Not long ago I reported a previous visit to the Little Rock VA that pitted me against a doctor Thomas that would just as soon I was dead and a staff that was so angry with her antics that I was urged to report her — so it is only fair that I update the affair with a report on the service I received after switching my loyalties to the North Little Rock VA.
On my previous visit to Little Rock I went in as a lamb to the slaughter, suspecting nothing, expecting to be treated fairly. This visit several days ago I went in as a belligerent, fully prepared to be treated as a human being or know the reason why. To my astonishment the people at the door greeted me kindly and directed my footsteps to my appointed rounds. When I reached the reception desk two radiantly beautiful (my kind of beautiful anyway — bright, intelligent, eagerly efficient) ladies took my card and began punching the numbers in. As soon as I could see the computer recognized me I turned back towards the waiting room for the duly expected long wait but a cheerful voice called me back. “Just a minute Mr. Stone. We have a nurse coming for you.”
Before she was quite through speaking that nurse did appear. “Good morning, Mr. Stone. My name is Clem and I will be getting your weight and your blood pressure preparatory to you seeing your doctor. How are you feeling today, Mr. Stone?”
How I was feeling was bewildered. Had I slipped a cog in time and gone spinning off into a parallel universe? This was not like any VA system I had ever known. Clem was masterful and Clem was efficient. It is hard for me to describe an old bald-headed man as beautiful, but you know, he came real close to fitting the bill — real close! “You’ll be seeing Dr. Anderson today.” I asked what kind of doctor I had been assigned to and he frankly told me that “in my old bald-headed opinion” I had been assigned to the best doctor in the whole hospital.
“Thank goodness!” I said. Then I told him about my previous experience and his eyes flashed fire with indignation in my behalf. “You call the Patient Rep and let him know about this. The VA will not tolerate that kind of treatment for its heroes!”
Heroes? The term took me aback when it was applied to me. I admit that I joined RA and I was RA all the way, but I must also admit that I was confused, stupid and lacking in physical strength until my last year of service. But then again, when the Berlin Crisis of JFK’s day reeled up I demanded that I be shipped to the scene of our next probable combat confrontation. When the full alert came that Russian troops were massing towards us I was right up there on the front line amongst some of the finest soldiers I have ever had the privilege of serving amongst. If the Russians had been stupid enough to cross the line they would have been clobbered and brutalized. We were ready, we were even eager. We were eager in a mature, confident way — and I (today) believe that Russia knew we were ready and very quickly decided to apply pressure somewhere else. Say what you want to about JFK, he inspired confidence in the troops and he inspired the desire to go beyond the mark of becoming physically fit for all combat situations. We had numerous personnel marching 50 miles a day in full battle gear on their own time just to show they were physically and mentally prepared.
When Clem was through with me I came back through the staging area, headed for the waiting room, but the receptionists called me back, “Mr. Stone, Mr. Stone. Dr. Anderson will see you now.”
Now let me make this almost as miraculous for you as it really was by admitting that I had gotten the date of my appointment confused and had arrived two whole days ahead of time, and YES, I was still seeing my doctor that quickly. The doctor was even in the room to greet me, instead of making me cool my heels for forty minutes. She put me at ease with a professional handshake and began asking professional questions that quickly moved us through the preliminaries. Then she asked what I thought we needed to address. I brought out my list and read it all the way through as her head nodded thoughtfully at each new item. She waited until I was finished then addressed each issue in the same order I had given them to her and told me what “our” options were.
Now that other doctor had cut my pain meds in half and sneered at me about it. Doctor Anderson cut my pain meds in half again, but she told me why this step was necessary, then told me what we were going to do about it. This time I not only understood, I endorsed the move.
After my perceived concerns had been addressed and resolved as well as possible, Doctor Anderson then let me know about her concerns with my health. Her list was as long as mine, and more professional. I will do this, I will do that, and you sir, must realize that your good health is primarily your responsibility. “Now, I want you to follow through on ” — this, that and the other.
One of the questions she asked I had no answer for, and called Marleen for more information. That information was too technical for me to understand so I handed the phone over to Doctor Anderson. From the one-sided conversation that I could hear it was obvious that reams of information were being dished up and received.
As our session ended my impressions were that everything that could be done for me was being done for me. Yes, my pain meds had been cut way down, but I didn’t feel like a little kid knocked out of the candy box, I felt like a mature adult braced with the cold, hard facts of life. Other medicines were switched, elaborate instructions given and the doctor’s phone number provided so that if anything started going awry I was to call her immediately.
It is hard for me to imagine a more professional grade of service at any hospital in the world, or a friendlier environment than I found in the overwhelming gestalt of the North Little Rock VA system. My prayers had been answered and I felt to rejoice.
Addendum .. This morning when I woke up I looked down at my feet as I swung out of bed and jerked back in astonishment.. my feet looked skinny. All the swelling is gone, and they feel — normal — for the first time in many years. I monitored the rest of my body and discovered that almost all of the numbness in my left side is gone also.
“Thank thee Father.” Yes, my prayers have been answered through the North Little Rock VA.
p.s. This morning I called the VA and a live human being answered the phone. I was so astonished I almost dropped the receiver. I got myself switched to the NLR pharmacy and once again, a live human being answered the phone. She even answered my questions intelligently and then suggested some other matters she could assist me with.
I am not accustomed to this kind of nurturing. Maybe I have slipped a cog here and gone off into a parallel universe where things work like they are supposed to. I’ll know for sure if that is true the next time I lose something important and don’t find it under the last thing I laid down, but instead, on top of it.
