Update on my ex-husband’s health
Well, it hasn’t been a barrel of laughs lately.
Without violating his privacy with Too Much Information, I’ll just say that eight days ago I took my ex-husband to the ER and he was diagnosed with two dangerous but not-likely-to-be-lethal conditions. At least one of them would absolutely be needing surgery, so they sent him home with instructions to call a surgeon and make an appointment. The ER was full with a long wait. And the surgeon couldn’t see him for almost two weeks.
Meanwhile, at home, he wasn’t feeling well. He didn’t want to go back to the ER and be sent home again, and it didn’t seem worthwhile to me either. But over the next five days he seemed to be deteriorating, and he wasn’t eating much at all. On Monday he was so ill that I called 911. They took him back to the ER, where they repeated the tests and decided this time to admit him, and that he had to have surgery – pronto. So instead of having a scheduled surgery with the preferred surgeon, it was pot-luck surgery at midnight the very day he came back to the hospital.
Fortunately, the team repaired the problem. But my ex developed a few complications and is still in the hospital. I’m the designated helper, and I’ve been going over there for quite a few hours every day. The staff has been pretty good, but they seem overworked because the place is very full.
However, there was one incident that really angered me – although it has nothing to do with the medical aspect of things. There was a middle-aged lady who came around to officially inform him of his Medicare rights – things like ye olde Patients’ Bill of Rights and the fact that if the hospital tries to kick you out prematurely, you can protest. That sort of thing. When she finished her spiel she said that we needed to vote in November, and not to vote for “that person” (she clearly meant Trump even though he’s not on the ballot) because he was going to end Medicare.
Extremely unprofessional and inappropriate, not to mention incorrect. I surprised her by snapping at her, and I’m contemplating reporting her but not while he’s still in the hospital.
Good bless you and your Ex. He is lucky he has such a good human still in his circle.
Good for you, Neo. It was, as you say, very unprofessional. She probably thought she was preaching to the choir. Is your Ex red-pilled too, if I may ask? Don’t answer if that’s too personal.
The progressives (and worse) seem to always assume that whatever they say is appropriate and needed, whereas a conservative must not make such assumptions, at least in blue bastions. (some exaggeration)
As Mark Twain told us over a century ago, “You tell me where a man gets his cornpone and I’ll tell you what his opinions is.” The “lady” who made so bold as to tell you for whom to vote undoubtedly gets her corn pone from some branch of the massive federal bureaucracy, either directly or once removed. It’s the way democrats have enabled themselves to win elections despite standing for positions that only a minority–and sometimes a very small minority–of voters agree with. The more people the democrats put on the city/state/federal payroll, the more democrat voters there are and the more poor, uneducated, unskilled and generally economically worthless immigrants the democrats bring in, the larger becomes their potential voting base. See how easy that is? Meanwhile, all the best to your ex and to you for your kindness to him.
Unfortunately (especially since 2023) we have seen a low scale epidemic lack of professionalism among some who work with the public.
Thank you for how you are helping take care of your ex-husband.
I hope you got her name and position. This is outrageous.
Best wishes to you and your ex as you continue to work with his various medical conditions.
Such views and comments are found throughout health care and indeed health insurance, unfortunately.
Damn Right, Report Her. They think they can get away with anything. Push Back, Hard!
Damn Right, Report Her. They think they can get away with anything. Push Back, Hard!
And, you are a Very Good Person, helping your Ex. Not everyone would do that.
Nicely done. By you.
You are very kind to be helping an “ex” out to such an extent.
I would definitely make that report once it’s safe to do so. The last thing people in that situation need is to have their adrenaline level exacerbated by such a comment.
You should report her. While dealing with health issues, the last thing you need is someone trying to press their politics on you. We had something similar happen when my husband was in the hospital for heart issues. He was watching something on Fox News and a nurse decided to make comments that were not asked for. We said something to the head nurse and that one was sent to another wing and told to cut it out.
Well at least she still thought of him as a “person”. Ya hear that Donald, you weren’t unpersoned! She may even elevate you to “Goldstein”.
Movin on up!
Please report her. Like you say, after your ex is out of the hospital.
When my father was in the hospital for the last time, the Patient Advocate person who came to see him was appropriately named Ann Justice.
I am reminded of the Industrial Arts teacher with the surname of Steelhammer. 🙂
It ain’t easy!
I agree with the other commenters. You should report her as soon as your ex is out of the hospital. And I admire you for all you are doing for your ex. You are a good person Neo.
Among other things, this is in effect a contribution in kind to the Democratic Party
I assume this is Boston. She fits the classic definition of Masshole. Report her, though given it’s MA, I doubt anything will come of such a report.
My guess is Leftists everywhere do this. I would report the woman but doubt anything will happen to her. The boss is the same, and her boss is the same.
As a physician she must be reported. And don’t take no response for an answer. You need a written apology!!
Blessings abundant for you and your former spouse…a pox for the political campaigner dressed in sheep’s clothing.
Mike:
She wasn’t a physician, just an employee from Registration.
I surprised her by snapping at her
An assumption common to those on the other side of the political aisle is that everyone they meet is in agreement with their political viewpoints. As such, expressing political views is seen as an expression of solidarity—we’re on the same team— we’re the good people.
