Hello Friends and curious Readers,
I am afraid that many might not even believe me if I tell the true tale of what my wife and I had to go through yesterday. It's like a bad dream that you 'don't want to have.'
For the past 2--weeks I have been so physically SICK, sore, achy, which will also depress most average human beings, especially in the year of 2021 with all the 'Covid-China-style, and violence! Let me paint a speedy scenario about my "adventure" at the Iron Mountain, MI.,
Dickinson County Hospital, U.P. here. I found out that I had the wrong information and story about our TWO main hospitals where we live and own a humble house in Norway, MI.
For starters, I HATE ALL HOSPITALS !! Let's just say that I still get some negative vibrations that stem back all the way to 1968 --Vietnam where my Aviation Company, the 591st Transportation Company -- Huey Helicopter Repair, in Bien Hoa Air Base lived in [9 man tents] tents that didn't stop any bullets, mortars or rocket attacks. Kind of primitive conditions, like no running water, etc. So on a particular warm fuzzy night we were attacked by the enemy-- Viet Cong, who put 3-- 122 mm rockets inside the company perimeter that killed 3 good young men, with 13 wounded. The next day our CO asked for a small truck load of our Army guys to visit our wounded at the local MASH unit where our men were suffering [very visibly] -- but later we found out that they were DYING and choking to death right in front of us!! The nurses who had to be tough, just walked by us as if nothing was out of order, and I was a 19 year old Soldier taking all of this in by the ton.
So, I know that we Army guys were supposed to be rough, tough, and hard to diaper, but I just hated NEEDLES.... however, most smart folks know that in Basic Combat Training, we all got dozens of shots in the arm, so that we felt we were almost indestructible! Well, that one night in RVN-- Vietnam, we all had a 'Reality Check.'
Getting up to speed, I got very sick a few weeks ago, and last Monday I went to the VAMC, where they also gave me a number of tests which they said 'looked OK.' That really pissed me off --- because I didn't WANT to go there in the beginning, and most of the time I know what they are going to tell me and what to do. I have a great computer and do my own medical research, etc., and most of my friends know that I have been an Herbalist ever since I got home from the Army in 1970!
But two days ago I really felt something SERIOUS was wrong and I called the VA hospital for advice. I was so weak that I couldn't even get into my high off the ground Dodge Ram, 4 by 4, truck. The helpers at the VA told me to call the Ambulance and hitch a ride to the 'other hospital, that I just mentioned before,' but I now know that those Transport folks only deliver to their OWN hospital, and that they would then make the final evaluation for me.
Well, I used to think that the VA had the better hospital, but I was dead wrong. Dickenson Hospital is actually 'light years' ahead of the VA with a lot more goodies, better, mature, highly skilled doctors, and departments/ specialties that the VA doesn't. I re-discovered a great ER Doctor, named Eric Johnson, who worked hard to figure out just what gave me so much pain, and boiled it down to 3-- things that he treated me for, and allowed me to stay over night. Now, most of the fine staff and doctors at Dickenson Hosp., are good, smart, happy human beings with a strict code to help the patient, but there is always at least one "Queen RN Supervisor" of which we can accurately call in German, "Arshlock." That RN was Deena B., who really got in my face, as sick as I was, pointing her finger, repeatedly in my face and screaming at me, also took a few extra people in my room to help intimidate me, as if I wasn't already STRESSED out, so that I have a very hard time trying to sleep there that night !! But my regular, good, personal RN, Ashley W., was super good, kind, smart and protective of me that night -- was well mannered and did everything correct. Her supervisor, Deena, was loud, demanding, threatened me, and wanted to search all my belongings, and was a normal man's NIGHTMARE! She enjoyed figuring out just what 'triggered' a man and then keep pushing his buttons to build up more stress, and I noticed that with another older nurse on the 1st floor, too. It's just too darn bad that they have to play head games, like Democrats, with sick, injured people who are there to get help.
So, that's the short version of my story, that I might elaborate on more later.
---Disabled Vietnam Veteran: 68-70. Honorable Discharge.
Thomas G. Schuckman
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