VA Stands For Very Aggravating

The Veterans Affairs Hospital in Dallas has a long history of negative publicity. While many improvements have been made, there is room for more. Robin had two routine visits there this week and he fell through the cracks both times.

First, he was asked why he wasn't being monitored for the medication he's taking. Well, he was never told he should be. He goes for his visits, takes the meds prescribed, and waits for another notice that tells him when to come back. The blame game begins. It's a clerical error, the computers have been down, the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

Robin knew in the beginning that he would have to exercise extreme patience when visiting the hospital. It's always crowded and waiting is the norm. But the price is right. It costs little or nothing for a veteran to receive medical attention. So he arrives with normal expectations and has received good and bad results. Good, meaning tolerable.

He arrived for his second visit this morning. He was told he didn't have an appointment. He assured them he did, that the doctor set it up when he was in earlier in the week. He even pulled out a piece of paper and showed them his 9:00am appointment. They finally found him in the system. He, indeed, had an appointment, but it was for 1:00pm, "and our offices close at noon," he was told. Again, he waved the sheet of paper with the appointment time clearly written for 9:00am. They relented and let him see the doctor.

I have little experience with the VA but what I have seen needs some attention. They need to get organized. And they need to get human. The patients are packed in the rooms like sardines. I realize space is limited and the veteran population is large. Still, the tight quarters would be bearable with a little more personal attention. Some may say it's a depressing place to work. Dodging enemy fire in a foreign country is depressing, too.

When my father was there recovering from surgery he had an irate roommate. His foul language and yelling was getting on everyone's nerves. The environment was not conducive to recovery. A nurse came in and reprimanded him, which only made matters worse. Another nurse came in and got human, using a different approach that resulted in a better attitude. She told the man she knew he was hurting and asked what she could do to make him more comfortable. Her soothing words calmed and relaxed him. His biggest need was to be understood and to know someone cared.

Our veterans deserve the dignity and respect they have earned by serving our country. I'm a firm believer that health care needs to be available to the men and women who have protected us. Many are there for war-related injuries, whether physical or mental. They need to be treated with respect. They put their lives on the line for us. The very least we can do is help them live a healthy life in this free world.

My plea to all those who work in this facility is to see these veterans as the people they are. They are not human garbage or rejects from society. They are God's children, our heroes, our defenders. Feel for them. Love them. Help them. Get human.