Column for Feb. 28, 2008

"Ow, my pancreas!" not as funny as it once was

I have enjoyed watching "The Three Stooges" since I was but a wee lad. I remember one line in one episode that comedic genius Larry "Fine" Feinburg said after getting hit in the abdomen. He cried, "Ow, my pancreas!" I thought that was actually a funny line since none of us really knows how a pancreas feels when it hurts. At least I didn't, until last week. A pancreas can actually inflict serious bodily pain.

For those of you wondering why my column was not in last week's paper (and I got several inquiries. Thank you all for that), I simply did not think to bring my laptop to the emergency room at Johnston Memorial Hospital. I probably would not have been able to think clearly, much less type through the Demerol induced mind fog in order to write. I did, however, already have a topic ready and outlined to go. Oh, well. Such is the nature of medical emergencies. My pancreas had its own time frame, so I was not able to write last week.

I did, however, gain a few perspectives and even reinforce a few others with my nearly week long stay in our county hospital. On a local level, it is obvious to me that we have an undersized emergency department as well as facility. I was told that every bed was taken, all rooms were at full occupancy, and that the day I went was the busiest they had in a while. I was amazed that here in little old Johnston County, we had that bad of a hospital overcrowding problem.

One reason for the emergency room overcrowding was the lack of judicious use of the facility by those who should probably have been at a clinic or urgent care center. Since the county hospital must see all who come there for care, the emergency room has become a regular doctor's office of choice for many, it seems, regardless of the patients for whom the visit is truly an emergency. I thought I was having a gall stone attack or the like, was yacking up many different colors of gastric content, was in pain, and about to pass out. I saw a few others who were bleeding and battered, but most were very mobile and probably should not be at a county hospital emergency room. There were a few brought in after an auto wreck. That is what an E.R. is for, not runny nose cases at tax payer expense. It has also become a haven for those who are here illegally to obtain minor medical care, since they will never be held accountable for payment.

I have heard of problems with friends and family having experienced the same and even seen it with my own eyes in times past. I realize that it is not the facility's fault for medical care that moves at the speed of smell as opposed to light. It is the system. It is the degree of socialized medicine we already have here in our nation. I had plenty of hours to reflect upon the horror of how my stay would have been should we be under Hillary Care or other totally socialized medicine program in this nation.

Here is what I did see that amazed me. I met many young nursing professionals, as well as some older ones. I met one lovely, elderly nurse with a grandmotherly look, demeanor, touch, and level of care. I loved her level of dedication and softness. The young professionals, however, amazed me most. There were some young females in our local Johnston Community College nursing program who were learning, and I was glad to be their patient in order for them to learn. Their instructors were meticulous and I was glad to see it. I am almost old enough to be the father of some of these young ladies, and I was encouraged to see the level of dedication and knowledge displayed by the younger generation in the medical field. I was encouraged when I talked to a young man in his mid 20's who shared his journey in getting his RN certification, about his family, and displayed a great degree of knowledge and care.

The young nurses were primarily single, I assume, since some of them work at more than one hospital and even travel a bit. I enjoyed hearing that they are experienced and ambitious. I was disappointed, in general, with the middle aged and older staff. It has nothing to do with the fact that the younger nurses look better, (though I would have preferred the Frederick's of Hollywood nursing uniforms on a few of them instead of the uniforms purchased across the street at the Medical Mall) but it had everything to do with attitude and level of personal care.

Is it that the older staff are worn down with time, cynical, more settled in life? Will the young, dedicated staff become a bit more bitter with age? I truly do not know. I just hope that the crusty folks I encountered will not remain as such nor be a model for the youth. I actually liked what I saw in and was optimistic about the next generation of medical professionals and pray that they will only improve with age.