I care for her not because I have to, but because I want to. It is the right thing for anyone to do. On her visit to the Dodge County Hospital on Saturday, January 2, I was with her from the minute she walked in until the minute she left. When a person is in pain or feels as if they are in a crisis, they need someone with them. That is why I was there. I didn’t wait for an “acute” crisis to step in. I was already there.
Secondly, let me state that my mother is not a charity case. While it is easy to attack the elderly and upset them with your hurtful words when you have no emotional ties to them, I believe it is morally and ethically wrong to insult or belittle someone because your feelings were hurt when you were called out for one of your many mistakes. My mother has everything she needs out of life thanks to me. Again, I take an active role in my mother’s care, and I see to it that she does not need charity in order to receive quality healthcare or any other care.
Finally, let me state that, while I am neither a doctor nor a nurse, I do know what an adverse effect is. I also know that, when a patient takes a medication that creates an adverse effect which causes physical distress, no matter how positive the therapeutic effects are, the patient may not want to take the medication again. In my mother’s case, she took the medication given to her at Dodge County Hospital in the past and became so sick that she never wanted to take it again, which is why she listed it as one of her allergies. Without my aid, the aid of the notebook or list of allergies, or other helpful reminders, my mother gave a list of other allergies, or a list of drugs to which she had had an adverse effect, to the nursing staff of Dodge County Hospital. She thought she could count on educated, trained professionals to ensure she didn’t receive those medications.
She was wrong.
I will end by asking those who have a problem with my letters or my feelings toward Dodge County Hospital to take your anger out on me. I am a grown person, and I can take it. Please do not attack or belittle my mother. She does not deserve to be hassled on top of everything else she went through. Also, unless you were involved in the situation directly, you probably do not know all the facts. It’s easy to defend something you believe in, your profession or your employers, but make sure you have your facts straight before you jump into a situation you probably don’t belong in. We all look for someone to blame when a situation goes bad. Sometimes those who created the bad situation must take responsibility, though. It’s what anyone with a heart and a conscience would do.
John Smith
