Sombody... MT doesn't get it... he probably never will.
I wish MT could walk a mile in one of those homeless vets shoes... he may look at life a little differently.
During and after Vietnam... If you seek help while in the military for any emotional or mental problems, you, eventually may get treatment. There were very few doctors available then, and few who knew how to treat PTSD. If you seek help, your career in the military ends... you will be assigned to a menial job, and treated as if you had leprosy. You learn to shut your mouth and "get over it", till you're discharged. I hope that things have changed since then. As they now know, the time to treat PTSD is as soon as possible after exposure. Once a vet is discharged there is little or no follow up treatment unless the vet actively seeks out help, which is the opposite of what his condition tells him to do.
The problem of homeless vets in this country is a disgrace. All of a sudden that patriot in uniform is no longer of any value once he hits the street with a problem.
MT's words: "if you'd rather drown your sorrows in a bottle or through a syringe, that's your choice"... shows that he had no concept of the real problem.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
So you're suggesting what? That we confine everyone that MAY suffer from PTSD until we feel they're CURED? If they don't seek the help, the VA, the Govt., etc has no right to hold them for treatments.
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If you seek help, your career in the military ends... you will be assigned to a menial job, and treated as if you had leprosy.
If you're speaking in the present tense, I don't believe that's accurate - I'd like to see some documented proof of that. Why hasn't the current, or former administration/congress changed that, if it exists?
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I wish MT could walk a mile in one of those homeless vets shoes... he may look at life a little differently.
I'll tell ya a little story. My grandfather was a patient in the "hospice" wing at Albany VA for nearly 2 years. During that time, I spent HOURS every possible day sitting with him, his fellow marines, and had regular contact with both the staff of the hospice wing as well as of those professionals in the services area, dr's offices within the VA, etc. At one point, early in his stay (maybe it was just before he went in), they had to transfer him to St. Peter's cardiac center to get the best possible treatment. We had EQUALLY good treatment in both facilities. During those two years, I heard NOT ONE negative comment from any of the dozens (maybe hundreds) of fellow soldiers that were patients there. Granted, none, (that I know of) were "homeless" - but all were just as happy to be there as any private hospital. They shared meals, broke bread and enjoyed each others company immensely, making his final days very peaceful for him.
No, I haven't walked a mile in their shoes, I haven't seen what they've seen - but I have heard the stories. I've shared their pain, their loss of brothers and their joyful times.
I do agree, there is a "homeless vet" issue in this country. There's no denying that. My point is, there IS help available. They're out of active service, so there's no stigma or fear of being "discharged" at this point - so I really don't see why ANY vet doesn't, or hasn't availed themselves of the benefits of the VA, local chapters, medical services, etc. I can't imagine what they went through serving our country. I'm sure it was horrible (I lost an uncle in Vietnam and another died in an auto accident less than a month after coming home).
How many of the "homeless" that you and Mr Failure refer to have SOUGHT help and been denied? I'd venture to say, not many, if any.
So as MT understands the problem... A Vet with a mental or emotional illness that prevents him from actively seeking help, "should actively seek help". There we solved that problem... NEXT!
No where in my post did I say anything against the VA hospitals. In my time the VA was less than perfect, depending on which hospital you visited. Those problems have been improved or eliminated.
The real issue is to IDENTIFY and TREAT these vets while they are still in the system. Many times a problem with a vet will be solved by offering him a discharge. It ends the problem for the VA but accelerates the problem for the vet. Once on the streets for any extended length of time, the problem becomes almost un-treatable.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Yeah, all my Canadian Friends love their healthcare system (NOT.) Funny thing is, I actually know Canadians, and they wait months for an MRI, Catscan, and sometimes even a mammogram. Liberal socialists are so passionate about the elderly and women. Right. They are passionate about having all the control, patronage jobs, and dictatorial power over all. That is why they stink like sh!t and and that is why they are democraps. And soon many of them get to wear striped suits and spend time behind bars.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
I would LOVE to get sick in mexicrap, Egypt, china, Cuba, Brazil or India. I would really love it, i am sure it would be better there. Imbeciles are just imbeciles. There is no cure for stupid, when you are driven only by hate and ideology and the lust for power.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
GB- "I would LOVE to get sick in mexicrap, Egypt, china, Cuba, Brazil or India."