In my last visit to my NE hometown, I had coffee with an old friend. We were discussing our classmates. He mentioned a classmate living out West, who had become an adherent of the Tea Party, with the unspoken assumption that he had gone off the deep end.
I replied that I tended to agree with the Tea Party.
“That’s because you live in Texas.”
“No, you could trace those beliefs to experiences in my NE hometown.”
He suddenly realized that he needed to cut our meeting short to prepare for a town government Board meeting. He did have that meeting, but his suddenly bringing the Board meeting up was an excuse to end our meeting.
Neo, you have my sympathy and admiration. I think medical capabilities are advancing wonderfully, but the delivery of services is damaged by Democrats interfering with the marketplace. A lot of ER patients are people who aren’t in health plans. That inclludes illegals.
I wonder if sometime after he is gone from office, we will have cause to consider whether Trump should have been just as ruthless as his (and our) enemies claimed he was, or perhaps even much worse!!
When I was a little boy, Grandma feared the Republicans were going to cancel Social Security. I didn’t know what that was. She believed it would happen up until the day she died.
Apparently the bastards gonna cancel Social Security and Medicare now.!
Report her? Why assume the higher ups are not on her side? Might put a checkmark in the box next to your name.
Yes, report her, this is unprofessional. Especially at an emotionally vulnerable time.
And I nominate Neo for sainthood. Looking after one’s ex can’t be easy.
Neo – I’m so sorry you and your ex- are going through these medical difficulties. And you are, as others have noted, one very special person to do all you are doing. Hope your son is able to come East to see him. Altho’ today Facetime goes a long way and hope you both get to see the grands, too. Technology isn’t the same as actually being with them, but it’s great for the time in between visits. And that’s a special kind of medicine no dr. can prescribe. I happen to agree with the notion of reporting that woman, however, I also wonder if she’s on staff and has been doing this for some time, her supervisor(s) and/or HR are well aware, and probably have no problem with it. But there should be! wonder if doing so might just result in more aggravation for you when it’s the last thing you need at a time like this. (or ever). I think I wouldn’t have just been angry, but outraged and disgusted.
Sorry you had the encounter with the unprofessional Democrat, Neo.
But, Biden said in his debate with Trump that “we finally beat Medicare.” 🙂
I’m a lefty but I agree with the comments, she should be reported to her superior, totally unprofessional and idiotic.
I give you props for taking care of your ex, I hope he recovers.
Neo. I am the physician. .. she represents the entire team. No matter what her role is. !!
Neo. I am the physician. .. she represents the entire team. No matter what her role is. !! This is a reply Not a duplicate
I remember during the onset of a federal government shutdown when Obama was POTUS he was on the TV telling the nation that he wouldn’t be able to send out the Social Security checks, my mother who was afflicted with Alzheimer disease was watching, she freaked out as she was still aware she was surviving on SS. It took hours to calm her down. I thought that was the most cruel thing any president has ever done. It wasn’t true obviously, but that SOB said it anyway, on national tv.
A little off topic but it’s what democrats do. Fear. Shame on that lady for her politicking in a situation where people are trapped and in fear or having anxiety about their condition. It’s cruel.
This is not only unprofessional; but downright rude for her to assume that her political beliefs are “correct” and/or that others agree with her. Patients and their families are a captive audience and have no other choice except to “put up” with it (because as you say Neo – you don’t want to report her while your ex is still there)
As for myself, when I meet someone like that it also causes me to question whatever else she might have said. If she cannot see how wrong it is to do that then I question her other decisions/statements.
Her ignorance is as her ignorance says and does.
Yes, I agree – report her. While the higher-ups might agree with her, reporting it will be another sign to them that this ignorance/bad behavior is NOT acceptable. They need to understand that their role is to provide medical advice/medical care; not give out unsolicited political advice. (hmmm, for some reason I envision an episode of Emergency! and hear the PA system at Rampart announcing “Paging Dr. Fauci, Paging Dr. Fauci”)
I have two friends looking after the health of their ex husbands. And they are remarried! Shared children are the bond. As it should be.
Blessings on you, Neo.
First, I hope the surgery, and follow-on care, for your ex- is successful and leads to him getting better and staying better.
As for the hospital’s representative, report her, sternly, with emphasis.
Her focus should have been entirely on patient care and condition.
In a previous life (not at all related to the medical field) more than once I found myself at the point where I felt it necessary to state “I do not have an opinion,” and, professionally, I did not.
Personally, different story, but I was not there as “myself,” I was there representing (name readacted) organization. So was she.
We seem to have reached the social point at which not only is there no boundary between the professional and the personal, both have been blended into one condition, driven entirely by the personal; it is very much not an improvement.
In line with Cavendish’s comment:
This incident that Neo experienced is another example where people confuse performing their assigned tasks with “having a job”. The hospital or medical organization has the job, which it pays for, and to which she was assigned to perform a set of tasks. Proposing a political position was not one of those tasks.
— fullmoon
At one time, she would have been right. For quite a while after FDR’s time, the GOP opposed the major programs of the New Deal and kept trying to trim them or otherwise undo them.
There was a faction in the GOP that still wanted to privatize SoSec and Medicare right up until Trump. One of the turning points in the 2016 primaries was when Trump repudiated that.