A Colonel's Medical Treatment VS. a SGT's

[AWC]

Here is a memo from a Colonol who recieved treatment for a spinal injury. Long story short, he was diagnosed and treated in just a day. Scroll down for my version

Team Madigan,
I must apologize up front that I will not be able to visit any of your holiday parties on Friday. I was truly looking forward to it as you deserve to take a break with your teams. It has been a wonderful year for all the teams of the Madigan Healthcare System.
There is a good reason for my absence from tomorrow’s parties --- as many of you might know, on Tuesday, Dec. 15, I became a patient at our facility. Dealing with back pain over the past month, my morning began with excruciating pain in my right leg that promptly woke me up at 4 a.m. By 7:30 a.m., I was speaking with Maj. Scott Swasey from Physical Medicine who determined my right leg was not only weak, but showing vastly diminished reflexes. A phone call to Maj. Dan Wenzell from Anesthesiology followed by a quick visit precipitated a short walk to Radiology and an immediate MRI. The MRI staff was superb and 30 minutes later, Dan was showing me comparative studies from two MRIs 30 days apart that showed a pretty impressive herniated disk compressing a nerve root coming from the spine in my lower back that was essentially choking off the nerve supply to my right leg and surrounding muscles.
Dan had already called Neurosurgery, and walked with me as I limped my way to see Maj. Tung Ha. Tung professionally examined me, looked at my studies and with a brilliant smile and air of confidence, he gave me two options. Since dealing with my pain and having my muscles atrophy didn’t sound like much fun, I opted for the surgical option. When I asked Tung when we could schedule it, he remarked “Today.” Now, I must admit, that was a bit of shock to my senses, but since I would have done anything to relieve the pain in my leg short of taking a chain saw to it, I agreed.
I hobbled my way back down to the Command Suite to make some arrangements, and I was met by Lt. Col. Hans Bakken, who helped me work my way to DOAOS. The staff there headed by Gwen Haynes helped me with forms concerning confidentiality, patient release, blood work, etc. --- all done with great pride and professionalism; the smiles were infectious. Unknown to the staff around me, I had just become a “secret shopper”; I stopped worrying about me, but I was on the inside watching their interactions with all patients and staff around me --- those that didn’t have “Colonel” before their name or a “Commander badge” hanging from their breast pocket. Truth be told, the treatment was the same. Everyone was special in their eyes.
After scaring my wife, Jamie, with a phone call announcing my urgent surgical rendezvous in an hour, I went to my quarters to change into something more casual and began my travels to DOAOS, where Patricia Cordier provided me with a fashionable blue gown (with rear ventilation) and a superman cape to protect my modesty, along with the commensurate blue headgear. She then walked me to my pre-op bed, where the wonderful team of anesthesia providers descended upon me with questions, verifications smiles and most importantly to me, confidence. Again, paying less attention to me but on the other interactions around me, I found this team also gave the same treatment to all the patients around me. Soon thereafter, I was off to dreamland. When I awakened, I was met by my Command Team and more importantly, the leg pain I’d endured for the past 48 hours was gone.
Wheeled up to 7N, I opted to stay overnight. I’m glad I did, as I got to meet two first-class customer servants and professional nurses in Charity Ridgley and Jack Moffitt. Charity really lived up to our “Care with Compassion” motto, and I found out that Jack was a 20-year Air Force veteran-turned-nurse who loves Madigan. Other heroes included 1st Lt. Alex Perez, 1st Lt. Ryan Bautista, 1st Lt. Robert Johnson, Donna Baza, and Spc. Scott Vasquez, who took me on my first walk (albeit only 12 feet to the bathroom) with my new back. On Wednesday, I walked out of our facility, pain free. Although it may be a few weeks before the strength returns to my leg, I’m confident the care I received and my future rehabilitation will improve my quality of life. I know there were many others involved with my care but in the interest of time, I offer you my blanket appreciation for your attention and care.
My short stay and whirlwind tour of our services further affirmed to me what I already knew. Taking liberty with a theme consistent with the Holiday season, I leave you with the following: Yes Virginia, there really is a world-class quality care and customer service organization with a people-first attitude at Madigan ---- and it exists in the hearts, minds and souls of all staff at Madigan Healthcare System, and is provided to all patients each and every day of the year, just as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.
Happy Holidays! You are a Great Team and I will see you in about 30 days!
“Care with Compassion!”
JEROME PENNER III
COL, MS
Commanding


and this is what happened to me!