I don't blame you GB... their health care is often below US standards. BUT, If you got sick in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand or England, you'd probably get as good or better health care services than in the USA.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
"Turning their attention to the availability of health care resources, the authors examine the use of cancer screenings including mammograms and PAP smears (for women), PSA screenings (for men), and colonoscopies. They find that the use of these tests is more frequent in the U.S. - for example, 86 percent of U.S. women ages 40 to 69 have had a mammogram, compared to 73 percent of Canadian women. The U.S. also is endowed with many more MRI machines and CT scanners per capita. The authors find evidence of the possible effectiveness of higher levels of screening and equipment by examining mortality rates in both countries for five types of cancer that could be affected by early detection and treatment. Because the incidence of cancer may differ for reasons other than the health care system, they compare the ratio of the mortality rate to the incidence rate - a lower ratio corresponds to a lower death rate for those with the disease. They find that the ratio is lower in the U.S. for all types of cancer except cervical cancer, suggesting that the U.S. health care system is generally more successful in the detection and treatment of cancer. The authors also examine wait times, which are often cited as a problem in Canada. Though comparative information is limited, available data indicate much longer waits in Canada than in the U.S. to consult a specialist and to have non-emergency surgery like knee re-placements."
Natasha fell and hit her head skiing at a Canadian Ski Resort. She was immediately seen by EMT's who told her that she probably had a concussion and needed more medical care. The EMT's suggested an ambulance to take her to a hospital. NATASHA REFUSED. Had she gotten in a car and driven a few hours to the hospital, and even stopped for a meal on the way, she would have most likely been treated in the hospital in time to save her life.
What killed Natsha Richardson wasn't Canada's health care system... it was Natasha's refusal to use that health care system.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Natasha fell and hit her head skiing at a Canadian Ski Resort. She was immediately seen by EMT's who told her that she probably had a concussion and needed more medical care. The EMT's suggested an ambulance to take her to a hospital. NATASHA REFUSED. Had she gotten in a car and driven a few hours to the hospital, and even stopped for a meal on the way, she would have most likely been treated in the hospital in time to save her life.
What killed Natsha Richardson wasn't Canada's health care system... it was Natasha's refusal to use that health care system.
"The last good data I could find listed only 174 neurosurgeons in the entire country. In the U.S. we have 3,500. A study on the need of neurosurgeons listed the density of neurosurgeons in the U.S. to be about 1/55,000 people which means that an analogous number of neurosurgeons needed in Canada would be about 604."
There is a lack of neurosurgeons in Canada, due to the healthcare structure. Look it up. End of story.
The lack of neurosurgeons in Canada may or may not be true... But that isn't what killed Natasha Richardson.
~On March 16 at approximately 12:45 p.m., the ski patrol at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec called 911 to report a possibly dangerous fall on the hill. Richardson fell on Mt. Trembland's beginners hill. ~Paramedics responded, but were turned away after Richardson, 45, who had taken a tumble on a beginner's slope, said she was fine. ~ At 3 p.m., the resort called another ambulance. It said Richardson was vomiting and had a severe headache. ~Richardson was loaded onto a stretcher and taken to Sainte-Agathe, the nearest hospital, about 45 minutes away. ~During the trip to the hospital, medics reported her Glasgow score -- a coma scale that measures a patient's degree of consciousness. They gave her a Glasgow score of 12 out of 15, with a score of 15 meaning a patient is totally alert. A score of 12 is considered a treatable condition. Canada has no 'lifeflight' helicopter service, but a commercial helicopter available at the mountain could have taken Richardson to Montreal in a 30 minute flight. ~Doctors decided at 6 p.m. that Richardson should be rushed to Montreal's Sacre-Coeur Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center with a team of neurosurgeons on staff. That trip by ambulance took a little less than 45 minutes.
