I Need To Rant.

Wow, do hospitals suck these days, or what? I wrote last week about how my Granddad was admitted to the hospital with bronchitis or a bronchial infection. He was even forced to spend his latest wedding anniversary stuck in a hospital bed, while my Granny went to dinner with my parents and my aunt and uncle who drove up from the Bay Area.

The hospital has been running tests on his heart, as that seems to be one of the main reasons he is still in the hospital. I spoke to him the other day, and he sounded pretty good. He was supposed to go to rehab to help rebuild strength, but they (the hospital) wanted to run some more tests on his heart.

Now. Here comes my vicious rant. My mother can attest to my anger, as she feels the same way. We were texting about it earlier this morning. I wanted to march all the way up there to tell the hospital where they can shove it.

My Granddad has been there for a full week now. According to my mother, the hospital staff has not given him a bath or a toothbrush. What. The. Fuck. I am sorry, but what century are we in? I believe it to be inexcusable for anyone (and I do mean anyone) to be denied either of these. These are not luxuries in the 21st century. For God's sake, man. These are rights.

Hospitals charge an inordinate amount of money for every little thing. In many cases they short-staff themselves because somehow, after charging what feels like Bill Gates' annual salary, they are as broke as the poor folk they are charging. I realize that hospitals are busy. And whether or not it's their own damn fault for being broke, in some cases they are, and therefore cannot afford to keep as staffed as they should be.

But there is a line they have crossed. They do not have to haul pitchers of water up three flights of stairs to some bathtub. They do not have to hand pump the water. So, I beg the question: with running water available, how do you refuse to bathe a patient?

I have seen this a lot in the last few years with elderly family members in and out of hospitals or rehab. They get upset at the feeling of being dirty. My parents get upset. I get upset. I seriously pity the day I am forced to vent to doctors and nurses about their lack of care.

I find it appalling. We are not a third world country. We are not in the Middle Ages. We are America, where everyone is due fair treatment.

I do not find this shit fair. Not at all.

Dirty rotten bastards.