nightmare at dallas va medical center

this past week - i took my mother to the va medical center in dallas

for a routine appointment - (which she went to) we went back to her standard clinic and wanted a doctor or nurse or someone

to look at a wound that is not healing. she has poor circulation,

and has been hospitalized before for wound care when she was in a

nursing home; i did not want a repeat of that. you would think

by the response of some of the medical staff that i was asking

them to donate a kidney to my mom. usually the care she has

received at this medical center has been above average - but

not always, and it has dramically improved in the 20 plus years

she has been going there.

but when one the the top nurses finally got a doctor to see

the wound - she stated that "don't do this again, you

know you need an appointment" and "just let this go"

so they want her to go from out patient to in patient because we

have to wait weeks for an appointment?

Let's review the facts --

although the clinic she was in was somewhat busy-

some of the staff had time to chit chat while they

could have been looking at the wound

a simple check of her med history would indicate

that she was in the hospital before (for over a month)

due to a similiar problem

and some of the staff should take several courses

in good customer service skills

the matter was finally resolved - a doctor did look at the

wound and prescribed some high level antibiotics and

special skin cream

my mother is elderly - she could die of natural causes just

sitting in the waiting room - her age and medical

condition all should of been taken into account

it finally was - 16 hours later from start of our

trip to being finally home .. we live in fort worth

it is an over 120 mile round trip via train and lite

rail...

there has to be a better way- put in an urgent care

clinic for clinic overflows and walk ins . because

i was about to take her to the va medical center's

emergency room

now if her regular doctor and regular nurse had been

in that day they would have seen her... unfortunately

they were not.

my mom served honorably in the Korean conflict was

stationed overseas right after WWII- she and other

veterans like her- deserve better

I am writing the Chief of Staff , as well as a Texas

Senator and the Secretary of veterans Affairs. Our

President is talking about univeral health care

and health care like the VA. (well, it's ok on

a good day... but no one should go through

what my mother and I went through this past week)

please note- not all the staff in that clinic

were un accommodating - that clinic usually runs

like a well oiled machine - but not that day. we

are usually very satisfied - but as stated before

not on that day.

there has got to be a better way...