After calling my VA office two months ago for an appointment they said "...we'll let you know when the appointment is...", have a nice life. A month ago I get a letter saying we want your bloodwith an appointment date, but they did say you could walk in before that date to give blood. What the letter did not say is "no eating for 12 hours before blood draw" or words to that effect...actually it did (below).
After arriving two weeks ago for blood work I rode my motorcycle around for ten minutes before I was directed to a reserve spot for two wheelers. Cool, it was across the street from the entrance. I go to the information desk and after a few minutes of helping another group the lady asks me "Can I help you?", and I got directed to the blood lab. About dozen other patients standing in the line. After about 10 minutes I get to a clerk who puts me in and ask some basic questions then the big one, "Have you eaten within the last twelve hours?"
Not wanting to go back to the line tomorrow, my answer was of course, "No I haven't....". Hey, I've told bigger ones than that in my life. He asks a few more questions and then I'm banished to the lobby to await my meeting with a vampire.
Surprisingly after only five minutes I get called forward and Dracula asks "Have you had anything to drink this morning?". Ok man think fast, "Coffee."
Drac looks and asks again, "No sugar?" and speak truthfully for one of the few times this morning, "Splenda."
Well he does it again, "Cream or milk?" and in a spasm of honesty I say "Coffee Mate."
"Well we have to cancel one of the tests but everything else can go on."
As he does a very professional job drawing my blood I asked him "Is this the normal turn it takes for a blood draw?" and he said "We're fully staffed today...". From the time I walked into The Vampire's Lair till I left was about 20 minutes.
Well a few days after they take my blood they send me a letter with an appointment date for two weeks from now at 1100am. I get on the campus of the VA Center at 1040....big mistake. I had to use my truck today and I looked for parking spaces for over 15 minutes, including some at a quarter mile distance from the entrance. No joy. So as cheap as I am (and hoping not to have my appointment rescheduled for next year) I go for valet parking....
At least I'm not driving around for the fifteen minutes I'm in the valet line. The crew was working it's ass off but they were just overwhelmed. Three lines of vehicles going in, two for non-disabled vehicles, the closest one for disabled people. I called in to the VA main line and it first sent me to an automated answer program. I use some disparaging words to describe the mother of the program, dial again and hit a "0". To my shock in less than a minute I am speaking with a human being and explain to her I'm trying to park, please the clinic know. She puts me on hold and after about two minutes she told me in a pleasant voice "The clinic knows you are outside sir... just get in as soon as you can...."
Oops, gun belt and rifle are still in the back....cover them up and hope the valet is somewhat honest.
After finally dropping off my truck I walk in and look at the help desk to get directions to the clinic...and there is no one there. A gentlemen sitting nearby saw me and said "She's at lunch...." but when I asked he did direct me to the clinic. After walking in I asked the female clerk "Where do go?" and she answered almost in a snarl "Over there!", pointing at a sign. After a few minutes both clerks say "Next in line!" and not wanting to deal with Ms Smart Ass again I speak with the other clerk. Explaining to him I have not moved in over ten years we discover my phone number is listed wrong, my phone last four are -0314, but they have it as -0317. Simple typo. It takes three tries to get that corrected.
"Have a seat until called pease.."
I take a quick rest room break (this may take a while) and while walking discover the chess tournament the center has going. Young and old going at it....pretty cool.
I sit down and start on my book then almost immediately hear my name being called. From the time I'm told to sit down to being called, around ten minutes. Not bad.
The nurse asks me to get on the scale and I don't want to look....but if the scale is accurate I have lost five pounds....progress.
The nurse speaks to me and conducts the initial interview, takes my blood pressure, etc, then checks with the LNP where I will have the full exam, After ten minutes I get into the LNP's office where she spends a lot of time checking my medical history, current condition, etc and then examines me. She refers me to a clinic for a more detailed exam so I can receive some medications. Two to four weeks. Oh well.
I spend a few minutes walking around and I notice a few things.
All the volunteers walking around, helping with simple directions, handing out coffee to patients and their families. God bless for this effort...simple things like directions, a cup of coffee make a big difference to someone dealing with the VA bureaucracy.
All the people walking around...the vets. The place is packed more than any hospital I have ever scene. You got some as old as Korea as I can see...a good number of Vietnam vets...but mostly I saw vets under 45. Some were definitely in their 20's, at least on 20 something in a wheelchair.
Overall impressions are we have a staff trying to assist people but they are just overwhelmed by the load. And I fear it will get worse as more vets come in for assistance after our recent wars. And I think I've found a good job to keep me busy after I retire...I can handle giving out popcorn to the vets there.
Take a walk around the facility and snap a few pictures...good to see some of these.
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| A rather famous picture from WWII |
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| Atomic Veterans memorials |
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| This was originally was a Navy hospital. |
Finally walking out and to my pleasant surprise the valet was no charge...but it took over twenty minutes to get the truck back. Hey you get what you pay for.
The point of this....in a recent post in the New York Puke,err Times, Nicholas Kristof described the VA as a socialist institution. Although it has some aspects of socialized medicine (lines, longer times to see doctors) their are some major differences. One, unlike the socialist model (Great Britain) where there is notional universal access, people in this system have to do more than be born for services. Two, they generally deal with service related conditions so unlike England or Canada there is limited treatment for cancer as an example....then again, GB and Canada have their Death Panels....so far we don't have them in the VA system ....well last year the administration threatened to cut medications for vets for service related conditions.
Updates when I see the specialist....life goes on.
Oh, the vampire letter did say FAST at the end of the line...missed it..but it didn't say something like "No eating or drinking (except water) for 12 hours prior to blood draw). Hey, gotta deal with people like me <;)
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