Son,

I’m with you.  A continued, recurring illness in your little four year old girl is terribly frustrating.  One of my favorite optimistic sayings is, “We should be grateful that we live in an era of modern medicine.”   But what do we do when the health care system comes up short?

I don’t have any medical advice, other than a tablespoon of honey mixed with a shot of Jack Daniels.  I do have some thoughts about the medical system.  Remember who is talking here – people don’t like me very much when I am in my present state of mind.  I am multitasking – Praying in the background, ready to take action in the foreground.

What action – the doctors are in control – we just do as we are told.  The health care system is so busy that sometimes patients become invisible – we are  only seen when it rains directly on us – otherwise we are forgotten.   My strategy would be to become very visible.  My thought is to take her to the hospital emergency room and tell them you are not leaving until you get some answers – tell them to call the urologist – screw his 9 to 5, three day schedule – sandwiched around his golf game.  Screw their chain-of-command protocols.  If the emergency room protests that they can only give a ‘take two and call me in the morning’ suggestion, then call the President of the hospital.  Call him at home.  Tell him politely what your problem is.  If he gives you any spin ask him when their next hospital board meeting is – because you are going to be there.  Become very visible – open the floodgates of the most massive health care system in history.

You are hearing a primitive man speaking – the saber tooth tiger is in my camp and I am ready to fight.

As I said earlier – remember who is talking – institutionalized people don’t like me very much – I prefer action to protocol.

Dad