I worry that this blog at times comes off as a self-centered assault on healthcare. A guy being pissed-off that he’s sick and needing someone to show up, someone to point at and say”you’re doing your job wrong” .

Through all this, I have come to understand that no situation or system is all bad or all good. The reality of my situation is: I’m in a better this week than I was last. I know what’s wrong, I have a treatment plan and the people I have to thank are healthcare practitioners, of all levels.

Today I had nurse who took 20 minutes to change the dressing around my PICCline, to clean it as thoroughly as possible and ensure that infection or discomfort were not going to be an issue. She explained to me everything she did, why this was a good idea and that was a bad one. I left there more informed than I was when I walked in, and more empowered.

Healthcare is not important because people are constantly yelling about it on CNN, but because of its possibility. Because at its best, a patient can walk into a hospital scared, broken and walk out restored.

It’s a system that at the heart remains decent;  sure the surrounding body has packed on a few extra layers, but it can be worked off.

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