The doctor examined my leg injury today and asked, “What hospital did you go to?”
“St Clair Emergency,” I replied.
He looked closely at the nearly five inches of skin on my thigh that is still healing, scabby, purple and scarred.
“That was not an easy laceration to fix. Whoever did those stitches did a fantastic job,” he said.
“It was a PA in the emergency room. His name was Michael… last name starts with a V,” I said. “He was great,” I added.
“Well, he’s got a career,” the doctor emphasized.
Three weeks ago, when I tripped, and snagged my leg on a dry root sticking up from the trail, I spent a morning getting an up close and personal look at the health care industry.
I was impressed.
I’m not saying that there aren’t problems and deeply divided opinions about healthcare. I’m also not claiming that the 32 stitches in my leg qualifies as a serious health crisis. What I’m saying is that I’m lucky. I’m very lucky that I had insurance and immediate access to a well-equipped emergency room, nurses, supplies, antibiotics and an extremely qualified and competent physician assistant, who sewed up my leg with such skill that my doctor is going to track him down to compliment him the next time he is at St. Clair Hospital.
There are many places in the world where a deep laceration such as mine could not be sutured and treated with antibiotics quickly, and if it became infected could become a life-threatening crisis.
When my injury became infected, the doctor simply prescribed a stronger antibiotic.
Three weeks later, I’m fine, healing well, and deeply grateful for the Michael V. and the health care community that addressed my medical need so well, I can look forward to a future with minimal scarring.
But that’s nothing.
My uncle, who suffers from a rare form of stomach cancer, recently told me that his oncologist just informed him that as of right now, he is cancer free and allowed him to stop taking what he calls a “million dollar drug” that cost $12,000 a month at Walgreens.
My beloved uncle is alive, thanks to the health care industry.
I am grateful for that miracle most of all.
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photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/7874636@N04/3179260186″>Hostipal Shot-Thing Tray</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/”>(license)</a>