are good and not-so-good doctors and hospitals, as there are  
good and not-so-good practitioners of every enterprise in the world.  
There are also good doctors who are simply overworked.