~The accident happened at 12:45pm. ~Natasha refused aid ... a Neurosurgeon was just over an hour and a half drive away. (Similar to a skiing accident in many of NY's rural ski areas.) ~At 6pm... her condition changed to Critical, and probably already too late to save her life.
The five hours and forty five minutes between Richardsons accident and the decision to get her appropriate treatment is what caused her death.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Canada has no 'lifeflight' helicopter service, but a commercial helicopter available at the mountain could have taken Richardson to Montreal in a 30 minute flight.
So, it's a great service you can PAY for ...
I thought their system was so great, yet they don't provide life saving helicopter service to "remote" areas like you're talking? What if someone only had Canada's "state sponsored" health care - would THEY pay for a private flight? Didn't think so.
If someone in the USA "wanted" an unnecessary lifeflight ride to the hospital, they would probably be refused also.
Richardson Did NOT need a life flight helicopter ride. She could have taken a bus or a taxi or driven the hour and a half to the hospital herself in plenty of time before her condition became critical. Transportation was available.
~Richardsons condition was not critical when offered the ambulance... she refused. ~She could have driven herself, taken a helicopter, or taxi, limo to Montreal... She refused. ~Once she started to feel ill, she could have taken a helicopter, a taxi, had some one drive her, a limo... she refused. ~A neurosurgeon was available at the Montreal hospital if she went there as directed by the medical staff... She refused.
In any case... once at a hospital, Richardson would have been treated. An uninsured American who shows up at a US hospital will not be treated, UNTIL their condition becomes critical. ER's will refuse uninsured patient unless their condition is 'life threatening'.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
As much as I love people magazine. Perhaps its more your style.
She was never looked at by anybody other than the ski partrol, which i am sure is more than qualified to evaulate a head trauma, and perhaps she refused care because she just had a major head trauma. Aside from that. In my opinion, once she was in an ambulance the canadian healthcare system failed this patient. No one, not even the top neurosurgeon in the world can predict the outcome in traumas like this. But it seems that this case exposed flaws in Canadas system. Lack of doctors and lack supporting infrastructure cost this poor girl a chance at recovery.
As Natasha Richardson's loved ones prepare to attend the funeral of the Tony Award-winning actress near her country home in upstate New York, PEOPLE has confirmed new details about the day of her ultimately-deadly fall at a Canadian ski resort – and critical lapses in her care that may have contributed to her death.
Richardson, 45, was on vacation with one of her young sons at Quebec's Mont Tremblant resort March 16 when she fell on a beginner's slope known as Nansen, a run popular for its gentle slopes and forgiving turns. Although her fall may have first appeared minor – she reportedly refused to be taken to hospital at least twice – the head injury she suffered is a type that, if tended to quickly at a qualified trauma center, can often treated successfully – and can just as easily turn fatal if not treated in time.
The New York City medical examiner's office ruled March 19 that Richardson died from blunt trauma to the head, causing massive internal bleeding in the brain. In such cases, blood from a damaged but still-pumping artery can quickly pool in the brain, creating pressure that must be relieved before irreparable damage is caused.
Time of the Essence Medical experts tell PEOPLE that time is of the essence in increasing the chances of survival. Yet patients and untrained observers often don’t realize the grave danger they are in since patients may experience periods of lucidity during which they can walk and talk – a scenario known as "talk and die."
