I Needed Urgent Medical Care. Spokane Healthcare Workers are Heroes.
By Jody Cramsie
Today, I am grateful.
A few weeks ago I wrote about my anger at the rationing of healthcare in our local hospitals as a result of the voluntarily unvaccinated Covid patients needing treatment. I was angry about adequate treatment being unavailable for those non-Covid patients needing medical care.
On Monday, I became one of those people who needed urgent and perhaps emergency care. Yet, I was afraid to even go to the ER for fear of waiting several hours, possibly being exposed to Covid, and still not getting the care I needed. I considered trying to tough it out at home rather than chance a visit to a local hospital. However, after a long Sunday night of increasingly acute abdominal pain and nausea, it became clear I needed medical attention.
I was on the receiving end of incredible care from Providence Urgent Care, starting at 8 a.m; from the ER at Sacred Heart Medical Center; and from the surgical staff at Sacred Heart Medical Center, where I was discharged home at 5:30 p.m that same day after undergoing the emergency surgery I needed.
Despite the long hours, overwork, mental and emotional distress, and psychological burdens being borne by all of those healthcare professionals, I was greeted and treated with kindness, concern, thorough and timely treatment, and even the necessary humor every step of the way. Every single administrative staff, nurse, medical technician, physician, surgeon and transport person could not have done their jobs with more professionalism. Each and every one of them exemplified the highest standards of care. Heroes. Every one of them.
I am home, in part, because my course of treatment was without complication, but also, according to the doctor, in part because they didn’t want to admit anyone they didn’t absolutely have to admit because of the Covid crisis. I was and am lucky.
I stand by everything I wrote in my recent column. While I am still angry with the current hospital situation and required rationing of care as a result of the voluntarily unvaccinated Covid patients, I want to acknowledge the stellar care I received from the individual healthcare providers when I really needed it.
Today, I am grateful.
