Health Careless

There's no doubt about it, I've been blessed with awesome grandmas. The one that's still around just told a rehab facility where they could put their randomly administered drugs, their patient mix-ups, their diapers, and their weekends off. Then she hopped into the getaway car and went home! I am impressed.

By way of background, Grandma is in her 90s and her heart is weak. She had what's called a 'silent heart attack' a couple weeks back and went to the hospital. Hospitals don't like to have patients hanging around until they are well enough to go home, so they boot them into rehab facilities. 

This was by no means the worst care facility in the area. According to reviews, it's among the best. Some very nice people work there. But like all of these places, they work the numbers. Every 'body-in-a-bed' is 'money-in-the-bank.' If their health care was half as good as their bean-counting, we'd all be better off.

Did I mention that Grandma has great insurance above and beyond Medicare? When she shows up for care, the air rings with the sound of 'cha-chings.' Facilities are far more delighted to have her than she is to be there, which is no surprise. It costs a lot. There's no place to be except in a bed unless it's your turn for physical therapy or hygiene. The less employees to pay, the better, so there's not somebody available to help you whenever you need the toilet. Welcome to diapers.

Anyway, Grandma's plan was to stay at this place until she was capable of getting dressed, and getting from bed to walker to bathroom to kitchen to living room to bed (rinse-repeat) on her own. (You know, the stuff you need to do on your own. She has help with cooking, cleaning, and bathing in her own home, so that wasn't an issue.)

Grandma hit her goal 2 days ago. Imagine her surprise when... not only did they not release her, they planned to keep her there for months. Sorry, rehab place, Grandma wasn't having any of that. She got on her figurative high horse and rode it home. I'm so proud of her.

I wish more people could "just say no" to the abomination that our health-care system has become. It's a real pleasure to know the one who did.