Yves Coderre, director of operations for Ambulances Radisson, the company that responded to both 911 calls for Richardson on Monday, says nearly four hours elapsed between the actress's tumble and her admission to a local hospital. Coderre, who has reviewed 911 dispatch records, tells PEOPLE a member of the ski patrol summoned the first ambulance to the scene at 12:43 p.m. on Monday, not long after her fall toward the bottom of the run. The ambulance arrived just after 1 p.m. and waited near the bottom of the mountain while a ski patrol member followed protocol by placing Richardson in a toboggan to transport her down the hill.
Coderre, who has been a paramedic for 28 years and a member of a local ski patrol for eight years, said the paramedics in the ambulance saw Richardson whisk by on the sled without stopping. Minutes later, their dispatcher called them and said they were free to go because the actress had refused treatment.
Right to Refuse Care "They just saw her on the sled for a split second, nothing more," said Coderre, who explained that Richardson was brought to a small clinic at the mountain, rarely staffed by a physician, where a member of the ski patrol and her instructor, a female university student, talked to her.
"The protocol in these situations is that the person is told that she would be wise to seek medical attention but she always has the right to refuse," said Coderre. "The only time a person can be overruled is if she is thought to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or if she is showing visible signs of head trauma and seems to be intellectually incapacitated in some way."
Skiers are asked to sign a document if they refuse medical treatment. "They'd never let her go without her signing it," said Coderre of Richardson.
Richardson left the clinic still accompanied by her ski instructor and returned to her suite at the nearby luxury hotel where she was staying. Once there, her condition began to deteriorate. "She came back to the hotel [after the accident] and the instructor was right with her and took her to the room," a source tells PEOPLE.
Still Lucid "The instructor called the [hotel's] general manager and said Richardson had a headache and she was not feeling well. The GM went to see her and said she was going to call an ambulance. Richardson said she didn’t need an ambulance or a doctor – and the GM insisted that an ambulance come and get her."
Another call was placed from the hotel to the paramedics at about 3 p.m. and an ambulance arrived nine minutes later, according to Yves Coderre. He says Richardson was still lucid and coherent when she spoke to paramedics, but her condition had worsened and there were signs she might be in danger.
"[The paramedic] saw something that wasn’t right," says Coderre. "He saw some signs indicating her condition was destabilizing. He called ahead to the hospital to let them know of her condition and he put the siren on." Coderre declined to specify what the exact signs were.
The ambulance carrying Richardson left Mont Tremblant at 3:47 p.m. for Centre Hospitalier Laurentian in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, a small hospital some 25 miles away, where Richardson was stabilized, transferred to an ambulance and began the trip to the trauma center of Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal, a distance of 52 miles. She arrived there close to 7 p.m., according to Toronto’s Globe and Mail newspaper.
(Coderre’s timeline conflicts with a press release issued by the ski resort Tuesday stating that medics were called to Richardson’s hotel room about an hour after her fall. The resort did not respond to an email seeking further comment on the sequence of events.)
No Helicopter Available Why had it taken nearly six hours for the patient to arrive at a facility capable of treating her critical needs?
Witnesses agree that Richardson herself repeatedly declined to be taken to a hospital. But once it became obvious that her condition required it, Quebec's antiquated medical evacuation system played a part: the region has no helicopters to move patients from the field to hospitals in Montreal – a situation that has already stirred controversy in the wake of Richardson’s death.
"Our system isn't set up for traumas and doesn't match what's available in other Canadian cities, let alone in the States," Tarek Razek, director of trauma services for the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, which represents six of the city’s hospitals, told the Associated Press. Montreal and its suburubs, the second largest urban region in Canada, has a population of more than 3.6 million. Richardson was treated in the intensive care unit at Sacre-Couer and it is believed her husband, Liam Neeson, first saw his wife after her fall there sometime Monday night after abruptly leaving a Toronto film set.
On Tuesday, Richardson was flown from Montreal to New York in dire condition. One report said the actress was seen on a yellow stretcher wrapped in blankets as she made her final journey home with her worried-looking husband by her side. She was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan and family members held vigil at her bedside. The family announced her death Wednesday evening.
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