patience with patients

I thought I'd tell some of you a little about my experience with some patients at an urban hospital here...

There's Ms. EP, a 542 lb lady who has a pelvic mass and a skin infection in her leg. She left the hospital against medical advice (AMA) because she was ready to go home. We ended up discharging her and scheduling follow up at a local clinic. I don't think she'll go though; she hasn't been to the doctor in years.

Mr. QA is a middle aged man whose wife died a couple of weeks ago. He had some cardiac surgery (stents) but can't afford the medicine that prevents complications since she died because he's homeless now. He used almost all his money for her burial. He's also been off his psych meds.

Mr. HD is a 38 year old man with AIDS and cryptococcal meningitis (it's a bad infection in the brain and spinal column). He had a job and a place to live until about a month ago when he got fired and subsequently got evicted for inability to pay. He admitted he has no friends, his mom just had a stroke and he is not close to any of his biological siblings (he has no siblings in his adopted family) since he was 18.

Ms WS is a 50 year old lady who has bad peripheral arterial disease and uncontrolled diabetes. She had an amputation of some toes a few months ago, but we transferred her to another hospital because her stump had two exposed bones and she had a blood clot of about 2cm in her aorta (the main vessel taking blood to the rest of her body)!

These are some of my patients. Many need extensive medical care, good follow-up and expensive meds. Not all of them will get it; some of them won't becuase they don't see it as important. Many need the Lord too. Lots of opportunity for sharing the love of Christ in a spoken or active manner.