Anal-cranial inversion

["Judith Rosen" <***>]

I agree with just about every single sentiment in Pete's post about the
definition of stupidity, and it brought back memories.... I stood in front
of about six high powered doctors who were conferring over "the moribund"
patient in ICU, who happend to be my not-so-moribund father who had gone
into sugar-shock which induced a minor stroke, which put him in a coma for
three days......(this was a full year or more before he actually died-- he
completely pulled out of this one). I stood there, interrupting them in
mid-confer.... and I tried my best to tell them that this may look like an
anomymous old man, but he had value beyond the fact that he was my father. I
told them who he was, I tried to sketch the nature of his career, and his
work, and told them to look him up on the internet so they could assess for
themselves whether I was telling them the truth. But I wanted them to do
more than the "bare minimum". I wanted them to think of him as a personality
and an important one at that, rather than just some anonymous patient. I
could tell by the body language that they tuned me out as an overwrought
family member who didn't understand how "busy" they were. "We treat all our
patients with the utmost care and consideration, Ms. Rosen...." "We can't
show any favoritism to your father, because that wouldn't be fair to the
families of the other patients who also love their family member...." I
didn't ask for "favoritism".... I was just hoping to avoid apathy and
indifference. God, what a miserable time in my life.

Fortunately, on the third day, he woke up to see a crowd of people standing
around his bed, with me front and center. To my questions, "Dad? Can you see
me? Do you know who I am???" He said, irritated, "Of course I do!" Not only
did he know who I was, but he had full recall of everything that happened
prior to passing out in the ambulance I had called because he was so weak in
the knees he couldn't walk. His blood sugar was higher than anyone at the ER
had ever seen, and they were amazed that he survived it. Turned out, the
sugar was out of control due to a systemic fungal infection which was being
fed by the sugar in a vicious cycle. I told him the whole story, with all
those medical people standing there, ending by saying, "You've been in a
coma for three days!" He said, "You're kidding! Jeez!"

Judith