In December of 04 I was injured in an IED attack by a small Iraqi force. I had fractured two vertebrae and had 3 blown discs. After 2 days of waiting at the 86th CSH (Baghdad ER, ...the one on the show and around the same time-frame as those filmings), a Specialist E-4 (one rank above private) prescribed Ibuprofen on the scientific evidnce of "if it were bad, you'd be screaming". I visited the hospital 10 more times only to receive ibuprofen, and then once, tramadol. I served the entire 13 months in extreme pain.

Upon arrival back in the states, I went to "sickcall" which is like starting over. I was given ibuprofen. After 3 more visits like this, I ended up going to the ER because my legs would occasionally quit working and, every now and then, I would pee myself without even knowing it. Still, it took 5 months for the US Army to offer me an X-Ray. The Xray "justified the expense of" the MRI, which was offered to this Colonel on the first day. It took 4 more months to given all the rest of the tests. I ended up with a multi-level spinal fusion.

The day after my spinal fusion surgery I was released to my family and drove 3 hours to their house post-surgery but the pain was immense. The hospital that operated on me was now 3 hours away. I was passing out due to pain so my family checked me into the ER in Corpus Christi, TX. The hospital decided to drain the pockets of fluids around my spine...I don't know why.

The next day I realized I was, again, in a hospital. I had to clear up health insurance issue because I wasn't in an Army hospital.

The RN in charge of all the day-to-day operations at the spinal fusion clinic for the Army took action against me for "failure to follow a direct order" which, apparrently, was to not go to any other doctor. I was then held under order of the Medical Command for disobedience...because my family took me to the ER. I was not allowed to see my family except for 2 hours a day (to keep quiet for the other patients). I was, for all intents and purposes, under arrest for a total of 26 days.

After all of this, the Army lost my medical records which would have proven a much higher VA retirement rate.


So...rank has its priveliges.

[2chGUY]

I'm not surprised in the slightest

[Hillbilly SQ]

Those records were lost on purpose

[AWC]

you think?

[DonovanM]

I knew a woman who got shafted out of some kind of VA disability retirement benefits or something as well. She got them back though, by not giving up and calling the VA office essentially every day asking about the status of the benefits she deserved.

Highly recommended, instead of wasting your time and energy butting your head up against the wall

[tRidiot]

Sounds like we need to get the gov't MORE involved in healthcare... that'll solve all the problems.





Yeah....

[AWC]

Originally Posted by tRidiot

Sounds like we need to get the gov't MORE involved in healthcare... that'll solve all the problems.





Yeah....

you're starting to turn into a putz

[nismos14]

So you went to the same facility he did? Mhmm..

[AWC]

actually no. they are both major medical centers..I think there are only 4 that size. one was Brooke Army Medical Center (the biggest and best) was where I went. Madigan is a bit smaller but the same basic services except for burn unit...

[tRidiot]

Originally Posted by AWC

you're starting to turn into a putz

If that's what it's called, I'm proud to be one.

[nismos14]

Kinda of like comparing oranges to applse.

[AWC]

Originally Posted by nismos14

Kinda of like comparing oranges to applse.

Well...I'm actually comparing time frames. It took close to a year to diagnose a SGT in the largest and most advanced military medical center in the world. It took under a day to diagnose and treat a COL within the same command. Army medical centers are required to have very similar regulations.

What is actually different is not so much as the location...which isn't even hardly relevant...(IOW, I was treated at the combat unit...should have been much faster) its the political climate, now, compared to then. The fall-out of the Walter Reed Medical Center really has helped speed up treatment for aolot of people and has definitely helped with the level of respect soldiers get upon treatment...but it took more than a year for me to even get an Xray. I don't think its apples and oranges...or at least, not to the point that it should seem acceptable based on location...I guess I just don't get your angle. The lesser facility should have been slower? Is 2 years, VS one day...is that going to make sense to you?

[basher8621]

I can say first hand I have gotten exceptional treatment since being hurt. Im just a SSgt.

[chad]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly SQ

Those records were lost on purpose

Originally Posted by AWC

you think?

My wife is REALLY good at finding those records.....

[AWC]

There's not much to do about it now. I've gotten what I could hope to get from the VA. It was alot herder to do but eventually there was enough info to get it done. There was still radiographs and all digital copies. It was all the surgery and treatment records that got misplaced. I still had plenty of records proving what had been done to me, just no mention of how it was done. All is well.